Fri., Dec. 8, 2006
Why can’t those schools just stay way?
COLLEGE FOOTBALL UPDATED: 11 A.M.
So Dennis Erickson is talking with Arizona State. And so is Mike Price. Wow. Two guys who had success at Washington State, though I wouldn't call it overwhelming success, being lured by ASU. And two guys whose teams had average to poor seasons this year (Price's UTEP team went 5-7 this season; Idaho was 4-8).
Now I think both are pretty damn good college football coaches, but, honestly, can't ASU find an up-and-coming assistant somewhere that would fire up the fan base and bring energy to Tempe? Wouldn't that be better than hiring a veteran coach who has baggage from every recent stop?
And wouldn't that be better than poaching Idaho's guy in the middle of recruiting season, a recruiting season that is crucial to the Vandals' future success?
What do you think? Is Erickson ASU's best choice? Price? Oregon State's Mike Riley (which opens another can-o-worms with Erickson)? Or should the Sun Devils leave these guys alone and grow their own coach?
In somewhat-related news, Alabama seems to have lured West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez with a mound of cash. Good luck coach Rodriguez. Stay away from the clubs.
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Montana is the only Big Sky Conference football team left in the NCAA 1-AA playoffs (that's our name for it), and the Griz host UMass this afternoon (4:30; ESPN2) in a semifinal. Here is the Boston Globe story on the matchup. Talk about praise for UM, wow.
UPDATE: Here's a Great Falls Tribune story on UMass' excellent running back.
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All the college football awards, except the Heisman, were handed out in a made-for-ESPN special last night, and here's who won what.
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Finally, here's a fun look at the BCS mess. Enjoy.