A Head Coach-In-Waiting Just Causes Controversy

Aside from the controversy of USC being stripped of their 2004 national title, the focus of the college football off-season has been the craziness in Morgentown, West Virginia. On December 16, 2010, West Virginia named Dana Holgorsen, the former Oklahoma State offensive coordinator, their head coach-in-waiting for the 2011 season. The Mountaineers planned for Bill Stewart, the current coach, to be replaced by Holgorsen in 2012. However, the situation could not be much worse or more unsettling for West Virginia. Colin Dunlap, a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette beat writer, was reportedly asked by Stewart to "dig up dirt" on Holgorsen. He said about the conversation, "He [Stewart] tried to flam-throw the guy [Holgorsen] in December by calling me and at least one other reporter because the other reporter and I discussed it. [Stewart] said, can you get the word scumbag tattooed on the front of the sports page? You need to dig up this dirt; you need to get it out on this guy... it's true that he's even involved with assailing Dana Holgorsen's character or attempting to, this would make the second instance thus a pattern would form of him going after the same man. I just think that the [coach-in-waiting] situation is doomed to fail." Currently, Bill Stewart's future is in serious jeopardy according to numerous sources close to the program. The saga has gone on for so long that even West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck admitted, "no one wants this to drag out any longer than it needs to." This begs the question: What is the point in a coach-in-waiting? Previous history also shows that this tag just doesn't work.

Although Florida St. had one of the smoother transitions to the head coach-in-waiting, it still ended with controversy over the departure of Seminole great Bobby Bowden. Fisher was named the coach-in-waiting on December 10, 2007. The Seminoles felt that they had to make the move because they wanted to keep Fisher, as he was offered the head coaching job at UAB and the offensive coordinator job at both Alabama and Florida. Unfortunately for Fisher, Bowden wasn't ready to retire until two years later. There is irreparably damage between Bowden and the university over his departure. Bowden said about his retirement," Pushed out ain't bad. I was pushed out, no doubt about it. I didn't want but one more year. Gosh, I'm 80... I didn't want them to spread the story that I voluntarily happily resigned." Florida St. felt pressured to give Fisher the coaching job before he would leave for a head coaching job at another school. Although Bowden wasn't ready to retire, they had to make a decision because they promised Fisher their coaching job. Therefore, they had to part ways with Bowden although the great coach wanted to return and it lead to controversy in the media.

What occurs most of the time with a coach-in-waiting is that the coach expects to take over the head coaching role soon after he is hired to be the next coach. When the current coach decides to stay longer than expected, the coach-in-waiting becomes impatient and often leaves the program for a head coaching job elsewhere. This situation has occurred at both Maryland and Texas. 

On February 6, 2009, James Franklin was named the coach-in-waiting at Maryland. Raplh Friedgen coached the team for two seasons after Franklin was named his successor and his contract wasn't set to expire until January 2, 2012. Therefore, when Vanderbilt offered Franklin their head coaching position, he accepted it without a doubt, as he showed his ability to be a good head coach. When Ralph Friedgen was fired by Maryland a few days after Franklin took the job at Vanderbilt, the Terps were stuck looking for a new coach.

On November 18, 2008, Will Muschamp was named by Texas to be their coach-in-waiting and eventually replace Mack Brown. The move was really just a play to try and get Muschamp to stay at Texas for an extended period of time. However, Muschamp realized that he wasn't going to get the opportunity to be the head coach at Texas for years and took the head coaching job at Florida. Mack Brown still had 8 years left on his contract at the time Muschamp was named the head coach-in-waiting. Mack Brown said, "I'm going to continue coaching as I'm enjoying it. I have eight years left on my contract, I am not thinking at all about moving on." Kirk Bohls, a reporter for Austin news, said, "At least one source told me Brown had decided in the offeason to step down at the end of the 2010 season, but he changed his mind after his first losing season at Texas. Muschamp was annoyed by the decision, sources close to the football program have said, and chose to leave what he though was promised [to] him."

Naming a head coach-in-waiting just has too many negative effects. The current head coach feels pressure to perform, so he can stay on as head coach. Often times the head coach feels like he is forced out by the university. The head coach-in-waiting feels like he should get an opportunity to become the head coach but they often grow impatient waiting for the current coach to leave. Therefore, what is the point in having a head coach-in-waiting if nothing positive can come out of it.