I’m not sure y this board brings out the CFB fan in me, but comments like this must be addressed.
I’m noticing a common theme w LBJ fans & my own fan base: Either lack of context or attributing excuses to one & not the other.
Do u know y I often omit Mario’s time at FIU? B/c I realize, objectively, it was a **** poor program. Now, I’ve seen many debates prior to Mario’s hire that included his time at FIU where u had ones who included his time there & why he was nicknamed “Warrio”, vs. those who absolutely defended his time there citing problems w/in the structure.
My ? is y r these same criteria not applied to others? Y does this fan base always want “context” w Mario to excuse ineptitude, but hold other coaches to these ridiculous standards? Furthermore, y does this fanbase **** on coaches that have absolutely accomplished more than Mario?
So let me provide u context for Sark, especially since I shook this man’s hand while he recruited one of my lil’ partners at USC:
U talk about his time at UW, correct? So y didn’t u mention that he inherited a UW team that went 0-12 the yr prior?
Y didn’t u mention that UW under Tyrone Willingham went 11-37 in 4 yrs?
Y didn’t u mention that prior to Willingham, UW was 6-16 under his predecessor?
So Sark came into a program that went 17-53 in 6 yrs & U criticize him for elevating them to a 34-29 record in 5 yrs; YET, this same fan base gave Mario the benefit of the doubt going 5-7 yr 1 after inheriting a 7-5 team, & a program that went 47-28 over its past 6 yrs prior to. Make that make sense!
Let’s talk about SC, a program I’m ultra familiar w. Sark went to a USC program that was in utter disarray. He goes 9-4 yr 1, and then he gets fired in the middle of the season after starting 3-2. Yes, he was dealing w some personal demons, but SC reacted way too quickly & abruptly which is y that school became the carousel for coaches. Those two losses came against the eventual PAC-12 & Rose Bowl champions, Stanford, & a Chris Petersen led UW team.
Now at UT; Tom Herman burned a lot of bridges, but there was still no excuse for that 2021 UT team to go 5-7 yr 1. Regardless, UT stayed the course & now UT is a premier football program once again.
So let’s recap:
At UW he inherited arguably the worst program in all of CFB over a 6 yr stretch
At USC he came into a dysfunctional program that gave up on him after 1.5 seasons (despite yr 1 being relatively successful)
UT stayed the course w him & now they’ve been perennial CFP participants.
That’s the complete context, & if u guys r going to hold other coaches to these almighty standards, then do the same here.