I will not try to "convert" you to worshipping Butch the God, but consider this (and I was in school for part of Butch's time and a young-alum for the rest)...
Butch tied for first in the Big East in his first two years. The first year we self-banned from a bowl game, but based on Butch's bowl record (4-0), it's reasonable to conclude that we would have won.
And if we did, and ignoring (for a moment) the horrible 1997 5-6 year, this is what Butch would have accomplished:
1995 - 9-3 - first place Big East (assuming bowl win) - Top 25 ranking (ineligible for Coaches, but #20 final AP)
1996 - 9-3 - first place Big East - Top 25 ranking
1997 - intentionally omitted for obvious reasons
1998 - 9-3 - second place Big East - Top 25 ranking
1999 - 9-4 - second place Big East - Top 25 ranking
2000 - 11-1 - first place Big East - Top 25 ranking
Now, what I'm pointing out involves a couple of things. First, I don't think he was "god-awful" on game days. Now, we know that from 1995-1999, we lost five straight to F$U and VaTech. So based on my list above (omitting 1997), F$U and VaTech account for 8 of the 13 losses shown in those particular years. So the other five games we lost:
1995 - season opener to ranked UCLA in Pasadena
1996 - loss to East Carolina in Miami - NO EXCUSES, horrible loss
1997 - intentionally omitted for obvious reasons
1998 - loss to ranked Syracuse in New York - NO EXCUSES, horrible loss due to the margin of victory
1999 - loss to ranked Pedo State in Miami - I was there, no need to go into detail on the horrible Chafie Fields TD reception, close game
1999 - loss to East Carolina in Raleigh - NO EXCUSES, horrible loss
So if you look at those five losses, three were to ranked teams, and the East Carolina losses were ATROCIOUS. The only Big East loss in those five games was the Syracuse blowout in 1998. We just...kept...losing...to F$U and VaTech...
Finally, I'll leave you with this. The first two years that Butch took us to first place BE finishes...he wasn't "out-talenting" everyone. He was stuck with Erickson's leftovers, the undisciplined bunch who helped to get us probation. I can at least see your argument in the later years. I'd also point out that Butch improved his coaching staff over time, particularly when Schiano took over for Bill Miller.
Do I wish we had won our OOC games against UCLA and ECU and Pedo State and Washington? Absolutely.
Do I wish we had beaten F$U and VaTech more frequently from 1995-1999? **** yes.
But in 6 years, we had 3 first place BE finishes and 2 second place BE finishes. We went 4-0 in bowl games. We finished in the Top 25 rankings for 5 of those 6 years. And all of that was with BRUTAL probation/sanctions and a distinct lack of support from the UM administration.
It's a pretty **** good performance from a fifth-choice coaching hire. I think Butch could have been a better game-day coach, but I really don't think that's what led to most of our losses in that time period. And I think the "talent" issue was more of a real thing in his last three years.
