The Changing Face of Loyalty in CFB Coaching

[FishDuck Article]

Loyalty for aspiring top-tier programs is dead in College Football. The desire for loyalty is commendable and brings stability to both a program and a fan base, but if the goal of a program is to win a National Championship, then loyalty shouldn’t be a factor. This doesn’t mean a school shouldn’t try to lock down its coach for as ...

 

Read the full article here...

[Haywarduck]

Lanning is taking over a winning program, like Helfrich did. Great question about loyalty in both situations.

 

I think it can be defined, better, by saying there is a commitment on both parts to 'winning' and growing the program. Saying there is loyalty on either part, is disingenuous, at best. There is only loyalty to money, it drives everything.

 

Cristobal's weakest element was the fanbase beginning to tire of Cristoball. If the fanbase decided not to attend games, pay for their seats, donate, and Cristobal faltered in wins, he would have been gone too. If the money stopped, the loyalty, commitment to Cristobal would have crumbled.

 

Lanning and Oregon have made a commitment to grow the program from where Cristobal had it. Failure on the student athlete part, recruiting part and the winning part will begin to erode that commitment on Oregon's part. It will erode because the money, revenue will dry up.

 

Revenue and money spent are tied together, but not completely. Revenue is critical for the Athletic Department, and its budgets. Revenue is tied to the fanbase, and it's support. The money to build and support the coach won't waver for a long time. That money is tied to the big donor(s).

 

As I stated before Oregon's commitment can't really be questioned. The money Oregon is putting into football is staggering. With this commitment, loyalty, isn't a question on our part. The only question is will Lanning fulfill his commitment. If not, the money will still poor into the program and it will move on.

[1Funduck]

This is what I've been saying all along. We shouldn't confuse 'Fan' loyalty with Coaching Loyalty. Coaches, like any hard working person, should be loyal to their boss. But, that loyalty is rooted in loyalty to family. It's family first. And the Coach is part of his own family. Lanning is a man of Character. He's coaching the Bull Dawgs in the play offs even after taking the HC job here. That's all we should expect of DL. Character will be revealed in how he handles his business.

 

'Nuff said...

 

PS:

 

Loyalty is often confused and misplaced. For example; my loyalty to the Ducks is evident by my carving out my Saturday's work schedule and finding a way to watch the game. I am even willing to 'Pay' to go to games. I...am...willing...to...pay. Now that's loyalty. Do we expect the Coaches to pay to Coach? No. We pay them to come here. The relationship between school and coach is NOT based/rooted in loyalty. To say we demand, deserve, or (insert your own words) loyalty from a Coach is absurd. Now, that doesn't mean we shouldn't expect Character. If a Coach wishes to leave? Do it the right way. Coach Lanning did it the right way as I've been Quacking all along. Don't leave your kids in the lurch when making a run in the Play-Offs. He didn't. Now, that's a man of Character.

 

Duck On!!

 

Edited December 17, 2021 by 1Funduck

[HappyToBeADuck]

Thanks David for the article. Showing both sides of the loyalty coin opens up a number of ponder points.

 

I wonder how much the make up or personality of the coach plays into loyalty. After all the very nature of coaching is akin to dating, building a relationship,  then marriage and with rare exception ends in divorce. 

 

Coaches and schools are doing nothing more than dating until theirs enough mutual trust to form a relationship.

 

From the moment a young coach gets started all the parts are moving. Most start as a GA, then move to be a position coach, As the dating continues, the good ones can become OC or DC. Now we have a better relationship. From GA to OC/DC who you date or build a relationship with can change instantly.

 

Examples:

HC gets fired (dating over)

OC/DC becomes HC, most of the time at a different school. You get an invite to join their staff. (New chance to date someone new and begin a new relationship.

New HC comes in and doesn't want to date you. You're out looking for a new date.

 

Their are many more examples but just look at the dating Saban and Jimbo Fisher did before they got their current HC gig. Neither gave or received loyalty. Both played the dating game, extensively. Google their coaching journey.....

 

Saban is in a long term marriage. No divorce in sight. But Saban for 20 years had roving eyes for what he wanted. Bama filled that desire.

 

You would have thought Jimbo Fisher would have stayed at FSU after winning a Natty. But a new, prettier suitor with a boatload of money came a calling. At no point in his coaching pedigree has he been loyal. A & M can expect no loyalty, nor will they give any unless the marriage is super successful. 

 

Dabo Sweeny is a different animal. Played at Bama, I believe.  Started the dating game their as a GA. Then different position coach. Clemson came a courting and he got his opportunity. An opportunity that could not happen  at Bama with Saban there. Looks like a marriage with no divorce in sight.

 

These 3 coaches are extremely successful..... I wish this success on Coach Lanning at Oregon.

 

Win and the check book will be wide open. Will Coach Lanning, after he builds success, want a marriage with his first great suitor. ???????

 

Lose, or miss expectations and just as you mentioned, David, Oregon will end the relationship. Just ask MH. Their will be no loyalty.

 

Then all the assistant and position coaches will be looking for a new date.

 

Oregon, too.....

[Haywarduck]

I also think it reflects on how our society is today. It use to be you went down to 'Kim's' bookstore, after going to 'Bob's' coffee shop. We now drive through 'Dutch Bro's' to get our coffee, and feel good about the relationship with the drive through person. We then wait for Amazon to deliver our book or other item. 

 

Nothing wrong with society now, I suppose that is a whole different conversation, but it is different. Loyalty is based on convenience, and performance. If it isn't convenient to wait in line at Dutch you will go to the next best.

 

If the coffee isn't good you might choose some place else. You won't just ask Bob at the coffee shop what is up with the coffee today. You will just get online and give the coffee shop 1*, rant, and feel better, temporarily.

 

So we may want Kim's bookstore and Bob's coffee shop, but we don't live in that world anymore. If you really want that again, go down and watch Linfield Football, great stuff. What we have is Starbucks Football, and we better like the new brew, because it is what is available until our massive gift card is used up. 

[30Duck]

Oregon fired a winning coach because it appeared that coach wasn’t going to bring a National Championship to Eugene. Oregon wasn’t loyal to Helfrich

 

He went from 9-4 in 2015 to 4-8 in 2016, I didn't see not winning the Natty as the reason for Helfrich being  fired. Could Oregon have been "loyal" to Helf and given him another year? I suppose so, but unfettered loyalty van be problematic as well.

 

[latracey]

On 12/17/2021 at 7:21 AM, Haywarduck said:

I also think it reflects on how our society is today. It use to be you went down to 'Kim's' bookstore, after going to 'Bob's' coffee shop. We now drive through 'Dutch Bro's' to get our coffee, and feel good about the relationship with the drive through person. We then wait for Amazon to deliver our book or other item. 

 

Nothing wrong with society now, I suppose that is a whole different conversation, but it is different. Loyalty is based on convenience, and performance. If it isn't convenient to wait in line at Dutch you will go to the next best.

 

Outstanding observations Haywarduck, and I think it gets to the heart of what "loyalty" means in 2021. When I was a kid, my dad worked for a company where there was true mutual loyalty. His bosses treated him with personal concern and respect. If he got sick or was struck with personal hardships, they tried to understand and work with him to help him because they truly valued him. In return, he ran through walls for his company. As he got older, his loyalty to his company was appreciated and honored by his employers.

 

Fast forward to 2021. We now live in an age where corporations are all about the mighty dollar. Kim's book store and Bob's coffee shop are probably out of business, or certainly struggling. Lower level employees at the corporate replacement stores are paid as little as their companies can get away with. Tornado heading for the warehouse? Too bad. Keep working. The higher up the ladder you are, the more you are looking over your shoulder because there are always up and coming young folks who want your job. 

 

Heaven forbid that you get sick or have to miss work because we live in a "next man up" society now. Loyalty from the top down only goes as far as your latest success and if you can't get the job done, there is someone else who can. For you, it's "see ya, wouldn't want to be ya!" Time invested and loyalty to the company mean next to nothing in this "what have you done for me lately" brave, new world. 

 

Football? It's Amazon and Starbucks Football as far as the eye can see. You'd better darn well win and keep the cash flowing because one bad season, and you'll be sitting on a hot seat looking over your shoulder at the latest and newest hot young assistants at an SEC team.

 

[Jon Joseph]

Money is not evil. The love of money is evil.

 

Mel Tucker is going to make $9M a year. After abandoning a recruiting class at CU and materially altering the roster at MI ST by bringing in 40 kids from the portal and running off a lot of guys who were  on the roster when he arrived in E. Lansing. And having not won even a division title.

 

Texas made a big time run at Nick Saban. Saban stayed after Bama gave him a big pay raise. Brian Kelly is the first sitting coach at Notre Dame to leave the school for another school. Kelly left when his school was in the running for a playoff spot. Lincoln Riley is the first sitting coach to leave Oklahoma since 1946.

 

NIL, which is basically a platform for pay for play, free agency, quality players not suiting up for bowl games, bowl games that reward outright mediocrity,  only 3 bowl games that are relevant in today's world of monetized CFB, schools gaming the system via scheduling, media and money dictating absurd kick off times, college coaches making more than pro coaches? CFB attendance is down for a reason.

 

I just flipped on the Bahamas Bowl for a moment; there are far more pelicans flying over the field than there are fans in the stands watching two 6-6 teams battle it out.

 

If you are going to watch pro ball why not watch the NFL.? At least there is a guy in charge in the NFL.  At least there are rules regarding free agency in the pros. And there is a union to govern compensation in some respects and a draft so a handful of teams cannot scoop up all of the best players. 

 

Thank you David for a most timely article that brings up a whole lot of ponder points. If adult role models evidence no loyalty to young men to whom that made many the promise, why should the players evidence any kind of loyalty?

[Haywarduck]

On 12/17/2021 at 10:26 AM, Jon Joseph said:

Money is not evil. The love of money is evil.

 

Mel Tucker is going to make $9M a year. After abandoning a recruiting class at CU and materially altering the roster at MI ST by bringing in 40 kids from the portal and running off a lot of guys who were  on the roster when he arrived in E. Lansing. And having not won even a division title.

 

Texas made a big time run at Nick Saban. Saban stayed after Bama gave him a big pay raise. Brian Kelly is the first sitting coach at Notre Dame to leave the school for another school. Kelly left when his school was in the running for a playoff spot. Lincoln Riley is the first sitting coach to leave Oklahoma since 1946.

 

NIL, which is basically a platform for pay for play, free agency, quality players not suiting up for bowl games, bowl games that reward outright mediocrity,  only 3 bowl games that are relevant in today's world of monetized CFB, schools gaming the system via scheduling, media and money dictating absurd kick off times, college coaches making more than pro coaches? CFB attendance is down for a reason.

 

I just flipped on the Bahamas Bowl for a moment; there are far more pelicans flying over the field than there are fans in the stands watching two 6-6 teams battle it out.

 

If you are going to watch pro ball why not watch the NFL.? At least there is a guy in charge in the NFL.  At least there are rules regarding free agency in the pros. And there is a union to govern compensation in some respects and a draft so a handful of teams cannot scoop up all of the best players. 

 

Thank you David for a most timely article that brings up a whole lot of ponder points. If adult role models evidence no loyalty to young men to whom that made many the promise, why should the players evidence any kind of loyalty?

Wow, just wow! Made me question my loyalty to the Ducks and love of college football.

[Drake]

I kind of view college football coaches as “hired guns”. University’s with the resources are chasing the top three or four football programs in the nation. If my football program is currently outgunned, then the football coach will usually be the first casualty. 
 

 Now that NIL agreements are part of the landscape, boosters can throw around millions of dollars supporting the coach of their choice by trying to entice teenagers to play football. 
 

What could go wrong? 

[HappyToBeADuck]

On 12/17/2021 at 10:48 AM, Drake said:

I kind of view college football coaches as “hired guns”. University’s with the resources are chasing the top three or four football programs in the nation. If my football program is currently outgunned, then the football coach will usually be the first casualty. 
 

 Now that NIL agreements are part of the landscape, boosters can throw around millions of dollars supporting the coach of their choice by trying to entice teenagers to play football. 
 

What could go wrong? 

Drake you last sentence says it all...

 

What could go wrong?

 

That might be the strongest ponder point for this group.

 

All the what could go wrongs will probably unfold right before our eyes.....

[Jon Joseph]

On 12/17/2021 at 1:37 PM, Haywarduck said:

Wow, just wow! Made me question my loyalty to the Ducks and love of college football.

 

Not intended to do so. There is still a vibe around college games, at least big time college games, that does not seem to resonate in the pros before the playoffs start, if then?

 

One of the best vibes in CFB is felt and heard in Autzen Stadium. I hope so much that the new staff's plan on O and D will produce cheers and not boos?

 

It is flat out sad out that there is not a buzz in many the Pac-12 stadium.

[30Duck]

On 12/17/2021 at 11:58 AM, Jon Joseph said:

It is flat out sad out that there is not a buzz in many the Pac-12 stadium.

 

No doubt. The hype train is big around SC now that Riley has pulled in. But if the Show isn't smokin' the Coliseum will just be a big, empty space for Traveler to prance around in, Stanford remodeled a few years back, reducing seats. But it's still a big empty.

 

OSU and WSU have a lot of spirit, but are garage bands, 

 

Washington?

 

[David Marsh]

On 12/17/2021 at 10:48 AM, Drake said:

I kind of view college football coaches as “hired guns”. University’s with the resources are chasing the top three or four football programs in the nation. If my football program is currently outgunned, then the football coach will usually be the first casualty. 

 

I think this is the case with many programs... 

 

However, not every program is has the goal of reaching the playoff. Hell, most programs don't even have the goal of winning their conference these days. Let's take a look at our Beaver friends ...

 

This is the first year they have made a Bowl game since 2013! The goal for the Oregon State program right now is get to a bowl game. Jonathan Smith has done that! 

 

The second goal is win a bowl game... we will find out how that goes this year. 

 

The third goal is repeat the first two goals. 

 

The fourth goal is to start making a play for the Conference Championship. 

 

The goals at Oregon are completely different than those at Oregon State. We were angry at losing a Pac-12 Championship. Beaver fans would have been sad to lose but they wouldn't have come close to the anger Duck fans felt with that loss. The standards at Oregon are different... as Duck fans our tollorance for Cristobal was starting to wear thin this year with the results and we are currently 10-3. Double digit win seasons are difficult to achieve and as Duck fans we are angry about that because we know this team could do better and should do better. 

 

It makes complete sense why someone like Justin Wilcox might not want this Oregon job. It might be his dream job... but stepping into the HC job at Oregon comes with expectations of making a conference championship game NEXT year. Jonathan Smith at Oregon State has a ton of love and loyalty from the fans and university... the Lanning Honeymoon is now, but how long is that going to last? 

 

I'm not arguing against Oregon's standards... just trying to put some perspective on those standards. 

[Jon Joseph]

On 12/17/2021 at 3:35 PM, 30Duck said:

 

No doubt. The hype train is big around SC now that Riley has pulled in. But if the Show isn't smokin' the Coliseum will just be a big, empty space for Traveler to prance around in, Stanford remodeled a few years back, reducing seats. But it's still a big empty.

 

OSU and WSU have a lot of spirit, but are garage bands, 

 

Washington?

 

 

Despite myself I was glad to see Shaw haul in a very good class of recruits. Word is that Shaw a very serious discussion with the Stanford administrators about the importance of admitting kids before early signing day?

 

I also understand that the idea not to give student-athletes grad school admission preference is being reconsidered.

 

The above comes from my buddy John Sande who played center for the then Indians when Plunkett won the Heisman and upset Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.

[Haywarduck]

On 12/17/2021 at 12:35 PM, 30Duck said:

 

No doubt. The hype train is big around SC now that Riley has pulled in. But if the Show isn't smokin' the Coliseum will just be a big, empty space for Traveler to prance around in, Stanford remodeled a few years back, reducing seats. But it's still a big empty.

 

OSU and WSU have a lot of spirit, but are garage bands, 

 

Washington?

 

A one hit wonder band, who thinks they are legendary.

[Jon Joseph]

On 12/17/2021 at 3:41 PM, David Marsh said:

 

I think this is the case with many programs... 

 

However, not every program is has the goal of reaching the playoff. Hell, most programs don't even have the goal of winning their conference these days. Let's take a look at our Beaver friends ...

 

This is the first year they have made a Bowl game since 2013! The goal for the Oregon State program right now is get to a bowl game. Jonathan Smith has done that! 

 

The second goal is win a bowl game... we will find out how that goes this year. 

 

The third goal is repeat the first two goals. 

 

The fourth goal is to start making a play for the Conference Championship. 

 

The goals at Oregon are completely different than those at Oregon State. We were angry at losing a Pac-12 Championship. Beaver fans would have been sad to lose but they wouldn't have come close to the anger Duck fans felt with that loss. The standards at Oregon are different... as Duck fans our tollorance for Cristobal was starting to wear thin this year with the results and we are currently 10-3. Double digit win seasons are difficult to achieve and as Duck fans we are angry about that because we know this team could do better and should do better. 

 

It makes complete sense why someone like Justin Wilcox might not want this Oregon job. It might be his dream job... but stepping into the HC job at Oregon comes with expectations of making a conference championship game NEXT year. Jonathan Smith at Oregon State has a ton of love and loyalty from the fans and university... the Lanning Honeymoon is now, but how long is that going to last? 

 

I'm not arguing against Oregon's standards... just trying to put some perspective on those standards. 

 

Great take! The goal for Oregon is the final 4. How many other conference members can say the same or pay the money required to reach this goal? 

 

Conversely, realistic or not, more than half the teams in the B1G and the SEC start the season aiming for the Final 4.

 

I also totally agree with your take on Wilcox. The Oregon HC is not for the faint of heart including those distressed by boos.

[30Duck]

On 12/17/2021 at 12:44 PM, Haywarduck said:

A one hit wonder band, who thinks they are legendary.

 

 The Huskies are Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods, and this is their big hit, and the worst song I've ever heard. 

[Washington Waddler]

On 12/17/2021 at 12:41 PM, David Marsh said:

However, not every program is has the goal of reaching the playoff. Hell, most programs don't even have the goal of winning their conference these days

 

     It helps to remember that there was a time when that was the Ducks. Our single-minded focus on the right to be considered a serious contender was what characterized Oregon through the Rich Brooks years and into Mike Bellotti’s time.  And, it was precisely that galvanizing obsession, churning as we flew just beneath the radar of established collegiate powers, that held us all together — players, coaches, administration, fans — and got us to the point of being considered a serious contender.

 

     I guess you can’t expect that kind of home grown, single-minded loyalty to exist  past that point. Once you become a contender, you’re reward is recognition, along with becoming a threat to the established members; it is — after all — an exclusive club of backstabbers — the price that comes with being taken seriously.

 

     I sometimes find myself looking back on that climb from nowhere with a wistful longing. While I don’t miss the frustration of those battle-torn years, I do miss that simple clarity of purpose we all shared — that family bond of loyalty. And while the purpose hasn’t changed, the battlefield upon which it is chased has. 

 

     There is not a successful program out there that has not had to face and cross that killing field where loyalty no longer seems to exist and the program you thought you were feels like an illusion slipping through your fingers. The ones that survive that ordeal do so because they never for a moment forget who they are. They hold fast to that hard won identity that unifies them, honing and shaping it through good and  bad seasons until it becomes like a polished stone that cannot be shaken or denied. Do that, and loyalty follows.

[LADuck]

Sad how the landscape has changed to the current situation. Coaches paid way too much to pretend they care about the players and as soon as more money is waved in front of them they hit the road. All to win a ESPN hyped "Natty" that in the big picture really doesn't matter. With NIL how are smaller market teams supposed to compete?  Let's just call it what it is and make college sports the minor league of the NFL and pay the players.