We've got to fire Arnett today (Sunday, November 5). There's no point in waiting.

[Quaoarsking]

With the exception of a few very stubborn people, Arnett has lost the fanbase. I can't think of a single example of a coach losing a fanbase to this extent and then turning it around to recapture them and winning. (You could argue maybe Dabo at Clemson, but Arnett is no Dabo, and I don't think he ever lost the fanbase this badly either.)

So it's better to just cut ties and move on. Maybe Parson can beat Texas A&M or Ole Miss and get us to a bowl. Or maybe Rogers can heal up and do it. I really hope that one of them can, but we don't need a surprise win to cloud up what needs to be done. If Arnett is allowed to coach and somehow gets us to 6-6, it's 2019 all over again, except this time we probably won't get bailed out by Willie Gay's fist. There will be a portion of the fanbase too scared to fire a coach who gets us to a bowl, especially if win #6 is Ole Miss. Better to just never give Arnett the chance in the first place and keep the fanbase somewhat united on this. We don't want fans to root against the team just to make sure Arnett gets fired. I won't ever do that myself, but I can understand why some fans might. Getting rid of Arnett this year before he tanks the program long term has to be priority #1 right now.

More importantly, though, I think we're more likely to grab a 6th win without Arnett than with him. The guy just doesn't have it. If I thought we were more likely to beat A&M or Ole Miss with Arnett than without him, I'd cross out the above paragraph and just roll with it to see what happens. But we've gotten to the point where Arnett is a detriment to the team. Give me Greg Knox and/or Tony Hughes for these last 3 games and have there be no question about announcing the new head coach on Thanksgiving weekend.

[Quaoarsking]

TLDR: We don't want to be all ready to fire Arnett on November 24 and name a replacement, only to have him win the Egg Bowl (I know, I know, but crazy things happen in rivalry games.) and some boosters get cold feet. Just prevent that scenario from happening AND make it more likely that we pull the upset by canning him today. (Or next Sunday at the latest.)

[Todd4State]

I think we should go with Tony Hughes as interim HC, fire Barbay and Friend and let Will call the plays. Which is essentially what he did under Leach the majority of the time. Have an offensive GA be the liason on the sideline and act as the "OC". I would fire Peterson too. Brock can stay for now. The defense has been better the last three games. They played well enough for us to win all three.

[EdwardDrayton]

Not sure it's a good look to show your HC prospects and their families they may not get a full season before they're packing again.

[Dawgface]

Won't happen but I wish it would.

[msudawg1200]

No doubt. This was the first home loss to Kentucky in 15 years and worst in 21 years. I mean it's fricking Kentucky. Not LSU, Bama, or even A&M. It's Kentucky. Not in basketball, but in football. He's got to go. No way even Narcissistic34 can defend this. Absolutely awful

[StarkVegasSteve]

Not sure it's a good look to show your HC prospects and their families they may not get a full season before they're packing again.

I think it is a great look. Show them that we do not accept mediocrity or a high school coaching staff. Also, when you offer someone 5+ mil then it does not matter what the optics look like.

[Offshore Dawg]

So, all of you get together and give the AD a call.

[CoachT14]

So, all of you get together and give the AD a call.

How JeansPage of you

[EdwardDrayton]

I think it is a great look. Show them that we do not accept mediocrity or a high school coaching staff. Also, when you offer someone 5+ mil then it does not matter what the optics look like.

The optics do matter if it gives prospects pause. And we're mismatching to correlate the timing with accepting mediocrity. It just says we won't get the new coach until after the season anyway. And personally since we're going to pay Arnett anyway, make him at least work for it.

[Quaoarsking]

Not sure it's a good look to show your HC prospects and their families they may not get a full season before they're packing again.

Good. Any coach who's tool scared to take the job after this isn't our guy.

[BankerDog]

I think we should go with Tony Hughes as interim HC, fire Barbay and Friend and let Will call the plays. Which is essentially what he did under Leach the majority of the time. Have an offensive GA be the liason on the sideline and act as the "OC". I would fire Peterson too. Brock can stay for now. The defense has been better the last three games. They played well enough for us to win all three.

Rogers call the plays?! What the heck this isn?t Varsity Blues..

[msudawg1200]

Rogers call the plays?! What the heck this isn?t Varsity Blues..

Yeah, I pretty much agreed with him on everything, but he lost me with that. No level of football is going to let a player call plays. Yeah, I know QB's audible, but that's a tad different than putting in a game plan and running a side of the ball. Not that I don't think Rogers could do just as good a job as Woody Barbay.

[Really Clark?]

Rogers call the plays?! What the heck this isn?t Varsity Blues..

Lol. The Oopty Oop

[Churchill]

Rogers call the plays?! What the heck this isn?t Varsity Blues..

and we don't have anybody as fast as Billy Bob **

[Quaoarsking]

If we don't fire him today, next Sunday (11/12) is our last chance (assuming Parson doesn't beat A&M). We're not going to fire him after we beat Southern Miss.

[EdwardDrayton]

Good. Any coach who's tool scared to take the job after this isn't our guy.

It won't be about scared. It'll be about choosing another job over us.

[Quaoarsking]

It won't be about scared. It'll be about choosing another job over us.

There's only going to be a couple other jobs open that we could plausibly lose a guy to though.

[sandjunky]

If we don't fire him today, next Sunday (11/12) is our last chance (assuming Parson doesn't beat A&M). We're not going to fire him after we beat Southern Miss.

We are not going to beat the teachers college

[DEDawg]

Not sure it's a good look to show your HC prospects and their families they may not get a full season before they're packing again.

Normally no, but any prospective coach will understand the specifics of our situation. Your new boss (Selmon) was not even in the building for the Arnett hire. ZA was clearly a panic move made by someone(s) who had no business making that call.

It isnt like we went and grabbed a G5 HC and gave him 7 games.

[Quaoarsking]

We are not going to beat the teachers college

Come on. I'm as anti-Arnett as anyone here, but we obviously will beat Southern Miss. Maybe not by the ~20 points FPI favors us by, but they are much, much worse than us. Worse than Western Michigan.

[CadaverDawg]

let Will call the plays.

Good grief, Todd. This is why I have trouble taking any of your posts serious. This isn't tecmo bowl

[Quaoarsking]

Disappointed that nothing is happening today. Next Sunday is the last chance, or we lock in an Egg Bowl loss.

Selmon and Keenum are going to lose the fanbase too before long. Arnett already has, but those 2 can still salvage their reputations if they move fast.

[Really Clark?]

Disappointed that nothing is happening today. Next Sunday is the last chance, or we lock in an Egg Bowl loss.

Selmon and Keenum are going to lose the fanbase too before long. Arnett already has, but those 2 can still salvage their reputations if they move fast.

Disagree, the hire is all that will matter. Firing him now or after the EB won't change their reputations unless the new hire goes sideways with no good plan. The plan is happening now but is irrelevant to their reputations in the end unless the hire becomes a shitshow.

[CadaverDawg]

Disappointed that nothing is happening today. Next Sunday is the last chance, or we lock in an Egg Bowl loss.

Selmon and Keenum are going to lose the fanbase too before long. Arnett already has, but those 2 can still salvage their reputations if they move fast.

I agree. I didn't expect a firing today, but man that would excite the hell out of our fan base if all the sudden it was announced Arnett was fired this afternoon. Selmon and Keenum would look like heroes. If they wait, they'll be on the chopping block soon too if they aren't careful

[Quaoarsking]

Disagree, the hire is all that will matter. Firing him now or after the EB won't change their reputations unless the new hire goes sideways with no good plan. The plan is happening now but is irrelevant to their reputations in the end unless the hire becomes a shitshow.

I still want to win the Egg Bowl, and that's really unlikely with Arnett at the helm. Still unlikely without him, but more likely.

And on top of that, imagine if Arnett does win the Egg Bowl somehow (and believe me, I'll be rooting for that outcome if he's still the coach despite it probably being bad in the long-term) and then the whole plan gets scuttled like 2019.

There's just no good reason to keep Arnett until tomorrow, much less the end of the season.

[Really Clark?]

I still want to win the Egg Bowl, and that's really unlikely with Arnett at the helm. Still unlikely without him, but more likely.

And on top of that, imagine if Arnett does win the Egg Bowl somehow (and believe me, I'll be rooting for that outcome if he's still the coach despite it probably being bad in the long-term) and then the whole plan gets scuttled like 2019.

There's just no good reason to keep Arnett until tomorrow, much less the end of the season.

Well you won't like and you will disagree it but it will make a difference in the search by letting a first year coach finish his season when there are no cultural or external issues going on. It doesn't change our search either way letting him go now or later. To that point, being afraid of him winning so you purposefully make sure that he can't win to get to .500 is exactly what other coaches will see. If it was year 3, you have no issues pulling the plug now, in year 1 shows an admin with no faith in their hire and will have a quick trigger when things go wrong. Then purposefully making sure he doesn't have a chance to correct a season. It's not going happen either way so do the background work, which is happening, get the search firm in gear, make the calls and make back channel conversations to have you top 3 lined up to move quickly.

[Quaoarsking]

Well you won't like and you will disagree it but it will make a difference in the search by letting a first year coach finish his season when there are no cultural or external issues going on. It doesn't change our search either way letting him go now or later. To that point, being afraid of him winning so you purposefully make sure that he can't win to get to .500 is exactly what other coaches will see. If it was year 3, you have no issues pulling the plug now, in year 1 shows an admin with no faith in their hire and will have a quick trigger when things go wrong. Then purposefully making sure he doesn't have a chance to correct a season. It's not going happen either way so do the background work, which is happening, get the search firm in gear, make the calls and make back channel conversations to have you top 3 lined up to move quickly.

That's playing with fire though. What happens if Parson goes off on Ole Miss (and/or we just get lucky) and Arnett finishes 6-6? Is it all off at that point? Isn't it a much worse look to fire a 6-6 first year coach that just won a big rivalry game than it is to fire one at 4-5 or 4-6 that the fanbase is pretty united on canning?

[Goldendawg]

That's playing with fire though. What happens if Parson goes off on Ole Miss (and/or we just get lucky) and Arnett finishes 6-6? Is it all off at that point? Isn't it a much worse look to fire a 6-6 first year coach that just won a big rivalry game than it is to fire one at 4-5 or 4-6 that the fanbase is pretty united on canning?

We fired JoMo and he beat OM both years here. CZA's body of work does not encourage another year, ever if he lucked up and beat OM. (Blind Squirrel finding an occasional acorn and all that). As for the EGG this year, I'm expecting worse than Croom's, "Well, I didn't see that coming", 45-0 debacle with 3 QB's almost sacrificed to the OM D, not to mention them putting up about 50 plus on us.

[Really Clark?]

That's playing with fire though. What happens if Parson goes off on Ole Miss (and/or we just get lucky) and Arnett finishes 6-6? Is it all off at that point? Isn't it a much worse look to fire a 6-6 first year coach that just won a big rivalry game than it is to fire one at 4-5 or 4-6 that the fanbase is pretty united on canning?

That's my point though. You don't fire first year coaches no matter what until they finish the season, then you make a decision. In the NFL or college you don't, you have to let it play out. Other wise you are showing you are scared of winning and a coach is not going to want to come in to a scared Admin who will run off a coach to make sure they can't win. In their first year I'm talking about. If you think there is a chance to win, and obviously you do, then you let the coaches and players win. Then address where everything is at the end of the season. I'm not afraid of any outcome, you are scared we may win. If by some chance he gets to 6 wins then we have upset someone and the players haven't quit on the staff to do that. If it's some dumb fluke 10-7 win and UM turned the ball over 10 times, I think it will be borderline to fire him as you don't with a .500 record in the first year but at least you have already done work with candidates over the last 3 weeks that you may have an option that makes sense.

[Quaoarsking]

We fired JoMo and he beat OM both years here. CZA's body of work does not encourage another year, ever if he lucked up and beat OM. (Blind Squirrel finding an occasional acorn and all that). As for the EGG this year, I'm expecting worse than Croom's, "Well, I didn't see that coming", 45-0 debacle with 3 QB's almost sacrificed to the OM D, not to mention them putting up about 50 plus on us.

I kinda am too. But imagine a world where Arnett was already fired. I still wouldn't expect a win, but I think it becomes more likely.

[Quaoarsking]

That's my point though. You don't fire first year coaches no matter what until they finish the season, then you make a decision. In the NFL or college you don't, you have to let it play out. Other wise you are showing you are scared of winning and a coach is not going to want to come in to a scared Admin who will run off a coach to make sure they can't win. In his first year no less. If you think there is a chance to win, and obviously you do, then you let the coaches and players win. Then address where everything is at the end of the season. I'm not afraid of any outcome, you are scared we may win. If by some chance he gets to 6 wins then we have upset someone and the players haven't quit on the staff to do that. If it's some dumb fluke 10-7 win and UM turned the ball over 10 times, I think it will be borderline to fire him as you don't with a .500 record in the first year but at least you have already done work with candidates over the last 3 weeks that you may have an option that makes sense.

I think it's time to move past that conventional wisdom. Following convention has gotten us nowhere in 130+ years.

[Really Clark?]

I think it's time to move past that conventional wisdom. Following convention has gotten us nowhere in 130+ years.

Name any school or NFL team that has done it. Just one. That's not conventional wisdom that's the correct decision.

[Goldendawg]

Name any school or NFL team that has done it. Just one. That's not conventional wisdom that's the correct decision.

"Nothing to see here. Some guest spilled the ice cubes from their drink". Captain of the Titantic on approaching that iceberg.******

[Quaoarsking]

Name any school or NFL team that has done it. Just one. That's not conventional wisdom that's the correct decision.

I'm not really aware of any off the top of my head, but my point is that we shouldn't be bound to that. I know that it's not usually done, and I'm saying we should do it anyway for the good of the program.


ETA - Lou Holtz with the New York Jets, and arguably Urban Meyer with the Jaguars, but neither of those really matters to my point

[Really Clark?]

I'm not really aware of any off the top of my head, but my point is that we shouldn't be bound to that. I know that it's not usually done, and I'm saying we should do it anyway for the good of the program.


ETA - Lou Holtz with the New York Jets, and arguably Urban Meyer with the Jaguars, but neither of those really matters to my point

Urban wasn't fired for on the field performance. You know what that was about. We don't have that.

Holtz resigned with a 3-11 record with 1 game left in 1976 season. Pete McCully for the 49ers was actually fired 9 games in with a 1-8 record. Those had absolutely no chance at a .500 record. We still do. Again that's my point, you don't fire them at this stage. And I still can't find it happening in college. Caldwell is the only SEC guy I can remember recently, he finished the year before being fired and went 2-10.

Again, you are scared he may win so you want to fire him now to make sure he doesn't. That doesn't sell to potential candidates.

[Quaoarsking]

Again, you are scared he may win so you want to fire him now to make sure he doesn't. That doesn't sell to potential candidates.

More importantly, I think we're more likely to win without him than with him. If I didn't think that, I wouldn't want to fire him yet.

Also, any coach we want to hire isn't going to care what happened to the last guy, because the new guy will be so sure he's going to win big here that it won't matter. Any coach who doesn't have that attitude isn't the right choice for us.

[Mjoelner34]

delete

[Really Clark?]

More importantly, I think we're more likely to win without him than with him. If I didn't think that, I wouldn't want to fire him yet.

Also, any coach we want to hire isn't going to care what happened to the last guy, because the new guy will be so sure he's going to win big here that it won't matter. Any coach who doesn't have that attitude isn't the right choice for us.

Yeah, it's not a coaches attitude at all that would be the problem. They won't believe the Admin is wanting to win. They see an admin that is willing cut bait in year 1 if it's not going the way they want. When the coach still has a chance to win.

[defiantdog]

That's playing with fire though. What happens if Parson goes off on Ole Miss (and/or we just get lucky) and Arnett finishes 6-6? Is it all off at that point? Isn't it a much worse look to fire a 6-6 first year coach that just won a big rivalry game than it is to fire one at 4-5 or 4-6 that the fanbase is pretty united on canning?
We won't have to worry about that bc Rogers will be back for the Egg.

[Really Clark?]

Here is one. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/30/sports/ncaafootball/usc-fires-its-football-coach.html

In a coaches first year

[Quaoarsking]

Yeah, it's not a coaches attitude at all that would be the problem. They won't believe the Admin is wanting to win. They see an admin that is willing cut bait in year 1 if it's not going the way they want. When the coach still has a chance to win.

It's a tough job. If a potential coach thinks he might lose the fanbase in October of his first season, it's better if we don't hire him.

[Mjoelner34]

In a coaches first year

Yep. Missed that part.

[Really Clark?]

It's a tough job. If a potential coach thinks he might lose the fanbase in October of his first season, it's better if we don't hire him.

We are not talking about the fan base at all. We are talking if he trusts the Admin will give him time. Fans are irrelevant in this

[Really Clark?]

Yep. Missed that part.

No problem. I'm glad you posted it. It makes me laugh every time. Lol

[Mjoelner34]

No problem. I'm glad you posted it. It makes me laugh every time. Lol

They didn't fire him but an Alabama bus left him one time too didn't they?

[Really Clark?]

They didn't fire him but an Alabama bus left him one time too didn't they?

Wasn't that because he was late to the bus and Saban told them leave without him? I may be mistaken on that

[KB21]

Most coaches realize that Arnett has done a crappy job.

[War Machine Dawg]

I think we should go with Tony Hughes as interim HC, fire Barbay and Friend and let Will call the plays. Which is essentially what he did under Leach the majority of the time. Have an offensive GA be the liason on the sideline and act as the "OC". I would fire Peterson too. Brock can stay for now. The defense has been better the last three games. They played well enough for us to win all three.

Tell me you don't know what you're talking about without telling me you don't know what you're talking about. There's so much more to being OC than play calling. It's like 2% of the job.

[EdwardDrayton]

Well, this did not happen today. But then again nobody really thought it would.

[Quaoarsking]

Bumping this. If Arnett is still employed on November 13, there's no hope for our program anymore. It's not too late if it's done tomorrow.

[Maverick91]

Not sure it's a good look to show your HC prospects and their families they may not get a full season before they're packing again.

You have got to be kidding me with this thought process? Coaches aren?t stupid and they recognize the situation. NO ONE will blame the move.

[Quaoarsking]

People were afraid that we were firing Croom and Moorhead too soon, that we would get roasted by the media, that we wouldn't be able to hire anybody good to replace them, etc., but it actually was all fine.

[CaptainObvious]

The difference now: there are several former P5 Coaches coaching at G5?s and even a few P5 OCs that might be willing to take a 3 year pact at $4.5 mil per to see what they could do.

[ZedFedder]

Yeah, the move has to be made.

[The Federalist Engineer]

We are not going to beat the teachers college

SEC team should still win the game. Even a garbage team.

Someone explain why MSU is getting QB transfers from Vandy while OM is getting USC guys and USCe gets Sooners.

[The Federalist Engineer]

Most coaches realize that Arnett has done a crappy job.

Yes, people know that coaching works this way. Plus, MSU is not Notre Dame, people won't even notice. Just an open job.

[StarkVegasSteve]

SEC team should still win the game. Even a garbage team.

Someone explain why MSU is getting QB transfers from Vandy while OM is getting USC guys and USCe gets Sooners.

3 letters. N I L

[sandjunky]

We are not going to beat the teachers college


Come on. I'm as anti-Arnett as anyone here, but we obviously will beat Southern Miss. Maybe not by the ~20 points FPI favors us by, but they are much, much worse than us. Worse than Western Michigan.


SEC team should still win the game. Even a garbage team.

Someone explain why MSU is getting QB transfers from Vandy while OM is getting USC guys and USCe gets Sooners.

Should and doing it can be worlds apart

Still think the mustard buzzards pull it off

[Quaoarsking]

Should and doing it can be worlds apart

Still think the mustard buzzards pull it off

FPI gives us an 87.5% chance. With Arnett, it's probably worse than that, but not below 50%. With literally anyone else, it may be higher. Yet another reason to fire Arnett today.