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That term “Players Coach” has recently taken on a negative connotation. Football fans have been programmed to believe that being a “players coach” makes a coach soft and undisciplined. Those that support that position certainly have a multitude of failed coaching tenures to point to as examples; Kansas fans have one shining beacon of this in their not too distant memory. But the question is, can you be a player’s coach and a successful coach?
Some can point to a few successful coaches, Mack Brown at Texas and former USC coach Pete Carroll as two of the most prominent successful “players coaches.” Unfortunately for Kansas fans is that Pete Carroll and Mack Brown had what Turner Gill doesn’t have; a history and resume of years of successful head coaching experience. When Pete and Mack walk into a locker room there is a certain air of respect factor that Coach Gill has yet to inspire. Mack had success at another BCS school in North Carolina and Pete had experience roaming the sidelines in the NFL on Sunday. The other advantage Pete and Mack share over a “players coach” at Kansas is they took jobs at football factories in Austin and LA. These are places that recruit themselves and player recruiting becomes a “selection process” versus a “selling process.”
So let’s dive into the coaching resume of Turner Gill. He has an impressive resume of assistant coaching jobs at multiple locations. But kids, media, and fans want to know one thing, “tell me about his head coaching experience.” Coach Gill’s largest supporters point to his MAC championship at Buffalo as a “sneak peek” into his future success. Let’s take a moment to dissect that successful season in 2008 for Buffalo. The Bulls went 8-6 that season with an impressive victory over than unbeaten and #12 ranked Ball State. At first glance an impressive victory over a top 15 ranked squad late in the season. Unfortunately Ball State followed up their upset loss to Buffalo with a 45-13 loss to Tulsa in the GMAC bowl. So the “big win” of 2008 Bulls season takes a pretty big hit. Let’s examine the 6 losses in the 2008 Bulls campaign. Losses to Pitt and a 42-21 loss to Missouri highlight the non-conference season. The conference season boasted losses against Central Michigan, Western Michigan and Kent State. The Bulls finished their 2008 campaign with a loss in the International Bowl to Connecticut. Also the Bulls were in 4 OT games during this 2008 MAC season championship and the Bulls in which the team had an impressive 3-1 record. Unfortunately a realist sees this as just one or two different bounces and Coach Gill loses his one “feather” in his head coaching cap as the season very easily could have been 5-8 with no bowl game. The final data point to consider in the Buffalo Bulls 2008 season is that they were 0-3 versus BCS conference teams. 2008 was a good season no doubt, but not one without flaws and question marks.
Coach Gill’s other seasons at Buffalo were a combined 12-24, not exactly the same as Pete Carroll or Mack Brown walking into that locker room is it? So now the question is can a coach with very little coaching success or resume demand the support, discipline and “buy-in” required to win at the BCS college level without being a hard-ass? Kansas fans are led to uncover this answer with the early roller coaster start to the 2010 season.
Kansas fans are left with a very uneasy feeling of “We really like our coach, but I am not sure he can win” feeling.” This question has led to infighting within our great fan base. Turner Gill has seemed to polarize our fanbase into two categories; one that blindly believe with very little logic or data to back up their arguments and those that have given up on coach already and feels the need to share that opinion with every Kansas fan they meet.
If I, Scotch McAngus, could impart any advice on my fellow fan base is, don’t fall into either of those categories. We should absolutely support and cheer on our coach. We all hope, but not boast that Lew Perkins experiment to hire an under qualified and unproven head coach will turn out successful. If it does it goes down as one of the best coaching hires in college football history. If the Turner Gill experiment doesn’t work it will lead to a deafening chorus of “I told you so.” Instead let’s enjoy the ride, root on the Jayhawks all while keeping a very watchful and observant eye on our football coach. Word of warning, however, it is not in our best interest to allow the hard work and success of the previous coaching staff dwindle back to 18,000 fans in the stands and football apathy many of us suffered through in the 90’s. We have to be prepared to pull the rip cord quickly if this coach doesn’t have what it takes to succeed at this level. So, best of luck to you Coach Gill; we are watching.
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