Youre assuming Robinson wants to stay. He signed on to come in for a year just to help Mack out. He was enjoying his semi-retirement before Mack finally realized that Diaz was in way over his head.
One of Mack Brown's great triumphs was to create the artificial belief that the head coach is obliged to also assume the office of Lord Mayor of Hookemville, and must kiss babies and cut ribbons and spin Uncle Bevo yarns of olden times to burnt orangey cheeked street urchins - which naturally meant replacing Mack, especially with one of these gruff Saban types - was all the more unthinkable. None of this stuff is required so long as you win - like most places.
I think Briles is ideal, but James Franklin grows on me more and more as I look at him. I love his energy. If Vandy wins their bowl game, that is two straight 9 win seasons, at VANDERBILT, in the SEC. In their last 19 games, they have lost 4 games, only team in the SEC better in that span in Bama.
Of the 15 wins, 14 were against bad to terrible teams, and many were squeakers. They have one win over Georgia - otherwise, they lost to all the decent teams they've played the last several years. They get credit in that they are Vandy, but let's not overstate it. This year's 8 wins are: a I-AA school a 1-11 MAC school a 2-10 C-USA school a 4-8 ACC school 3 of the 4 worst (and non-bowl-eligible) SEC schools and one good win over Georgia.
Briles is overrated I think, but i do like the idea of him recruiting. Im not really sure who is worthy of the throne, but i really do think Gary Patterson is a fantastic coach and should get an interview, but its hard to see him getting the job after the past to years.
btw- Here's the CFB TV ratings for 2013. The LHN has done nothing at all for TV ratings (Bad product on the field doesn't help either) and is seen as nothing but a cancer by most. Texas ranked # under Miss. St., Northwestern and barely beat friggin' North Carolina. Link.
And the Big12 generally sucks - in general as far as fan interest and this year in terms of actual on the field performance. It will be interesting to see how Texas ratings compare to A&M if the two teams are similarly good/exciting - I have a feeling A&M will still outperform due to the more fun competition.
Franklin is 2-11 against BCS teams with a winning record. His only win over a ranked team is when they were gifted a win against UGA after a ridiculous PI call. http://www.barkingcarnival.com/2013...-head-coach-search-the-james-franklin-problem
This is all very true, but Vandy, in the past, would have lost most of those games against the dregs of the SEC and the ACC. That is how a dreadful program becomes a mediocre program, beating the other dreadful teams. And don't discount the win over UGA. That is how a mediocre team slowly builds into a decent one, beating a few good programs here and there. Is Vandy worse than TCU? KState? I think a coach that took Vandy and made them a decent team deserves some respect and consideration. It does not mean he is a sure fire coaching hire for Texas (and if there is someone who is that they can get, by all means, get them), but I think the criticism of him is a little reactionary.
The middle and lower castes of the SEC aren't particularly fearsome. It's nice that Vandy has become a middle tier team overall but I don't get why it's viewed as a major accomplishment; to me it seems about the same level of accomplishment as getting Rice or Houston or another non BCS school to 10 wins.
Hey man, Houston is an AQ program this year. Not really sure about the love affair with Franklin, either. The SEC seems weaker this year than it ever has. Vanderbilt schedule: vs Ole Miss L vs Austin Peay W @ South Cackalacky L @ UMass W vs UAB W vs Mizzou L vs Georgia W (their signature win) @ TAMU L @ Florida W vs Kentucky W @ Tennessee W vs Wake Forest W They beat one above average team all year, an 8-4 Georgia squad, in Nashville, and required a near miracle to do it. Almost the exact same criticism could be applied to his 2012 campaign as well. Beat a bunch of bad to below average teams, and got stomped by the good ones. Don't hire this guy: Spoiler
And then he went 2-10 two years in a row before Franklin took over. Not sure what your point was? Franklin took over a program that had won one SEC game in the previous two years, and in the last two years he has won 9. Not saying Vandy is a great team, but they are remarkably better than they were. I actually don't disagree too much with you. I would say it is more akin to what Steve Sarkisian did at Washington, or the early stages of what Briles did at Baylor or the early stages of what Harbaugh did at Stanford. But, even so, getting Houston to 10 wins got Briles the Baylor job and got Sumlin the A and M job, and is a big part of their resumes being so respected right now that they are getting money thrown at them.
Art Briles took a 1 win Baylor team to 11-1, one game away from the National Championship. Winner Briles
But that was in a Big XII that was just a step up from Katy Youth Football this year according to some. If any coach can become bowl eligible in the most fearsome football conference to ever exist, of course he would've won 14 games as the Baylor coach (two of the wins would've been so bad they counted it twice). He'd have UT back to the late 60s glory by the Red River Shootout!
And it took him 6 years to do that, gradually building up each year. Franklin has been there for 3 years. After 3 years Baylor was 7-6, 4-4 in the Big 12. Franklin is 8-5, 4-4 in the SEC. I say tie man.
Combined W/L of SEC teams Vanderbilt played... 2009: 65-39 2010: 60-44 2011: 63-39 2012: 56-45 2013: 55-42 There's no denying that their schedule has gotten softer recently, including OOC. The "dregs" they used to lose to were typically 7-6. Now the dregs they're beating are 3-9, etc. Leapfrogging programs like Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi State is not a very noteworthy accomplishment, even for Vanderbilt.
