Head Coach - Microchip

[HognitiveDissonance]

You read a lot of opinions about what's wrong and how to fix things.
No doubt assistants are important, etc.

But the Head Coach is the one person who controls success or failure.
I am of the opinion based on years of observation that:
-- if the head coach is great, the program will succeed.
-- if the head coach is not great, the program will not succeed

Why?
The head coach is the ONE GUY who has his finger on every aspect of the program. Assistants, schemes, offense/defense/special teams, recruiting, fan relations, etc

Someone on this board gave this analogy, so they can stand up and take credit for it. It's very true.
The head coach is like the microcomputer on a modern automobile. This chip controls everything in how the car runs, timing, exhaust, transmission, etc. If the chip is damaged or malfunctioning, the car won't run right---even if all the other parts are in good working order.

Most believe Petrino did a great job here. Can you name one assistant who was exceptional? I can't. They were ok, and not to be diminished. But it is to say that too much attention can be paid at times to things that are not as important.

Get the head coach right, and everything else falls into place.

[12247]

If the HC does his job, you are 95 percent to having all things right.  This doesn't mean you will win the NC nearly every year but it does mean the program will operate close to its potential.  We are no where near that level here at Arkansas right now.