3 games left.. what if we go 0-3?

[Baller]

If anyone can think of any somewhat-storied program, say, one just hovering inside the top-25 or better, that has hired a new coach who has gone on to lose every conference game for his first 2 years in a row and STILL be retained for year 3, please list it/them!!

I can't think of one and it's starting to scare me that we may not have history on our side.  The last thing this program needs is another regime change!  But will Long be forced to make that call, based on pressure from history?

[Bubba's Bruisers]

Let's wait until we go 0-3 to discuss.

[popcornhog]

We would be 4-8. That's what would happen.

[Destin2bAhog]

Troll much. 

[hoghearted]

We would be 4-8. That's what would happen.

Yup.

[PonderinHog]

Not.Gonna.Happen.  :razorback: :razorback: :razorback:

[postalpig]

If anyone can think of any somewhat-storied program, say, one just hovering inside the top-25 or better, that has hired a new coach who has gone on to lose every conference game for his first 2 years in a row and STILL be retained for year 3, please list it/them!!

I can't think of one and it's starting to scare me that we may not have history on our side.  The last thing this program needs is another regime change!  But will Long be forced to make that call, based on pressure from history?

They will not fire BB. I for one don't want them to fire him. This thing is going in the right direction, and I'm not ready to start over. Give him time. I don't like losing either. The losing streak will end within the next three games. Bank on it.

[memphishog]

If anyone can think of any somewhat-storied program, say, one just hovering inside the top-25 or better, that has hired a new coach who has gone on to lose every conference game for his first 2 years in a row and STILL be retained for year 3, please list it/them!!

I can't think of one and it's starting to scare me that we may not have history on our side.  The last thing this program needs is another regime change!  But will Long be forced to make that call, based on pressure from history?

when he took over we were not hovering inside the top 25. the meltdown had begun. he took over a smiling laughing stock. the match had been lit, the barn already on fire. you are right we do not need a coaching change. and if we did the outside perspective (potentially from other coaches) could be more damaging than the internal pressure to do something different.

[Baller]

I think we have a good shot at Mizzou, so hopefully we won't have to have this discussion, ever.

I just was thinking this morning... I can't think of any coach who has survived zero conference wins 2 years in a row.

[Jek Tono Porkins]

Go look at Bielema's contract and tell us how much it would cost to fire him now. We would be nuts to fire bielema right now. We have improved drastically from last year and this recruiting class is shaping up to be one of the best we have ever had.
If we fired bielema now, not even Derek Dooley would want to coach here. You'd have to be stark raving mad, just like our fans.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

If anyone can think of any somewhat-storied program, say, one just hovering inside the top-25 or better, that has hired a new coach who has gone on to lose every conference game for his first 2 years in a row and STILL be retained for year 3, please list it/them!!

I can't think of one and it's starting to scare me that we may not have history on our side.  The last thing this program needs is another regime change!  But will Long be forced to make that call, based on pressure from history?

Not even going to research this because it is standard fare for a HC to get a minimum of 3 years to build a program. It will be no different here. Take a calm pill and call me after season 3.

[Uberanubis]

I think its more in the realm of possibility that we go 0-3 in the last 3 games then 3-0,2-1 or even 1-2. would the sky fall? no will it ruin my life? no.

I love the hogs and love watching them win as much as any one, but I don't let it ruin my day when we lose any more. plus, when you don't expect much from the season, its hard to get mad when it goes the way you expect.

[Baller]

Hopefully Long won't bow to the pressure from history or the small vocal minority of hog fans or probably a couple boosters.

We've got to stay the course!

I saw a team play Msu closer than anyone else has, yesterday.

[root_hawg]

Stay the course

[Vantage 8 dude]

If anyone can think of any somewhat-storied program, say, one just hovering inside the top-25 or better, that has hired a new coach who has gone on to lose every conference game for his first 2 years in a row and STILL be retained for year 3, please list it/them!!

I can't think of one and it's starting to scare me that we may not have history on our side.  The last thing this program needs is another regime change!  But will Long be forced to make that call, based on pressure from history?

Golly I sure don't know for sure but I can promise you that based on Long's m.o. there WON'T be a change for next year. OBTW the simple answer to your original post is that we'll finish 4-8 

[Marshfieldhog]

CBB isn't going anywhere unless in year 3 he pulls a 1-7, 0-8 out of the hat. His buyout is too much to handle and still hire a good coach.

Chaney is history....so I hope. Him as an OC in the SEC has been a disaster here and at Tennessee. I think we need a new WR coach as well.

The seat that will be getting hot is Jeff Long. There are some big money boosters that would like to run him out of town. As much as I can't stand Long( who I feel is the main cause of our problems ), I don't want those big money boosters picking the next AD either. Would like to see Dr. Rochelle get a shot.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Hopefully Long won't bow to the pressure from history or the small vocal minority of hog fans or probably a couple boosters.

We've got to stay the course!

I saw a team play Msu closer than anyone else has, yesterday.

That is absolutely true, but for some of the folks who fail to see improvement taking place on the field, if a W isn't attached, they feel no progress is being made.

[hogcard1964]

If anyone can think of any somewhat-storied program, say, one just hovering inside the top-25 or better, that has hired a new coach who has gone on to lose every conference game for his first 2 years in a row and STILL be retained for year 3, please list it/them!!

I can't think of one and it's starting to scare me that we may not have history on our side.  The last thing this program needs is another regime change!  But will Long be forced to make that call, based on pressure from history?

No, I don't care if your last name is Saban or Meyer, if you lose all of your conference games for two consecutive seasons, you're gone.

However, I think the point is moot.  Our next three games are all winnable.  Win two, get us into a bowl and the program may be considered as "righted" and headed in the right direction.   Go 0-fer, get out and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

[Uberanubis]

CBB isn't going anywhere unless in year 3 he pulls a 1-7, 0-8 out of the hat. His buyout is too much to handle and still hire a good coach.

Chaney is history....so I hope. Him as an OC in the SEC has been a disaster here and at Tennessee. I think we need a new WR coach as well.

The seat that will be getting hot is Jeff Long. There are some big money boosters that would like to run him out of town. As much as I can't stand Long( who I feel is the main cause of our problems ), I don't want those big money boosters picking the next AD either. Would like to see Dr. Rochelle get a shot.

they only want to run him out of town so the boosters can put a patsy in office so they can run things behind the scene. no thanks we have enough of that in politics.

[hawgon]

BB will go winless the rest of this year, win 6 to 8 next year and high tail it to another job.  If he doesn't do that, then he has another losing year in year four and gets the hook.

[WilsonHog]

Nothing will happen.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

BB will go winless the rest of this year, win 6 to 8 next year and high tail it to another job.  If he doesn't do that, then he has another losing year in year four and gets the hook.

You must be a joy to be around in the morning. Some of you guys need to be heavily medicated after Hog games to avoid being too reactionary and over the top in your responses the morning after. Over-react much?

[HiggiePiggy]

He isn't losing his job if he finishes 0-8 in conference again this year.   If he starts out with a loss against Texas A&M and then follows that up with a loss at Tennessee next year then majority of people will begin doubting him and that is when he will be on the hot seat to get something done before next year ends. 

[Baller]

I hope this is right.  I hope nothing happens. 

Coach B needs to win one of these 3 games so he doesn't force Long's hand.

What if he forces Long's hand?  We'll be doomed for another several years!  It really could be a full 10 year setback!

It's almost time for full-blown panic for me.

Then I watch the game yesterday, and it's just heartbreaking, and you can feel how badly it hurt to lose this one, especially, and I just don't know how much more this team can take and still come out with the effort they had today!  That's a testament to the coaches that we haven't rolled over yet despite defeat after defeat after defeat.

[Jek Tono Porkins]

No, I don't care if your last name is Saban or Meyer, if you lose all of your conference games for two consecutive seasons, you're gone.

However, I think the point is moot.  Our next three games are all winnable.  Win two, get us into a bowl and the program may be considered as "righted" and headed in the right direction.   Go 0-fer, get out and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Well, it's good thing that you don't make that decision.

I'm tired of everyone trying to find examples of when a coach went ofer in the conference. When you find a coach and team that played our schedule, get back to me. This is a historically murderous schedule.

It would be one thing if Bielema was losing against Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Nutt-coached Ole Miss, Sylvester Croom-coached Mississippi State, or other teams like that. But he's not.

He's losing against top ten teams that he hasn't been favored against ONCE.

There's a huge, obvious, glaring difference there. I question the intelligence of anyone who can't see that.

[Torqued pork]

Go winless the remainder of this season and the pressure next year gets real.

The improvement has to translate into SEC wins in year #3. The self-destructive nature of this team will be Bielema's downfall if it doesn't get fixed in '15.

[Pigstie]

Go look at Bielema's contract and tell us how much it would cost to fire him now. We would be nuts to fire bielema right now. We have improved drastically from last year and this recruiting class is shaping up to be one of the best we have ever had.
If we fired bielema now, not even Derek Dooley would want to coach here. You'd have to be stark raving mad, just like our fans.

While I agree with this..... next year is the final straw with me. If we can't go bowling next year I'll be ready for a change.

[WilsonHog]

No, I don't care if your last name is Saban or Meyer, if you lose all of your conference games for two consecutive seasons, you're gone.

However, I think the point is moot.  Our next three games are all winnable.  Win two, get us into a bowl and the program may be considered as "righted" and headed in the right direction.   Go 0-fer, get out and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Are you saying that will happen, or should happen?

I'll say again what I have said all along...if we go 4-8 and 0-8, Bielema will not be fired.

Will not.

I think we'll go 0-8. Bielema will still be our coach. When those two things happen, I'll be interested to read your take.

[hogcard1964]

Well, it's good thing that you don't make that decision.

I'm tired of everyone trying to find examples of when a coach went ofer in the conference. When you find a coach and team that played our schedule, get back to me. This is a historically murderous schedule.

It would be one thing if Bielema was losing against Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Nutt-coached Ole Miss, Sylvester Croom-coached Mississippi State, or other teams like that. But he's not.

He's losing against top ten teams that he hasn't been favored against ONCE.

There's a huge, obvious, glaring difference there. I question the intelligence of anyone who can't see that.

Wins are all that matters.   Money may be the driving force behind keeping him around for a portion of 2015.  But again, show me a coach that was able to keep his job when he couldn't win one conference game for two consecutive seasons.

[Jek Tono Porkins]

While I agree with this..... next year is the final straw with me. If we can't go bowling next year I'll be ready for a change.

Bielema will get four-five years because he's not your run-of-the-mill coach. He is a successful head coach that willingly left his cushy job at Wisconsin to insert himself into this mad dumpster fire. He's going to get a little more leeway than your average up-and-comer.

The only way he gets fired after year three is if the wheels completely fall off the wagon.

[Jek Tono Porkins]

Wins are all that matters.   Money may be the driving force behind keeping him around for a portion of 2015.  But again, show me a coach that was able to keep his job when he couldn't win one conference game for two consecutive seasons.

Show me a coach that played top ten teams week in and week out, improved his team's play, and still got fired.

You're making a false equivalence.

[Baller]

A&M almost lost to Louisiana-Monroe yesterday.  I don't think they're even close to top-25, much less 10.  That should have been like playing an historically bad KY or Vandy.

But the point can be made that we've been losing to better and better teams, since GA played lights out against us and we nearly beat #1 MSU yesterday. 

If we could have reversed the schedule to play the lowly A&M now instead of a few weeks ago, we'd probably not have to worry about zero 2014 conference wins.

[ricepig]

Are you saying that will happen, or should happen?

I'll say again what I have said all along...if we go 4-8 and 0-8, Bielema will not be fired.

Will not.

I think we'll go 0-8. Bielema will still be our coach. When those two things happen, I'll be interested to read your take.

Consider the source, at the beginning of the year he said anything less than 8-4 was reason for dismissal.

[Mike_e]

We are an upgrade in a QB from beating a #1 in the land team.

No I'm not bashing BA, he is what he is and has the potential to be better.  What he is right now is a QB that could be 6-3 or 7-2 right now on another team in another conference and that's nothing to hang your head about if you're him.

Where he can improve is in placing the ball so that receivers can do something rather than fall down making the catch.  Doing this one little thing would mean we wouldn't have to have last second heroics to win last night.

[hogcard1964]

Are you saying that will happen, or should happen?

I'll say again what I have said all along...if we go 4-8 and 0-8, Bielema will not be fired.

Will not.

I think we'll go 0-8. Bielema will still be our coach. When those two things happen, I'll be interested to read your take.

I'm saying he would and most certainly should.  But again, I think the point is moot.  We'll win two of our last three.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Wins are all that matters.   Money may be the driving force behind keeping him around for a portion of 2015.  But again, show me a coach that was able to keep his job when he couldn't win one conference game for two consecutive seasons.

Show me 5 since 2000 that were HC's for the Power 5 conferences that were dismissed solely on the basis of a lack of conference wins in 2 seasons.

[tophawg19]

show me a coach in CFB  history that has ever faced this back to back schedule ? with a new team . then you'll have your answer . not the one you clearly want though . Jeff Long  has enough sense to see what is building here . unlike some posters

[hogcard1964]

Consider the source, at the beginning of the year he said anything less than 8-4 was reason for dismissal.

No, I said 7-8 wins were/are the benchmark. And I still expect 7 with a bowl win.

[Hoggles]

Well, it's good thing that you don't make that decision.

I'm tired of everyone trying to find examples of when a coach went ofer in the conference. When you find a coach and team that played our schedule, get back to me. This is a historically murderous schedule.

It would be one thing if Bielema was losing against Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Nutt-coached Ole Miss, Sylvester Croom-coached Mississippi State, or other teams like that. But he's not.

He's losing against top ten teams that he hasn't been favored against ONCE.

There's a huge, obvious, glaring difference there. I question the intelligence of anyone who can't see that.

It does not matter if we were favored or not; all of our conference games have been winnable, yet we have found a way to lose every single time. We look great out of the gate and falter as the game winds down. Look how LSU and Florida pulled out their victories over Ole Miss and Georgia. It was not by forcing the pass; instead, they played to their strengths and placed an emphasis on running the ball. Brandon Allen has been mediocre at best against SEC defenses, but he's forced to throw the ball forty-three times last night, far more than even Dak did. We are stubbornly sticking to a balanced attack, and it has cost us several winnable games.

[colbs]

If anyone can think of any somewhat-storied program, say, one just hovering inside the top-25 or better, that has hired a new coach who has gone on to lose every conference game for his first 2 years in a row and STILL be retained for year 3, please list it/them!!

I can't think of one and it's starting to scare me that we may not have history on our side.  The last thing this program needs is another regime change!  But will Long be forced to make that call, based on pressure from history?

I bet you hope that does happen.

[Baller]

Chizik comes to mind as an SEC coach fired after just one 0-fer season.

Didn't Spurrier have a really bad first season or 2 at USC?

[WilsonHog]

I'm saying he would and most certainly should.  But again, I think the point is moot.  We'll win two of our last three.

Think about this.

(1) Our AD has become one of the most respected in the business - for the way he handled the Petrino matter and for his chairmanship of the playoff committee.

(2) The national pundits, coaches, etc. are pushing the story line that Bielema is building something and that we are much better than our record indicates.

(3) Bielema's buyout is $12.8 million.

Given those facts, there is no way in hell Bielema gets fired. Zero percent chance.

[Baller]

if your comparing A&M to Kentucky and Vandy , then you really don't know much about football . that ag's team is loaded with talent .They have good players at every position. And are a mid level bowl team. Kentucky might get into a mid tier bowl but would be 0 fer if playing in the west .

Kentucky put up 30 something points on MSU!!! Whatchoo talkin bout Willis??

Aggies ALMOST LOST to ULM. 

I'm saying our schedule could have been arranged differently to benefit us.  We play A&M now and I guarantee you we beat them and then probably go on to beat Mizzou and then go bowling.

[hogcard1964]

Think about this.

(1) Our AD has become one of the most respected in the business - for the way he handled the Petrino matter and for his chairmanship of the playoff committee.

(2) The national pundits, coaches, etc. are pushing the story line that Bielema is building something and that we are much better than our record indicates.

(3) Bielema's buyout is $12.8 million.

Given those facts, there is no way in hell Bielema gets fired. Zero percent chance.

I agree, that money is a driving factor.  That's why I inferred he would be gone next year.

Btw, I live in the upper Midwest, and nobody up here believes Beliema is building something special at Arkansas.  As a matter of fact, nobody cares about Arkansas.

[ricepig]

I agree, that money is a driving factor.  That's why I inferred he would be gone next year.

Btw, I live in the upper Midwest, and nobody up here believes Beliema is building something special at Arkansas.  As a matter of fact, nobody cares about Arkansas.

They're too interested in the Michigan melt down, and I think he was talking about the talking heads and scribes that pontificate on paper.

[Hoggles]

I agree, that money is a driving factor.  That's why I inferred he would be gone next year.

Btw, I live in the upper Midwest, and nobody up here believes Beliema is building something special at Arkansas.  As a matter of fact, nobody cares about Arkansas.

It's hard to suggest that the pundits haven't been complimentary of us and Bielema. I don't see why it should matter if they are or not, but they've been kind to us.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Think about this.

(1) Our AD has become one of the most respected in the business - for the way he handled the Petrino matter and for his chairmanship of the playoff committee.

(2) The national pundits, coaches, etc. are pushing the story line that Bielema is building something and that we are much better than our record indicates.

(3) Bielema's buyout is $12.8 million.

Given those facts, there is no way in hell Bielema gets fired. Zero percent chance.

Yep.

[jkstock04]

Losing out would suck...make for another long offseason.

[Atlhogfan1]

I agree, that money is a driving factor.  That's why I inferred he would be gone next year.

Btw, I live in the upper Midwest, and nobody up here believes Beliema is building something special at Arkansas.  As a matter of fact, nobody cares about Arkansas.

You added the word "special". 

Money isn't the driving factor this early in the rebuild.  It should be a factor though in shutting down the possibility. 

[Baller]

Mike Shula won 2 his 1st year, then 3 SEC games, then 6 SEC games to save his job, otherwise he was fired for only winning 10 SEC games in 3 years (5 in his first 2)... and then he only won 2 games in his 4th season and Bama fans rejoiced at his termination.


We don't have history on our side.  Too many fans would rejoice if we went 0-16 SEC under CBB and he was terminated.