"Destination job" is a very subjective term. Look at some of the big openings from the past few years...tOSU, scUM, Florida, USC x2, Ped Aggy, Tennecheat, Texas. tOSU lucked out in having a homegrown guy who just happened to be available and considered one of the top 2-3 coaches in the game. If, God forbid, Urban wasn't available, who knows who we'd have ended up with (Pelini?). Florida settled for a hot coordinator who appears to be in way over his head. scUM had to settle for the fat garbageman, and that isn't going so well. USC, for all of its attractive qualities (location, recruiting base, recent success, tradition) struggled mightily in both searches the last 5 years and just had to settle for a slightly >.500 career coach that most consider seriously underwhelming. Ped Aggy had the scandel looming, but I don't think following pedterno would have been particularly attractive to anybody. Tennessee whiffed on countless coaches in both 2009 and 2012 and had to settle for a woefully unqualified <.500 Sun Belt coach and Butch Jones.
Exactly. That's why I think Texas folks are setting themselves up for a big disappointment. If they nab a hot young name like Franklin or somebody similar, that fanbase is going to hate him because he isn't Saban or Gruden. Some programs think it's their God given right to have the best coaches beating down the door to take their job. That just isn't the case these days. There aren't many established "great" coaches out there.
I don't think the probation is much of a hinderance anymore since the spineless ncaa already repealed the scholly limits. You can bet the bowl ban is removed soon. I just think he's an NFL coach biding his time. Once he leaves though, that job isn't nearly as attractive as the cult thinks it is. There's still a stigma around the program. I think they'll struggle to find a replacement, and end up with some second-tier guy like Tennecheat did with Butch Jones. I don't know if he leaves this year, but when the flirting goes on after every season, it's a matter of time until he and the NFL fornicate.
Oh, no doubt. Not to mention Petrino recruited for a totally different kind of offense. I don't think anybody expected Bert to win the division or anything, but 3-9/0-8 is just ghastly...especially when the SEC wasn't particularly good this year overall. Not to mention his bubble-brained wife mixing it up on twitter. He recruited a nice running back this year who got 1000 yards, and I think given time he can make them at least competitive, but I don't think the brand of football he was successful with at Wiscy is going to get them very far without Bammer's recruiting pull. Plus, SEC teams aren't exactly patient with their coaches. And Arkansas, despite being barely a blip on the radar the last quarter century, still has a fanbase/boosters that think they should be a top program. I'll be surprised if he makes it to a fourth year there.
