Friedgen's ouster after coach of the year award a truly rare event

Much has been made in the last 24 hours about Ralph Friedgen's impending departure from Maryland despite winning the ACC's coach of the year award.

And much probably should, since it appears he is the first BCS conference coach to ever be fired after a winning a coach of the year away in his respective league.

The closest examples are what happened to Bill Curry (1989 Alabama) and Walt Harris (2004 Pittsburgh). Neither was especially pleased with the contracts offered to them, and both opted to leave for other jobs rather than remain on --- Curry at Kentucky and Harris at Stanford.

Overall, 14 coaches of the year in the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 and Southeastern conferences have not returned before Friedgen. Eight took other college jobs, three took an NFL head coaching position, one became an athletic director, one retired and one --- Paul Amen of Wake Forest back in 1959 --- accepted a position as a bank executive.

Times do change.

There are arguments to be made coach of the year voting is skewed because preseason misperceptions play such a large role. But few quibbled with the job Friedgen did in 2010, and for him to become the first on an unusual list probably seems odd (understandably) to a lot of people.

Among the sort of interesting nuggets in the list below ...

* Football mercenary Dennis Erickson appears twice on the list.

* Bill Arnsparger, who was later the defensive coordinator with the San Diego Chargers when Friedgen was the franchise's offensive coordinator, is the coach who became an athletic director.

* The last coach of the year in a BCS league other than the Big East to not return the next season was Rich Brooks with 1994 Oregon.

And, as promised, a full list:

ACC (since 1953)

1955: Jim Tatum, Maryland (North Carolina)
1959: Paul Amen, Wake Forest (Job as a bank executive)
1978: Charley Pell, Clemson (Florida)
1989: Steve Spurrier, Duke (Florida)
1992: Bill Dooley, Wake Forest (Retired)

BIG TEN (since 1972)

None

BIG EAST (since 1991)

1994: Dennis Erickson, Miami (Seattle Seahawks)
2000: Butch Davis, Miami (Cleveland Browns)
2004: Walt Harris, Pittsburgh (Stanford)
2009: Brian Kelly, Cincinnati (Notre Dame)

BIG 12 (since 1996)

None

PAC-10 (since 1975)

1988: Dennis Erickson, Washington State (Miami)
1994: Rich Brooks, Oregon (St. Louis Rams)

SEC (since 1935)

1974: Steve Sloan, Vanderbilt (Texas Tech)
1986: Bill Arnsparger, Louisiana State (Florida athletic director)
1989: Bill Curry, Alabama (Kentucky)

Comments

[Andy]

Such a bold move by anderson. We will see how it pays off in a couple years that's for sure. I think it pays off very well in the long term. Ralph wasnt winning enough in the last few years to have a consistent fan base

[ngaterp]

I don't know whether the "I've earned an extension" comments fueled this but if it did then Friedgen's agent maybe ultimately responsible for the outcome. Certainly that and all the negative comments about Coach Franklin would have started Franklin thinking about other opportunities. I think Leach will be a good choice if that's who we obtain (as long as coach Brown stays) but coach Franklin would have been very good also (he has good HC qualities) particularly if he got a Good OC.

[BoomOsby]

The HCIW tag is responsible for this.

Franklin went to Anderson and asked if he would be coach next year, Anderson did not confirm. Franklin told Anderson he would not be back this year if he did not get that guarantee. We know how that went....

Meanwhile, Fridge is asking for a major deal (he had one offered) for an extension and is playing hardball. Frank now offers assistants gig at Vandy. So we are sitting there with a potential one year coach and needing to bring in 5 new coaches to replace those lost. So what do you do? Allow Ralph to hold on for one last year with a decimated program...? Don't think we can afford that..

All being said, Ralph has been great for the program and we owe him to bow out gracefully, it just stinks its all gone down like this, he deserves better.

See you at the "Fridge Bowl"

[Mark]

The grass is always greener. Ask Michigan if they miss Lloyd Carr....

The coach that takes over Maryland will be getting a solid team.

Personally, I'd make Don Brown HC over Leach any day.