History suggests the future isn’t good for Ole Miss
Ole Miss football coach Hugh Freeze resigned instead of being fired this past week for what university officials called a pattern of personal misconduct.
Preseason practice is set to open in Oxford next week, and the Rebels are a month and a half away from starting the season against South Alabama.
This is no time for a change at the top, but offensive line coach Matt Luke is being thrown into an interim position. He will try to save a season that already had been scarred by a self-imposed bowl ban for NCAA violations that Ole Miss said had nothing to do with Freeze being forced out.
These types of scandal-driven offseason coaching changes have become somewhat common in college football, and history shows teams that endure unusual upheaval do not fare well.
Here are some notable offseason changes — and how those seasons turned out:
› Art Briles, Baylor: After an external investigation found the school mishandled sexual assault claims, some against football players, Baylor’s board of trustees began the process to fire Briles on May 26, 2016. Tempo- rary replacement:
Jim Grobe. Result:
The Bears opened the season ranked No. 23 and started 6-0, then lost six straight. They won their bowl game to finish 7-6.
› Tim Beckman, Illinois: Fired on Aug. 28, 2015, after an external investigation found he mishandled player injuries. Temporary replacement: Bill Cubit. Result:
The Illini had shown some progress in the previous season under Beckman and started 4-1, but they dropped six of their final seven games to finish 5-7.
› Jim Tressel, Ohio State: Resigned on May 30, 2011, after it was revealed he lied about NCAA violations, involving players trading equipment and memorabilia for cash and tattoos. Temporary replacement: Luke Fickell. Result: The Buckeyes went 6-6 and 3-5 in the Big Ten. The administration did not self-impose a bowl ban when it had the opportunity, and the Buckeyes lost the Gator Bowl to Florida to finish with a losing record. The next year Ohio State had to serve an NCAA-handed-down postseason ban when Urban Meyer’s first team went 12-0.
› Bobby Petrino, Arkansas: Fired on April 11, 2012, for lying to school officials about his relationship with a woman who was involved in a motorcycle accident with him. Temporary replacement: John L. Smith. Result:
The Razorbacks had high hopes coming off an 11-win season, but they tanked, going 4-8.
› Butch Davis, North Carolina: Fired on July 27, 2011, amid an NCAA investigation about players receiving improper benefits and academic misconduct. Temporary replacement: Everett Withers. Result: The Tar Heels started 5-1 before losing four of six to finish the regular season. They completed a lackluster year by losing to Missouri in the Independence Bowl and ended up 7-6.