Kansas Jayhawks head coach Charlie Weis. John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
Charlie Weis is on the hot seat after only one season at Kansas? That’s as ludicrous as believing John McKay should have been fired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after going 0-14 in their inaugural season in the NFL in 1976.
Weis, 1-11 in his first season in Lawrence, is mentioned to be on the hot seat by some websites because of his name, not because of his situation.
It took four years for McKay to coach the Buccaneers to a division title and playoff appearance after an 0-26 start with the franchise. It will take Weis that long to make Kansas, a traditionally moribund program, a threat in the Big 12.
The Jayhawks, known as a basketball school, have not won a conference title in football since 1968 and that was as a co-champion. They have not won an outright league title since 1930.
Kansas finished 12-1 in 2007 after defeating Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl but that has proven to be an aberration. The Jayhawks won only 13 games in Mark Mangino’s last two seasons, and he was forced out because of allegations of chronic and harsh treatment of players.
Upstart coach Turner Gill was 5-29 in two seasons with the Jayhawks before he was fired. Now folks are thinking Weis should get it done in only two years?
The top five coaches who are mentioned to be on the hot seat but shouldn’t be heading into the 2013 season:
1. Charlie Weis, Kansas – The Jayhawks must show patience, go with at least a four- or five-year scenario with Weis and stick with that plan. It took Mangino six years before Kansas won more than seven games in a season. Weis is a victim of false hope because of his past as a New England Patriots offensive coordinator and Notre Dame head coach. Kansas ended the season horribly, losing 11 straight, most in convincing fashion. But Kansas should see if Weis’ name can pay dividends in recruiting in at least a four-year cycle.
2. Kevin Wilson, Indiana – The Hoosiers’ coach is feeling some heat after going 5-19 in his first two seasons in Bloomington. Much like Kansas, Indiana is a basketball school without a football tradition, so people should be patient as Wilson develops the program. Indiana actually improved under Wilson from the first year (1-11 overall and 0-8 in the Big Ten) to the second year (4-8 and 2-6). Some recruiting analysts believe Wilson, a former Oklahoma assistant, brought in one of Indiana’s best recruiting classes in recent years on Signing Day in February.
3. Rich Ellerson, Army – He has won only 17 games in his first four years with Army, but coaching at West Point should be based more on principle than on wins and losses. Army’s followers want victories, no question about it, but Ellerson is a man of principle and he has a background with the Academy. His father and two of his brothers attended West Point. Most important, Army had no coaching continuity before Ellerson arrived in 2009. The previous four coaches averaged only 2.5 years in their tenure with the Black Knights. Army should give Ellerson at least two or three more years to see if he can improve upon his 17-31 record.
4. Terry Bowden, Akron – The former Auburn coach, TV broadcaster and son of legendary coach Bobby Bowden should not suffer the same fate as his predecessor Rob Ianello. Akron’s administration gave Ianello, a former Notre Dame assistant under Weis who is now with Weis at Kansas, only two years to restore the Zips’ program. Ianello was 2-22 before being fired. Bowden replaced him last season and was 1-11. Bowden falls under the same category as Weis because media – those who label him on the hot seat – think he should immediately win because of his name value. The fact is the most wins Akron has achieved in a season since joining the FBS in 1987 is only seven. You can’t win there in only two years.
5. Tim Beckman, Illinois – Some grumblings exist over the way Beckman coached the Fighting Illini in his first season. Illinois was winless in eight Big Ten games and finished 2-10 overall. Beckman, a defensive coach, led Toledo to an unimpressive record of 21-16 in three years with the Rockets before his hiring by Illinois. Mike Thomas, the school’s athletic director, put Beckman in this position and should have the patience to see if Beckman can climb his way out of the hole. Ron Zook did not leave the program in a favorable spot, losing six straight in 2011 to conclude his career. Beckman needs two to three more years to get his system in tow and see if the Illini respond.
