Legendary - The Career of Porter Davis

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Florida Fires Will Muschamp After Eight Seasons in Gainesville
Former SEC East champion unable to overcome late-career decline as Gators begin another coaching search
By Nathan Reynolds | Jan 5, 2019, 5:47pm EST



Florida has officially parted ways with head coach Will Muschamp following a disappointing 5-7 campaign, ending an eight-year tenure that produced plenty of highs but ultimately failed to deliver the sustained championship success expected in Gainesville.

Muschamp leaves Florida with an overall record of 68-40 and one of the more unusual coaching tenures in recent SEC history.

His time with the Gators began modestly with a 7-6 debut season in 2011 before a breakthrough 11-2 campaign in 2012. Florida appeared poised to rejoin the national elite, and that momentum continued into the dynasty era as Muschamp posted consecutive 11-2 seasons in 2012 and 2013, finishing sixth nationally both years.

The Gators remained competitive throughout much of his tenure. Florida won bowl games following the 2013, 2014, and 2016 seasons, including a Fiesta Bowl victory after a stellar 12-1 campaign in 2016 that once again ended with a No. 6 national ranking.

At his best, Muschamp's teams were defined by physical defense, strong recruiting classes, and a style of football that fit Florida's identity.

But consistency proved elusive.

After the 2016 Fiesta Bowl victory, the program began to slide. Florida stumbled to a 6-7 record in 2017 and failed to build momentum entering 2018. This year's 5-7 finish marked the program's second consecutive losing season and left athletic department officials questioning whether the Gators were moving in the right direction.

"Coach Muschamp represented the University of Florida with class and integrity throughout his tenure," Florida Athletic Director Jeremy Foley said in a statement. "We appreciate everything he has done for our student-athletes and this university. However, we believe new leadership is necessary to return Florida football to competing for SEC and national championships."

The timing of the opening creates an interesting challenge for Florida.

While the Gators remain one of college football's premier brands, they enter the market at a time when several higher-profile vacancies are dominating national headlines. Alabama is searching for a replacement for the retired Nick Saban. LSU is seeking a new leader after firing Matt Limegrover. Baylor and several other Power Conference programs are also conducting searches.

As a result, Florida may need to be patient.

Many of the nation's top candidates are expected to focus first on Alabama and LSU before considering other opportunities. Until those jobs are filled, Florida's true pool of candidates may remain unclear.

That reality has not stopped speculation from beginning.

Miami (Ohio) head coach Luke Fickell, fresh off a 13-1 season and a GoDaddy.com Bowl victory, has already surfaced as a potential target. Houston head coach Alvin Magee continues to draw interest after building one of the most consistent programs in the American Conference. Arkansas head coach Porter Davis will likely be mentioned whenever a major SEC opening emerges, though few expect him to leave Fayetteville after leading the Razorbacks to an SEC Championship and Sugar Bowl victory in his first season.

For now, Florida finds itself in an unfamiliar position.

The Gators are one of the sport's traditional powers, yet they may be forced to wait while the coaching carousel's biggest dominoes fall elsewhere.

Whether that ultimately helps or hurts Florida's search remains to be seen.

What is certain is that the Muschamp era has come to an end.

He leaves Gainesville with 68 victories, multiple top-10 finishes, a Fiesta Bowl trophy, and a legacy that will be remembered as successful, but not quite successful enough for a program that measures itself against the very best in college football.

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Kentucky Parts Ways With Mark Stoops After Six Seasons
Back-to-back 4-8 campaigns prove too much to overcome as Wildcats reset once again
By Nathan Reynolds | Jan 5, 2019, 6:02pm EST



Kentucky has officially fired head coach Mark Stoops after six seasons, ending a tenure that never quite produced the breakthrough Wildcats fans had hoped for when he arrived in Lexington.

Stoops leaves Kentucky with a 30-43 overall record and a reputation as a coach who worked tirelessly to elevate the program but ultimately struggled to gain traction in the SEC.

The decision comes after consecutive 4-8 seasons in 2017 and 2018, a stretch that erased much of the goodwill built during the middle years of his tenure.

"When Coach Stoops arrived, he inherited a difficult situation and worked extremely hard to build a foundation for Kentucky football," Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart said in a statement. "We appreciate his dedication to our student-athletes and the university. However, we believe it is time for a new direction as we pursue sustained success in the Southeastern Conference."

Stoops arrived in Lexington before the 2013 season with a reputation as one of the nation's brightest defensive minds. Expectations were modest, but many believed he could bring long-term stability to a program that had often struggled to compete in the SEC East.

There were signs of progress along the way.

The Wildcats showed flashes of competitiveness and appeared poised to take a step forward on several occasions. Recruiting improved, facilities continued to develop, and the overall culture inside the program was widely viewed as healthier than when Stoops arrived.

Unfortunately for Kentucky, victories never came consistently enough.

The Wildcats managed just one winning season under Stoops and never finished higher than the middle of the SEC East standings. While close losses and difficult schedules often provided context, the bottom line remained the same: Kentucky never became the contender many hoped it could be.

The final two seasons proved particularly damaging.

After finishing 4-8 in 2017, university officials expected significant improvement in 2018. Instead, the Wildcats once again finished 4-8 and failed to show the progress necessary to justify maintaining the status quo.

Now Kentucky enters a coaching search during one of the busiest carousel cycles in recent memory.

Openings at Alabama, LSU, Florida, Baylor, and several other programs have already reshaped the coaching market, meaning the Wildcats could face stiff competition for many of their preferred candidates.

That reality may force Kentucky to look beyond the obvious names and identify an emerging coach capable of building a sustainable winner in Lexington.

The challenge remains significant.

Kentucky continues to operate in one of the nation's toughest conferences while competing against traditional powers for recruits, attention, and resources. Success is possible, but it requires finding the right coach with the right vision.

For Stoops, the firing closes a chapter defined by effort, perseverance, and unrealized potential.

While his 30-43 record ultimately cost him his job, many around the program believe he leaves Kentucky in better shape than he found it.

The next coach, however, will be expected to do something Stoops could not.

Turn progress into victories.

[James]

Love to see Art Briles go down.

I'm torn about Stoops. He's got a great legacy and this gives a change to mess it up.

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Love to see Art Briles go down.

I'm torn about Stoops. He's got a great legacy and this gives a change to mess it up.

with all the coaching changes in the sec maybe stoops will have the upper hand

[redsox907]

did 14 have the same tendency as 26 to have coaches get fired into a better position?

Stoops to Bama loading

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did 14 have the same tendency as 26 to have coaches get fired into a better position?

Stoops to Bama loading

Stoops Dismisses Alabama Rumors, Reaffirms Commitment to Oklahoma

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did 14 have the same tendency as 26 to have coaches get fired into a better position?

Stoops to Bama loading

Stoops Dismisses Alabama Rumors, Reaffirms Commitment to Oklahoma

was talking about Mark, the one who got fired

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I dont think Alabama will Stoop to that level

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Carousel Notes: Five More Coaches Exit as Programs Search for New Direction
Cal, Colorado, Colorado State, Houston and Minnesota all make changes as coaching carousel accelerates
By Derek Hollingsworth | Jan 5, 2019, 7:03pm EST



The coaching carousel continued spinning Saturday evening as several schools officially moved on from their head coaches, adding even more intrigue to an already chaotic offseason.

While the national spotlight remains focused on openings at Alabama, LSU, Florida, and Baylor, a number of other programs have quietly begun searching for new leadership.

California Fires Jeff Quinn After Three Seasons

California has dismissed Jeff Quinn after three seasons leading the Golden Bears.

Quinn arrived in Berkeley after a successful run at Buffalo and was viewed as a coach capable of bringing stability to a program that had struggled to find consistency. Unfortunately, the results never materialized. The Bears failed to gain traction in the Pac-12 during Quinn's tenure, and university officials ultimately decided the program needed a fresh start.

The move marks the second consecutive stop where Quinn leaves behind a rebuilding effort rather than a finished product.

Colorado Moves On From Mike Elko

Colorado has fired Mike Elko after four seasons in Boulder.

Elko rose to prominence as Ohio State's defensive coordinator during the Buckeyes' national championship run in 2014. That success made him one of the hottest assistant coaches in the country and eventually earned him the Colorado job.

Despite flashes of defensive improvement, Elko was unable to elevate the Buffaloes into consistent Pac-12 contention. Colorado showed occasional promise but never emerged as a serious factor in the conference race, leading athletic department officials to seek a new direction.

Colorado State Ends Jim McElwain Era

After seven seasons and a 31-54 overall record, Colorado State has parted ways with Jim McElwain.

McElwain's tenure included a handful of encouraging moments, but sustained success proved elusive. The Rams struggled to establish themselves in an increasingly competitive Mountain West, and attendance and enthusiasm around the program steadily declined.

The administration now faces the challenge of identifying a coach capable of restoring relevance to a program that once expected to compete near the top of the conference.

Houston Parts Ways With Tony Levine

One of the more notable Group of Five moves came in Houston, where Tony Levine was fired after eight seasons.

Levine survived several coaching carousel cycles and produced respectable results during portions of his tenure, but the Cougars never fully capitalized on their recruiting advantages in one of the nation's richest talent regions.

Houston officials reportedly felt the program had plateaued and believed new leadership was necessary to challenge for conference championships moving forward.

The vacancy immediately becomes one of the most attractive jobs outside the Power Conferences.

Minnesota Cuts Ties With Kenny Edenfield After One Season

Perhaps the most surprising move came in Minneapolis, where Kenny Edenfield lasted only one season before being dismissed.

One-year coaching tenures are exceedingly rare in major college football, but Minnesota officials evidently saw enough during Edenfield's debut campaign to conclude that a change was necessary.

The quick trigger underscores the growing pressure coaches face across the sport, particularly at Power Conference programs seeking immediate progress.

Not Everyone Is Leaving

Not every school entered the offseason looking for change.

Ohio State locked up Urban Meyer with a contract extension after another successful season, eliminating any chance that one of the nation's premier jobs could unexpectedly enter the carousel.

UNLV and Bret Bielema agreed to terms. Kliff Kingsbury will stay at Texas Tech. Bo Pelini will continue at Nebraska. Doc Holliday will remain at Marhsall, extending one of the nation's longest active tenures. Major Applewhite stays on at Kansas. Butch Jones stays at Georgia State.

While much of the sport's attention has focused on high-profile vacancies at Alabama, LSU, Florida, and Baylor, several universities made it clear they preferred stability over uncertainty.

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