Next coach to be fired?
Cory McCartney of SI.com seems to think that (outside of Kentucky's Rich Brooks) UNC's John Bunting is next to go:
"He went 8-5 with an inherited team in his first year in 2001 and landed a trip to the Peach Bowl, but has gone 13-28 since and is staring down his third losing season in five years."
His SI.com colleagues identified Mark Mangino of Kansas, Gary Pinkel of Missouri and Tom Craft of San Diego State as coaches in the hottest of seats.
In all cases, you have to not only judge a program on how disappointing its record is this year -- and in recent years -- but also look at the coach's contract. That's why a quick hook for Bunting doesn't make a lot of sense right now. He's signed through 2009.
You also just can't look at one lopsided loss (69-14 at Louisville) and say, based on that, this program's going down the drain. For now, it looks like somewhat of an anomaly (or maybe Louisville is that good). Generally, there seems to still be some carry-over optimism from last season around Bunting's program. We'll have to wait and see if 2 or 3 more bad losses causes the mood to sour and chases away the better recruits they're in on now.
A year ago today, things were looking bleak and the firing talk was rampant, and more justified.
Comments (2)
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I think it should take a few more losses before Bunting gets on the hot seat. This is a team that is certainly a competitor, but certainly might need to water down its brusing non-conference schedule.
Maybe the Tar Heels should do what Dave Odom did, I believe, two years ago for S. Carolina's basketball team. Make an N.C. State-caliber (sp?) non-conference schedule one season and gradully strengthen it. It worked wonders for Odom and it might work in Chapel Hill.
I hate to say it, though, Amato might be on the way out.
He walked in with a swagger, talked big and still has yet to deliver. It also seems the bottom fell out when Rivers left.
Not to mention, the boosters putting their money where Amato's mouth is. He needs to deliver or polish his resume.
Posted on October 17, 2005 1:23 PM
I think Ben is on to something. Seems to me the Tar Heels should be playing N.C. State's nonconference schedule, which guarantees two wins and a reasonable shot at a third. Then, Bunting would have a shot at a 6-5 record. To go 6-5 this year, assuming UNC beats Duke, Bunting will most likely have to beat UVA, Maryland and BC at home, and that's a tall order. Of course, at the start of the season, I would have thought that State should be playing UNC's incredibly tough schedule, given all it's "talent." Now State's schedule is looking about right.
Posted on October 18, 2005 11:41 AM