Coaches Roll With the Punches

Oh my, how the winds of change can blow so quickly across the landscape of NCAA Football. This time last week, North Carolina State coach Chuck Amato was fielding scalding questions from the media and firing back at them with such high-pitched retorts as, “What’s wrong with having dreams?!” (I can’t put enough exclamation points on that to emphasize how much he emphasized that.)

Why was he being so defensive? He had just lost to Southern Mississippi…ugly…a week after losing at home to Akron. These two losses, and probably his attire, had finally gotten on the nerve of some Wolfpack fans.

Well this week, he couldn’t be riding any higher. He came up with a huge win over Boston College, pulling a victory from the jaws of defeat. Now, he is seemingly back in the good graces of ‘Pack fans. Even those who left the game early.

This goes to show you a couple of things. First, Amato can still produce a winning season this year. Second, he deserves to gloat a little this week. But third, he better keep it going.

And that goes for most of the coaches out there. Winning is what counts these days and without it not much else matters.

At a big-time program, you may be able to get by with losing two, maybe three games a season if you’ve been there forever (Bobby Bowden) or you’re brand new and have promise (Urban Meyer). But more than two seasons in a row and your seat will heat up no matter who or where you are (Larry Coker).

At the programs on the rise, and these vary from newly rising (Rutgers) to five years in and rising (Louisville) you can afford to let a few more slip, but again, you can’t let that happen too many years in a row.

Point being, at a major university, you better start winning, producing, or packing. Unless you’re at the University of North Carolina.

Tomorrow however, we’ll have one of those rare coaches who almost literally, can do no wrong. There are a few around and that status changes, fast. Charlie Weis is in that category. He led Notre Dame back to the top of the heap in NCAA Football last year and is showing no signs of slowing down this year. Stop by and get some insight under the golden dome Friday.