Even during a bye week Rich Rodriguez is making headlines. The kind on Twitter anyway. As the University of Florida was providing the final flush on their disappointing home loss to Missouri, Gator fans and college football "enthusiasts" were calling for Will Muschamp's job. Saturday's loss dropped Muschamp to 15-14 in SEC games at UF, a record Gator fans are less than willing to settle for. While the "fire Muschamp" chants echoed throughout Gainesville, the "hire (insert college football coach's name here)" mantras were well underway. That's where Rich Rod steps in, whether he knows it or not. Florida is arguably one of the top coaching destinations in the country. The Gators claim three national championships, two in the last 10 years. There's the raucous stadium pushing 90,000 screaming fans. Gatorade, Tebow, Spurrier, Meyer, did I mention Tebow? Big names grow in Gainesville. Could it be the place that pushes Rich Rod into the top tier? It makes sense. Rodriguez would be in a recruiter's dreamland in the state of Florida. Imagine how potent his offense could be with some of the freakiest athletes in the country. Picture yourself as a fly on the wall of Nick Saban's office as he tries to prepare a defensive game plan for those Gators. The fan base, boosters and resources would be unlimited for Rich Rodriguez in Gainesville. Florida's SEC is widely considered the best of the power conferences. Voters continually put these programs in the top 25. In the BCS era, SEC teams captured the national championship nine times in 16 seasons. Yes, Rich Rodriguez would likely have the advantage at a school like Florida. But would any potential success be a product of the location more than the coach? Don't misinterpret the last sentence. No ordinary Joe could walk into the SEC and coach a team to a national championship. Odds are someone like Rich Rodriguez would have a fair chance. But if he truly needs to prove himself to fans, wouldn't it be more impressive coming from Tucson? The University of Arizona is an incredible community. Athletic director Greg Byrne and his colleagues have done a great job constructing quality coaching staffs, providing state-of-the-art facilities and putting the Wildcats back on the map, not that they ever truly vanished. But gridiron glory has been scarce at best. Rodriguez currently has the Wildcats 5-1, 2-1 in Pac-12 play and ranked 16th in the country. Arizona fans are buying in. Boasting the number 16 ranking is a feat Arizona fans can be proud of. The Florida faithful, the ones used to competing for national championships, expect better, although these days 16 probably sounds pretty good to the Gators. Let's say the Wildcats run the table the rest of the way. That would give UofA three more wins over Top 25 teams and a record of 11-1. Those accomplishments would at least give the Wildcats some consideration for a berth in college football's final four. Not bad for a basketball school. The point is simple, but the decision for Rich Rod may not be. If Florida comes calling, and odds are they will reach out to a handful of college football's promising coaches, it will be difficult to turn them away. The Gators brass will dare coaches to say no, offering an insane contract and all of the perks many will never see. If Rich Rodriguez were to jump on the hook, and I would imagine those chances are quite low, it won't be because he has something to prove. Florida doesn't need much proving. Winning at Arizona on the other hand? That would give Rich Rod some gusto. Rich Rod's son Rhett is a star QB at Tucson's Catalina Foothills H.S.
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AuthorRichie is a small-town boy chasing big-city dreams. When he's not involved with sports, he's spending time with his wife, Fallon; their yorkie, Tinker; and their Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rosie. Archives
April 2016
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