Let's Keep The Current Problems Of RG3 In Perspective
RG3’s career is not lost—or at least it doesn’t have to be, if everyone involved makes good decisions.
RG3’s career is not lost—or at least it doesn’t have to be, if everyone involved makes good decisions.
RG3’s career is not lost—or at least it doesn’t have to be, if everyone involved makes good decisions.
Most college football dynasties are marked by a transcendent figure at head coach. The University of Miami was different. Their national championship of 1983 was won with Howard Schnellenberger at head coach. In 1987, Miami won with Jimmy Johnson at the helm. And the 1989 Miami Hurricanes reached the top of the polls in the first year of Dennis Erickson’s tenure. That’s three championship with three coaches in a seven-year period.
Bo Schembecler was one of the top football coaches in the history of the Big Ten and of college football overall, but the one thing missing on his resume was a national championship. The 1989 Michigan football team was seen as one of his best chances, and were ranked #1 to start the season. The Wolverines were a vintage Schembecler team—tough on defense and a strong running game. But they were vintage in another sense—there was no national title in the end.
My question is this—whenever this change comes, is it asking too much that Jay Gruden not act like the back end of a horse when dealing with RG3? So far, the head coach is failing that test.
My question is this—whenever this change comes, is it asking too much that Jay Gruden not act like the back end of a horse when dealing with RG3? So far, the head coach is failing that test.
The 1989 Notre Dame football team was one Lou Holtz believed was the best he had ever coached—better even, than the team that won the national championship the prior year. Holtz had a good point—the ’89 Fighting Irish kept winning against a grueling schedule, but ended up one win short of a repeat title.
The top three teams in the College Football Playoff seem pretty well locked in, so long as they take care of business down the stretch. Those teams would be Alabama, Oregon and Florida State. Right now, Mississippi State has a hold of the 4-spot, with TCU, Baylor and Ohio State giving chase. But why can’t undefeated Marshall get the opportunity for this final berth in the College Football Playoff?
The Seattle Seahawks came into existence in 1976 and by the early 1980s, they were starting to enjoy some success under head coach Chuck Knox. They made the playoffs three times from 1983-87, and won 48 regular season games. But the one thing the franchise had not done was win a division title. The 1988 Seattle Seahawks might have been the weakest of the organization’s playoff teams in the 1980s, but they were also the only ones to bring home the AFC West crown.
The Buffalo Bills would have the great dynasty of the AFC in the early 1990s, winning four straight conference championships from 1990-93. They never won the Super Bowl, but the four straight appearances remain unprecedented. The 1988 Buffalo Bills were the edition that first cracked the postseason with Marv Levy at head coach and Jim Kelly at quarterback.
Buddy Ryan arrived in Philadelphia as the new head coach in 1986 with much fanfare. Ryan was the defensive coordinator for the 1985 Chicago Bears, one of the great defenses of all time. In three short years, Ryan turned a struggling franchise into a playoff team as the 1988 Philadelphia Eagles captured the NFC East.
The Chicago Bears were one of the NFL’s consistently outstanding teams in the late 1980s under head coach Mike Ditka. But after winning the Super Bowl in 1985, they had suffered disappointing home playoff losses in the second round to the Washington Redskins. The 1988 Chicago Bears made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game, but another home playoff loss gave a great season a sour ending.