I hate to repeat myself, but James Franklin is available. Donati: make it happen!

[18IsTheMan]

In the last 3.5 seasons, the only coaches to win more games than James Franklin are Kirby, Day, Lanning. He was canned at PSU mostly b/c of social media outrage at one season that just went sideways. The only think he didn't do at PSU was get them a title, which is why he was let go.

He's a proven program builder, having done it 2 places. One afterthought program and one blue blood. He's already proven he can win in the SEC at the most disadvantaged program in the conference. He's proven he can with less and he's proven he can recruit.

He's a proven head coach. He's very respected in the coaching community and will be able to attract good assistants...something we can't do at the moment.

If you have tiers of programs, we are Tier 3. Tier 4 is programs that are basically always bad. Tier 3 are those programs that aren't typically completely awful but rarely good....just can't get over that hump. Tier 2 are those programs that are stuck at the "very good level" (think UGA pre-Smart). Then you have Tier 1 which is those programs that are perennial contenders. When UGA fired Richt, they did so to get form Tier 2 to Tier 1. Right now, we are desperately trying to get from Tier 3 to Tier 2. It's highly unlikely we'd ever get to Tier 1, but Tier 2 may be attainable. Franklin is the guy to do it.

To those who say "he'd use us as steppingstone to a better program"...I made that same argument about Herman but I was soundly refuted by being told if he used as a steppingstone, it means that he had success here so it was worth it. Same applies to Franklin.

The man would absolutely make us an 8/9 game winner each season. He handled himself beautifully in that interview on gameday yesterday.

And I just come back to this: he's a real head coach. He's done it successfully at 2 schools. He KNOWS how to run a program. THAT is exactly what we need right now. We are back where we were when we hired Holtz and SOS. We just need someone to come in and give us a solid foundation.

This would be a VERY strategic move, and I know we don't make strategic moves in this respect.

 

[FlexCapacitor]

He was canned at PSU mostly b/c of social media outrage at one season that just went sideways.

Pot, kettle, etc

 

[18IsTheMan]

Pot, kettle, etc

If Beamer ever gets us to the CFP semifinal, then you can use that. To date Beamer < Muschamp.

 

[18IsTheMan]

While we don't have an opening at HC, this feels something like when we were replacing Fogler. Bobby Knight was available, but we went with NIT Dave. We currently have NIT Dave but have the chance to upgrade to Knight.

 

[Uscg1984]

When people level the charge that a coach "can't win the big game," it's important to note that it's an accomplishment just to get to the "big game." SC won't play in a big game this year. Alabama will roll into Columbia as a top 5 team next week, but it won't be a big game in anyone else's eyes because we suck. I'd like for the Gamecocks to win some big games some day, but I'd first like to see them play in a few.

 

[Piscis]

Everything you say is reasonable, but I don't think Franklin would take the job here if it was offered, regardless of pay. He wants a job at a marquee name program i.e. UF, Auburn, LSU, maybe even USC if Riley is let go after the season. Franklin wants a program with built in advantages, not a challenge to create a program.

South Carolina has been a graveyard for head coaches careers. I could see him going to Clemson if they fire Dabo, which I don't think will happen, before he would come to Carolina.

 

[18IsTheMan]

When people level the charge that a coach "can't win the big game," it's important to note that it's an accomplishment just to get to the "big game." SC won't play in a big game this year. Alabama will roll into Columbia as a top 5 team next week, but it won't be a big game in anyone else's eyes because we suck. I'd like for the Gamecocks to win some big games some day, but I'd first like to see them play in a few.

Yes, if Franklin could even get us to the "big game" that would be a mega accomplishment. There are games that are big to us (as you reference) but not big to anyone else.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Everything you say is reasonable, but I don't think Franklin would take the job here if it was offered, regardless of pay. He wants a job at a marquee name program i.e. UF, Auburn, LSU, maybe even USC if Riley is let go after the season. Franklin wants a program with built in advantages, not a challenge to create a program.

South Carolina has been a graveyard for head coaches careers. I could see him going to Clemson if they fire Dabo, which I don't think will happen, before he would come to Carolina.

I am not sure. I don't think Franklin is afraid of challenges. He rather seems to embrace them. He took the head coach job at Vandy, for Pete's sake. How many coaches have ever left Vandy to go on to bigger and better things? Is he the first? Then he took PSU when they were very damaged.

He got run out of PSU b/c he didn't win a title. If he's looking at UF's and Auburn's recent history, they have been churning through coaches at a pretty good rate. And the demands there are much hire. Those programs are expecting national title contention. We would love to just be a mostly consistent 8/9 win team, which he would virtually certainly accomplish. If he goes to UF, he knows he's canned in 4-5 years if he doesn't have them in title contention? Why would he want to go into a situation like that again.

 

[Uscg1984]

Everything you say is reasonable, but I don't think Franklin would take the job here if it was offered, regardless of pay. He wants a job at a marquee name program i.e. UF, Auburn, LSU, maybe even USC if Riley is let go after the season. Franklin wants a program with built in advantages, not a challenge to create a program.

South Carolina has been a graveyard for head coaches careers. I could see him going to Clemson if they fire Dabo, which I don't think will happen, before he would come to Carolina.

I don't think Florida, Auburn, or any other program who has won national titles in the last 25 years would hire Franklin this time around. They won't hire him for the very same reason PSU fired him - they have championship-level expectations and anything short of a championship is not acceptable. They aren't going to take a chance on a guy who is perceived to have a 10-win ceiling. Franklin will end up at a program like Arkansas, Wisconsin, UNC, Michigan State, etc. - programs that would be thrilled to come up "just short" of conference championships at this point.

 

[Piscis]

I am not sure. I don't think Franklin is afraid of challenges. He rather seems to embrace them. He took the head coach job at Vandy, for Pete's sake. How many coaches have ever left Vandy to go on to bigger and better things? Is he the first? Then he took PSU when they were very damaged.

He got run out of PSU b/c he didn't win a title. If he's looking at UF's and Auburn's recent history, they have been churning through coaches at a pretty good rate. And the demands there are much hire. Those programs are expecting national title contention. We would love to just be a mostly consistent 8/9 win team, which he would virtually certainly accomplish. If he goes to UF, he knows he's canned in 4-5 years if he doesn't have them in title contention? Why would he want to go into a situation like that again.

I think he has a pretty big ego and wants to win a championship. Also, in today's game with the dollars involved, going somewhere and getting endless patience from the fans isn't a thing anywhere.

I'm sure Donati will contact him but I don't think he will be interested.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I think he has a pretty big ego and wants to win a championship. Also, in today's game with the dollars involved, going somewhere and getting endless patience from the fans isn't a thing anywhere.

I'm sure Donati will contact him but I don't think he will be interested.

It's on Donati to sell it. Pay isn't an issue. This is a once-in-a-career opportunity for an AD. Yes, the competition for Franklin will be fierce.

 

[Piscis]

I don't think Florida, Auburn, or any other program who has won national titles in the last 25 years would hire Franklin this time around. They won't hire him for the very same reason PSU fired him - they have championship-level expectations and anything short of a championship is not acceptable. They aren't going to take a chance on a guy who is perceived to have a 10-win ceiling. Franklin will end up at a program like Arkansas, Wisconsin, UNC, Michigan State, etc. - programs that would be thrilled to come up "just short" of conference championships at this point.

UNC might be a good spot for him. He would know the ACC schedule would be very manageable and being a conference contender would be more than enough for their fans. They also have plenty of money and he could recruit that PA territory where has made contacts.

Arkansas would probably not be too appealing. They have a lot of the same challenges SC does and he would have to face an SEC schedule every year. He knows what a death march the SEC is and might not want to face that every year.

Michigan State or Wisconsin might be a good fit. He is familiar with the B1G and could probably slide right into the job there.

 

[SouthernBelly]

When people level the charge that a coach "can't win the big game," it's important to note that it's an accomplishment just to get to the "big game." SC won't play in a big game this year. Alabama will roll into Columbia as a top 5 team next week, but it won't be a big game in anyone else's eyes because we suck. I'd like for the Gamecocks to win some big games some day, but I'd first like to see them play in a few.

Absolutely this. No big games if you suck.

I find this similar to strength of schedule. A schedule like ours or Florida’s is difficult no matter how good your team is or isn’t. But it’s less daunting if you don’t suck. Look at the gauntlet Alabama has been on the last several weeks. It’s been a difficult run but they don’t suck so the schedule doesn’t get mentioned much. What does? Their big games.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Absolutely this. No big games if you suck.

I find this similar to strength of schedule. A schedule like ours or Florida’s is difficult no matter how good your team is or isn’t. But it’s less daunting if you don’t suck. Look at the gauntlet Alabama has been on the last several weeks. It’s been a difficult run but they don’t suck so the schedule doesn’t get mentioned much. What does? Their big games.

It's a good point. We perpetually have a tough schedule b/c we perpetually suck.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Franklin would not have one of Beamer's biggest handicaps. IMO, one thing Beamer can't overcome is that he simply doesn't have the weight to attract good assistants, and he doesn't seem to have the knack for identifying promising assistants. Dabo demonstrated the latter ability early on in his tenure and he turned into having the former ability.

It's clear from Franklin's PR interview on ESPN that he's still highly respected in the sport. He's seen as a very serious head coach. He would not have any trouble assembling a solid staff here.