Off the CBS Sports.com Desk; More Fran to SMU Rumors

[Stallion]

Peter principle: Franchione has been working over his head
Nov. 5, 2007
By Dennis Dodd
CBSSports.com Senior Writer
Tell Dennis your opinion!






All Nick Saban did was lie.

Told a teeny one that many -- even outside of Alabama -- thought was of the little and white variety.

The difference in Alabama's current coach and its former coach is pedigree. Nick Saban has one. Dennis Franchione doesn't.

CBSSports.com reported Monday that Franchione is on the verge of agreeing to a buyout, altering a career that has spiraled downward since the coach left TCU after the 2000 season.

The school released a statement saying that Franchione will be evaluated at the end of the season.

It seems the Turnaround King label no longer fits.

Yes, the coach got Alabama to 10 wins in 2002. But Franchione left the school in more turmoil than when he found it by leaving abruptly after that season.

Players in a program trying to dig out of NCAA probation were told by Fran to "hold the rope," they would get through it together. Then Franchione left without even saying goodbye in person.

The first four years at A&M have produced as many losing seasons (two) as bowls. The Aggies are seemingly trapped by a glass ceiling perpetually separating them from powerhouses Oklahoma and Texas. Under Fran, A&M never has finished higher than third in the Big 12 South. The point is you know what you're getting with Saban: a sometimes brusque man who is first, last and always a straight-ahead football coach. Fran has been a bit of a magician, dazzling ADs, fans and administrators with more sizzle than steak.

Dodd's Heisman Watch
1. Dennis Dixon, Oregon
2. Todd Boeckman, Ohio State
3. Chase Daniel, Missouri
4. Darren McFadden, Arkansas
5. Todd Reesing, Kansas
Fran trivia: When was the man's last outright conference championship?

Answer: New Mexico in 1997.

There are Franchiones in every walk of life. Walk into any office in the country. There are managers, owners, CEOs etc. whose subordinates wonder, "How did he/she ever make it this far?"

Fran is a good coach, not a great one. And always a coach who was looking around, it seemed. That's OK when you're at a place like New Mexico or TCU. But after the 2001 season (his first at Alabama), Franchione reportedly called Kansas about its opening. Franchione denied the reports.

What was he going to say? If he admitted that he wanted out, Franchione would have needed security to get to the city limits, assuming there would have been any Tuscaloosa police who would have protected him so he could go take the job at Kansas.

It was known that the coach was feeling claustrophobic in Tuscaloosa, but didn't Fran do his homework? He had to know it was going to be like that. Fran and his wife couldn't eat out without being deluged by autograph seekers.

Saban walks around T-town with an authority and confidence that comes from winning a national championship. Sure, both men have been job hoppers. But only one is making $4 million per year while the other is trying to negotiate a max buyout.

Kissing old ladies and speaking to the Bugtussle Quilting Society is part of why they pay coaches all those millions. It's not just about Saturdays. At Alabama, it's about the entire state and its prized export.

Fran had to understand that. If he didn't, shame on him. That's why it's hard to feel sympathy. For a while Fran was a hot item, the perfect storm of charm, charisma and humility, or at least enough of those qualities to make people think he could handle a major Division I-A program.

Turns out he couldn't. That was confirmed during the VIP Connection e-newsletter scandal. Why in the world would a man making $2 million per season get involved with a secret enterprise that was grossing $38,000 and at least skirted -- perhaps broke -- NCAA rules.

That's beyond bad judgment. So is this: mega-back Jorvorskie Lane getting a total of nine carries against Miami (two) and Kansas (seven).

All that would have been forgiven if Fran won enough games. Just as Saban was a villain in Miami for "lying" about leaving and at LSU for leaving for the Dolphins but a conquering hero at Tuscaloosa.

It's all about that pedigree, reflected quite brilliantly in those one national championship and two SEC title rings.

So what's next for Franchione and A&M? Don't be surprised to see the Aggies coach land at SMU. He certainly isn't going to get a high major job like A&M any time soon. SMU? The school showed it wasn't beyond contacting a person with a scandalous past when former Colorado coach Gary Barnett admitted he had gotten a call.

Meanwhile, A&M is in surprisingly good shape despite losing a coach. If it hasn't gauged Tommy Tuberville's interest, it soon will. The Auburn coach has yet to utter the words, "I won't be going to Texas A&M" yet. Why would he? Keeping the subject alive might get him a raise at Auburn or a better contract at College Station.

CBSSports.com reported last week that other coaches on A&M's list include Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak, Texans assistant Mike Sherman and South Carolina's Steve Spurrier.

Athletic director Bill Byrne is a smart man. Texas A&M is a great school. He will make a sound decision.

Nick Saban, though, is already spoken for.

[Diamond Girl]

No more aggies!

[expony18]

FRAPPLE!!!

[BRStang]

The difference in Alabama's current coach and its former coach is pedigree. Nick Saban has one. Dennis Franchione doesn't.

CBSSports.com reported Monday that Franchione is on the verge of agreeing to a buyout, altering a career that has spiraled downward since the coach left TCU after the 2000 season.

Agreed. Some of you are so desperate to win that you don't mind SMU being a punchline for a few more years and hiring a grade-A A-hole with serious credibility and sleaze-factor issues on the off-chance that he could convince a few almost-good-enough to make aTm players, who've never heard about his credibility issues or don't care, to take a chance on a non-BCS school that loses and doesn't even resemble aTm. I get it.

Why don't we let the dog poop dry a little before trying to scrape it off the ground?

[PhirePhilBennett]

ERROR iN THE REPORT:

"SMU? The school showed it wasn't beyond contacting a person with a scandalous past when former Colorado coach Gary Barnett admitted he had gotten a call. "

Barnett contacted the DMNews...

[Dwan]

And Dennis Dodd, who wrote the story has Kansas ranked as the number 2 team in the nation.......