Article On CPJ and The Option

[AE 87]

Well if a program has a style that has been legendarily great for them, they often retain that identity even when a new guy comes in. Nebraska in the 90s, recently Navy and Northern Illinois. Nevada retained the Pistol, USC stuck to a pro-style offense after Pete Carroll left (ironically he's running a "college" system in the pros now).

I think you raise a valid point of issue, though. What makes the situation w/ Van Gorder different is that he made the same types of snide remarks about the Flex that most coaches do, despite being face-to-face with an extraordinarily successful version. Also it's pretty well established that a majority of NCAA coaches would be open to using the playbook if not for the "Buts" -- "But our defense!" "But our recruiting!" and so on. But GaSo had a strong defense and strong recruiting, at least on the FCS/1-A level. There were no "buts" to speak of.

Maybe Van Gorder knew he would eventually make D1/FBS and wanted to fit in there. Still, one recalls Lawrence Taylor's quote about Dan Reeves getting fired. "Some people must not like winning. Me, I like winning."

I'm pretty sure that this was it. He wanted to be a D1a HC and installed a more mainstream offense. He went on to win only 3 games and then quit right before NSD. I think he made comments about the offense not being an offense used by big-time schools and that they couldn't recruit the best talent there using it.

 

[Skeptic]

I think that what upset CPJ was that VanGorder kinda ran a great program into the dirt

That I could understand.

 

[swampsting]

I think that what upset CPJ was that VanGorder kinda ran a great program into the dirt

That, and BVG talked about how bad the facilities were, how this was bad, that was bad. PJ was reached for comment and said WTTE, "Didn't hold us back from winning national championships."
Also rumors (confirmed, but I'll not get into it in this forum) that the VanGorders hated living in Statesboro. VanGorder started dismissing a lot of the other traditions besides the offense. So those things, his heavy-handed run of the program, and leading it to its worst record ever did not endear him to the Blue and White masses.

 

[Skeptic]

I'm pretty sure that this was it. He wanted to be a D1a HC and installed a more mainstream offense. He went on to win only 3 games and then quit right before NSD. I think he made comments about the offense not being an offense used by big-time schools and that they couldn't recruit the best talent there using it.

After a couple of comments by posters I went out to look at VanSalter's record. Boy, he took GSU south faster than Gen. Sherman, didn't he? That and not being the most politic doomed him and probably rightly so. The ND game is shaping up as a cage match.