Via Military Times’ After Action blog, here’s CBSSports.com’s rankings of which coaches have the hottest seat coming into the season. Not too surprisingly, Air Force’s Troy Calhoun ranks very high on the list, though it’s still a bit startling to see the elite and small group Calhoun is with on this list.
The site ranks job security, or how hot the seat is for each coach, on a 0-5 ranking. The 0.0 and 0.5 rankings mean that coach “can’t be touched.” There were 15 coaches that got a 0.0 ranking, including Calhoun. He was joined by coaches like Alabama’s Nick Saban, Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema, Boise State’s Chris Petersen, Michigan’s Brady Hoke and Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy – some of the best in America. There were 15 other coaches that got a 0.5 ranking.
Technically, I do agree with Calhoun’s place on this list. Air Force is not firing him, I think everyone knows that. He has done fantastic things, leading the Falcons to a bowl game every year, and the athletic department is thrilled with him. But taking a step back from the actual odds Calhoun’s job is in danger (roughly 0 percent), I’d be more curious to know his “approval rating” from fans. Last season wasn’t a banner year for the Falcons – though they did still continue the bowl streak and win the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. The Falcons face a bit of a rebuilding season this year, replacing a lot of starters, though I don’t think continuing the bowl streak is too much to ask.
So what say you, Falcons fans? Is Calhoun’s approval rating still about perfect? Has it dipped at all?
As the father of a Falcon player I can say with absolute certainty that I wouldn’t want anyone else coaching my son. Air Force brings well over 100 football players into the program each year. 80 of those are not going to be part of the program by end of their sophmore year. It takes a special person to sell what he brings each player there for-to graduate as an officer in The United States Air Force. Do I always agree with his play calling? No. Do I think that my son should be starting? Of course. Do I think there is a better man alive for his job?
Not a chance.
Unfortunately the great Fisher Deberry helped us find out the minimum performance expectation at AFA. 3 straight losing seasons and your out. And if Deberry had been willing to shake up his staff, he probably could have earned a 24th year.
Calhoun is very safe. He hasn’t even had a single losing season.
Graduating players, and running a clean program is extremely important at AFA. Screw that up, and a coach could be out even if he was 10-2. Calhoun is almost bullet proof in this regard, with another Top 10 Academic Performance Rating.
Troy Calhoun was a terrific replacement for Deberry. As a USAFA grad, Troy is able to fully appreciate what players endure at the Academy both physically and mentally. This places him in a unique role and not only is he a great coach, but a real life role model that his players can emulate both on and off the field. Very few college coaches would have the ability to fully comprehend the USAFA experience which makes him a valuable asset to the football program and to the USAFA community. GO AIR FORCE and best wishes to Coach Calhoun for another successful season.
His recruits were involved in drug scandals, he has not beat a solid team in his tenure, (TCU and UTAH in 2007 were flukes) Last year they underachieved like none other, not beating a team .500 or above. And for their “efforts” the entire staff got pay raises…….I would call that the best job security in the nation. Alabama would fire Nick Saban if he did that.
He is good. But sad sad subject. It’s div 2 people and I’m a fan and father of the pass
Bluefan- that just doesn’t make sense. “Never beat a solid team (Utah and TCU were flukes).” Sounds to me like he beat two solid teams. Not like we won on some fluky play, TCU got out-executed on the option on 4th and 1 when the whole world knew what was coming and we stopped Utah at the goal line straight up. Sure, I think we’d like a few more big wins, but he really doesn’t have any bad losses, either. 4 years, 4 bowls. Recruiting classes seem to be improving. Not a whole lot to complain about. And as far as the “drug scandal” comment, that’s just rediculous compared to the success 99% of his recruits are having on and off the field.