Dump Dorrell flagged an article we all missed over here at BN. RealFootball365 has posted a piece on KD mulling whether 2007 is the year Dorrell leads UCLA over the top.
The post makes the standard "Bill and Ted excuses" (we have a new meme!) such as poor Dorrell having to compete against Southern Cal. However, it does acknowledge the bottom line for Karl Dorrell this upcoming season (emphasis added):
The expectations and inconsistency:
Interestingly, these expectations have only been exacerbated during Dorrell's tenure. First, there's the 10-2 record that the Bruins put in during the 2005 season, culminating with his sharing of the PAC-10 Coach of the Year Award with Pete Carroll. This had people saying a lot of good things.
Until, of course, his Bruins fell short in a big way in 2006 with a 7-6 record. Again, inconsistency.
Still, there was a big-time bright spot in 2006 when Dorrell's Bruins came up with what amounts to the biggest win of his tenure with the club, leading UCLA to a victory over the then-BCS Championship game-bound USC Trojans (13-9).
That win probably saved him his job last season. Of course, with expectations running high afterward, his Bruins flopped in the Emerald Bowl against Florida State, losing 44-27. Which, by the way, isn't so unlike Dorrell's first and second years with the club, when it fell short in bowl games against perceived lower-tier football schools like Fresno State and Wyoming.
Thus, this would seem to be the story for Karl Dorrell. No matter what, he has a place in the NFL or NCAA as an assistant. But if he stumbles in his fifth season with the Bruins -- a team, mind you, that's bringing back 20 starters -- he will likely be fired and his head coaching days will be over for now. In fact, when you look at the talent on Dorrell's club alone, probably anything short of a nine- or 10-win season will get him canned.
I would say even a 9 win season will not be enough for Karl Dorrell.Interestingly, these expectations have only been exacerbated during Dorrell's tenure. First, there's the 10-2 record that the Bruins put in during the 2005 season, culminating with his sharing of the PAC-10 Coach of the Year Award with Pete Carroll. This had people saying a lot of good things.
Until, of course, his Bruins fell short in a big way in 2006 with a 7-6 record. Again, inconsistency.
Still, there was a big-time bright spot in 2006 when Dorrell's Bruins came up with what amounts to the biggest win of his tenure with the club, leading UCLA to a victory over the then-BCS Championship game-bound USC Trojans (13-9).
That win probably saved him his job last season. Of course, with expectations running high afterward, his Bruins flopped in the Emerald Bowl against Florida State, losing 44-27. Which, by the way, isn't so unlike Dorrell's first and second years with the club, when it fell short in bowl games against perceived lower-tier football schools like Fresno State and Wyoming.
Thus, this would seem to be the story for Karl Dorrell. No matter what, he has a place in the NFL or NCAA as an assistant. But if he stumbles in his fifth season with the Bruins -- a team, mind you, that's bringing back 20 starters -- he will likely be fired and his head coaching days will be over for now. In fact, when you look at the talent on Dorrell's club alone, probably anything short of a nine- or 10-win season will get him canned.
As we will keep repeating time and time again, we will expect DG to can this underachieving head coach if he fails to deliver on our expectations by bringing home anything short of a Pac-10 championship. Still good to see the message getting around beyond this Nation.
GO BRUINS.