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Sports

Too many moves in college sports

Super Fan

Seth Mintz

Loyalty is a simple term that's used widely in sports. Fans are loyal to teams. Players are -- for the most part -- loyal to their organizations or schools. Collegiate coaches, on the other hand, seem to be only as loyal as their interest lasts. 

Roy Williams left Kansas for UNC. Steve Alford is on the verge of walking away from Iowa for IU. The Aggies' Billy Gillespie has Missouri on his mind. Coaches demand that their players are loyal to their programs. So why can coaches toss that mantra out the window?

I understand that college sports can be very competitive. Students get four years at their school. Programs change enough as it is, because players aren't there for all that long. Can teams survive if the coaches move as constantly as their players leave? 

I am shocked that coaches don't catch more flack for their constant movement. People decry athletes' "greed" when they leave early. Are coaches not greedy when they switch schools, going after a bigger contract and more prestige?

One problem with college athletics is the system that allows coaches to act this way. Athletes and athletic directors do not hold coaches accountable for switching schools.

While this might not be the true reason many players elect to leave schools early for the pros, it doesn't help. The wrong message is sent to players. Why would any athlete want to attend, and stay at a school if the coach that recruited them is possibly on the move?

Maybe college coaches don't want to risk overstaying their welcome at schools. Possibly they want out before their administrations force them out. Though, unless your name is Mike Davis, if you win games you will almost always be welcomed back. 

Could the Larry Brown syndrome be to blame for all of this? Brown never seems satisfied where he is. Maybe it's worth it to make a crummy college team great in sports and then move on.

Not all coaches act this way, though many coaches always seem to give off the vibe that they are looking at other programs, instead of attempting to stay at schools for the long haul. 

Constant coaching changes will hurt schools and their athletes. College coaches need to demand the same amount of loyalty from themselves as they demand from their players.
 

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