In my next job running a search firm that places offensive coordinators in college football programs, I will remind myself not to recommend anyone with any of these credentials: Heisman Trophy winner ... Most quarterbacking victories in school history ... Key figure in two epic, winning drives in annual rivalry games.
Ty Detmer’s achievements as a college QB at BYU are not translating into coaching success at his old school, in the recent tradition of Utah’s Brian Johnson and BYU’s Brandon Doman. So maybe fan voting is not the best way to fill these positions, after all.
Whether some kind of coaching curse is in play or the former stars simply were unproven in the profession when they were given these opportunities, the trend is unmistakable.