Deadspin: tyrone willingham

Tyrone Willingham Is Calling It A Career At Washington

Dashiell Bennett — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:00:12 EDT

Remember when Ty Willingham was on (or at the) top of the college football world? The guy won a Pac-10 title at Stanford (Stanford!) and in the late '90s was one of the rising stars of the college coaching world. Then in 2002, he replaced ~~George O'Leary~~ Bob Davie at Notre Dame and promptly went 8-0 with wins over rivals Michigan, Michigan State and Florida State. He saved Fighting Irish football! Except ... not so much. Now, after an 0-7 start and a hapless 3+ years at the University of Washington, Willingham is done. He will step down at the end of the year.

It's still a little baffling that after showing so much promise in that first year at ND, things turned so sour so quickly. The next season they went 5-7, then 6-6, and he was done after just 3 years. But back in the Pac-10 away from all the ~~racism~~ pressure of South Bend, surely he could get things back on track? But things got even worse. Since 2005, the Huskies are 11-32, working on three last-place finishes and in 2008—seven losses, only one of them close, and a 33-7 drubbing to his replacement last week. Now, he and his team are playing out the string and it seems highly unlikely he'll be a head coach again.

And let's be honest ... race does play a big part of his story, both in his rise to national prominence and his quick exit from South Bend. It will certainly come up in other coaching obituaries for Willingham, and not without reason. (There have only been 19 African-American head coaches in D-I ... ever?) But 0-7 is 0-7, no matter who your coach is and at least now the Huskies don't have to look at guillotine hanging over their heads for the rest of the year.

• UW's Willingham to step down [KING]

Everybody hates Tyrone Willingham. Again....

Leitch — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 18:00:14 EST

Everybody hates Tyrone Willingham. Again. [The Wizard Of Odds]

After 33 Games, The Weis Era Is As Ugly As Ever

Leitch — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 15:10:29 EDT

If it's the Friday after another Notre Dame blowout, you know what time it is: Time to play the Charlie Weis vs. Tyrone Willingham game!

Some folks are doing the math on the first 33 games of each coach's Irish tenure, and it's doesn't look good for Mr. Weis.

They each logged 20-13 records and were both 0-3 against USC. Then it gets really interesting. Record vs. Michigan: Willingham (2-1) and Weis (1-2). Point Differential vs. Michigan: Willingham (-28) and Weis (-57). Record vs. ranked opponents: Willingham (7-8) and Weis (4-8).

This ignores, of course, the obvious recruiting issue: Part of the reason Willingham was fired was because he recruited players like the ones who are stinking it up in South Bend right now. But then again, Willingham never made an idiot of himself at some dumb gastric bypass lawsuit trial either.

Crewcut Charlie: Take A Little Off The Top [The Wizard Of Odds]

Blogdome: All Knicks, All The Time

Leitch — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 11:49:08 EDT

• Not only is Larry Brown already insulting Stephon Marbury, but now former Knicks prez Dave Checketts wants to get into hockey. In St. Louis, even. [TrueHoop]
• What's up with the Mets' new cable network, anyway? [Faith and Fear In Flushing]
• A look back at the Baltimore Orioles 2005 season ... if you DARE! [Camden Chat]
• Would Herman Edwards and Tyrone Willingham be happy if they just switched jobs? [Black Athlete]
• The fact that someone is actually wondering whether or not Keith Olbermann is married concerns us greatly. By the way, the guy who was wondering? Dan Patrick. [Off Wing Opinion]