Big Time Programs Meet Big Time Reality

Alabama and Miami-Florida got a reality check last week when two of the hottest coaches in the NCAA turned down jobs to coach for them.
If five years ago I told you a coach would rather coach for the Rutgers than Miami-Florida and another coach would rather coach West Virginia than Alabama you would of said I was crazy.
As coach of West Virginia, Rich Rodriguez has helped his team win 21 out of their last 24 games. Greg Schiano of Rutgers on the other hand complied a 10-2 record for the Scarlet Knight, including the school's first win at home against a ranked team (Louisville).
The University of Alabama is once again abroad the coaching carousel. For the fourth time in six years a new head man needs to be brought in after Mike Shula was fired earlier this month. A record of 26-23 at Alabama won't cut it so suuurelly the hottest known coaches will be driving to Tuscaloosa just for an interview, right? Well, apparently UA athletic personnel thought that too, which explains there rather early indication that Rodriguez was in fact coming to coach the Crimson Tide. But he's not. He turned it down.
Same thing took place for Miami-Florida. After an awful season, The U was forced to fire Coach Larry Coker. So with the Miami-Florida job open, much like Bama, contestants eager to coach would just line up, right? Greg Schiano is the AP Coach of the Year and had the chance to go back to Miami, except this time he would be the head coach. Come on! Rutgers or Miami? Go to Miami where there are amazing athletes (and women) as well as a school with numerous national championship...or New Jersey. Home of Rutgers. Last national championship: 1869 against Princeton A&M. (Yes, I was wondering the same thing, but I don't think General Robert E. Lee was in attendance during that game.) Well Coach Schiano turned down the job offer, but more importantly he sent a bold statement to the college football world.
So what is this? WV instead of Bama, and Rutgers instead of Miami. I'll tell you what it means the landscape of college football's elite has drastically changed. I can only help but think that maybe in the year 2020 we may watch the television in awe as find out that someone actually turned down the West Virginia and Rutgers job.


...That'll be the day