Yeah. It's possible that that story is true, but it's much more likely it was just made up.
Like most good lies, I have no doubt there was some truth to it. Like most stories my guess is it is being exaggerated with the retelling. Will Spradling was going to transfer, of this there can be little doubt. Which probably would have marked the first transfer out of the program that Frank did not want gone (maybe Dom?). When players you want to stay chose to leave, that is certainly a negative sign. Were there others that went to the ad (in season I might add) to say they were also going to transfer? Quite possibly, but there would have been 1-2-3 guys not brought back anyway. I would be interested to see how many of the guys who were part of the "mutiny" were names I would have put on the probably not back list anyway.
Honestly, the way Frank ran his revolving door roster was grating. I'm sure there were many posters here who growled at his "we're young" talk every season, when he was the main reason we were young in the first place. I was amazed that there wasn't more player blow back against it (seeing friends they thought they'd play with 2/3 more years gone season after season). I think the "plan" is to build off of what we all saw and push it a little farther. Lead us to believe that THIS was going to be the season that it would all come crashing down.
That narrative might have floated too with a better coaching hire. I could buy that the way Frank ran his roster could not be sustained indefinitely. At some point he would have to change a little, or it wouldn't work anymore. eff though if we didn't hire a bumbler that has me wanting to watch Frank burn it down (even if that was the case) more then him take it apart brick by brick.
That staff moving to USC in total also doesn't help the narrative. But you can see shades of the story starting to change. Could be starting to move more toward "evil staff" instead of just "evil Frank". Will be interested to see if the character assassination starts in on others.
