First Nomination for the FHCWL*AC/ADWIS:
James Franklin-Head Coach Vanderbilt
Pro's: Major Conference D1 Head Coaching Experience, places major value on recruiting, decent offensive mind, understands how facilities play a role in recruiting. Know's K-State.
Con's: Laughable offensive game management at times as the OC at K-State and Maryland.
Tidbits: Over five yards per offensive snap last year at Vandy, significant improvement year over year, but still low in the total offense national rankings (facing some good SEC Defenses) Vandy also had the 18th ranked defense in the country last year. Is it a case of a new coach inheriting decent players from the old Vandy regime who was making a little headway towards respectability?
Vandy took Georgia and Arkansas to the wire last year, but did choke pretty hard against a bad Tenn team.
Why K-State: K-State's total athletic budget is substantially higher than Vandy's. Major facilities projects at Vandy consist of new turf, new lights, a new video board and a new dressing room, while notable at any school, with the West Stadium Center project and master plan for facilities K-State is on much steeper trajectory. Vandy does NOT have a standalone athletic department, Vandy athletics are rolled into another department on campus ex: Vandy's new indoor facility while nice will be shared with Vandy student recreational services.
Why not K-State: With Franklin's massive emphasis on recruiting, Vandy's locale and being in SEC territory they've ratcheted up recruiting significantly. He may not want to go to a place that has some more recruiting challenges. Vandy has access to some deep pockets, so if they ever decide they're really going to join the arms race they can probably do it pretty easily, however it's unclear if the administration there wants to do anymore than make sure they have decent stuff and keep their status as the "SEC's Ivy".
Finally: Franklin took Vandy to a bowl game, but how will it play out when he has all of his own players? Recruiting rankings indicate greater success, but Vandy is still a relative weakling in the SEC. If he consistently gets Vandy to bowl games, he’ll be a wanted commodity. If not, just another failed Vandy football coach.
