(And before we get started, please save your juvenile “of course he is; you seen the size of that dude?” cracks for another website. We will not put up with that type of immature, childish conduct here. Thanks in advance. The management.)
Thanks to a teleconference held this afternoon, there’s a very interesting and unexpected development brewing at Maryland. Or it’s absolutely nothing. One of the two.
First, though, let’s step back about a month for a little background. On Nov. 18, Maryland released the following statement regarding Ralph Friedgen‘s immediate future as the Terrapins’ head coach.
“Based largely on the improved performance of our team and student-athletes this season, Coach Friedgen will be our head football coach next year,” athletic director Kevin Anderson said in the statement. “Once this season is complete, Ralph and I will sit down to discuss the current state and future of the program. Right now, the team’s focus will be on winning the 2010 ACC championship and a bowl game, which our coaching staff and student-athletes have put themselves in position to do. We hope our fans, students and alums will come out and support us in the effort.”
Fast-forward almost exactly a month, and, as you no doubt know if you’re a serious Facebooker, Vanderbilt hired Maryland offensive coordinator/head coach-in-waiting James Franklin as their new coach. During the teleconference mentioned above, Anderson was asked by the Washington Post‘s Eric Prisbell was asked if he was still firm in his stance and whether Friedgen was guaranteed to return in 2011. His response?
“I’ll sit down and everybody will understand where we’re going ... with the program. At this point, I’m not going to answer that question.”
Wait, what?
Just a month ago, “Friedgen will be our head coach next year.” It was in a statement released by the school and everything. Now you don’t want to reiterate that commitment after the man designated as his replacement leaves for another job?
This a very weird and head-scratching development. If Friedgen were indeed returning like the statement said a month ago, there would really be no need to stir up the speculation that’s already started -- Mike Leach is already being rumored as a replacement -- and create uncertainty in the program during a time when you’re trying to firm-up recruiting commitments ahead of February Signing Day.
Again, this is just odd. And not a very healthy sign for Friedgen’s future at the school.