How Fran Failed At Atm

[LongJim]

Big 12 Football: Where did Fran fail?

Web Posted: 11/08/2007 12:08 AM CST

Brent Zwerneman

Express-News staff writer

Looking beyond Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione's victories and defeats, and the secret booster newsletter that now hastens his departure, there were 10 major failures during Fran's five-year tenure:

1. Failure to accurately gauge A&M's precarious position in the Big 12

When Franchione replaced R.C. Slocum, he failed to understand that there was no latitude for taking a step backward in anticipation of two steps forward. A&M needed solutions to pressing, serious questions, not a trial-and-error period that only invited new questions. His debut season in 2003 resulted in the Aggies' first losing record in 21 years.

2. Failure to recognize and maintain the team's trademark strength--defensive speed

Franchione scrapped the 3-4 defensive alignment that Slocum had helped make famous, shifted to the 4-3 for a time and finally settled on the more dainty 4-2-5. A&M's passion for speed, especially on the flanks, was lost in the shuffle. The Aggies' ability to sack the quarterback--much less terrorize him--nearly vanished. The same program that led the nation in total defense in 1991 finished 107th in 2005.

3. Failure to search for the best and brightest coaches to serve on his staff

Call it loyalty. Or overconfidence. Franchione toted nearly his entire staff from TCU to Alabama to A&M--some even holdovers from his New Mexico days. Slocum once fired Franchione's offensive coordinator, Les Koenning Jr., for his shortcomings as a receivers coach. Franchione's predecessors, Slocum and Jackie Sherrill, reaped huge benefits from handpicked, marquee assistants, although Slocum often struggled to keep them around.

4. Failure to make the most of Reggie McNeal

Slocum recruited McNeal to A&M as the equal to Vince Young at Texas. Franchione inherited McNeal after his late-season flash to fame in 2002. McNeal set A&M's single-season passing record in 2004, but a season later faded into obscurity while Young led the Longhorns to the national title. The single failure to develop McNeal, who was required to run the option his senior season, underscores the disparity in the development skills of the UT and A&M staffs.

5. Failure to present a dynamic public persona

Franchione's rival, Mack Brown, is a well-maintained, always visible and always intensely partisan public figure--a sports celebrity. Franchione comes off as the substitute teacher handing out lesson plans until the real thing returns. His low-key, smug approach smacks of indifference--an abomination to Aggies. It's also reminiscent of Brown's predecessor at UT, John Mackovic, but at least Mackovic won a Big 12 title.

6. Failure to play to his strengths

Before he arrived at A&M, Franchione owned a swashbuckling image as a coach willing to take risks, and make the kinds of gambling decisions associated with a coach truly in charge. While Alabama's coach, Franchione once tried an onside kick to start a game at powerhouse Oklahoma. It worked, even though the Crimson Tide lost in a tightly contested game. Compare that to last season, when Franchione, down by seven, opted to kick a field goal late against the Sooners, instead of going for it on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line. The Aggies lost by one, and a Kyle Field crowd exited in disgust.

7. Failure to find a 21st-century offense

Franchione didn't believe his receivers were good enough to consistently catch passes in 2005, so instead of going out and getting better receivers, he turned to the old, antiquated option. In a fair, mild climate ripe for a vertical passing attack and flashy prospects, the Aggies run an offense better suited for Green Bay--or the Ice Age. On top of that, the option is a tough sell to blue-chip athletes. Talented youngsters all believe they'll eventually earn a shot at the NFL, and the option isn't going to get them there.

8. Failure to realize A&M prides itself on what one does, not what one says

Franchione arrived at A&M with a publicist and biographer (the same guy, Mike McKenzie). The fact that the new football coach had a handler in tow raised eyebrows around a place that would rather see action, not words. In May 2004, Franchione wrote on his now-defunct Web site of a trip to Italy, and watching a couple of men play bocce. "My competitive side came out one afternoon when some of us strolled down to the beach on the Bay of Silence outside the hotel," he penned. "I wanted to learn the game and then try to beat them. But (wife) Kim convinced me that we should just watch." 'Nuff said, and it was enough for A&M fans to shake their heads in wonder at tales of bravado without deed. In the end, Franchione should have just let A&M's sports information staff--one of the country's best--relay his story. And leave the publicist in Tuscaloosa.

9. Failure to win the big ones

Franchione did win a big one while at A&M--last year at UT. That will forever stand at his high mark in Aggieland. Besides that, Franchione owns a 3-15 record against ranked teams over the past five seasons. He's 2-12 against UT, OU and Texas Tech. As one appalled Aggie put it, he was hired to close the gap with UT and OU--not league doormats Iowa State and Baylor.

10. Failure to develop an inspiring game-day strategy

When Franchione was hired at A&M, the popular hope, at least on the banks of the Brazos River, was that he was a better coach than Bob Stoops and a better recruiter than Mack Brown. He proved to be neither. He arrived at A&M with the reputation as an offensive mastermind. He is leaving as an offensive dud--unwilling anymore to startle opponents with an unexpected game plan and unable to make adjustments in the midst of a contest. With Franchione's poky Aggies, what fans saw was what they got--and what they saw made them want a change at the top.

bzwerneman@express-news.net

[Censored by Laurie]

3. Failure to search for the best and brightest coaches to serve on his staff

Call it loyalty. Or overconfidence. Franchione toted nearly his entire staff from TCU to Alabama to A&M--some even holdovers from his New Mexico days. Slocum once fired Franchione's offensive coordinator, Les Koenning Jr., for his shortcomings as a receivers coach. Franchione's predecessors, Slocum and Jackie Sherrill, reaped huge benefits from handpicked, marquee assistants, although Slocum often struggled to keep them around.

Just sayin'...