In Defense of Brent Pry

I have quite a bit of sympathy for coaches.

One of the things I've learned working in college athletics is how many complexities are involved in running a big-time college football program.

As a head football coach, you are responsible for managing 100+ players, nine assistants, and an army of support staffers. You must have a good feel for recruiting and scheme, and excel at people management and communication skills.

You must do all of this while navigating intense media scrutiny, administrative politics, monied influences and shifting regional landscapes, all while being the most high-profile public figure in your state.

It's a tough job. 60% of Power Five head coaches will be fired. 20% are fired within three years. The hyper-competitive nature of sports lends itself to high expectations; judged against those expectations, most coaches are going to fail. That's the nature of the business.