I'm not saying that I think he would have turned the corner here, just that they should have given him the rest of the year let things calm down, see how the rest of the year went and then decided. Rashly firing him the morning of the cocktail party was a stupid move and very damaging. Nothing was gained by letting him go at the 2/3 mark of the schedule.
I think he was rubbing most of the athletic dept the wrong way and they wanted him gone, right or wrong. The death threat debacle gave them an easy out to fire him for cause, but it was a use it or lose it play. They couldn’t really sit on that for a few months or until the next year. Without the death threat press conference, I do believe he would have been given the chance to close out his recruiting class and given at least the start of the next season to see if he could get it going.
I agree the morning of the Georgia game was strange. I can only imagine there must have been a legitimate reason to do so given the bizarre timing of it.
Was he actually fired before the game? I don’t remember. I remember rumors before the game that he was gone if he lost, which he did. As noted above, I think the timing was taking advantage of the death threat debacle.
They spinelessly used their silver bullet instead of doing what was right and evaluating him at the end of the year all so they could save some money on a negotiated buyout over a throwaway comment (even if it was whiney) in a PC about something that was undoubtedly true. It was not a good look for our UAA and the "leader" that decided to make it play out that way is still in charge.
Seemed more like they already knew he ran the car into a muddy ditch. You can develop your own line of bbq sauce or MFGA. Bad hires don’t turn out great. Which is the issue.
I recall reading something from a player who stated they were hyped up to play Georgia in the lockeroom prior to the game until Mac announced he was getting let go and deflated the team.
I remember it seemed everyone knew, just didn’t remember it being official. Not that it makes any difference at this point.
Mac did not deserve to finish out the season in any way, shape, or form. He had way too many things happen under his watch. Grier, the CC scandal, the death threats, lying to everyone above him, 0 S&C program, refusing to fire trash AC's. Mac was so far underwater here he had drowned.
I think OL will be a strength next year. Like to see Barber and George at OG BCD and Manuel at OT Westphal and Harris at 3rd OT and OG Slaughter at OC maybe Harris Sure I missed 1 or 2 but 7 pretty good ones with a good year in S & C program.
