Was once the
coach of the
Texas Christian football team, but left for
The University of Alabama after the 2000 regular season because the
Crimson Tide offered him more
money. Moreover, the
Tide's program is in the high-profile
Southeastern Conference; his former team, the
Horned Frogs, are in the middle-of-the-pack
Conference USA. Franchione can be appropriately described as an
upwardly-mobile coach.
Franchione left for Alabama in December of 2000 after taking TCU to a 10-1 record, leaving the team to play in the Mobile Bowl without his guidance. (TCU lost that game to the University of Southern Mississippi.) Some in the TCU community might find Franchione's quick departure to be disloyal, but getting a job at Alabama is nothing to sneeze at.
May 30, 2002 update:
Franchione's first season at Alabama was up-and-down. The Crimson Tide went 6-5 in the regular season; better than under the previous coach, but not by much.
However, there were a couple of
positive signs:
- Alabama won a bowl game, defeating Iowa State.
- Alabama kicked the crap out of arch-rival Auburn, 31-7. That made 'Bama fans very happy.
- Alabama beat Southern Mississippi 14-13, gaining revenge on a team that embarrassingly beat Alabama 21-0 the previous year at Alabama's home stadium.
So, all in all, things are looking up for Franchione in
Tuscaloosa, AL.
February 1, 2003 update:
Ooops! Things aren't looking up in Tuscaloosa anymore! Though Alabama did have a good season in
2003, finishing 10-3, Franchione bolted for
Texas A&M University. That's three teams in four years, for you scoring at home. His priority job at
TAMU: Beat
Texas, dammit!