Fansided

25 worst college football coaching hires in history

By Nicholas Ian Allen

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 1: Head coach Mike Price of the Washington State University Cougars manages the game from the sidelines during the 89th Rose Bowl game against University of Oklahoma Sooners at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2003 in Pasadena, California. Oklahoma defeated Washington St. 34-14. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 1: Head coach Mike Price of the Washington State University Cougars manages the game from the sidelines during the 89th Rose Bowl game against University of Oklahoma Sooners at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2003 in Pasadena, California. Oklahoma defeated Washington St. 34-14. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA – AUGUST 28: Head coach Jack Crowe of the Jacksonville State Gamecocks collects his thoughts after a Georgia Tech touchdown during the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field on August 28, 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Yellow Jackets beat the Gamecocks 41-14. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)
ATLANTA – AUGUST 28: Head coach Jack Crowe of the Jacksonville State Gamecocks collects his thoughts after a Georgia Tech touchdown during the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field on August 28, 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Yellow Jackets beat the Gamecocks 41-14. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) /

16. Jack Crowe, Arkansas

  • Hired: 1990
  • Fired: September 1992
  • Record at Arkansas: 9-15 (.375)
  • Career head coaching record: 101-87 (.537)

From 1958-83, Arkansas had a College Football Hall of Famer on its sideline. Frank Broyles coached the Razorbacks until 1976, when Lou Holtz took over. In 1984 Ken Hatfield (a pretty good coach in his own right) replaced Holtz and posted three 10-win seasons and won three conference titles in six years before moving on to Clemson.

Jack Crowe was Hatfield’s offensive coordinator at Arkansas in 1989, and was asked to succeed him as head coach prior to the 1990 season. Despite the team winning 10 games the year before and beginning the campaign ranked No. 13 in the nation, the Razorbacks fell flat and finished 3-8 overall and 1-7 in Southwest Conference play, which included a seven-game losing streak before a 42-29 win over 1-10 SMU (in its second season following the Death Penalty) in the season finale as the team’s lone victory in league play.

Crowe fared slightly better in his second season at the helm in 1991. Arkansas started 5-2 and rose as high as No. 24 in the AP Top 25 before losing four out of five games, including the Independence Bowl) to finish 6-6.

At the outset of a potentially make-or-break 1992 season – the first for the Razorbacks in the SEC – the unthinkable happened. Division I-AA The Citadel beat the Hogs 10-3, and Crowe was fired. Initially reported that Crowe resigned after the loss, Broyles (then Arkansas’ athletic director) later admitted he fired Crowe.

However, Crowe’s exit after a 0-1 start in 1992 is now just the second most embarrassing end to Arkansas head coaching career.

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