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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Sep 24, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Duke Blue Devils cheerleaders run onto the field after Duke scored in the second quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Duke won 38-35. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Duke Blue Devils cheerleaders run onto the field after Duke scored in the second quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Duke won 38-35. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

24. Barry Wilson, Duke

  • Hired: 1990
  • Resigned: November 1993
  • Record at Duke: 17-39 (.304)
  • Career head coaching record: 59-104-1 (.360)

It’s never easy to be the guy to follow The Guy.

Barry Wilson was that guy at Duke when Steve Spurrier left for Florida after the 1989 season. Spurrier arrived in Durham in 1987, and within three years elevated a mediocre-to-bad Blue Devils football program to the program’s first ACC football title in 28 years, a bowl game and Top 20 ranking. Wilson had four years to capitalize on that momentum and failed to win more than four games in a single season.

Wilson was an assistant coach at Georgia (where he played linebacker) from 1967-73 and Ole Miss from 1974-76, served on Spurrier’s coaching staff with the USFL’s Tampa Bay Bandits from 1983-85 and at Duke from 1987-89. He was hired to replace Spurrier when the 1966 Heisman Trophy winner and future national champion coach was lured back to his alma mater.

After a 8-4 record and Hall of Fame Bowl appearance in 1989, Duke fell to 4-7 overall and 1-6 in conference play in Wilson’s first season on the sideline. The Blue Devils were 1-6 in the ACC again in 1991, and finished 4-6-1, before falling farther to 2-9 overall and 0-8 in the league the next season.

Overall, Wilson posted a 13-30-1 record, and never enjoyed a winning season. He also oversaw a 17-game losing streak in ACC play from 1991-93. After Wilson resigned late in the 1993 season, Duke hired four more coaches and suffered seven double-digit losing seasons with just one winning campaign before David Cutcliffe took the Blue Devils to four bowl games from 2012-15.

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