NFL OC Todd Monken cites South Carolina de-commitment in knock on college football
Jan. 23, 2017
After many years of coaching college football, Todd Monken now serves as the offensive coordinator for the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And with Tweets like the one he unleashed on Monday, he may not soon be looking for a ticket back into the college game.
The former Southern Miss head coach took some heat for his decision to leave his job atop the program to become the Tampa Bay offensive coordinator after the 2015 season. It’s obviously something that still bothers him more than a year later.
On Monday morning, Monken tweeted an article about Hamsah Nasirildeen’s decision to leave the Gamecocks behind for Florida State after being committed to South Carolina since August. He put the following message on top of the tweet: “Committed since August! Family decision! Where is The outrage on this one”
Presumably, Monken is referring to a perceived double-standard in criticism on coaches breaking commitments to players and recruits by leaving for different jobs, while recruits regularly make pledges to play for one school while ultimately changing their minds prior to National Signing Day.
While at the root of the discussion, Monken may have a point that coaches are judged more harshly for such decisions, it was probably an ill-advised example to make. After all, coaches are professional adults who are compensated quite well for their work. Recruits are simply gifted teenagers who are trying to figure out what they want to do with the next step in their lives. These hardly seems like equal playing fields from which to draw comparisons.
Prior to his time with Tampa Bay and Southern Miss, Monken once served as LSU’s passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach (2005-06).
SECCOUNTRY
Jan. 23, 2017
After many years of coaching college football, Todd Monken now serves as the offensive coordinator for the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And with Tweets like the one he unleashed on Monday, he may not soon be looking for a ticket back into the college game.
The former Southern Miss head coach took some heat for his decision to leave his job atop the program to become the Tampa Bay offensive coordinator after the 2015 season. It’s obviously something that still bothers him more than a year later.
On Monday morning, Monken tweeted an article about Hamsah Nasirildeen’s decision to leave the Gamecocks behind for Florida State after being committed to South Carolina since August. He put the following message on top of the tweet: “Committed since August! Family decision! Where is The outrage on this one”
Presumably, Monken is referring to a perceived double-standard in criticism on coaches breaking commitments to players and recruits by leaving for different jobs, while recruits regularly make pledges to play for one school while ultimately changing their minds prior to National Signing Day.
While at the root of the discussion, Monken may have a point that coaches are judged more harshly for such decisions, it was probably an ill-advised example to make. After all, coaches are professional adults who are compensated quite well for their work. Recruits are simply gifted teenagers who are trying to figure out what they want to do with the next step in their lives. These hardly seems like equal playing fields from which to draw comparisons.
Prior to his time with Tampa Bay and Southern Miss, Monken once served as LSU’s passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach (2005-06).
SECCOUNTRY
