Should Chris Scelfo Be Brought Back to Coach the Bulldogs?

by T Kyle King on Dec 17, 2006 10:09 PM EST in Football

Well, it's official: Neil Callaway is the new head coach at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. As I indicated earlier, I send my best wishes to Coach Callaway as we bid him farewell.

Well, that makes one campus of the University of Alabama to have found a new head football coach. . . . (Photograph from University of Georgia Athletic Association.)

I greeted the news of Coach Callaway's departure neither with sadness nor with gladness; he was not the coordinator I had hoped to see go, but, like Paul Westerdawg, I also was not anxious to have him stay. I agree with MaconDawg that the Red and Black are not likely to lose many---or, perhaps, even any---of the offensive linemen in their recruiting class on account of Coach Callaway's career move, so I do not consider that an area of concern.

Unsurprisingly, the Georgia Sports Blog is on top of this story, and Paul Westerdawg already has a list of possible replacements that includes the likes of Greg Adkins, Art Kehoe, Mac McWhorter, Hugh Nall, and Chris Scelfo.

Paul, you had me at "McWhorter." (Photograph from Online Athens.)

I would consider the hiring of either Coach Adkins or Coach Kehoe a good idea and I would consider the hiring of either Coach McWhorter or Coach Nall a great idea, but Paul expressed the legitimate concern that some or all of these prospects would not want to be in the awkward position in which Coach Callaway found himself . . . namely, being the nominal "offensive coordinator" while Mike Bobo was calling the plays.

It seems to me that the solution is to name Coach Bobo offensive coordinator, thereby giving him a title commensurate with the duties of his station, and to give Coach Callaway's replacement the title and responsibility of offensive line coach. At their present schools, Tennessee's Greg Adkins, Kentucky's Jimmy Heggins, Mississippi's Art Kehoe, Texas's Mac McWhorter, and Auburn's Hugh Nall all have the title "offensive line coach," so none of them would be taking a step down by accepting the same position at Georgia.

Mike Bobo . . . the O.C. (Image from Pop Art U.K.)

I only find serious fault with one of Paul Westerdawg's suggestions . . . namely, Chris Scelfo. As Paul notes, Coach Scelfo recently was relieved of his duties as the head coach at Tulane after eight seasons on the job, during which he guided the Green Wave program through a vagabond season in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. For that, Coach Scelfo is to be admired and commended.

However, Coach Scelfo was never a Georgia guy, he was a Jim Donnan guy. A Pelican State native who played center at Northeast Louisiana, Coach Scelfo became a graduate assistant at Oklahoma in 1988, working with the offensive line under Coach Donnan, who was then the Sooners' offensive coordinator.

When Coach Donnan left Norman to take over at Marshall in 1990, Coach Scelfo accompanied him to Huntington, where the young assistant served as offensive line coach (1990-1995) and, later, as offensive coordinator (1993-1995). Coach Scelfo remained a part of Coach Donnan's staff at Georgia, where he held the titles of assistant head coach and offensive line coach from 1996 to 1998.

When, at the end of the 1998 campaign, Coach Scelfo was given the opportunity to return to his native state to coach the Green Wave, he took it. Relations between Coach Scelfo's new school and his old school turned ugly when, after Coach Donnan was fired from his job at Georgia, Tulane backed out on a scheduled series in football between the Bulldogs and the Green Wave.

Raise your hand if you think Tulane's "scheduling conflicts" wouldn't have arisen if this guy had still been coaching in Athens in 2002. (Photograph from E.S.P.N.)

While I agree that Coach Donnan's teams took a clear turn for the worse following Coach Scelfo's departure from the Classic City, nothing else about Chris Scelfo makes him suited for a return engagement as Georgia's offensive line coach.

Unlike the other candidates Paul Westerdawg puts forward, Coach Scelfo, a former head coach and offensive coordinator at other schools, would be taking a step down by accepting a job as a position coach. His ties to the Peach State are limited to a three-year stint with the Red and Black that ended almost a decade ago.

Rightly or wrongly, Coach Scelfo probably feels that the 'Dawgs did Coach Donnan dirty by firing him after he compiled a 40-19 record in five seasons between the hedges. Rightly or wrongly, the University of Georgia Athletic Association probably feels, and many Bulldog fans (including me) definitely feel, that Coach Scelfo deliberately dealt dishonestly with Georgia, leaving the Classic City Canines in the lurch, schedule-wise, in a petty and underhanded act of revenge on behalf of his former boss.

Paul Westerdawg has assembled what is, on balance, a fine list containing many good suggestions. However, one of the options he proposes is heinously, horribly awful. If it were up to me, I wouldn't let Chris Scelfo back into the state, much less offer him another opportunity to coach at our flagship university.

If Chris Scelfo wants a job interview, might I suggest that Damon Evans agree to meet with him in Havana on New Year's Eve?

Coach Scelfo served Georgia well while he was here, but those bridges were burned after he left and I have no interest in rebuilding them. I admire what he did while holding the Tulane program together, but all ties between our team and that coach have been severed.

If Chris Scelfo wants to send a resume to Bristol so he can go back to working with Jim Donnan, fine; I can roll my eyes at his asinine on-air observations as easily as I can roll my eyes at those of his former boss . . . but Chris Scelfo's passport into Bulldog Nation has been revoked and it should not be renewed.

Fool me once, shame on you, Chris. Fool me twice, shame on me. We won't get fooled again.

Go 'Dawgs!

Tweet Comment 10 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Bama

I was pretty underwhelmed by the job he did at Alabama, so I am indifferent about him going. Of course, finding the replacement is also key.
It would be interesting to see MacWhorter here under Bobo who was a player when he last coached here.

by fotodog on Dec 18, 2006 1:45 AM EST reply actions

stuff

I have doubts about Scelfo being an actual candidate at this time - by that I mean "one Richt is considering". His name is getting tossed around a good deal, sure.

I was unaware of this but apparently Richt tried to hire Hugh Nall back when he came to Athents. Couldn't lure him at the time.

Lastly, depending on how one interprets certain comments from NC's press conference, he is either trying to or will take someone from the current staff to UAB. Garner seems the obvious choice: go to become DC. Problem is, he'll be taking a serious paycutt to do this. So I'm not sure I see it.

I suppose it's possible he could take someone else for a coordinator position. It's not Bobo, obviously.

by peacedog on Dec 18, 2006 8:58 AM EST reply actions

why not Bobo as OC?

I havent heard what Richt thinks of Bobo in this capacity, but why not? Bobo has been given the play calling job. MR is the OC anyhow. Would he give the reigns to someone else who would want a LOT of control? No. Do we want him to step back? Heck No! Let's not forget who brought us to the dance... MR! I think the play to play stuff is tough when you are trying to manage the WHOLE game.. hence the Bobo responsibilty.

Will recruits want to come play for Scelfo, McWhorter, et al over MR? No! Will we lose recruits to UAB.... uhhhh NO. Who brought the blue chippers here in the first place? Callaway? No. MR! McWhorter et al couldnt keep Stafford in Texas at Texas.

by ssidedawg1 on Dec 18, 2006 6:16 PM EST reply actions

Chris Scelfo

Kyle, you were pretty hard on Chris Scelfo. Do you know if it was his call to make about cancelling the UGA games? I thought the AD did that. Was he the AD,too? The picture you painted was not the Chris Scelfo I knew at Georgia. However, if he is that loyal to old friends, I sorta like it. Not many good friends like that now days.

by Hilldawg on Dec 18, 2006 6:40 PM EST reply actions

I can't say for sure, Hilldawg

That's why I used qualifiers like "rightly or wrongly" and "feel" (rather than "know").

It's probably fair to say that the relationship between Jim Donnan and Chris Scelfo had as much to do with the original scheduling of the Georgia-Tulane series as, say, the relationship between Bobby Bowden and Terry Bowden had to do with scheduling the Auburn-Florida State series.

Does that mean Tulane canceled out on us the same way Auburn canceled out on F.S.U., as a result of the bad blood occasioned by the firing of one of the original coaches involved? I cannot say that for certain . . . but I can say for certain that administrators at the University of Georgia filed a lawsuit for breach of contract.

I tried to praise Chris Scelfo for the fine job he did holding the Tulane program together and loyalty is a fine trait. However, his loyalty---probably quite properly---was to Jim Donnan, not to Georgia. As someone whose loyalty is to Georgia, not to Jim Donnan, I find myself at cross purposes with Coach Scelfo and, while I wish him well, I don't want him back here.

by T Kyle King on Dec 18, 2006 7:20 PM EST reply actions

Garner

I would hate to see Garner go, but I don't think he would leave to be DC at UAB. Recruiting is his specialty and getting kids to go to UGA or Tenn is one thing, getting them to go to Bham is another. Not to mention he would be the "also-ran school" in that state after the 2 big boys.

by fotodog on Dec 18, 2006 7:55 PM EST reply actions

Chris Scelfo

Kyle,many years ago one of Vince's former players/captains/coaches, who was a dear friend,accepted a job at Ole Miss. Over dinner in Jacksonville , I ask him how he could leave Georgia and coach a team that wanted to to beat Georgia. At that time it was beyond my comprehension that a real Dog could do that. He said "When you have a family to feed and you make a living coaching,your loyalty follows your billfold. Ole Miss pays me for my loyalty." He was and is right. As fans it's hard to grasp that until you think about your family and what you would do to support them. The coach that CMR will hire is not loyal to Georgia at this hour. But he will be soon, until the paychecks stop.

by Hilldawg on Dec 18, 2006 9:51 PM EST reply actions

MR aint bringing Donnan's boy

With all the potential talent (Bobo included) why would UGA and MR need to drag back a guy Donnan employed? Not gonna happen. Let's not forget why Donnan's crew was dismissed.

by ssidedawg1 on Dec 18, 2006 10:17 PM EST reply actions

Chris Scelfo.

ssidedawg, I agree with you in that I don't think Chris Scelfo will be offered the job. However, the decision will most likely not be based upon past loyalty. Also, Chris Scelfo took the job at Tulane before Donnan was booted.He did a good job while at UGA.

by Hilldawg on Dec 18, 2006 10:29 PM EST reply actions

Hilldawg, I don't disagree

Let me be clear: I do not hold it against Chris Scelfo that he left Georgia to become the head coach at Tulane.

He had the opportunity to become a head coach in his home state. He took it, he should have taken it, I don't begrudge him for having taken it, and I agree that he did a fine job during his three years in Athens. I believe I said most of that and suggested all of it, but, if that wasn't clear, I regret my failure to express myself effectively.

Had the scheduled Georgia-Tulane games come off as planned, I would not bear Coach Scelfo even the slighest ill will and I admit that, although Tulane's last-minute cancellation of the contract smells exceptionally fishy to me (as it did to the University of Georgia Athletic Association, which sued Tulane for breach of contract), I only suspect, but do not know, that the Green Wave's withdrawal from the deal was motivated by a desire to get back at the 'Dawgs for firing Jim Donnan.

I could be quite wrong about that. Nevertheless, Coach Scelfo's connection to Georgia was through Coach Donnan and he was here for a short period a good while back. That chapter of his life and our history is closed. Let's leave it that way.

by T Kyle King on Dec 18, 2006 11:04 PM EST reply actions