O’Donnell: Bielema, Braun, Fickell, Fleck, Hammock — who goes first?
THERE'S NEVER BEEN MORE MONEY and there's never been more pronounced instant electric chair around the jobs of head coaches in major-college football.
The dismissal of Brian Kelly at LSU was only the latest example. His luxury trampoline — which may touch $60 million as settlement of his 10-year, $100M deal — should keep him out of Dollar Stores.
Kelly joins James Franklin of Penn State and Billy Napier of Florida as platinum-tier mid-season casualties.
IN THE EXTENDED CIRCUMFERENCE AROUND CHICAGO, statuses of a select major five (in alphabetical order):
Bret Bielema, Illinois — Six weeks ago, his No. 9 Illini were 3-0 and facing a showcase game at No. 19 Indiana … That afternoon was a debacle and Illinois will limp into November 5-3. … A lower-class close (Rutgers, Maryland, at Wisconsin, Northwestern) helps, but Bielema's predictable ceiling already has some influential alumni looking ahead.
Status: Still odds-on to see the start of the 2026 campaign in Grange Grove.
David Braun, Northwestern — Tasked with a mammoth challenge after the Pat Fitzgerald fiasco of July 2023 and has responded with class and competency. … Followed a 1-2 start with four straight wins, including the amazing 22-21 takedown of host Penn State. … Intriguing home stretch with trips to USC and Champaign sandwiched around games at Wrigley Field vs. Michigan and Minnesota.
Status: Some NU elites still consider him “interim,” not worthy of the new Ryan Stadium.
Luke Fickell, Wisconsin — Has become a poster boy for a Group of Five success story (at Cincinnati) becoming the bane of a legacied power. … His failure with the Badgers (2-6, 0-6 Big Ten) is the object of scorn from Beloit to Lake Superior. … Something has gone wrong in Wisconsin's ability to compete in the NIL-transfer portal era and he'll take the fall for it.
Status: Grilled cheese — merely a question of when.
P.J. Fleck, Minnesota — Pre-pandemic, the Northern Illinois alum was one of the hottest young CFB coaches in the country. … Since then, he consistently produces C-list bowl-eligible teams that garner postseason glory in low-rumble exhibitions like the Pinstripe, the Quick Lane and Duke's Mayo. … If he ever returned to DeKalb as HC, it would suggest “plateaued” or the dreaded “arced out.”
Status: All is comfortably uncomfortable in Minneapolis.
Thomas Hammock, Northern Illinois — Career good guy will always have memories of the glorious afternoon when his Huskies upset host Notre Dame — an outfit headed for the 2024 CFP title game. … Beyond that, it's a constant struggle for respect and bowl-eligibility on Annie Glidden Road. … The mountain climbing of Joe Novak, Dave Doeren and Rod Carey seems so long ago.
Status: Doesn't embarrass the school but doesn't inspire; the password is “humdrum.”
STREET-BEATIN':
The Bears opened as 1½-point favorites at Cincinnati Sunday (noon, CBS; AM-1000). The Fisheye Network will present the game to less than 14% of the nation with fifth-stringers Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta on the call. …
On the topic of rough programming breaks, Glenn Berk — the first-year senior VP/general manager of WFLD-Channel 32 — can lecture. His station had its own 90-minute “Bears Game Day” followed by “Fox NFL Sunday” before being forced to fill with three hours of infomercials while CBS aired the Bears-Ravens game. Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes would call that “Bad Luck.” …
Jerry Kill, the well-traveled CFB sideliner who bolted on both Southern Illinois and Northern Illinois, is now in his second year as a consultant to surprise pop-up Vanderbilt. Also of note with the Commodores is director of player personnel Nik Valdiserri. He's the son of Ken Valdiserri, the pedigreed master who did a transcendent job as media director of the Super Bowl XX champion Bears. …
Most exciting single play of the Chicago sports weekend was “Captain” Jack Elliott's laser-directed goal for the Fire FC in the second minute of extra time at Philadelphia. The high-traffic shot tied the playoffs opener at 2-2. The host Union won the penalty-kick shootout 4-2 and can close the series in Game 2 Saturday at SeatGeek Stadium (4:30 p.m., FS1, AM-890.) …
Kenny McReynolds told all who were listening that the Mt. Carmel-Loyola prep battle on “The U” was “the 2,500th football game” of his “Hall of Fame career” (That's 50 games per season for 50 years, apparently not counting “Madden” kickoffs.). Marshall Harris remained alive on local TV manning play-by-play. …
Jim O'Donnell's Sports and Media column appears each week on Sunday and Wednesday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com. All communications may be considered for publication.