Commentary | AD Jeremy Foley takes over the hot seat the University of Florida
It was a lynching made for gentlemen.
Before the blood dried on their hands, Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley and school president Bernie Machen were heaping praise on the corpse they created in Will Muschamp, the Gators' lame-duck coach.
"I would love for my son or grandson to have the opportunity to be coached by Will Muschamp," Machen sang out, making us wonder if he hid his dagger in that Ray Lewis white coat no one has ever found.
"Everybody in the program was in the foxhole with him. He is a very good football coach. He has a track record. It was just not working here as we all envisioned," Foley said in a way that sounded as if he was shouting "don't blame me."
Muschamp tried to be the good solider as he followed the two people who fired him to the podium. But he couldn't defend himself because he had no ammunition.
This summed up the Muschamp era at Florida. The only identity he established was that he couldn't be what fans wanted him to be.
He preferred to be Alabama's Nick Saban and run the ball down your throat with an offensive personnel more suited to operate Chip Kelly's now-you-see-me-now-you-don't brand of ball.
Muschamp was boring on offense, which is why fans started finding other things to do on Saturday, and elite recruits looked elsewhere.
No matter what anyone says, the shadow of Steve Spurrier still lingers over Gator Nation, and no one can match the Ol' Ball Coach for excitement -- so you better win.
Urban Meyer did it until arrests outnumbered touchdowns for his Gators, then he bolted.
Muschamp was brought in to clean up Meyer's off-the-field mess and did to some extent, but he didn't win and winning is paramount. If you don't believe it, glance down the road to Tallahassee, where the inmates run the asylum.
If Muschamp was feeling anger, he hid it.
He railed at a person he identified as "new guy."
"They (the Gators) have a deep and talented roster, so don't let that 'new guy' say he ain't got no players," Muschamp chirped.
That typified this whole day. Don't blame me, but don't blame him. Blame "new guy."
Foley was generous in giving "old guy" Muschamp another season after last year's 4-8 debacle that included a loss to Georgia Southern.
But he never should've hired Muschamp. He wasn't what they needed and had never run a college football program.
That's why this press conference was more about Foley than Muschamp. The athletic director has hired three head football coaches at Florida, and two were busts in Ron Zook and Muschamp.
It is why the AD spent the last few days telling fans what he is looking for in the next head football coach.
He didn't have to waste his breath. The fans could've told him: An offensive guy with successful head coaching experience is the minimum requirement. A Steve Spurrier clone would be great, but we'll take an Urban Meyer look-alike.
Foley is the guy on the rope swinging next to where Muschamp was cut down.
If he misfires on hiring the next coach, Florida will be looking for a new athletic director.
As for Muschamp; nice guy or not, he dug his own grave by arguing with fans and tying himself to quarterback Jeff Driskel.
But thanks to Foley, he has $6.3 million coming over the next three years to soothe his pain.
Alan Dell, Herald sports writer, can be reached at 941-745-7056. Follow him on Twitter @ADellSports.
This story was originally published November 19, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Commentary | AD Jeremy Foley takes over the hot seat the University of Florida."