OUR VIEW: Firing Coach Guy a hasty decision

Though Brent Guy has only collected six victories in his three years as Utah State’s head football coach, calls for his firing are shallow and show a severe lack of understanding.

The two wins the Aggies ended this season with must be carefully considered.

First of all, before this, the team was riding a 16-game losing streak. To be able to not give up shows great character, which is a credit to the seniors on the team.

Second, the two wins were victories away from Romney Stadium. Winning on the road is never an easy thing in sports.

Third, they were wins against New Mexico State and Idaho – both of whom are in the Aggies’ Western Athletic Conference. It’s at least a start to winning in a conference that boasts two Top 25 teams. The evidence the WAC is miles deeper in talent and strength than the Sun Belt Conference is plentiful. The past three seasons are proof the Aggies were not ready talent-wise to make the jump. Therefore, expecting lots of wins so soon is unrealistic. As the 2007 season slogan stated, “The road to success is always under construction.”

Fourth, Guy kicks players off the team when they repeatedly break the rules he has set forth. Why hate a man who is trying to create a positive image for Aggie football?

Fifth, firing him makes no sense financially. He has two years remaining on his contract. He can be fired, but the university still has to pay him what’s left on his contract.

Sixth, stability has been a nonexistent word in Aggie football. Previous to Guy was Mick Dennehy, who only lasted five seasons and was fired before his contract was up. Before Dennehy was Dave Arslanian, who got the boot after two seasons and seven wins. Preceding Arslanian were John L. Smith (1995-97) and Charlie Weatherbie (1992-94), both of whom actually had success and then flew the coop after three-year careers for higher paying jobs. Chris Pella (1983-85) and Phil Krueger (1973-75) were also gone after three seasons.

It’s not like this is UCLA or Oklahoma. For once, an Aggie football coach deserves the opportunity to prove himself to the very end of his contract.

It has been said that if changing coaches so frequently was the way to go, USU would have one of the best football programs at the NCAA Division I-A level.

With six home games in 2008 – which includes hated rivals BYU and Utah – there is reason to get excited about the coming year in Aggie football.