I, personally, am offended with all of these age-discriminatory comments concerning Mike DeBord.
Playing football is a young man's game. Not so with coaching football!
Writing older people off (along with their acquired wisdom and experience) is a large part of what's wrong with this country.
The only conceivably legitimate concerns about hiring an "older" coach might have to do with his overall level of energy and stamina in the grueling arena of college football and, unfortunately, his potential lack of appeal to young guys on the recruiting trail.
But when it comes to calling plays from the booth, give me a cool head and lots of experience any day!
Of DeBord, Daniel Lewis of Rocky Top Insider writes:
"Perhaps Jones sees this as an opportunity to further intertwine the spread principles that are in place with him and his current staff with some downhill, pro-style running elements . . ."
As I said elsewhere, that is music to my ears. EXACTLY what we need. And you don't need to look any further than what Ohio State did this year to prove that.
Besides, since when is a 58-year-old considered over the hill? Consider two of the greatest coaches in history in their respective sports: Wooden and Bryant. They both coached, and very well, relatively late into their lives.
Flame away ye little sonnies!
