This is one of my favorite times of the year...football coaching firing and hiring time.  I guess I should clarify, the firings are not necessarily my favorites.  Knowing that an individual, their family, most likely the assistants and their families are now out of work is not something that I like.  However, I fashion myself somewhat of a student of search processes and the hiring of coaches.  This year, there have been nearly 30 open DI football openings.  Some use a search firm, others use the more traditional approach of a single individual or a search committee making the decision.  Whatever the method, I am always amazed at some of the hirings that take place.  Here are some of my thoughts, in no particular order or organized manner.

• Presidents and AD's need to be careful that they don't get too excited about the hire that they say something that a person making the kind of money and that is as educated as they are shouldn't be making.  Case in point:  the Arizona State president saying that they were looking for a coach that was in it for the "long-haul" is not wise considering the coach that you just hired has been at 3 schools in 6 years.  Guess duration is all relative, especially in the desert sun.
• Know who you are and what you are as an institution and an athletic department.  Be realistic.  This is probably the most violated axiom in the nation at all collegiate levels.  If you are only paying in the middle of your conference or you have outdated facilities or your academic standards are through the roof when the rest of your conference seemingly doesn't care, then you need to factor this into your criteria for a coach.  You aren't getting Urban Meyer if you are Indiana or Wake Forest or Western Kentucky.
• Coaches are getting 2, maybe 3 years now to take a program to "the next level".  Really!?!  How long did it take you, Dr. President, Chancellor, Dean, etc..., to double the endowment or complete that building project or increase enrollment by 50%?  The first year is usually just survival and trying to instill your philosophies.  You don't really start coaching until your second year and you still have only half of your own players (mostly the young ones, anyways).  Finally, in most cases, you hired the person to do a job that many others have failed to do, as well.  If you are Kansas, you can't fire Mark Mangini a couple of years back because you didn't like the way he did things and then bring in a class act in Turner Gill and then fire him two years later for not winning enough.  You are trying to have your cake and eat it too.  Rock Chalk Jayhawk is not shouted very often outside of Kemper Arena.  You wanted class and wins.  Well, give the guy more than 2 years.  Guess you don't respect the competition level of the Big 12 and how hard it is to win in that league.
• PR and image go a long way in getting a coach hired.  There are very few bad coaches at the DI level.  Most can coach, but the situation is what oftentimes, makes them appear to be more or less of a coach then they really are.  I have no doubt that Al Golden is a good coach.  He made Temple relevant.  However, did you know that he never beat a conference opponent (MAC) with a winning record?