So.......it's ok for you to make excuses for Leach but when Ed or someone else tries to make excuses it's not ok? Duly noted.
The truth is that Wulff had built the team up to the point where we would have been a borderline bowl team every year. In 2012, Leach brought in a different attitude and there were games where the guys didn't show up......much like 2008 (only Leach is a better coach than Wulff so the dropoff wasn't as bad). The team dropped off. That 2013 team, consisting of a bunch of pretty decent players from the 2010 class and Leach's new guys made it to a bowl game, was a good indicator of what might have been if we kept Wulff.
Here's the deal.....and it's where you and I agree, even if you don't want to admit it.......finishing 6-7 isn't why WSU has a football program and it's not why we pay our coaches the salaries we do. Wulff was unlikely to ever do better than that so it doesn't matter if he's the worst coach ever or just the 5th worst.....he wasn't good enough. I think you guys are irrational in your hate of him, but the vast majority of us agree that we are better off with him gone.
"Borderline Bowl team" No. It was never a borderline bowl team it never reached a bowl ever.
I'm not making excuses for Leach. There is a difference between take the program and throw it off a cliff year 1 and build it up to a 4 win team.
And take a 4 win team and go 3 wins 6 wins 3 wins 9 wins.
Gigantic difference.
What did Wulff do his second year? 1 ****ing win. 1 win.
He averaged 12 points per game and allowed 38.5 ppg in year 2.
Leach in year 2? 31 ppg and allowed 32.5.
That's how big of a change Leach was able to get in year 2. And how Wulff went even FURTHER backwards in year 2.
Here's Doba ppg / allowed in 2007 and then Wulff in 2008/2009
2007 - ppg 25.7 / allowed 32.4
2008 - ppg 12.7 / allowed 43.8
2009 - ppg 12.0 / allowed 38.5
That's Doba then Wulff first 2 years.
Now Here's Wulff then Leach first 2 years.
2011 - 29.8 ppg / allowed 31.8
2012 - 20.4 ppg / allowed 33.7
2013 - 31 ppg / allowed 32.5 ppg
Now compare apples to apples
Wulff 2nd year - 12 ppg / allowed 38.5
Leach 2nd year - 31 ppg / allowed 32.5 ppg
That is the difference.
You are saying Wulff was going to take us to a bowl game WHICH HE NEVER DID. HE NEVER accomplished that. EVER. He didn't even win 5 games in a season. Not even 5 games once.
And no he wouldn't have taken us to a bowl game because Leach brought in better caliber players of which Wulff NEVER would have gotten. Gabe Marks / Vince Mayle etc. aren't coming to play for Paul Wulff.
In fact in 2012 when Mora, Todd Graham, Rich Rod, Kiffin, Sark, Shaw, Tedford etc. how would Wulff out recruit any of them? How? A bunch of hyped up new coaches or you can go to the ole 9-40 to go play. PLEASE.
Nobody was going to come to WSU because I can tell you exactly what those coaches would say to a recruit considering WSU.
WHY GO PLAY FOR A GUY WHO HAS BEEN THERE 4 YEARS AND NOT TAKE YOU TO A BOWL GAME. YOUR COLLEGE CAREER IS SHORT DON'T WASTE IT ON A NO BOWL SINKHOLE.
And that's ALL it would take.
Wulff dug himself a grave, and only really really dumb people would ignore that fact. There was no "future bowl game" with Wulff. There was no way for him to compete in recruiting because he painted himself as a no bowl 4 win maximum Pac-12 coach there were way better exciting options in 2012.
Leach with his pedigree and the updated facilities saved our recruiting reputation, and now we are pulling in better and better players as we build.
There was none of that happening with Wulff no matter how much you want to try and convince yourself.
No competitive prospect is going to go play up in Pullman for a 4 win 9-40 4 year coach, period.