Believe it or not, Franklin was also my first choice the year he was hired. We needed energy and enthusiasm, a kick-start. We needed an optimist, someone able to recruit. Franklin came with a track record of breathing life into a dead program. The Vanderbilt resume was a match.
I watched with interest to see how Franklin was different in meetings, in practice, and through interacting with the student body. He was seemingly doing it right, at least that is what we were shown in public video releases.
But those pieces can get a team only so far. To get to an elite level -- a championship -- one must also be a great football mind and lead a great staff. In my view the intellect part of it has been in question.
In its place we have a "family atmosphere" that Franklin obviously hopes will be enough to get it done. I am not so sure. In fact I think a lot of that has detracted from being well-prepared and playing a smarter game.
