What's the real reason Boston College fired Coach Jagodzinski?

January 7, 2:57 PMSports ExaminerPaula Duffy

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Coach Jeff Jagodzinski and former Boston College player, Matt Ryan

Here's a thought: let's not believe the press releases about the firing of Boston College head football coach, Jeff Jagodzinski.

Boston Sports Examiner, Mark Feury wrote an aritcle shortly after the news was announced. You can read it right here.

But I'm left scratching my head. If the need to win, the desire to be nationally ranked and attract top recruits is so strong as we are led to believe, then this firing makes no sense.

The school's football program was successful by most measuring sticks. Coach Jagodzinski's record was 20-8 in two seasons. He produced rookie of the year Matt Ryan during his tenure. In 2007 the school ended the year ranked #10 in the national rankings and reached the ACC Championship game.

This year, the record dipped to 9-5 but the school made it to the conference championship and although they lost to Vanderbilt the team made it to the Music City Bowl.

On its face, that record wouldn't call for a coach being fired. It also doesn't strike me as a record that was so stellar that Boston College would crawl to him with money to keep him. But perhaps I'm wrong. Maybe Boston College is showing us the new way of the college football world.

In the old world, the one I know, a prized coach is offered an incentive to stay with its current employer if a pro team comes sniffing around. Is it possible that the school's athletic director is blazing a new trail? That would be truly interesting. You know, holding a man to his word and not rewarding him with more money when a contract for his services is still in effect.

But who gets hurt if they fire him in a pique of rage? Doesn't the program suffer? In the old world you'd have to say yes unless the AD already contemplated letting the coach go and had a replacement all dusted off and ready to slot into the position. That leads me to believe Jagodzinski was no prize, at least to Boston College.

That makes me wonder about Jagodzinsky.  What possessed him to do this? In the old world a coach wouldn't want to hurt his kids that he recrutied and nurtured...unless he knew for certain that he had another job that paid him oodles of money. Please see for reference, Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier, etc. etc.

News reports claim that Jagodzinski can find comfort and employment in the arms of Jim Mora Jr. in Seattle for whom he coached in Atlanta during Mora's time with the Falcons. Is that better than a bowl-bound college coach who gets to see one of his kids become a first round draft pick in the NFL and rookie-of-the-year? I guess so. In this new world that might be developing.