How do you follow a legend?

McEachern High School was scheduled to begin interviewing for its vacant head coaching position this week, according to athletic director Jimmy Dorsey. The new coach though will have some tough shoes to fill. Those shoes belong to the man that will be conducting the interviews, Jimmy Dorsey. Dorsey recently stepped down following a 4-6 campaign, his only losing season in 24 years at McEachern High School. Overall he compiled a 219-66-1 record in his time with the Indians, 236-79-1 over all. (He spent 3 years at Paulding County before moving to McEachern). Dorsey retired as the winningest coach in Cobb County history and his 12 region titles helped to make McEachern one of the most successful programs in Cobb history. He also appeared in several state semi-finals and one state final in 1998, losing to Valdosta 21-7.
But recently at the Cobb Senior Bowl, I asked Dorsey if that was his favorite team, and he said that it was memorable, but he wouldn't call it his favorite. He remembers the good with every team and sometimes, he liked having a team that was an underdog and trying to get them to play up and beyond their potential was the most fun he had.
Dorsey will go down as a legend in Cobb County, and some poor sap has to come in there and try to win while Dorsey's shadow still looms large from the AD office. Two hundred applicants have dropped off their resumes and now the process gets started.
But how do you replace a legend? Ron Zook certainly couldn't do it at Florida. The only reason he got the job is because Bob Stoops knew better as did Mike Shannahan. You just don't follow Steve Spurrier at Florida. You just don't. How can you? Zook was a dead man walking from his first press conference on. Once he was shown the door, the new coach was able to come in and in his second year, with no real pressure of living up to Spurrier, won a National Title. Yep Urban Meyer didn't have to live in Spurrier's shadow, he had to live in Zook's, which wasn't much of a shadow. More like a line on the ground you just step over.

Bill Guthridge really took one for the team when he took over for Dean Smith at UNC. Guthridge was Dean's long time assistant coach and he and Deano knew whomever came next wouldn't live up to Dean. So Guthey took over for 3 years to make the transition easier for Roy Williams, only Williams didn't come immediately. Matt Doherty then had to live up to Dean's two title teams and Guthey's 2 final 4s in 3 years. Not fair. Roy Williams is there now, but without a bunch of stress of having to follow Dean and to a lesser extent Bill. If Roy had had to follow those two, maybe UNC wouldn't have won that title in 2005 because Roy has never really been great in dealing with added pressure.

I could go on and on... Bob Davie after Lou Holtz at Notre Dame, Tubby Smith with Rick Pitino, Larry Coker with Butch Davis, Ray Goff after Vince Dooley at UGA, Dennis Felton after Jim Harrick, whoever follows Bobby Cox with the Braves. Following legends just doesn't work out that well. Kind of a career killer if you will. Mike Davis is at UAB after coaching at Indiana following Bobby Knight. Ray Goff is running a chicken restaurant. You get the drift.

I feel bad for the guy that follows Munson at UGA. He might last 4 seasons before he is pushed out for the next voice of the Dawgs, sure to last another 40 years.

But back to Dorsey. His son is the coach at Hiram right now. My suggestion, hire the son to come in and take over, ala Okie State and Wazzou situations. The son might be given a little more leash by the fans and boosters. But the son might want to stay away from that job: not only are you replacing a legend, but you are also replacing Dad. I can just see a Godfather situation of Vito saying to Michael, "I never wanted this for you." But if you remember, Michael made the Corleone family stronger than ever. Maybe McEachern is hoping for that. Maybe the son could bring the school its first state football title and Cobb County its first title since 1967. We will see in the next few weeks who gets hired and if that person can stand up in the shadow of a legend. One thing is for sure, a strong person is needed as McEachern has a tradition of excellence. The new coach just hopes he will continue it, not his successor.