Technical Tidbits 9/27: VanGorder out at Notre Dame, Miles out at LSU

Georgia Tech has opened as a slight underdog to Miami for this week’s home game against the Hurricanes, a noon kickoff on ESPN2. It’s no shock that the Jackets are not favored against the No. 14 ‘Canes, a media darling following the hiring of Mark Richt and the apparently legendary nature of their recruiting class, but it would be equally unsurprising for Tech to come away with a win. It’s not that a win is expected by any means, just that the team has the potential to pull one out. It will all hinge on the defense’s early performance; allowing 350 first-half yards before fixing things up later on likely won’t do it. The same is true for the offense, because -3 passing yards at the end of the third quarter will (believe it or not) probably indicate a Tech loss.

If reading that Miami is No. 14 in the nation was startling to you, it’s probably time to look at the convoluted AP Poll as it currently stands. Miami has garnered all of this love by ganging up on the like of Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic, and Appalachian State. In other words, we know nothing about Miami football at this moment. Ole Miss, meanwhile, moved all the way up to No. 16 following a victory over a Georgia team which shouldn’t even be in the top 25 at all yet still is following their loss. It’s those SEC-style quality losses that are helping Ole Miss, I tell you. A 2-2 record with two blowouts to good teams is apparently much better than the nine teams below them in the rankings. By the way, Wake Forest is receiving votes for a poll appearance. That will be the day.

Last week can hardly be called a success story for the majority of college football programs, with a couple deciding to make key changes at high-ranking positions and more still taking major early-season losses. There’s a lot to run down in this department, so let’s get going with...

• Noted Tech villain Brian VanGorder, who was relieved of his duties as defensive coordinator in South Bend following a very ugly performance in Notre Dame’s loss to Duke on Saturday. The entire staff, from head coach Brian Kelly down, is now on high alert as the Irish fell to 1-3 with the loss.
• LSU head coach Les Miles, whose name was a hot topic around the old flaming couch over the summer, was fired after a loss to Auburn. The loss itself came about as a result of some very suspect officiating by the SEC officials who were working the game, and people around the program in Baton Rouge have have stated that the school was waiting for any excuse to show Miles the door in order to break the “cycle” of him nearly losing all control but then gradually gaining it again.
• Ole Miss made Kirby Smart look dumb. The Rebels continued a tradition they started years ago when Smart was the defensive coordinator for Alabama, dismantling his system and running off with a 38-0 lead at one point in the game. It’s almost like sneaking past UNC and Mizzou and handling Nicholls State by two points doesn’t indicate a quality football team.