Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
The Alabama Crimson Tide have dismissed Jonathan Taylor after he was arrested for domestic violence. This comes after he was dismissed from the Georgia Bulldogs football team for the same charges. Taylor’s second chance with Alabama lasted only 80 ,days and he now finds himself dismissed from another SEC football program. The issue of whether or not Alabama should have even given Taylor the opportunity is one that will be asked repeatedly in the upcoming days and weeks.
It is important to remember that everyone believes in second chances as long as they are the ones in need of the opportunity. Taylor’s arrest for domestic violence charges is not the first example of a player who squandered an opportunity to start over, and it will not be the last.
College football coaches are compensated very well and due to the significant amount of money involved, there is an immense pressure to win big. Nick Saban is no exception to what has become the status quo at major programs. The coaches of major programs have little margin for error, and any season that does not culminate in a championship is viewed as a disappointment.
Coaches are not staying at the same school for decades, and they certainly do not enjoy the same job security they once did. The pressure to win and the staying with a school for a shorter period of time means that coaches must do everything in their power to put an elite team together. The chance to land a player with top-tier talent and relatively few offers can be appealing.
Taylor had his pick of potential schools coming out of high school, and the competition to sign him was fierce. After his first arrest, he was dismissed from Georgia and had to attend a community college. Taylor received a small number of offers from major programs, a far cry from the dozens of offers he received out of high school. The smaller number of other programs to compete with makes these recruits intriguing for all programs.
Every coach feels like he will be able to help that particular player capitalize on their new opportunity, regardless of what the player’s transgressions have been in the past. If the player impresses and the team succeeds, the coach is a genius. The coach is only foolish if things go poorly.
Players who have been dismissed from a program and then helped their new school succeed is more common than you might imagine. The Auburn Tigers were led to a BCS National Championship by Cam Newton, who had been dismissed from the Florida Gators. Auburn also picked up Nick Marshall, who had been dismissed from Georgia. The Ole Miss Rebels elected to take a chance on former Oregon Ducks QB Jeremiah Masoli.
Coaches must decide if taking a risk on a troubled player is worth the potential reward. Some people might say no due to the risk of the player finding themselves in trouble again and hurting the reputation of the program. However, others might very reasonably say that taking a chance on a troubled young man is worth it.
The impact a coach and new setting might be the best thing that ever happened to that player. He might turn his life around and become a star. Newton took the opportunity to play at Auburn and became one of the most beloved players in Auburn football history. The chance to play in the SEC and to make something of yourself is a great opportunity. It is a shame that Taylor didn’t realize just how special an opportunity that the Alabama program had given him.
Levi Dunagan is a SEC Football writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Levi275.
