Apparently, this was big news.
David Yost resigned Monday as Missouri's offensive coordinator and assistant head coach.
This was all the rage on talk radio. It was the lead story on the news. Newspaper boys chased folks down the street, yelling: "This is no Yost! This is no Yost! Read all about it!"
On my sports/news dial, however, this moved me from zero to a number less than one.
My first and lasting reaction is and was, so what? I was more concerned about when it was going to be 70 degrees again.
Really, what's the difference between Yost and most any other offensive coordinator?
Long hair.
When Yost had talent, he was a genius. I'm certain he did help guys to some degree --- most coaches receiving a paycheck do--- but guys like Brad Smith, Chase Daniel and Blaine Gabbert made Yost look good.
And those guys made the Tigers look good. Gary Pinkel look good. Even Truman the Tiger looked better than he did this year.
You play to win the game and they won a lot of them. Was it because of Yost?
Updates on the aforementioned quarterbacks: Brad Smith, NFL, Chase Daniel, NFL, Blaine Gabbert, NFL.
James Franklin? Corbin Berkstresser? The only way they'll be seen on Sundays is if they buy a ticket and they're caught on camera.
Franklin is a Paper Tiger who seems to have less tolerance for pain than a kid who fell off his bike.
Berkstresser couldn't complete a big pass at a sorority toga party after the kegs were drained, the lights were dimmed, and the final love song was playing.
And yes, there were strobe lights.
In addition, Missouri's offensive line was decimated by injuries this fall. Actually, the injuries started piling up during summer camp, so you can't blame it all on the rigors of the SEC.
With a healthy, stout offensive line, Franklin would have been better. Berkstresser would have been better. The Tigers would have been better.
And Yost and Pinkel would have certainly looked better.
Yost cited personal reasons for the move, but if the Tigers had been 9-3 and headed somewhere warm for a bowl game in late December --- instead of going 5-7 and often looking bad doing it --- would this have happened?
Here's a guess: No.
The departure will end a 17-year association between Pinkel and Yost, who joined Pinkel’s staff at Toledo in 1996 as a graduate assistant. He followed Pinkel to Missouri in 2001, and steadily climbed the ranks to his current/former position.
"First off," Yost said Monday, "I want to thank coach Pinkel for an amazing 17 years. He has done so much for me, and I’m just so grateful for the faith that he showed in me and all of the opportunities that he sent my way."
Here's wishing Yost nothing but the best, because he did help Missouri produce some fun and noteworthy seasons. But also, coach, here's a hint: When you have 1 yard to go on third or fourth down, don't snap it back 7 yards to a quarterback in the shotgun, especially against defenses that are really fast, like defenses in the SEC.
Don't make your guys run 8 yards when they only need 3 feet.
Just sayin'. But what do I know? I have no hair, after all.
"There are a lot of factors that played into the process of coming to my decision," Yost said. "I feel like I’ve had a great run here and that it’s just the right time to turn it over to someone else."
Don't worry, Missouri fans.
If the next offensive coordinator has talent, he'll be a genius, too.
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