Frankly, it's hard to blame anyone for any change in their career. If they don't perform up to admin and/or fans' desires, they are fired immediately. This is how they make their living. And the "deceit" behind their maneuverings are required in their minds because the fans will usually not take any vacillation of their "love" for their "current" position.

It has been this way forever. Coach Bryant's return to Alabama was in the works midway through his last season at A&M. Word began to leak out, in the face of denials, toward the end of the season. They were undefeated and had been number 1 in the polls for 3 weeks. They then collapsed down the stretch, losing their last 3 games. AU won the NC that year in 1957.

Coach Saban let Alabama know that he would be interested in returning to college football in the middle (I knew at time of UT game) of 2006, if they would wait til after the season was over. Moore was willing to wait but other powers got skittish forcing Moore to jump the gun with Rodriguez. Thankfully, RR said, "I just didn't feel like I was their guy.", after talking with Mal and turned down the job. He was right, so Mal got his man after all.

So it goes. This business has always been this way. Fans drive it as much as anything, since you can't been seen as considering another job at anywhere near the same level and remain at your current job if things don't work out. There are other considerations also.

Again, the fans will want a coach gone the minute they think he can't do the job - whatever the reality is. So, there's no loyalty on either side.

Yes, if DeBoer has great success, IMO, he will likely leave for the NFL. I don't begrudge him at all. If it were "obvious that he is not the guy" in the mind of the fans, they would want him gone yesterday.

Not that it means anything, but I think CKD will have good/great success. But we don't even know what CFB will look like in another year. I don't blame coaches or players because this is the way big-time sports have been conducted for a long time.