Yesterday Todd Hoffner announced that he will return to Minnesota State Mankato to be their head football coach. Hoffner was terminated from his job after being accused of possessing child pornography, which were pictures of his children, on his school issued phone.

Two years later, with charges dropped and arbitration ruling that he can get him job back, Hoffner decided to leave his head coaching position at Minot State to return to the Mankato after everything that happened.

People quickly went on about how his decision to return to Mankato was the worst decision he could make. The questions of how he could turn his back on the kids he recruited to Minot State, how he could leave Minot State after they gave him a chance, and how he could return to Mankato after all that happened popped up.

I hate to be that guy, but none of that mattered. That's including the kids that he recruited.

Now hear me out. This happens all over the country when it comes to college football (and no, I'm not talking about the scandal). Coaches leave for other programs, and the kids that they recruited for the previous school are stuck. That's the way it goes.

Kids should be attending colleges not just strictly based on a football coach/program. They should be attending the college that is the best fit for them educationally.

Whatever the case, and Hoffner might feel a bit bad for the kids he recruited, he made what he feels is the best move for his family.


Have you ever switched jobs knowing that it was the best move for you, and it will probably upset the people you worked with? This situation, take out the charges, can be looked at in the same light. I had to make a tough decision just over a year ago about my job situation, and it did upset quite a few people that I worked with. Overall, it was the best  decision FOR ME.

Granted, this situation is a complete mess in which there are NO WINNERS. No matter what direction Hoffner decided to go nobody really was going to win.

His heart was pulled towards Mankato. If he would have stayed in Minot, there would have been that missing piece for he and his family.

He made the decision to go back to Mankato, and that has caused both universities to scramble. Minot needs new coaches (and they signed former USD Coyote Byron Thomas as interim coach), players questioning whether they want to continue, Mankato people upset, and Mankato incoming football players questioning having to play for a new coach.

The road might be a bit more bumpy this way, but I think overall it will end up working out.

I don't think I could have made the decision to go back to a university in the same light. I give Hoffner credit for doing that. I hope for his sake, his wife, and his children that it ends up being the right decision for them.

*You can reach Jerry at Jerry@espn991.com, or on Twitter @Jerrysworld991*

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