Former UC coach let go in Buffalo

On Monday afternoon I sat in the video office at UC and happened to have some time to look back at some of my older blog posts. In May I wrote about Joe Tresey, former UC defensive coordinator, who at the time ad just secured a job in the UFL with the Omaha Nighthawks. I mentioned that coach Tresey was, “My favorite Bearcat assistant coach of all time.”

In my four years here, he definitely was near the top of the list. But after giving it a few minutes’ thought, I’d have to say my favorite assistant coach I’ve had the opportunity to work with here in Cincinnati was former UC quarterbacks coach Greg Forest.

Forest (pictured here next to Zach Collaros before the Syracuse game in 2009) was UC's quarterbacks coach from 2007 to 2009. He left Cincinnati for Buffalo in 2010.

He was friendly, approachable, and often would go out to lunch with us (the video staff). He especially endeared himself to yours truly with his love of NASCAR, and often times we’d sit in the office and discuss NASCAR, leaving my co-workers shaking their heads.

In July of 2009, we spent an hour on pit road at Kentucky Speedway during ARCA qualifying chatting about everything under the sun. Football didn’t matter at that time; NASCAR did. It didn’t matter to Forest that we, the video staff, were usually ignored by everyone. He made us feel like we truly were a part of the team.

So, I was shocked when I found out—ironically enough via Twitter—that Forest, who was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University at Buffalo, was fired by head coach Jeff Quinn. Quinn also fired wide receivers coach Juan Taylor.

“It’s never easy in this business to make changes to your coaching staff, but at this time I feel like we needed a change of direction in these areas,” Quinn said in a statement released by the school. “I’d like to thank Greg and Juan for their contributions to UB football and wish them nothing but success in the future.”

A week ago I wrote that college football was turning into a, “What have you done for me lately?” world. Apparently, in Buffalo, Forest’s first year as offensive coordinator wasn’t good enough for first-year head man Jeff Quinn.

Quinn and Forest have coached together since the early 1990s under Brian Kelly at Grand Valley State. Quinn and Forest followed Kelly to Central Michigan and Cincinnati, but were snubbed when Kelly made to move to South Bend last year.

Forest tweeted last night, “I want to thank all the people that are giving me support. I appreciate all that everyone has done for me.”

Given all the coaching openings and transitions occurring right now in college football, I have a great feeling that the man we called “G Money” will land somewhere. I wish we had an opening at UC. I’d love to have him back.

There is a NASCAR race in Kentucky in July. I guarantee “G Money” would love to join me in Sparta…again.