What’s with this new trend in college football?

Coaches are receiving, for lack of a better term, delayed firings.
A week ago, Washington’s coach Tyrone Willingham was asked to leave — after the season, that is.

And according to reports Monday, Tennessee’s Phillip Fulmer will not return to UT in 2009, but he will finish out the 2008 season.
What’s with this?

Without its stealthy surprise, the whole “ya fired” idea loses its cache.

The concept was so cool Donald Trump built an entire television show around it. Heck, the phrase’s swiftness even deflected the attention from his 'do.

But I digress.

Sure Willingham and Fulmer deserved the axe — UW is 0-8, UT is 3-6. But why wouldn’t athletic directors in the Pac-10 and SEC conferences want to move on quickly?

Hiring a new coach, building a foundation and having time for an almost-full recruiting cycle would seem to take precedence. (That’s especially important if the schools like the available names: Lane Kiffin anyone?)

Why are athletic directors delaying the inevitable?