When you’re Alabama and Miami, you’re not used to being told “no.” But what you are getting accustomed to this year is losing. That’s why the two one-time powers, standing 6-6 and not happy, aren’t letting a mass of rejections stop them from pursuing big names for their vacant coaching jobs.
Let’s see. Alabama has been turned down by South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier, West Virginia’s Rich Rodriguez, Wake Forest’s Jim Grobe, Navy’s Paul Johnson, Louisville’s Bobby Petrino and the Miami Dolphins’ Nick Saban. Alabama officials deny reports they have gone to Bear Bryant’s grave with a psychic and a coach’s whistle.
Miami has been turned down by Rutgers’ Greg Schiano and Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville. It is possible the Hurricanes could lose a candidate to the winless school across town.
They’re not alone, however. Eight Division I-A jobs are open. Watch for movement – or, at least, more posturing – next week after the regular season and league championship games conclude.
Here’s a look at the openings, in order of profile:
Alabama: The only coach known to have shown an interest is Mike Sherman, the Houston Texans’ assistant head coach and former head coach of the Green Bay Packers.
To say this is an important hire is to say Bryant left his mark on Alabama. The website of The Tuscaloosa News and its surrounding chain had a record 1.6 million hits Monday, when Mike Shula was fired, and the total went up for three consecutive days.
The Crimson Tide’s preferred target appears to be Spurrier, who is making $1.8 million. Alabama reportedly will open the coffers for whatever it takes. Rodriguez might be approachable as he’s making “only” $1 million a year, but he’s signed through 2012 and was born and raised in West Virginia.
Miami: Athletic director Paul Dee on Wednesday said, “We have a strong interest in Randy Shannon.” That’s one way to keep one of the nation’s hottest defensive coordinators from jumping to 0-11 Florida International, where his son, Xavier, is the starting center.
Except for a two-year stint playing for the Dallas Cowboys, Randy Shannon has spent his entire life in South Florida. He would be a natural.
Also high on the list remains Schiano, the miracle worker at Rutgers. He served as Miami’s defensive coordinator in 1999-2000, but as the only I-A school in New Jersey, Rutgers might now be a better job than Miami. Still, it is believed Miami will approach him after his final regular-season game Saturday at West Virginia.
One big name who has not turned it down is Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez. Miami president Donna Shalala hired him as football coach when she was at Wisconsin, and he has told people he misses coaching. But he does have a sweet deal as AD, and he won’t come cheap.
North Carolina State: Tennessee offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe, who coached Peyton and Eli Manning and helped build them into first-round draft picks, is interested. He knows North Carolina recruiting, having signed quarterback great Heath Shuler for Tennessee in 1990.
The Wolfpack brass is staying tightlipped, but if Norm Chow isn’t on their list he should be. The Tennessee Titans’ offensive coordinator coached N.C. State’s Philip Rivers into a future Chargers star and has two Heismans on his résumé in USC quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart.
Chow also might be out of a job if the 4-7 Titans don’t improve.
Other possible candidates are Navy’s Paul Johnson, a native of Newland, N.C., and a Western Carolina grad, and former Colorado assistant Steve Logan, 69-58 and five bowls in 11 years at East Carolina.
Arizona State: Chow, who worked under AD Lisa Love when both were at USC, has shown interest, and so has Titans assistant head coach David McGinnis, a former Arizona Cardinals coach. No one reportedly has been contacted.
Arizona State can’t afford to pay much more than $1 million, which rules out the A List. The Sun Devils would prefer a head coach from a BCS conference, and they could afford Boston College’s Tom O’Brien, who’s making $730,000 and flirted with the University of Washington job two years ago.
USC coach Pete Carroll recommended co-offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, which makes Sun Devils fans wonder what Carroll really thinks of Sarkisian. Wouldn’t Tempe be a nice place for former CU coach Gary Barnett to land?
Cincinnati: It wants a new coach by Christmas, and interim head coach Pat Narduzzi has said he needs to know by Wednesday whether they’ll drop his interim tag. Predecessor Mark Dantonio has invited him to be his defensive coordinator at Michigan State, where all the other Bearcats assistants have gone.
One candidate might be Akron’s J.D. Brookhart, whom Cincinnati AD Mike Thomas hired while there but Brookhart’s star dropped after a 5-7 record.
Tulane: It’s early. Chris Scelfo was fired Tuesday. But West Virginia offensive coordinator Calvin Magee, a New Orleans native, is reportedly interested, as is Patrick Nix, the Georgia Tech offensive coordinator and former Auburn quarterback.
Scelfo’s firing was based on finances as much as his 4-8 record. Tulane averaged only 18,942 fans, and it must raise funds to bring back sports shelved after Hurricane Katrina.
North Texas: Seeking a more wide-open offense, North Texas has contacted Pat Sullivan, Alabama-Birmingham’s assistant head coach and former TCU coach. Expressing interest has been Eric Price, offensive coordinator at Texas-El Paso; Bill Maskill, head coach at Division II Midwestern State; and Curtis Modkins, Georgia Tech’s running backs coach.
Florida International: Shannon would be a major coup, but other names mentioned have been Georgia defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, a former Miami defensive back; Mario Cristobal, Miami’s offensive line coach and one of its top recruiters; and Alex Wood, Arkansas’ quarterback coach and former head coach at I-AA James Madison.
TEXAS TWO-STEP
LONGHORNS TO DO THE QB SHUFFLE?
There’s no question Colt McCoy had a great freshman year for Texas. However, it was too great for Texas’ quarterback depth.
Jevan Snead, the other highly touted freshman quarterback whom McCoy beat out in August, plans to transfer.
Snead could have been needed in the Longhorns’ bowl game. McCoy, who broke the school record with 27 touchdown passes along with 2,262 yards on 69 percent passing, suffered nerve injuries to his neck and shoulder. But Brad McCoy, Colt’s father, told the Austin American-Statesman that Colt has improved considerably and should play in the bowl, likely the Alamo or Gator.
In eight games of backup work, Snead hit 26-of-49 passes for 371 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He has not yet asked to be released from his scholarship. Schools Snead is reportedly considering are Louisville, Texas Christian and Houston. Texas (9-3) has one quarterback redshirting in Sherrod Harris and has oral commitments from John Brantley and John Chiles, both five-star recruits.
