Randy Shannon is 44, and the only two years he ever lived outside of Miami was as a Dallas Cowboys linebacker. Other than that, he has spent his entire adult life as a Miami Hurricanes player, assistant and head coach.
When hired four years ago, he vowed to clean up a program that landed on the police blotter as often as the sports section. His players had nary an arrest, and Miami has the nation’s third-highest APR (Academic Progress Rate) behind Army and Navy.
Today, he’s fired. His 28-22 record, including 16-16 in the ACC, wasn’t good enough.
Miami’s 23-20 OT loss to visiting South Florida, an 11 1/2-point underdog, in front of 26,369 fans was the final straw.
The Hurricanes improved from 5-7 to 7-6 to 9-4 under Shannon but, picked to win the ACC Coastal this year, finished 7-5 (5-3 in league play). Florida State, on the rebound under new coach Jimbo Fisher, drilled them 45-17. Then they lost to last-place Virginia.
Before Saturday’s game, a plane flew over Miami’s Sun Life Stadium with a banner reading “4 YEARS 0 ACC TITLES LOTS OF EXCUSES FIRE SHANNON.”
Possible replacements mentioned include Georgia coach Mark Richt, a former Hurricanes quarterback; ex-Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, who’s spending his buyout in nearby Key West; defensive coordinator Brent Venables of Oklahoma, where Miami athletic director Kirby Hocutt worked from 1999-2005; and Houston coach Kevin Sumlin.
John Henderson, The Denver Post
