A whole ‘lot of Coker going on…

Am I crazy (don’t answer that) or am I hearing the name Larry Coker way too much lately? I say way too much in the sense that the former Miami coach and current ESPN U analyst seems to be getting a lot of press coverage for a guy out of work regarding his profession.

Coker is a decent man, he had a great record at Miami, et al. I get it. I just don’t get why this past month has been full of sports reporters sitting down with the ex Canes coach to discuss his thoughts on why he was fired and what his next move it. I’ve seen no less than a half dozen articles or quips this week alone.

There was a blurb in the Herald today where Coker was asked his thoughts on Kirby Freeman being named the starter over Kyle Wright. Coker stated he was “not totally shocked, but a little surprise” and stated, “He apparently had a great off season and I think the players identify with Kirby and his leadership.”

Huh? Does the media really think anyone cares about how the former coach feels about who this year’s starting quarterback is at The U? Why not call Jimmy Johnson and Howard Schnellenberger and ask how they feel about Kirby v. Kyle.

Look, Coker was a good guy. We won a title in 2001, choked one away/had one stolen in 2002 and made our third straight BCS game a year later on his watch. That said 12-0, 12-1 and 11-2 became 9-3, 9-3 and 7-6. Personally, I’m shocked when I read that our former coach can’t fathom why he was let go, pleading his case and regurgitating overall stats instead of seeing the decline the past three seasons. The Canes were eroding from within. Change was necessary.

LC in the booth for the Marshall game makes absolutely zero sense to me. Coker was fired after the season finale, yet stuck around to coach the bowl game. Understandable on a personal level, thought it makes little sense regarding the direction of the program. The Canes haven’t seen the field since that game and now Coker will be in the booth calling Randy Shannon’s first game when he’s still bitter over being fired? Makes no sense to me.

I equate it to your girlfriend dumping you for someone else and you offering to chauffeur the new couple around. Bow out gracefully, head held high. Don’t stick around so closely to watch this new chapter develop.

There’s a team out there who’d benefit from Coker’s expertise. Hopefully come 2008 he’ll be back on another sideline and out of the booth on game day.

In my humble opinion, there needs to be some separation between the old coach’s firing and Miami’s first game in the non-Coker era. Coach Shannon doesn’t deserve to have his former boss critiquing his every move game one.

.:Canes305:.

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