Category: Bob Stoops

Could A Stoops Brother Coach Miami’s Canes?

Posted on by C. Bello

The more I’m thinking about this Mike Stoops thing, the more I am liking everything about it. A few days back I blogged about Bob Stoops, his run at Oklahoma and how Miami needs a coach in that mold.

If we can’t have Bob, give me Mike. Seriously. It has to be the next best thing. I’ve seen what he’s done at Arizona these past few years. The guy has some fire and the more I think about it, the more I think this is the only move for Miami to make.

You can make a case for or against anyone else in the mix right now. Randy Shannon? No experience, but can recruit Florida. Mike Leach? All offense, no defense, loves pirates and can recruit Texas. Steve Kragthorpe and Gary Patterson? Nice resumes, but smaller schools.

The Stoops family knows coaching. It’s in the blood. Bob made the first splash as defensive coordinator at Florida, winning the 1996 National Championship. Oklahoma recruited him away in 1999 and a season later, National Champions.

Brother Mike was side by side with Bob as defensive coordinator from 1999-2003 at OU. Before that, together at Kansas State, where their careers overlapped for three years. These guys have played, lived, breathed and now, coached football for the majority of their lives.

The Stoops coaching tree at Oklahoma produced some current Division-I head coaches. Mark Mangino (Kansas), Chuck Long (San Diego State) and Leach (Texas Tech) all cut their teeth at Oklahoma.

Mike was the other on the staff to get the call, earning his brother’s praise.

“I say this in a humble way,” Bob said when Mike was named Arizona’s coach. “There’s nobody more like me than him.”

The Stoops are a close-knit football family.

So is Miami.

Paul Dee, do what you have to do. This is your guy. You need proof? Look at the lineage and the resume. Mike Stoops is ready for his shot. Bob got a big program like Oklahoma. It needed some fine-tuning, but it was still OU. Mike got Arizona. A fixer-upper in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Talk about the wrong time to attempt a rise as a Pac-10 power, 2004, when Southern Cal hit back-to-back title games and Cal was a force. This Stoops didn’t stand a chance in the desert. He’s done all he can do there. This year, two upsets – Cal and Oregon. For a lower end Pac-10 program, this team rose up on a few occasions.

Imagine what a Stoops can do with these Canes.

That’s not a knock on Leach, Kragthorpe, Schiano, Patterson, Rodriguez or Shannon. All solid, but there’s something about each of them which I question. I don’t know what it is, but I think the Stoops family could turn things around in Coral Gables.

Mark Stoops is defensive coordinator at Arizona. Before that, he was the Canes secondary coach from 2001-2003. This Stoops has a national championship ring. He should have two, but Ohio State jacked his other one. He knows the Miami culture. He’s recruited here.

Mark, I hope you’re in Mike’s ear telling him about how The U is ripe for the taking. Bob better be in the other ear telling him to go balls out to get this. Which could also explain the conference calls “Stoops” and Miami have had this past week.

Miami talking to Bob about Mike? Miami talking to Bob about Leach? Miami talking to Bob about Bob? That was the initial reaction courtesy of Internet rumors, but $3.4M things stand in the way of that ever happening.

If “Bob” is sold out, give me a “Mike” and throw in a “Mark” to even it out. Two Stoops for the price of one? I’ll take it. And so would some current Miami assistants, I assume. All these rumors of Mario Cristobal leaving for FIU? I think those go right out the window if the right guy takes over. Mike Stoops is the right guy and brother Mark knows the lay of the land.

It almost sounds too poetic after the hellish season Miami endured.

After 6-6, this coaching hire is our bowl game. Forget Boise. That’s now Larry Coker’s funeral. This hire is the official turning point. The first day of a new era. It time to be optimistic after a season which was on life-support since losing at Louisville mid-September.

Swoop in and save a recruiting class. Give us something to look forward to in spring. Make 2007 exciting. That’s my only expectation. After 6-6, I’m sort of numb to records and standings. I just want to see Miami competitive, confident and sporting a coaching staff with the better game plan than the other guys.

The Canes have been outcoached too many times to remember since losing the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. Miami’s staff lost their mojo that night and never regained it. The assistants got the boot in 2005 and this year it’s Coker and ther rest. This program needs new blood. Hell, even Coker stated that on his way out at his press conference.

Miami needs a shot of Stoops. Make it a double. Mike and Mark. Cherry pick the right guys from this current staff, hit the recruiting trail and turn this thing around.

The Canes aren’t that far off. This team is a coaching staff away from being something solid.

Make it happen, Dee. Chuck Neinas just earned his check and found your guy.

.:Canes305:.

Mike Leach To Take Over Miami Hurricanes?

Posted on by C. Bello

Mike Leach to Miami? We’ll see. But it’s definitely the latest stop in Rumorville.

Word is Paul Dee met with Leach this evening in New York. Both are in town for the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame event. Several coaches are in attendance, so Miami is making the rounds.

Word on other sites is that things could move quickly here. One report had Leach’s agent has being contacted to speed up the process.

“Leach to Miami” would also shed some light on the rumors of Miami being in contact with Bob Stoops recently. Both sides have been talking, but no one has confirmed if this is a recommendation for Leach, or is Miami talking-talking to Stoops?

Earlier I read Miami could have a new coach as early as Tuesday. The latest reports now say the meeting was informal, but that talks could heat up.

I don’t know if Leach is the 3rd, 4th or 5th choice for The U, but with so many coaching vacancies out there, Miami can’t sleep at the wheel. But it also can’t overreact either.

Miami can’t knee-jerk their way into a hire. Coker got the boot ten days ago and consultant Chuck Neinas was hired to show everyone Miami means business. This is a nationwide search. It’s time to swing for the fences and get that A-list guy.

Leach is a B-list guy with an A-list offense. This job would make him or expose him.

A Monday morning meeting with Greg Schiano, turned down by lunch. A dinner meeting with Leach and talks are turning serious? That’s too quick for a headhunter to take Miami’s wish list, merge it with his own, contact all candidates, review information, discuss with the administration and make a decision.

College football’s regular season ended two days ago. Most coaches can’t discuss other offers until the post-season. Miami is officially 48 hours into the process. They can’t be at a point where they’re already offering the position to Leach. Can they? Is he that impressive or are Dee and Donna Shalala that desperate?

On Monday, Stanford canned Walt Harris and Louisiana Tech fired Jack Bicknell. Two more to add to the growing list of programs looking to hire new leaders in a hurry.

Miami doesn’t have to be desperate. Let Neinas do his job, interview a handful of guys, mull it over and make a play in the next ten days.

Unless you have that “ace in the hole” signed, sealed and delivered.

.:Canes305:.

Greg Schiano Turns Down Miami Hurricanes

Posted on by C. Bello

ESPN reported that Greg Schiano officially turned down Miami today, deciding to take the $20M Rutgers offered and run. You go, Greg. $2M a year for 10 years is hard to turn down. Plus, you were NEVER going to see a ten year commitment out of The U. Not after one good year at Rutgers.

I’ve received a ton of emails from Scarlet Knight faithful attempting to break balls about Miami being “turned down” by Schiano, as if that’s an indictment on The U. Please. If Schiano put these rumors to rest by lunch on Monday that tells you two things, (1) he wasn’t all that interested and (2) Paul Dee didn’t pursue him vigorously.

If Miami threw it all at Schiano, this thing would’ve taken a few days to mull over. You don’t turn down a multi-million dollar deal over a hoagie. You let it sink in a bit. The way it all played out today, this meeting seemed like it was just a formality.

I’ve been on the phone this morning, curious to get to the bottom of things and a few different sources have reported the same name back to me, Bob Stoops.

While I have NO CLUE how Miami will compete for one of the game’s highest paid coaches, there are some signs (albeit far fetched at this point) which could point to Stoops being Miami’s guy.

>>> The talk has been of a “high profile” coach coming to Miami. Schiano and Steve Spurrier were mentioned early on and seemed to fit the bill. Spurrier used Miami for leverage (once a Gator…) and Schiano merely seemed logical based on ties to The U and the fact he’s a an up and coming coach.

Both names were thrown out there to feed the masses the past few weeks. People devoured anything Spurrier or Schiano related, but at day’s end neither had merit.

Stoops has been contacted by Miami. We know that much. What hasn’t been confirmed is the purpose of the call. Is Stoops a candidate or a sounding board? He did employ Mike Leach as offensive coordinator (1999-2000) his first two seasons at Oklahoma. Was this a brain-picking session regarding Leach, or is Stoops that “big name” guy the Miami boosters wanted and have kept mum on?

I don’t know if there’s any merit to this Stoops talk. I’m going on a tip that Miami and the Oklahoma head coach have been in discussions since last Thursday. What that means, we’ll find out soon enough.

There are $3,400,000 reasons why I don’t believer Stoops would bail Oklahoma for Miami, but I’ll play devil’s advocate below:

>>> If this plays out, then Chuck Neinas stayed true to form and was worth every dollar. Neinas helped bring Stoops to OU years back and helped bring Urban Meyer to Florida in 2004. He knows how to work with big name coaches, top universities and every article I’ve read mentions how discreet he is in the process.

Because this is so under the radar, it deserves some consideration. Speculation is that “Spurrier to Miami” blew up when the media got a hold of it. If Stoops is Miami’s ace in the hole, that news is being held close to the vest and these other coaching rumors are just a smoke screen.

>>> Random message board rumors have mentioned Stoops being frustrated with the booster situation at OU and the events leading to QB Rhett Bomar’s dismissal. Others say Carol Stoops is over Norman and is ready for change. The Stoops own a condo in South Florida, so they obviously dig the area.

Pure speculation? Absolutely but after eight seasons in the midwest, it’s not far fetched for the Stoops to be thinking change and trek back to the Sunshine State. The most dominant program in Florida awaits. Howard called it The State of Miami.

Christy Schiano supposedly didn’t care for South Florida, which obviously played into her husband’s decision to stick around New Jersey. Don’t underestimate a wife’s influence whether Coach stays or goes.

>>> Miami message boards are reporting that Dee is in New York today conducting interviews at The National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame. Coaches and athletic directors from across the nation are all gathered in this centralized location. Stoops and Leach are both at the event. Dee will talk to one or both of them.

>>> After Stoops, I’m not sure what Miami is thinking outside of a current NFL guy, if they’re still thinking “big name” head coaching hire. Leach continues to get press, but that’s because he’s the only one vocal about wanting the opportunity. As of this morning Leach stated that no one from Miami has contacted him, but who knows? His interest level alone might vault him to the #2 guy. He told a mutual friend of ours that he’d “gnaw off his arm” for a chance to coach The U.
That’s exactly the kind of guy Miami needs.

>>> Randy Shannon is still a viable candidate, but I believe that’s only if plans A, B and C fall through. Shannon had to be publicly named in an effort to keep other schools at arm’s length. The premise of Leach’s offense with Shannon’s defense would be a helluva fit, but is that too many egos under one roof? Shannon will get offered a head coaching job somewhere. Miami would have to sweeten the pot to keep him around as a coordinator. More money and the Assistant Head Coach title, you’d think.

>>> More to come, but for now make note; Stoops is a viable candidate. There’s enough stuff floating around out there to warrant throwing his name in the mix. Bear with me, Sooners.

It’s highly unlikely Miami lands an A-list guy like this. But it’s a dream scenario and Miami is at a huge turning point regarding the program’s future. The Canes don’t just need a hire, they need a proven entity who’s not a retread.

Stoops got his first title at Florida in 1996. He knows the state and how to recruit it. Took over a national power in Oklahoma. Won a title year two. Solid teams year in and year out, he’s possibly coming off of his greatest coaching feat yet.

10-2 and a BCS berth after dimissing Bomar, getting robbed of a win at Oregon and losing would-be Heisman winner, Adrian Peterson to a busted collarbone weeks back. Stoops kept his team focused and they got a hell of a consolation prize in a “down” year; a Fiesta Bowl berth against Boise State.

Stoops has the resume of an old timer.

He’s only 46.

The guy’s in his prime. Does he want a new challenge or is he set to stay put? We’ll see.

Either way, you don’t let something like this out of the bag until it’s a done deal. Not with a big name, big money guy like this. “Stoops to Miami” is out of left field, but until he officially says he’s not a candidate, my interest will remain piqued.

The more this is playing out, the more I believe Stoops was Miami’s #1 option after firing Coker. Spurrier and Schiano were thrown in so the media would muck up the waters. This could be the calm before the storm. The Canes are pursuing the Sooners top dog. Does Dee have enough in the tank to lure Stoops back to the Sunshine State? Let’s see how it all unfolds.

>>> OU folks already flooding the Inbox, let’s clarify a few things. I am not reporting this as a done deal. I got a tip, I read some rumors and I’m connecting the dots from a Miami fan’s perspective.

Two Miami sources mentioned Stoops to me. When I posted it on CanesTime, I got a few PMs from guys close to The U who told me the same thing. Does that give it legs? Who the hell knows.

I’m just reporting what I heard this weekend. Stoops is talking to Miami. Whether that’s to recommend Leach or to test the waters for himself, we’ll see.

Until then, let us Miami folk speculate.

We’re bored as hell and less than thrilled about New Year’s in Boise.

.:Canes305:.