Does Gruden rumor have merit?

Former Miami Hurricanes offensive lineman Brett Romberg took to the airwaves on Monday, venting some frustrations about his alma mater.

Romberg’s on-air rant was similar to those of Dan Morgan, Clinton Portis or any other recently interviewed Butch Davis-era recruits. Old school, throwback-type guys who are putting much of the onus on an implied loser’s mentality regarding current players and their inability to sack up, finding a way and get the job done.

Near the end of Romberg’s interview he mentioned former NFL coach and current Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden being interested in the Miami job, should it become available.

On one level, a pipe dream and on the surface, a throwaway comment. Still, it’s also not the first time in the past few weeks the phrase “Gruden” and “mutual interest” mentioned in the same sentence by some folks.

I’m won’t claim ‘sources’, nor will I oversell this latest rumor, but over the past fifteen years of giving Cane-related opinions online, I’ve met some good, in-the-know UM enthusiasts and a handful that I trust have come out of the woodwork independently with the Gruden chat so again, I’ll make mention and you can process accordingly.

Since the Virginia loss there has been a lot of behind the scenes chatter regarding the future of Randy Shannon and Miami football. Talk that the buyout might not be as big a some think, as well as other win/loss-related stipulations. Former players remain unhappy with the way they haven’t been invited back into the fold and others are making their voices heard regarding their displeasure with the current regime.

Toss in the frustrated Board of Trustees members, as well as check-writing boosters and that has the attention of UM’s top brass. (One has to wonder how father and son Theodore and Todd Schwartz feel about the coaching situation and what type of pull their recent $5M athletic department donation gives them.)

Fans have formulated their opinions regarding president Donna Shalala and athletic director Kirby Hocutt, but have done so based on emotion instead of logic. Rumors run rampant about four-loss seasons being tolerable as long as graduation rates are up and arrest rates stay down. There’s a mindset that it’s either all about academics or all about football, with no middle ground.

While Miami did leave the Big East for the Atlantic Coast Conference, favoring more guaranteed money regarding how both TV and bowl game revenues are divvied up, why do some feel that the admin is trading that for season ticket sales, merchandise money and the revenue that is generated across the board for a big time football power? Who’s to say they don’t want both?

President Shalala is building the university into a winner across the board and isn’t the type who settles for mediocrity. You’re talking about a 69-year old woman, born to Lebanese immigrant parents, who worked her ass of and rose to prominence, having now now served as the President of two universities, Chancellor of another and was this country’s Secretary of Health and Human Services for eight years. Her resume is no joke.

Someone that driven in all aspects of life isn’t the type to just roll over and accept second best. Settling isn’t how Shalala got as far as she has and folks need to admit that, despite their thoughts on her politics or policies.

Regarding Miami’s third-year athletic director, you’re talking about an up and coming, barely forty-year old whose career is on the rise. This isn’t Paul Dee mailing it in and riding off into the sunset. Hocutt is building his resume and can’t afford to be taken down by bad coaching hires and sub par win/loss records. His legacy needs to be created at the University of Miami and sitting idly by while the Canes stumble for a second straight year with this level of talent; a mover and shaker isn’t going to just let that happen.

Simply put, Shalala and Hocutt want to build a winner as bad, if not worse than this fan base does. It’s not just a hobby. It’s part of their job description.

Before going any further, let’s state that for the record, no one really knows how this is all going to play out. Not some clown on a message board. Not a big-mouthed fan with a blog. Not a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy.

These are just thoughts and opinions. A long-time enthusiast sizing up the current state of the program and discussing what could and should happen, if some logic is employed. This ain’t gospel and I’m not channeling my inner Barry Jackson, treating this like Herald.com and giving you some unwarranted, biased scoop.

No one saw a four-, five- or six-loss season when pondering where 2010 was headed. Some anti-Randy folk may have ‘predicted’ it, but they’re also the type who called for Clemson, North Carolina and Georgia Tech to stomp Miami out and then went into hiding, never owning their outlandish predictions and choosing not to resurface until after the Virginia Tech loss.

The Sporting News had Miami ranked in the pre-season top five and several others had the Canes a top fifteen team, with opinions varied regarding winning the ACC and getting to a BCS bowl. ESPN’s Desmond Howard went as far as saying Miami would reach the title game but would lose to Alabama.

Some will split hairs over how far UM was slated to go, but 9-4 was a fair starting point based on how last year wrapped, as well as the improvement seen each of the past three seasons. Calling for double-digit wins and a higher tiered bowl game in 2010 was hardly out of line.

This was a do or die year for Randy as the pieces were in place for a solid run. It didn’t have to end with a national championship, but at this point of the season Miami should be relevant, ranked and in control of it’s collective fate in the ACC.

Instead, a watered down version of 2009. Again, four losses and this time, no signature wins. It was also another year of praying for upsets down the stretch regarding a division crown, which shouldn’t have been the case.

Another year where the Canes seem to show up prepared as often as they don’t. Winless against ranked teams (0-3) and unacceptable mistakes week in, week out. Penalties. Turnovers. A lack of consistency and concentration. Miami has become a program that crumbles like lesser teams, whereas it used to step up like great ones do.

Tied 17-17 entering the fourth quarter last Saturday against Virginia Tech, those legendary ‘four fingers’ went up, both in the crowd and on the sidelines. A hand gesture that once used to signify something iconic has now been reduced to a gesture, a cliche.

Fifteen minutes later, the Hokies outscored the Canes, 14-0 and physically wore down a team that used to own that final quarter of football. It was the way titles were won and home-game win streaks were built. These days it’s meaningless – like so many other great UM football traditions and accomplishments.

Coaches, players, administrators and fans – we’re all doing some soul searching as a result.

From the get-go I backed Shannon for a handful of reasons, starting with his desire to take a job few wanted. Local product. Former player. Successful long-time assistant and a guy who not only had strong local ties in a recruiting hotbed, but also knew the blueprint to success, having played under Jimmy Johnson and coached under Butch Davis.

I also made it abundantly clear via this blog that after four to five years, if things weren’t on the up and if Shannon didn’t have this program back where it deserved to be, that I wouldn’t blindly back the man simply because he’s a long-time Cane. The university is bigger than the man and while the the first two years were a wash (due to a lack of talent), year three set the stage for a year four run that simply didn’t happen – which has personally shaken my faith regarding if there should even be a year five.

Shannon took over the most talent-starved Miami team in three decades, full of unheralded starters and nothing close to a three-deep depth chart. Two months on the job, he ‘saved’ the 2007 recruiting class, re-selling Graig Cooper and making sure guys like Allen Bailey, Damien Berry, Leonard Hankerson and DeMarcus Van Dyke stuck around.

Shannon was also responsible for reeling in Robert Marve when Nick Fanuzzi chose Alabama in the wake of Larry Coker’s firing and Nick Saban’s hiring.

A year later, the top-ranked class in the nation, chock full of Northwestern Bulls and Booker T. Washington Tornadoes – players from winning programs, which was a criteria for the type of kids ‘The U’ wanted to recruit.

The foundation was seeming laid. Talent was being stockpiled and was set to be developed. Same with assistant coaches and assembling a quality staff.

Miami was a tough sell year one, which is why guys like Tim Walton and Patrick Nix got their shot. Walton was axed after one and Nix was gone after two. Bill Young was an upgrade and ran the defense for a year before heading back to Oklahoma State for his dream gig. John Lovett took over from there and after two years on the job has had some good and bad moments.

Offensively Nix was replaced by Mark Whipple, who was in every way step up, though has at times proven stubborn and is still trying to find a groove two years in.

All of this a microcosm of The Shannon Era. Some good moves and some bad ones. Some rookie mistakes and some learning on the job, though many issues that occurred year one still persist four years in.

The University of Miami took a chance on Randy and in December 2006, it at the time it absolutely was the right play.

No one truly knew (or cared to admit) how far the program had slipped and the highly-regarded defensive coordinator seemed worth taking a chance on. Especially after UM couldn’t even lure Greg Schiano out of New Jersey for $2M a year and the only other legit candidate was the quirky Mike Leach, who supposedly showed up at his interview in shorts.

Four years later Shannon is no longer a newbie and can’t use the excuse that he’s new to the game. These days a 28-21 record defines him, as well as the fact he hasn’t sniffed an ACC Coastal crown – let alone a conference title – and is 0-2 in bowl games.

In a year where progress was expected, the team regressed. Even if the Canes win out and match last year’s 9-4 record, the wins came against lesser competition, no one worthy was topped and the losses even more embarrassing; most notably the four-touchdown beating at the hands of Florida State and upset by conference bottom dweller Virginia.

Even worse, the foundation Shannon built regarding discipline, accountability and ‘no excuses’ has taken a hit. Upperclassmen are still making rookie mistakes at crucial times, players aren’t being forced to face the music with the media regarding a loss and the excuse machine is in full force.

In the wake of this most recent loss, Shannon cited the Miami schedule – both the out of conference line up, as well as being the only ACC squad who has to face Florida State and Virginia Tech annually. This was on the heels of pinning some game-changing mistakes on depth and injuries, essentially excusing where this program sits late November.

Miami football is again at a crossroads and this time even further removed from it’s last championship. Nine years, to be exact.

With tremendous parity in today’s game and more big money state schools entering the bigger picture, UM can no longer rest on past laurels. UM has to work to remain relevant and the combination of a head coach that not only can’t win big games, but is also anti-media and doesn’t want to glad hand or play the game? Beyond troublesome for the long term.

Winning would absolutely cure all, but four years in and wallowing in mediocrity, who can say with confidence that Miami will be better with Shannon in 2011? It’s time to face facts that things could actually get worse.

All that said, is it time for change? That depends on who’s interested. You don’t change for the sake of change, but if one of the biggest names in recent memory wants a crack at turning things around, you listen.

If there’s any truth to Gruden’s interest, you clean house top to bottom and make what is a ‘gimmie’ hire. Period. The buzz it would create would more than provide a return on the investment. The situation and dynamic could eventually rival Pete Carroll to USC, albeit Gruden has nothing to prove as he earned a Super Bowl ring while Carroll failed with his first NFL stint and needed a successful collegiate experience to validate his coaching legacy.

Word is Gruden is loving life in the Sunshine State. Some think he’ll wind up in Dallas, but why would an established coach – one that’s already endured the insanity of Al Davis – jump into bed with the meddlesome and egotistical Jerry Jones?

Beyond that, Gruden has spent the past year as a volunteer offensive line assistant at Carrollwood Day in Tampa, where his son Deuce rotates between quarterback and strong safety. Head coach Lane McLaughlin, said about Gruden, “He just loves to coach. You can tell he misses the field.”

In life, timing is everything. Opportunities come and go, but the determining factor is usually when in the journey those opportunities present themselves.

If Gruden has that itch, wants to stay in Florida, is enjoying his time working with amateurs (as opposed to entitled pros and hands-on owners) and is looking for a golden goose, it might be waiting for him in Coral Gables. He knows this program’s legacy and has quipped on Monday Night Football broadcasts that UM’s potential, when hitting on all cylinders, is unmatched.

Had Shannon gotten Miami over the hump this year – which for his sake I really wish he did – this wouldn’t even be a discussion. But another four-loss season on the heels of six the year before that, seven in year one and six in Coker’s swan song? The heat is on in Coral Gables, meaning both Shalala and Hocutt need to weigh both sides and see all the angles.

In theory, you can understand the top brass wanting to give Shannon one last do-or-die opportunity. Especially in the wake of a new contract signed earlier this year and what he’s meant to this program over the years.

That said, how often does a Gruden come along and do you risk him not being around in 2012 in an effort not to deal with a buyout? No. Furthermore, “upper level management” needs to see and understand trends. Do you have a winner on your hands and a guy that just needs a little more time – or are you looking at a perennial number two guy who got a shot and simply doesn’t have what it takes to get it done?

These are the infinite details and big time decisions that armchair quarterbacks and knee-jerk reaction fans aren’t equipped to make and it’s why a Shalala and Hocutt got as far as they have in their respective careers. Give them a little more credit until they prove it’s undeserved.

Gruden to ‘The U’ would shake up the college football world and would give this program an energy it hasn’t had since JJ left town. Xs and Os, a Super Bowl ring and a thoroughly impressive resume aside, the upgrade regarding the mouthpiece and face of this program – it’s immeasurable. Boosters would hand over blank checks and Saturdays at Sun Life would become the hottest ticket in town. (Especially if the HEAT continue to tank.) Gruden could be the best pitchman UM has had since Howard Schnellenberger left for the USFL.

It’s not about change for the sake of change. If Miami is going to eat Shannon’s contract and is going to sever ties with a Hurricane lifer three decades in the making, it needs to be the “perfect storm” and that very well could be what’s happening here.

You don’t roll the dice on another unproven first-timer and don’t bring in a short-term guy; one looking to climb the coaching ladder and one who will leave for the next bigger opportunity.

If you’re going to do this, it needs to be the ultimate game changer. Something that will restack the deck in your favor. Something with the potential of Carroll to USC or Saban to Alabama. A name that will steer every on-the-fence recruit your direction and one that can instantly work with the stockpiled talent Miami has accrued the past few seasons.

In all honesty, we as fans are still mulling all this over, but on UM’s front the decision has to have already been made.

A win or loss against South Florida isn’t going to be the deciding factor in Shannon’s future. 7-5 or 8-4 – both are equally as disappointing. Shalala and Hocutt either believe Shannon is the guy to lead Miami back, or see the lack of leadership that many fans see.

Is Gruden truly interested? Can Miami make the numbers work? If not, is there someone else ready to step in? Someone who can hit the ground running, can hit a recruiting home run within two months, can inject some life into the program, can impact ticket sales and can make the most of the talent already assembled for next fall?

I was told last night that all this Gruden talk is “building exponentially” and that some heavy hitters are on board with making this happen. Again, whether this is idle chatter or a tremendous foundation is about to be laid, time will tell.

What do you don’t do is fire Shannon for the sake of firing him. Even worse than a four-loss season; entering the month of December and starting a search for a new coach. It would kill recruiting and there’d be too much pressure to get somebody – anybody – in there to run the show.

As mentioned earlier, a decision has already been made. If a coaching change is on the horizon, it won’t be knee-jerk. Somebody else (re: Gruden) is already in place and this will happen quickly.

Long and short, this fan base will know by Sunday if the Shannon Era comes to a close or if Hurricane Nation will be holding its collective breath for one more season, with more cries of “wait ’til next year”.

Comments

comments