832 days. That’s how long it took Larry Coker to land his next head coaching gig after the University of Miami finally let him go late November 2006. Let us proudly introduce to you the new head coach of the University of Texas – San Antonio. From a Hurricane to a Roadrunner.
For those keeping score, this is now the fourth head coaching gig in 38 years for Coker. Before landing the cushiest of cushy gigs at UM in 2001, Coker was the head coach for Claremore High School (1977-1978) and Fairfax High (1971-1976), both in Oklahoma.
Where are all the folks – mostly in the national media – who stood by Coker as a coach earlier this decade? When Miami fans saw the writing on the wall around 2003-2004, where are those who claimed Coker was a quality head coach, quick to spout off biased stats? “You don’t fire a guy who went 24-0 and won a national championship his first year.”
The hell you don’t.
35-3 with your predecessors talent, three straight BCS games, two straight title games, one championship and another given away versus 25-12 the next three years, two Peach Bowls, a Blue Turf bowl and some lopsided, embarrassing losses. Not to mention the inability to recruit his own backyard and develop the talent he did reel in. What more do you need to know?
For those quick to Coker’s defense, why did it take over two seasons for him to get back in the game. Furthermore, how come the best head coaching opp on the table was upstart University of Nowheresville Texas?
Congrats to Larry (I guess….). This chapter is finally closed.