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.
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Amen. Well said. The LC is a nice person, but a bad head coach. He'll get a few years at UTSA because he can use the excuse, "It's a new program" when the team still stinks after 5 years.
Larry (Beetle Juice) Choker, will be the best coach the University of Texas-San Antonio has ever seen!....HAHAHAHahahahaaaaaa
You underestimate the prestige that comes with being the head coach for the mighty Claremore Fighting Zebras.
I never knew it was open!
I never knew it was open!
Oh it was open.
Everytime I had to tune into a Canes game on ESPN U over the past two seasons and listen to that old codger commentating a game... talking about players he recruited, how he did things at Miami, etc. Now that he's gainfully employed again, we don't have to listen to his drivel over a telecast, where he was basically pimping himself for a new gig by reminding everyone that he used to be the guy at The U. Good riddance.
Listen, I wanted Coker outta here just as bad as everyone else, but I still have respect for the man. He always seemed like a real nice guy (probably too nice for a head coach), and it's nice to see good things happen to good people, such as when he won the title with Butch's players. That being said, I wish all the luck in the world to Larry and his family in San Antonio. Considering the odds of him getting another high-profile head coaching gig are slim to none, I hope he's able to have some success out west.
So not even 1 D1 college in the entire NCAA, big conferences or small, wanted this guy.
He's coaching a football team, whose season begins in 2011.
This is how BAD coach Clapper is.
Thank goodness he got another gig and we will not be punished further with his "color" commentary during Canes games. Seems like he just WOULD,,,,,,,NOT,,,,,,,GO,,,,,,,,AWAY!!!!!!!
Only wish here was that it was further away than San Antonio.
Aren't the Aleutian Islands Penguins starting up a program in 2010???
GO LARRY, IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY! GO LARRY, IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY! GO, GO, GO, GO AWAY!!!
Listen, I wanted Coker outta here just as bad as everyone else, but I still have respect for the man. He always seemed like a real nice guy (probably too nice for a head coach), and it's nice to see good things happen to good people, such as when he won the title with Butch's players.
When I talk about Coker here, I'm not judging Coker 'the man' - I judge Coker 'the head coach'... where he failed miserably.
Larry is a good man, but was a horrible head coach. Right down to the end of the 2005 season when he cut bait and fired long-time guys like Don Soldinger and Art Kehoe in an effort to save his own ass.
Fast forward to the off-season when the admin wants Rich Olson to return to Miami to run the offense and Coker wanted his guy Todd Berry. Olson and Berry never saw eye to eye and it caused a rift that lasted the entire 2006 season.
Of course the offensive woes started two years prior in 2004 when Rob Chudzinski left and Coker promoted the inept Dan Werner to OC. No outside search whatsoever. LC simply promoted a quarterback coach who didn't have the resume to be Miami's OC. He acted more like a friend than he did a head coach. He didn't want to make the tough decisions. He didn't want to hurt feelings and conduct and outside search... part of which led to his demise.
Add in the fact there was never a recruiting coordinator, there were no relationships built with local coaches and high schools (something Coker saw Butch Davis do from 1995-2000) and you can now see why Miami fell apart on his watch.
Also, I have a hard time "feeling bad" for someone who was making over a million dollars a year, didn't do their job and was STILL earning a check after they were let go.
Coker was given a dream job and he blew it. Compare that to Shannon, who was given his dream job and is working tirelessly to rebuild things the right way -- recruiting South Florida, assembling a solid staff, heeding the advice of Jimmy Johnson, Bill Parcells, Pete Carroll, etc.
Shannon was also a first time head guy and he's been learning on the job and has spent the past two years continuing to improve. He's an up and comer who is ready to shine. He's not afraid of tough decisions, as proven when he fired his friend Tim Walton. Business is business.
Coker was an over the hill, perennial #2 guy that never went after a head coaching gig until one fell into his lap. Simply put, he never put in the legwork required as a head coach at the highest level.
An under the radar job at a piss-ant school like UTSA is perfect for him. Low expectations and he can coast on his reputation.