Welcome to the Monday after. Larry Coker was let go Friday morning and it seems to have started a trend. Three days later more coaches heads have been put on the chopping block since and it’s time for Miami to make a move. The Canes are currently on the clock.
Since Friday, some other names have been let go. Dirk Koetter of Arizona State, Chuck Amato of NC State and Mike Shula from Alabama. Months ago Michigan State canned John L. Smith and North Carolina gave John Bunting the boot. I can’t recall a season where more big name programs gave their head coaches the curb sandwich.
Regardless of what The U pulls off, I hope the top brass files this one under “early bird gets the worm.” The Tar Heels locked Butch Davis down a few weeks back and today, the Spartans got their man, Mark Dantonio of Cincinnati. Neither would’ve been the case has these programs not fired Bunting and Smith during the regular season.
Miami, Arizona State, NC State and Alabama all waited until the final hour and now all have full plates going into potential bowl games and recruiting season. Regarding each scenario, there was a case to have fired Coker, Koetter, Amato and Shula down the stretch, yet all programs waited.
Kudos to Michigan State and North Carolina for doing their dirty work in season as both have landed coaches which are huge upgrades from who they had in charge.
I could care less what Arizona State, NC State and Alabama decide to do in their hunt for a new head coach. I only bring them up because they’re overcrowding the available seats on the coaching carousel. Any coach looking at Miami now has more leverage and options.
One plus for Miami is the hiring of Chuck Neinas, a consultant/headhunter type who will help the Canes nail down their top guy. He’ll research candidates The U has targeted and he’ll also assemble a list of his own, based on traits Paul Dee and Donna Shalala are looking for in the school’s next head coach.
Neinas is the X-Factor here, for numerous reasons. The firing of Coker and hiring of Neinas is a bold move by Shalala. Many were whispering that she was happy with Coker maintaining the program, graduating players and keeping their noses clean as well as the shared revenue deal as a member of the ACC.
If football wasn’t some sort of a priority at The U, Shalala could’ve gone against the grain and brought Coker back for one more season. Instead, he was fired 12 hours after the 17-14 win over Boston College.
This could all be a ruse and smoke screen, appearing to do a nationwide search and then bringing in old chum Barry Alvarez, but all signs are pointing to Miami putting the full court press on Rutgers’ Greg Schiano. Schiano and his Scarlet Knights are gearing up for their season finale at West Virginia this coming weekend, so don’t expect much “Schiano to Miami” chatter over the next week. If this thing has any legs, we’ll hear about it hours after the bowl selection show next Sunday on FOX.
From everything I’ve heard and read, Miami is prepared to make Schiano an offer he can’t refuse. He’ll be compensated financially and a promise will be in place to upgrade the facilities. Rutgers will most likely match this in their attempt to keep Schiano in New Jersey, but at day’s end it’ll come down to his drive and desire as a head coach.
Despite what he has said publicly, folks I’ve spoke with close to the Miami program have stated that Schiano has verbally expressed interest in hearing what The U can offer. He’s no dummy. Rutgers will only take an up and coming coach so far. If Schiano has big time aspirations, he needs to be part of a big time program.
Should Schiano not find what he’s looking for at The U, there are a few other names which have been dangled out there.
>>> Steve Spurrier seemed the shoo-in candidate for about 36 hours two weeks ago. Those flames seem to have simmered, making it much ado about nothing – or proving that Spurrier and his people know how to keep things under wraps. I don’t think Spurrier will wind up at Miami, but I also wouldn’t put it past him to pull this off.
>>> Barry Alvarez is currently Miami’s second choice, I believe. He’s the safe play if Schiano turns The U down. I can see Shalala talking Alvarez into returning to coaching, making a run for a few years and then transferring over to AD after Dee steps down or is fired. That said, if Neinas can collect come solid info and interest regarding lesser-name candidates, that could push Alvarez to the back burner.
>>> Steve Kragthrope doesn’t have the sexy name or resume, but he’s done a helluva job with a nothing Tulsa program. He’s also received a ringing endorsement from former Miami AD, Sam Jankovich. Jankovich believes Kragthorpe can be this generation’s Jimmy Johnson, an up and comer waiting in the wings for a big time opportunity. Jankovich was one of a few architects of the Miami Dynasty and if Kragthorpe is OK by him, he’s OK by me.
>>> Gary Patterson has done a good job at TCU, though some feel he’s just maintaining the program that Dennis Franchione built between 1998-2000. In his six seasons with the Horned Frogs, Patterson put together four seasons with 1-2 losses. Is he ready for that next level or was he just a “right place, right time” hire at TCU? We’ll see.
>>> Mike Leach is a name I’ve read on message boards, though no one from Miami has contacted him as of yet, which I find surprising. With a high-octane offense, all Leach needs is a defensive coordinator and some in roads to recruit South Florida and he’d be set. I wonder if Neinas will contact his agent or if he’s completely off Miami’s radar.
Is there anyone I’ve left off this list? Probably. If so, please chime in below in the comments section and let me know who you think should be the next head coach at Miami… and if anyone mentions a Johnson return, I’m gonna slap you.
The JJ we all knew and loved is long gone. Click here if you don’t believe me. Hardly the coaching legend who won rings in Miami and Dallas. I’d ask JJ to make me a Mai Tai before I asked him to head back to Coral Gables and return The U to prominence. Think outside the box, people. No retreads. Give us something to chew on here.
There are tons of coaching options out there. Think of some legit ones. Not crap like, “I heard Bill Belichick was uphappy with the Kraft family and wants out of New England…”
More to come this busy week. Stay tuned.
.:Canes305:.