Several names have been thrown around, though there’s a big difference between a legit candidate and just another name. Some are quick say a certain coach turned a program down, but was he ever truly in the running and was he ever offered? Always a misconception and something the media (or rival coaches) can spin.
Another misconception, prestige of one program versus another, without taking intangibles into consideration. Does a west coast guy want to come to Miami? Does a coach’s wife want to relocate to South Florida? Are there kids involved? If so, what are the ages as it’s harder to uproot high school aged kids than it is preschool.
So much more going on than that simple mindset that “we are The U” and any coach in any conference at just about any school should want to leave their current position for what Miami fans deem the pinnacle of college football.
ESPN analyst Mark May was way off when stating that the University of Miami head coaching position is less than desirable and that fans need to kilter expectations regarding their perception of the program. It takes a special breed to want to take on the challenge of succeeding at ‘The U’, but make no mistake – do so and you’ll be revered in Coral Gables, which coaching opportunities on every level will be available when you’re ready to move on.
Butch Davis may have had a string of nine-win seasons, with a 5-6 pitfall in the midst of probation, but one 11-1 run in year six and the Cleveland Browns came calling with big time money – a few years after fans flew a “From champs to chumps, thanks Butch” banner over the Orange Bowl.
Win and you’re atop the college football world, with the NFL knocking at your door; but it all starts with that first initial step.
Below are some names. Some are legit candidates, others are pipe dreams and a few are just some standards names that come up during times like these. Some of these guys might be long timers, while others would see Miami as a stepping stone to the NFL, which is par for the course. Look at Miami’s “Decade of Dominance” where no coach stayed longer than six years.
No idea who athletic director Kirby Hocutt is or isn’t targeting and clueless as to how these coaches would respond if Miami wanted them on board. That said, time to explore and here are some thoughts on these potential candidates:
If Gruden was 1A for namesake, reputation, hype and instant credibility, Harbaugh is 1B for much of the same, as well as proven success at the collegiate level.
What Harbaugh has done at Stanford the past four seasons has been nothing short of amazing. A Pac-10 program with high academic standards, he’s done the exact opposite as Shannon by getting the most out of lesser players, while improving his win total annually and going next-level year four, instead of backsliding and imploding.
Harbaugh cut his teeth at the University of San Diego between 2004 and 2006, going 22-2 his final two seasons before Stanford came calling. Year one with the Cardinal, a 4-8 run though an upset of No. 2 Southern Cal as a 41-point underdog let people know that Harbaugh was for real.
A 5-7 run year two and 8-5 campaign year three have been followed up by an 11-1 season year four, with the lone loss coming on the road, to current No. 2 Oregon. (It marks the first 11-win season in Stanford’s history.)
Harbaugh is forty-six years old and interviewed for the New York Jets head coaching position in January 2009 and is said to have NFL aspirations, but with a NFL lockout potentially looming and Rodriguez still at Michigan for the rest of 2010 – and possibly longer – Hocutt should go at Harbaugh with the same vengeance Miami went at Gruden.
Harbaugh would eventually wind up in the NFL, but if the Canes could get a solid 3-4 years out of a proven winner, it’d keep the program on track for the next guy as Miami would become more than ‘relevant’ in the process.
UPSIDE: Miami could literally double Harbaugh’s current salary if it wanted to … much more talent in South Florida … even with high academic standards for athletes at UM, light years easier to get kids into Miami than Stanford … maximizes talent and gets more out of lesser players.
DOWNSIDE: Harbaugh’s ties to his alma mater, who could be coach-less within a few weeks … aspirations of coaching in the NFL … wife and daughter could be happy in Northern California (sons are college age and out of the house).
Petersen led Boise State to a 14-0 season in 2009, culminating with another Fiesta Bowl win; this time over Texas Christian, who beat BSU a year earlier in the Poinsettia Bowl. The Broncos wrapped up the season No. 4 in the final BCS poll.
Boise State is currently 10-1, having lost to Nevada in overtime last week. The Broncos started the season with a comeback victory over Virginia Tech.
Petersen has been a hot candidate for a few seasons now, politely listening to offers that have come his way, but declining every time. He is said to be motivated by love of family – not money, not winning and not prestige.
“I’ve never been a big one for moving and uprooting your family,” Petersen said in a 2009 interview, when talking about his now 12-year old son Sam, who battled brain cancer as a toddler.
Petersen seems to have a perfect utopia and one can’t imagine a better uprooting than leaving Boise for Miami. He’s probably more of a long-shot than Gruden. Seriously.
A California native and UC Davis former quarterback, alum and wide receivers coach, Petersen has spent one year of his coaching career on the east coast (Pittsburgh quarterbacks coach, 1992) and from there spent time at Portland State (quarterbacks) and Oregon (six years coaching wide receivers) before heading to Boise in 2001 as offensive coordinator under Dan Hawkins, who Petersen replaced in 2006 when Hawkins left for Colorado.
UPSIDE: Petersen can coach, scheme, motivate and win … would definitely be a ‘home run’ hire … made a national name for himself past five seasons and kids nationwide know BSU’s success.
DOWNSIDE: Seems very comfortable in Boise … hasn’t yet proven he’s not a big fish in a little pond … succeeded Hawkins, who failed miserably at Colorado and Hawkins took over for Dirk Koetter, who did very little in his time at Arizona State. Not much of a track record for BSU head coaches taking the reigns at big universities … doesn’t seem to want to leave … unsure if this west coast guy is “Miami” material as it’s completely different culture than he’s ever seen.
Prior to assuming head coaching duties for the ’00 bowl game, Patterson was TCU’s defensive coordinator for three year and was promoted from within after Franchione’s departure.
Patterson has had a few rough seasons at TCU – 6-6 (2001), 5-6 (2004) and 8-5 (2007) – but has been successful every other season at the helm. 11-2 in 2008 ended with a Poinsettia Bowl win over Boise State, followed by a loss to the Broncos a year later in the Fiesta, making for a 12-1 season and No. 6 finish in the BCS standings.
While Boise State fell out of BCS contention with their recent loss to Nevada, it’s been full steam head for TCU in 2010, currently 12-0 and BCS bound, where they’ll finally face an automatic-qualifying bigger conference school in the post-season, forced to prove their mettle.
TCU played two ranked teams this season – No. 24 Oregon State and No. 5 Utah – which was drummed by a putrid Notre Dame squad the following week, taking some luster off the Horned Frogs’ win. TCU suffered a let down the following week, as well, eking out a five-point win over San Diego State.
UPSIDE: Like Petersen, Patterson is a winner and gets the job done – proven by a 35-3 run the past three seasons and back-to-back BCS games … he would also be considered a ‘home run’ hire and is a name that would excite players, fans and recruits … good Xs and Os guy and solid defensive mind.
DOWNSIDE: TCU just signed a deal with the Big East, putting the Horned Frogs in an automatic-qualifier conference, giving Patterson less reason to job hop … paid well by TCU and signed through 2016 … married with three sons and having spent the past thirteen years in the Dallas area, does the Kansas native really want to uproot his family and take over a pressure cooker UM job when he’s Big East bound and can dominate? Probably not … Kansas native and long-time Texas resident, would Patterson’s style fit in South Florida?
From there, a quarterbacks coach under Meyer at Bowling Green, a quarterbacks coach under Meyer at Utah and eventually a four-year run (and two national championships) as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Meyer at Florida. Mullen was Tim Tebow’s quarterback coach and is credited for grooming the eventual Heisman winner.
Mullen accepted the head coaching position at Mississippi State in 2009 and has gone 13-11 over two seasons, improving to 8-4 year two, highlighted by a 10-7 win over his old boss at ‘The Swamp’ and beating rival Ole Miss for a second straight season in the Egg Bowl.
Mullen has publicly stated that he is happy in Starkville, enjoys SEC football and has no NFL aspirations at this point.
UPSIDE: Mullen has Sunshine State ties and could recruit the state well … appears to be a young, energetic up and comer who would likely stay put for a while … has proven he can develop quarterbacks.
DOWNSIDE: Unproven … spent past decade in Meyer’s shadow … instant recruiting ammo for UF, who could sell recruits on ‘playing for the teacher instead of the pupil’ … runs a spread offense, instead of the pro-style Miami runs … doesn’t seem like a “Miami guy” … doesn’t appear up for the challenge of being in the spotlight, having been under Meyer and appearing to want to stick with his lower-level SEC gig. (Appears unsure if he even wants to interview with UM, let alone fight for the gig.)
Brilliant offensive mind, though a bit of a savant. Smart off the field as well, having earned his J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law and has a Masters of Sports Science/Coaching from the United States Sports Academy. Leach also earned his undergrad at BYU and began molding his football mind by watching head coach LaVell Edwards and offensive coordinator Norm Chow, though Leach is only one of a handful of coaches who’s never played at the collegiate level.
Leach began making a name for himself as offensive coordinator at Kentucky from 1997-1998 and was lurked to Norman when Bob Stoops took over at Oklahoma in 1999. Leach took over as head coach for Texas Tech the following season and lasted ten years before his firing after the 2009 season.
Over a decade, Leach’s teams hovered between four to six losses per season. Dominant Big XII programs like Oklahoma and Texas reigned supreme, though Texas Tech occasionally got the better of their bigger rivals. An 11-2 run in 2008 proved Leach’s best work to date, reaching No. 2 in the polls, upsetting rival Texas and finishing the year T1st in the Big XII South. The Red Raiders reached the Cotton Bowl where they were beaten by Ole Miss, 47-34.
Leach was fired from Texas Tech after an 8-4 season in 2009, partly for a scandal involving a former player (Adam James, who claims he was locked in an electrical closet, while Leach maintains he was sent to an equipment room to rest due to a concussion.)
Making matters stickier, Leach filed a wrongful termination suit against Texas Tech and days back sued both ESPN and a public relations firm for slander – claiming his image has been tarnished, which in many ways it has as UM has state that it won’t hire a head coach with ‘baggage’. Leach has not been granted an interview with Miami, despite making public claims that he wants the job.
Leach has spent the past several month living in Key West and has fallen in love with the Sunshine State. Since Shannon’s firing he’s been lobbying for an interview and believes that ACC Championships and national titles would be in the future if he took over at UM.
UPSIDE: High-flying offense … salivating at the opportunity … would come at right price … ‘damaged goods’ that knows he only has one chance to get it right, so motivation is there … would definitely make the most of a second chance and would consider UM a dream job … beyond enthusiastic and ready to get back to coaching.
DOWNSIDE: Rough around the edges personality-wise for a program that can’t afford risky hire … pass-happy without much of a run game … doesn’t put much emphasis on defense; would rather outscore you … runs a spread offense, instead of pro-style … in time could prove to be a ‘home run’ hire if he gets the job done, but odds of not getting it done could be just as great … probably a fifth or sixth choice and third or fourth-tier guy if others don’t pan out … involved in lawsuits which would have to be dropped immediately … hire would initially bring UM some bad press because of baggage … not sure how we’ll his personality and recruiting style would fly in South Florida, especially against Florida and Florida State coaches with a better lay of the land.
From ‘The U’, Tubbs earned his first head coaching opp at Ole Miss, where he never finished better than 8-4 and T3rd in the SEC West. After a 6-5 campaign in 1998 he was hired by Auburn, where he spent the next decade.
Tuberville led the Tigers to an undefeated season in 13-0, but Auburn couldn’t crack the top two in the BCS rankings, leaving Oklahoma and eventual champ Southern Cal to battle it out in the Orange Bowl for all the marbles. Auburn tore up Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, finishing the season No. 2 in the final BCS poll.
From there – 9-3, 11-2, 9-4 and 5-7 in 2008, after which Tuberville resigned. Auburn started the season No. 10 and after a 3-0 start, went on to lose five of six and ended the season dropping it’s final two games – Georgia and Alabama, who spanked Auburn, 36-0.
Tuberville sat out the 2009 season, doing analyst work and regrouping. In 2010 he took over for the fired Mike Leach at Texas Tech, going 7-5 and finishing fifth in the Big XII South.
UPSIDE: Is a veteran coach and could be considered somewhat of a ‘big’ name … had some success in the difficult SEC … has Miami ties and understand the South Florida culture.
DOWNSIDE: At 56 years old, on the downside of his career – makes you question the motivation … has an easier gig in Lubbock with lower expectations … knows how hard UM fans are to please and spoke about the difficulties of the job on ESPN’s Signing Day special in 2010 … have to wonder how hungry he’d be for the opportunity and grind.
From there Trestman spent two decades in the NFL as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. A journeyman who saw action in Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, San Francisco, Detroit, Arizona, Oakland and Miami before heading back to the NCAA with a two-year run at NC State, still as offensive coordinator.
Trestman spent the past three seasons north of the border, as head coach of the Montreal Alouettes, where he’s reached three Grey Cups – losing his first and winning two straight.
Earlier this fall, Tony Dungy was rumored to be in the running for the vacant head coaching job at the University of Minnesota – is alma mater – and after declaring he wasn’t interested, suggested that the Gophers look at Trestman for the opening.
UPSIDE: Experienced … solid offensive mind … successful working with quarterback … spent some time at Miami in the past, so knows the culture and does have a UM National Championship ring … tremendous success in NFL with both San Francisco and Oakland, reaching Super Bowl in 2002 but losing to Jon Gruden’s Buccaneers.
DOWNSIDE: No head coaching experience until he was 50+ … only head coaching experience in Canadian league … makes you wonder why passed up for NCAA jobs in past.
UConn is prepping for its season finale at South Florida tomorrow and is 7-4 on the season, having lost at Michigan, Temple, Rutgers and Louisville. An overtime win at West Virginia means a win against the Bulls will have UConn claiming its first outright Big East title and headed to a BCS game, albeit with an 8-4 record.
Edsall is 52 years old and spent the first decade of his coaching career at his alma mater, Syracuse. From there, Boston College’s defensive backs coach (1991-1993), Jacksonville Jaguars’ defensive backs coach (1994-1997) and Georgia Tech’s defensive coordinator (1998) before heading to Connecticut in 1999.
UPSIDE: Head coaching experience … small salary ($1.3M).
DOWNSIDE: A good, not great run at UConn in a weak conference … not even close to the ‘home run’ hire Miami needs … would have be ranked a fourth or fifth-tier choice for UM … doesn’t really look/feel like Miami material; definitely a northeastern guy.
Had a 9-2 run in 2002 and rose to No. 2 in the land halfway through 2007 season, reaching 6-0 and beating Auburn, North Carolina and West Virginia, back-to-back to back. Hit a three-game losing skid after the rankings climb and eventually spanked by Oregon in the Sun Bowl, ending the season 9-4. Followed up with back-to-back 8-5 seasons and compiled an all-time 94-57 record over 13 seasons.
Signature win came in September 2009, when finally knocking off one of the state’s ‘Big Three’ with a 17-7 victory at Florida State. The Noles finished the regular season 6-6, with the legendary Bobby Bowden fired at year’s end.
Leavitt isn’t thought to be in the running for Miami’s head coaching vacancy, though he has been mentioned as a possible defensive coordinator at this point.
UPSIDE: Fiery personality … did a lot with in-state leftovers and scraps for over a decade … runs a good defense … good recruiter … long-time Sunshine State ties.
DOWNSIDE: Never really made a mark by winning the lowly Big East in the post-Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College era … big fish in a little pond at USF, with low expectations … hitting a player brings too much baggage for an in-flux program like UM to take on right now.
Golden’s Owls beat UConn this past September and hung tough with Penn State a week later, leading 13-6 at the half before falling, 22-13.
Prior to taking over at Temple, Golden was Virginia’s defensive coordinator (2001-2005), Penn State’s linebackers coach (2000), Boston College’s linebackers coach (1997-1999) and a Virginia graduate assistant (1994-1996).
UPSIDE: Young up and comer … has done a good job with little talent, at a non-football program … learned from solid mentors (Paterno, Welsh, O’Brien, Parcells) … winner mentality … not afraid of a challenge … was in running for UCLA and Cincinnati openings but pulled out to finish job at Temple and to wait on bigger opportunity (re: not a job hopper or ladder climber.)
DOWNSIDE: Inexperienced … young … a good job, not a great job at Temple, albeit it was Temple … too green and possibly too risky a hire for a Miami program that needs to make a splash … might need to cut his teeth elsewhere before taking over UM.
Prior to run with Auburn, Malzahn was an Arkansas high school coach that wound up as offensive coordinator and wideouts coach for the Razorbacks as part of a ‘package’ when prized recruits Mitch Mustain, Ben Cleveland, Andrew Norman and Damian Williams headed to Fayetteville. Malzahn’s Springfield High offense was lethal and the promotion obviously well-earned.
After one year at Arkansas (2006), Malzahn took his talents to Tulsa as co-offensive coordinator, assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach (2007-2008) before assuming duties as Auburn’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2009-present).
UPSIDE: Malzahn seems like a great head coach in the making … high-powered balanced offense … has done a lot in a little time at Auburn.
DOWNSIDE: No experience and definitely a risk … makes more sense for a big money state school to roll the dice … Miami couldn’t afford a Malzahn flop … relatively inexperienced at the collegiate level, having five total years as an assistant under his belt.
Chud has no head coaching experience, but has logged some quality time in the NFL. Would’ve been a good hire in 2007 instead of Shannon, but another inexperienced guy that probably won’t get a shot due to importance of this hire and on-the-field job Randy did.
UPSIDE: Former Miami player … knows the culture … worked under Butch Davis both at UM and in Cleveland … endured probation era at UM … saw other side as OC for the ’01 title and incredible 34-0 run and beyond … would probably hire Ken Dorsey as quarterbacks coach … understands the importance of tight end in Miami’s offense … from Ohio, home of many coaching greats … been part of a successful offense with Chargers on and off for past few years … if Miami has to go with a fourth-tier guy, this could be the only guy worth ‘keeping it in the family’ for.
DOWNSIDE: No head coaching experience … not a ‘home run’ hire … sort of an unknown, behind the scene-type assistant … unsure how recruits would react to a Chud hiring.
To Cristobal’s credit, he’s been at Florida International as long as Shannon was at Miami and the program has improved on his watch, going 1-11 year one and from there, 5-7, 3-9 and 6-5.
Cristobal is a tireless recruiting, a polished personality and as far as the Miami culture, he’s a forty-year old local product and has two national championship rings from his playing days at UM (1989 & 1991).
UPSIDE: Former Cane player and coach … Miami native … well-polished … doing a good job with very little in current situation … could be a great one in time … very professional.
DOWNSIDE: If a Gruden was seen as a ‘home run’, Cristobal is a bunt-for-single due to inexperience and an empty resume … potentially the right guy at the wrong time … cause hurt by Shannon’s lack of experience / lack of success … needs more experience elsewhere before earning shot at UM gig … a fifth or sixth-tier hire that could have long-term upside, but would be a huge step back in the short-term.
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