O Dirk Where Art Thou?

I really question some people’s sources. After the Blue Turf Bowl, the “word on the street” was that Dirk Koetter to Miami was a done deal. Then it was all locked up as soon as Mrs. Koetter gave the OK. Since then, we’re not hearing Koetter’s name linked to some NFL openings, especially Jacksonville.

I’m also hearing message board rumblings that this all could’ve been avoided had Larry Coker not coached against Nevada in the finale. Please. Stop now. That had nothing to do with anything.

While I don’t think Coker should’ve coached that final game, it has NOTHING to do with Miami not landing Koetter, if things work out this way.

Football is big business and big money is spent to lure coaches from one place to the next. Koetter and his agent know what’s going on here. Everyone knew the axe was going to fall on New Years Day as the 31st was the official end of the NFL regular season.

There was no way The U was going to pressure Koetter into signing earlier if Randy Shannon had free reign to start building his staff mid-December. Koetter was going to ride this thing out, field all offers, discuss things with his family and move forward from there.

As great as Miami fans love to think our program is, that doesn’t make it a great fit for everyone. I keep reading all these “Scottsdale v. Coral Gables” arguments online, where each side tries to build its case how the two cities are similar or different. Why bother?

I grew up in Miami. Born in ’74 and left there in ’98. I’m a west coast guy now and while I love returning to my hometown, I’d never live there full time again. It’s not for me. That said, there are others who remained in the 305 and the only way they’re leaving is is Armageddon strikes in their lifetime.

The Koetters are west coast people. Idaho and Arizona have been their home for almost two decades now. Is Coral Gables their next stop? Personally, I don’t think so. I spend a lot of time in Scottsdale and can’t picture the high school bound Koetter kids being too keen on leaving that area for Guilliver, Ransom or even Palmetto, should they wind up in the Pinecrest area. Talk about a culture shock from white bread N. Scottsdale. Conversely, I could see a Gables family packing up the plantation and heading to the desert.

I know the coaching carousel has families moving non stop. Think of all the coaches who just did a one year stint at Miami and are already relocating after 7-6 this season. Still, Koetter can easily sit back and let the NFL offers roll in. Maybe nothing higher than QB coach somewhere, but still, he controls his own fate.

If I am Koetter, I am sitting tight and waiting on the call from the next head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. Maybe their new leader offers Koetter the QB coach position where he can work with Matt Leinart and collect a fat paycheck without even having to uproot his family. Talk about the ultimate win-win situation for Team Koetter.

The Miami job is a good one. Hell, it’s a great one. No question about that. But what we do know is that it takes a special kind of guy to take that position. The same way us Miami fans are a different breed, so are our players and coaches. It takes more than a solid resume to fit the bill. You also need that intangible. Any way you slice or dice it, the next OC better have thick skin and be able to fall into the Canes way of thinking or else he’s going to get trashed.

Fans of The U ripped Rich Olson, Dan Werner, Rob Chudzinski and Coker our OC from 1995-2000. When was the last time Miami faithful praised and offensive signal caller around here?

In my heart of heart, I believe Koetter is NFL bound, though I hope I am proven wrong. Things could work out very nicely for the Koetters in Coral Gables, if they have that intangible that Miami coaching families require to weather the storm at The U.

.:Canes305:.

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