November 30, 2007
Coaching Search Rumor Mill
It changes every minute, but here's the rundown of the latest coaching rumors.....
Tommy Tuberville will be offered the job Arkansas... or he may stay at Auburn.
Auburn hasn't been contacted officially by the Razorbacks, but there may be back-channel negotiations going on. The Tigers have until Saturday by contract to reach an agreement with Tuberville, a situation complicated by Tuberville's current hunting trip in Arkansas with a prominent Razorbacks booster. Tuberville may meet with Auburn again on Sunday in New York. (??) Tubs is wanting a multi-year extension, increased salary, raises for his assistants and considerably improvements to the Auburn facilities.
Duke has enlisted the help of Steve Spurrier as a consultant to find a new head football coach. The Blue Devils are getting a lot of criticism from Coach K about the university's apparent lack of commitment to fielding a winner. Spurrier is not considered a candidate for the job, but Steve Spurrier, Jr. may be. Former Georgia Tech head coach Chan Gailey, as has Gary Crowton and Turner Gill.
Georgia Tech may be willing to take a chance on former black-sheep outcast Rick Neuheisel. Neuheisel is being pushed by Brian Billick. Other names in the mix are Auburn DC Will Muschamp, ECU coach Skip Holtz, and UConn coach Randy Edsall. One of the issues facing the Yellow Jackets is that the athletic department wants someone who will fire up the fans. It's unclear if the risk/reward with Rick Neuheisel will be worth it, seeing that he wrecked two high profile schools in his last two stops.
Les Miles will interview with Michigan following the SEC championship game. I've seen the number $2.5 million tossed about as UM's offer without any substantial confirmation. There is substantial talk that LSU is prepared to counter-offer well above that mark, so the decision may come down to heart or money. If it's not Miles -- and everyone seems pretty confident that it will be -- then Cincinnati HC Brian Kelly may be the #2 candidate.
Despite the snickers when I suggested Tom Osborne might hire himself as coach at Nebraska, he has indeed named himself interim head coach. The move is purely for recruiting purposes... or is it??? (Heh.) Former Husker coach Frank Solich is not a candidate, but has spoken with Osborne. The Huskers are set to interview additional candidates -- Cincy's Brian Kelly's name has come up -- but LSU DC Bo Pelini and Buffalo HC Turner Gill are said to be the front runners, with Gill as the current lead horse.You still have to believe that Osborne may have something up his sleeve that none of us will see coming.
The search to find Bill Doba's replacement at Washington State is a one-name list. UTEP's Mike Price is the only person WSU wants to talk to and Price is said to be interested. At this point, you can probably wrap that one in a mice little bow.
There hasn't been much focus on the search at Southern Miss, but SMQ -- a SMU fan, himself -- links to reports that Terry Bowden is putting his hat in the ring.
The hands-down, knock me over with a feather, deal-of-the-century continues to be the Paul Johnson to SMU talk. We'll know more after the Army-Navy game, but the folks at SMU seem pretty confident. I'll say it again, if this goes through -- and everything in my entire makeup says that this has to be a long shot, but -- it may turn out to be the single greatest hiring in the history of college football.
Rumor it up, y'all....
Comments:
Eye of the Tiger said:
posted on November 30, 2007 12:19 PM — 138.163.0.44 — link — abuse?
As for Tom Osborne, I think it is purely for recruiting purposes. With Tom as interim he will be able to visit recruits and with a new coach they will be able to pay another visit. I believe that's what he's thinking.
posted on November 30, 2007 1:49 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?War Eagle Atlanta
said:
Southern Miss would be a good place for Terry Bowden to get his feet wet again. Don't know that I'd let him resume at a SEC or ACC school yet.
Paul Johnson should go to GA Tech. Why bother going to the SMU graveyard?
A lot of daddies pushing their prodigal sons: Spurrier with junior, Lou Holtz with Skip.
TE
posted on November 30, 2007 2:24 PM — 204.68.245.11 — link — abuse? said:
Eye Of The Tiger...You can FORGET about Pelini at LSU.
I've said it multiple times, Pelini didn't burn bridges the past two weeks, he set off neutron bombs.
1,000 yards in two weeks against two teams that had 11 wins combined. The 4th & 10 no blitz in overtime was galling, as well. I could point to-again-playing a grand total of five DL the ENTIRE GAME, and getting DNP's out of Al Woods, Tremaine Johnson & Rahim Alem, but this case is a little too airtight here.
Pelini was making plans before he had a job offer, and it's been confirmed. The added slap to the face of focusing on other jobs while you still had one was combined with lackluster schemes the past two weeks. The coup de grace, however, was interviewing without letting ANYONE at LSU know about it.
The bottom line out of LSU is that no matter if Les Miles returns or not, Bo Pelini will not be the defensive coordinator at Louisiana State University next fall.
Kevin, I sent out a few e-mails Monday about our situation that were actually forwaded back to me by my dad...I just had to LOL at all the fur flying in Baton Rouge for Miles' replacement.
I can say this...There was a plane from Baton Rouge that landed in Columbia, SC, at 11:00pm last night...It was still there this morning...
Our System President hired Spurrier, then Donavan, then Foley (whose assistant will probably be our next AD when Skip Bertman retires)...He has put in the call...
I also heard that the reason Tuberville didn't sign his extension when he met with Auburn on Wednesday was because they called him in without Jimmy Sexton. Auburn apparently hates Sexton. Tuberville told them-in no uncertain terms-that they will deal with Sexton, or they won't have the extension signed.
I also am still hearing a persistent buzz about Terri Saban pushing for a return to Baton Rouge, bigtime...and as Terri goes, so goes Nick Saban...
Trust me, Bama fans...Half the AD would walk before dealing with Saban again...Not sure that one will work.
Sweet Home Alabama said:
posted on November 30, 2007 2:46 PM — 75.120.225.240 — link — abuse?
Apparently Teri Saban pushed for a move to Miami and so went Nick Saban.
I'm also hearing a persistent buzz that LSU has already peaked and is now on the down slide making it a little harder to hire a good coach.
This SHOULD have been their year. With Saban I think that they would have gone all the way.
Does anyone remember me saying early on that Less Miles is crazy?
Spartacus
posted on November 30, 2007 3:06 PM — 72.25.84.228 — link — abuse? said:
SWA:
That's some pretty funny crap (#10). I tend to agree on this one. This is even far to absurd for even Saban to contemplate. Besides, those folks over in Bama would put him on a tree, with his wife right along side him.
Tommie Trojan
TE
posted on November 30, 2007 3:17 PM — 204.68.245.11 — link — abuse? said:
OU-Ron,
You have to take SHA with a grain of salt...He HATES LSU, and doesn't realize that 75% of this stuff is schtick, and we're all just having a good time...
So, he takes every chance he can to intersperse a thread with shots at LSU being "on the down slide" (Gee...two overtime losses shy of playing for a national title...Sure are sliding down into the consolation prize of an SEC Championship & a BCS Bowl, eh?)...
It's okay...Forgive him...He's a Bama Fan...and not in the sense of the other Good Bama folk here, like Rammer, Big Tide, and the rest...He's the kind that can't have fun. Moments of levity are painful for him.
Oh, and trust me, the Saban to LSU deal was wishful thinking, alright...For Nick Saban...
I think we already have our man...and we haven't even lost our new head ball coach yet...
gatorstud said:
posted on November 30, 2007 3:22 PM — 69.95.111.248 — link — abuse?
hey all alabama fans...if nick looks in the camera and says that there is no way he is going to leave alabama for another school........are you gonna believe him.....or will you wait till he packs his bags in the middle of the night and runs....after sabans history....i wouldn't believe him in any way shape or form.....about anything....
it is not a knock on alabama or it's fans......it's a knock on tricky nicky.....
if i were a bama fan....i would be worried until i see him run out of the tunnel next september....
jmho..
go gators...
Eye of the Tiger said:
posted on November 30, 2007 3:31 PM — 68.107.107.71 — link — abuse?
TE,
In ref to #8, is it just me, or do you notice the defensive scheme changed way before the Ark game. I think he quit with the blitz when we played Kentucky. Had we blitzed that game I think Woodson woulda been sitting the bench like LSU did to the 4 previous starting QB opponents. Do you think Saban woulda let us slip like that this year? I just wish the (one half) AD would consider that and give the guy a break. He is probably the most organized HC in CFB. On the other hand, I can't be mad at the Spurrier deal.
TE
posted on November 30, 2007 3:50 PM — 204.68.245.11 — link — abuse? said:
We blitzed, but Joker Phillips & Randy Sanders had the offensive gameplan of the Year. Spurrier laid the diagram out of how to beat us. He spread the field, and figured out which of our nickel & dime defenders was weakest, and then just attacked...
With Kentucky, they knew the rush would come, and they knew-on top of that-that Pelini wouldn't disguise coverages or pressure packages. Every single break to the line was with 15+ seconds, and almost every single pass play facing a rush package from LSU had Woodson stand, get with Sanders on the sideline, and read the check with me. Time and time again you saw the Wildcats roll the protection away and Woodson safely into a moving pocket that gave him time to find the weak nickel backs and the open spots in the zone. We also got picked on late when we adjusted because Chevis Jackson got hurt, and Jai Eugene went into the game for the first time, ever...
The problem was, once the tapes got around, Pelini wouldn't change. He wouldn't adjust. He wouldn't disguise. He just kept that same base defense. Stubborn as h$ll, and wouldn't change while watching a proud, fast defense get eaten alive the 2nd half of the season because of its predictable personnel and coverage schemes...
Spartacus
posted on November 30, 2007 4:14 PM — 72.25.84.228 — link — abuse? said:
Southern Cal and Pete Carroll make the same kinda mistakes. They would like to play the Tampa 2 and rely on DB's to make bone jarring tackles and create turnovers that way. We have gotten in trouble playing the "bend but don't break" philosophy. This can work to wear a team down. But, if you don't get the turnovers it's not a very good scheme. We've relied on the Tampa 2 to create many turnovers in the past and usually lead the country. Didn't happen this year or last year. With the speed of our LB's and DE's - all out blitzing seems to bring the desired affect. Sometimes the Trojans can look overwhelming while they are chasin' the QB around. Next game - it's back to the Tampa 2. Same thing happens on offense. Sometimes we run it and sometimes we'll pass it. I think it's all designed to catch the other coaching staff off guard. Sometimes it backfires on you. If LSU was staying in a Tampa 2 for several weeks - maybe they should not have. It does become predictable and allows the other teams to play a "dink and dunk" style of passing game - which is nauseating to me. But, sometimes they can get down the field without that big turnover. But, I suppose if you blitz'd constantly - somebody would burn you on that also. The Tampa is supposedly the "safest" defense to use. Blitzing is high risk and high reward. It's more than likely that the LSU defender's just were not making plays. That's what happens to USC everytime that they lose a game. They are in that Tampa 2 and are not making plays. That Stanford receiver does not catch that last minute pass if somebody makes a play on that ball. They just didn't.
Tommie Trojan
Ramblin' Gator said:
posted on November 30, 2007 5:40 PM — 209.183.34.46 — link — abuse?
If Neuheisel shows up at GT, I hope he has cleaned up his act. The last thing we need on North Avenue is the kind of mess he left behind in Boulder. As far as I know, Edsell and Tenuta are the only "official" candidates for the job, so far.
Sweet Home Alabama said:
posted on November 30, 2007 9:09 PM — 75.120.225.240 — link — abuse?
WEA, in the beginning you and I butted heads a lot but you use common sense in your approach to things. You have earned my respect.
TE tells everyone that I hate LSU. If he only knew how unconcerned I am about them. They were an also ran before Saban and they will be again.
When TE spouts off to his "buddies", I just remember how a few weeks ago he was telling all of us that LSU was going to win the nc this year. He said that after this season Miles would have as many of those crystal trophies as Saban. He has had to eat a lot of humble pie since LSU folded and he is still bitter about that.
Personally I couldn't care less if LSU wins loses or draws . . . same with Florida. Those two schools have the worst fans in terms of being poor winners.
Tom Blogical
posted on December 1, 2007 12:41 AM — 24.95.77.153 — link — abuse? said:
ESPN says, Bo Pelini to Nebraska. If true, can I be the first one to resume snickering? ;-)
posted on December 1, 2007 10:37 AM — link — abuse? said:
@Jon - I have heard the same about Fisher. I understand that he is getting a substantial increase -- roughly what he would make as a head coach at a smaller D-IA. Bowden's one year extension seems to have all the signs of a transition in progress.
posted on December 1, 2007 11:51 AM — link — abuse? said:
Couple of updates:
hrposon said:
posted on December 1, 2007 1:05 PM — 98.200.123.115 — link — abuse?
@29 SHA - Eventually Major will return to Austin as HC. Mack is just not ready to give up the $3M salary, just quite yet.
Mack will have an advisory position similar to that of Daryl Royal when he packs it in as HC. Then Major can have both shadows casting over him.
posted on December 1, 2007 2:04 PM — link — abuse? said:
Knock me over with a feather -- Miles staying at LSU.
Eye of the Tiger said:
posted on November 30, 2007 12:14 PM — 138.163.0.44 — link — abuse?It's nice to know what all these programs are thinking, but I wonder what these coaches are thinking. I see Gill as a primary candidate for for a few programs. Next on my mind is if Neb can see Pelini as a possible HC then why can't LSU? Though I would love to get Saban back I think Pelini would be a great hire for LSU too.