October 19, 2006
Who is the next UNC coach?
The talk from the North Carolina program is that UNC coach John Bunting is gone at the end of the season. Maybe it's the zero wins against DI-A competition. Maybe it's the five straight years without a winning season. Maybe it's UNC's death-grip on the cellar-dweller position in the ACC. Pick your reason, but it all points to UNC going coaching shopping.
The News & Observer looks at replacement candidates in alphabetical order:
Butch Davis.... Bobby Johnson, Vanderbilt head coach.... Paul Johnson, Navy head coach..... Steve Kragthorpe, Tulsa head coach.... Mike Leach, Texas Tech head coach.... Steve Logan, offensive coordinator in NFL Europe for Rhein Fire.... Gary Patterson, Texas Christian head coach.... Bobby Petrino, Louisville head coach.... Greg Schiano, Rutgers head coach..... Tyrone Willingham, Washington head coach....
Obviously someone at the N&O has a pretty high view of the UNC job. Too high, I'd say. Cross off Davis, Leach, Petrino, Schiano, and Willingham in my opinion. Why? Those coaches are already entrenched at BCS schools, so why would they want to leave in order to rebuild a UNC team they have no ties to? It's crazy. Schiano is the "it" guy right now in coach searches, but forget it. He's got Rutgers on a role in what many feel is the weakest top-to-bottom BCS conference. It's conceivable that Rutgers could be BCS bound this year, so why would he leave?
That leaves Johnson, Kragthorpe, Logan and Patterson.
Johnson is going to be a hot commodity, if he even wants to leave Navy. (I suspect he does.) He'll get looks for several of the top jobs and can probably take his pick, which means it won't be UNC. I think the same is true for TCU's Patterson, too. He's a great coach and should get several big-time offers, but the feeling in DFW is that he probably won't leave TCU just yet.
Kragthorpe and Logan are a different story. These are solid coaches with some (limited) skins on the wall. Logan was relatively successful at East Carolina and may be in line for an NFL assistant gig this year. Kragthorpe has had frustratingly little to work with at Tulsa, but his teams are well-prepared and competitive, even when they go up against significantly bigger programs (see Tulsa-OU as a perfect example.) Of the two Kragthorpe would seem to have the biggest upside, which should put him high on UNC's radar.
I'll also throw in a couple of other names, just for grins. Texas DC Gene Chizik, Georgia Tech DC Jon Tenuta, and Clemson assistants Brad Scott, Vic Koenning, and Rob Spence.
Comments:
Dan T. said:
posted on October 19, 2006 10:49 AM — 169.200.173.58 — link — abuse?
Rumor going around the UNC message boards is that Butch Davis has already had informal talks with UNC and will take the job if offered.
CW is that the UNC job will be attractive to guys of Davis' stature as a "sleeping giant" kind of position...lots of resources, lots of potiential, little pressure or expectations.
Bobby Dodd Disciple said:
posted on October 19, 2006 12:45 PM — 168.9.26.150 — link — abuse?
I really hope Tenuta isn't persuaded to consider this job; he's the reason Tech is on the rise, not Gailey. He would only leave if he felt like he could bring in the intelligent, athletic types that he likes (see Philip Wheeler). Chapel Hill is a great town, and the talent is available in-state, if players believe they can develop and WIN with the coach, they'll come. I'd hate to see him leave...HATE...but it would be an opportunity for a great football coach.
posted on October 19, 2006 1:53 PM — link — abuse?Kevin Donahue said:
I honestly think Tenuta is the best candidate for the job (other than Jim Grobe).
K Hat said:
posted on October 19, 2006 2:02 PM — 4.245.81.103 — link — abuse?
Paul Johnson of Navy would be a great fit. He did a great job at Georgia Southern as head coach and he's done a great job at Navy as head coach. He's shown he can win at areas where it is not easy to recruit at.
If there is a head coaching change at Virginia, Jon Tenuta will be there guy.
goodolnuma5 said:
posted on October 20, 2006 8:03 PM — 24.208.149.244 — link — abuse?
Tenuta is too good for that one, unless he plans to stay there and build for 10yrs(see Mack Brown) Willingham is pure Pac10. They need a Beamer-type, not a guy looking for the next big job.
M GO BLUE said:
posted on October 20, 2006 10:24 PM — 216.46.212.209 — link — abuse?
Hire ME!
Give me three years and we will win the ACC Championship!........nahhhhhh =)I do have a good record! 45-4...all losses were to my brother!
I have taken Michigan State to the National championship!......on my play station =)
I would have been Michigan,but my brother would'nt be anyone else,sooo I had to be State errrrr!
But hey! I could'nt do any worse than their current coach!MIKE RUPPERT said:
posted on October 22, 2006 9:50 AM — 67.84.156.252 — link — abuse?
I HAVE ONLY ONE QUESTION. WHY WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE SEASON? ALL THESE PEOPLE STATE THIS GUY WILL NOT COME OR THAT GUY WILL NOT COME. YOU'LL BE SURPRISED WHO WILL COME WHEN THE MONEY IS RIGHT. THE SCHOOL HAS A TOP RATE BOY'S AND GIRL'S BASKETBALL PROGRAM, GIRL'S SOCCER, BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, ETC. THE MONEY WILL BE THERE.
UNC said:
posted on October 23, 2006 1:59 PM — 132.79.11.16 — link — abuse?
UNC needs to get a coach and fast, they have serveral players that would like to go to UNC, but will travel outside the state if UNC is not stable. ie Quin Sturdivant, he hasn't signed with anyone yet, and UNC was a front runner, due to it's close to home....he'll leave for Florida if they don't get him in carolina blue.
Sandman said:
posted on October 25, 2006 9:55 AM — 71.53.98.177 — link — abuse?
Bowden and Donnan haven't coached in years...there's a reason for that-- ask Auburn and Georgia fans. Tenuta said Carolina wasn't big time enough when he left for Atlanta. I'm sure he's not even being considered in Chapel Hill for that reason. The facilities and support are in place at Carolina. Davis would be worth considering. I hope they also consider an up-and-coming type. That was the situation when Mack Brown arrived from Tulane. Baddour is under a lot of pressure to get this one right.
Oseola said:
posted on October 25, 2006 9:09 PM — 76.2.36.95 — link — abuse?
How about everybody stop and look at the up and coming Bowden: Jeff of course. He is an offensive coordinator at one of the premiere institutions in the country, he has a pedigree for winning, and he truly deserves a head coaching job. Someone please come and get him, he needs to get a job at some place like UNC.
J David said:
posted on November 5, 2006 12:04 AM — 207.237.39.13 — link — abuse?
The up-and-coming guy they should look at is Dave Cohen at Hofstra. He's sent three guys to the NFL in the past two years despite not having any recruiting advantages whatsoever. He's built programs wherever he has gone, and is young enough to have the time to build both a foundation and a tradition.
Bill Burgess said:
posted on November 8, 2006 7:49 PM — 198.232.70.10 — link — abuse?
I think Logan is the right guy. He is an offensive genuis and has a lot of ties in the region. He is very likable and I think players would love him. Also, and just as importanbt as anything, he will be here a long time.
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caneguy said:
posted on October 19, 2006 9:31 AM — 4.244.174.119 — link — abuse?I would like to see Larry (THE JOKER)Coker get this job.It's a better fit,and he'll need a job at the end of the year!