Coaching Carousel Update

Well, that was fast. Louisiana Tech has chosen Sonny Dykes, and ECU has chosen Ruffin McNeill.

Sigh.

Onto the list:

Akron: Hire- Rob Ianello (no)
Buffalo: Hire- Jeff Quinn (no)
Central Michigan: Hire- Dan Enos (no)
Cincinnati: Hire- Butch Jones (no)
East Carolina: Hire- Ruffin McNeill (yes!!)
Florida: Return- Urban Meyer (no)
Florida State: Hire/Appointment- Jimbo Fisher (no)
Kansas: Hire- Turner Gill (yes!!)
Kentucky: Hire/Appointment- Joker Phillips (yes!!)
Louisiana Monroe: Hire- Todd Berry (no)
Louisiana Tech: Hire- Sonny Dykes (no)
Louisville: Hire- Charlie Strong (yes!!)
Marshall: Hire- Jon "Doc" Holliday (no)
Memphis: Hire- Larry Porter (yes!!)
Notre Dame: Hire- Brian Kelly (no)
San Jose State: Hire- Mike MacIntyre (no)
South Florida: Hire- Skip Holtz (no)
Tennessee: Hire- Derek Dooley (no)
Texas Tech- Hire- Tommy Tuberville (no)
UNLV: Hire- Bobby Hauck (no)
USC: Hire- Lane Kiffin (no)
Virginia: Hire- Mike London (yes!!)
Western Kentucky: Hire- Willie Taggart (no)

Meet the new boss

Same as the old boss.

Tennessee named Derek Dooley as their new head coach this past week. Rumor has it that he was the only person willing to come onboard and work with the UT assistants who didn't go to LA. Seems these folks have a total of $3 million in salaries, and a) weren't leaving without it while b) the University didn't want to pay the buyouts.

But we're not here to talk about assistants. Let's talk about Dooley, who comes from Louisiana Tech. While there, this happened:

Remind me again what Kansas' Mangino, TTU's Leach, and USF's Leavitt got fired for? Or, for that matter, Woody Hayes?

Ah well- Here's the updated list:

Akron: Hire- Rob Ianello (no)
Buffalo: Hire- Jeff Quinn (no)
Central Michigan: Hire- Dan Enos (no)
Cincinnati: Hire- Butch Jones (no)
East Carolina
Florida: Return- Urban Meyer (no)
Florida State: Hire/Appointment- Jimbo Fisher (no)
Kansas: Hire- Turner Gill (yes!!)
Kentucky: Hire/Appointment- Joker Phillips (yes!!)
Louisiana Monroe: Hire- Todd Berry (no)
Louisiana Tech
Louisville: Hire- Charlie Strong (yes!!)
Marshall: Hire- Jon "Doc" Holliday (no)
Memphis: Hire- Larry Porter (yes!!)
Notre Dame: Hire- Brian Kelly (no)
San Jose State: Hire- Mike MacIntyre (no)
South Florida: Hire- Skip Holtz (no)
Tennessee: Hire- Derek Dooley (no)
Texas Tech- Hire- Tommy Tuberville (no)
UNLV: Hire- Bobby Hauck (no)
USC: Hire- Lane Kiffin (no)
Virginia: Hire- Mike London (yes!!)
Western Kentucky: Hire- Willie Taggart (no)

An answer to prayers.

After today's news, here's our coaching update:

Akron: Hire- Rob Ianello (no)
Buffalo: Hire- Jeff Quinn (no)
Central Michigan: Hire- Dan Enos (no)
Cincinnati: Hire- Butch Jones (no)
East Carolina
Florida: Return- Urban Meyer (no)
Florida State: Hire/Appointment- Jimbo Fisher (no)
Kansas: Hire- Turner Gill (yes!!)
Kentucky: Hire/Appointment- Joker Phillips (yes!!)
Louisiana Monroe: Hire- Todd Berry (no)
Louisville: Hire- Charlie Strong (yes!!)
Marshall: Hire- Jon "Doc" Holliday (no)
Memphis: Hire- Larry Porter (yes!!)
Notre Dame: Hire- Brian Kelly (no)
San Jose State: Hire- Mike MacIntyre (no)
South Florida: Hire- Skip Holtz (no)
Tennessee
Texas Tech- Hire- Tommy Tuberville (no)
UNLV: Hire- Bobby Hauck (no)
USC: Hire- Lane Kiffin (no)
Virginia: Hire- Mike London (yes!!)
Western Kentucky: Hire- Willie Taggart (no)

We'll take a brief break from our "really? More African Americans aren't getting interviewed for coaching positions?" dose of righteous indignation to point out the obvious.

The perfect coach for these guys:


is this guy:


Please, God... let this happen.

Does it get any better than this??

Wow. I have no words. Actually, I do; but I've already used them.

and now, goodbye...

So, in terms of our coaching tracker, this makes things really interesting. Especially since the names I'm hearing at UT are:

• Fullmer (again; although he'd be crazy to go back given the way they treated him upon his exit)
• Muschamp (DC and coach in waiting at Texas- what if he went to Tennessee and then left in a year or two to go back to Austin? Awesome.)
• Cutcliff (Former UT offensive coordinator, current Duke coach)
• Rodriguez (Please, God, no... he's great at Mich1gAAn. Although it would further screw the program for a couple of years)
  

No mention of my favorite- wouldn't Mike Leach be great in the SEC? I'd love it just for the Tennessee/South Carolina press conferences with Spurrier. Rumors are, though, that the Pirate will be headed to USF. Where they play in a stadium with a real pirate ship. Amazing.

Here's where we are, with a couple of other updates:

Akron: Hire- Rob Ianello (no)
Buffalo: Hire- Jeff Quinn (no)
Central Michigan: Hire- Dan Enos (no)
Cincinnati: Hire- Butch Jones (no)
Florida: Return- Urban Meyer (no)
Florida State: Hire/Appointment- Jimbo Fisher (no)
Kansas: Hire- Turner Gill (yes!!)
Kentucky: Hire/Appointment- Joker Phillips (yes!!)
Louisiana Monroe: Hire- Todd Berry (no)
Louisville: Hire- Charlie Strong (yes!!)
Marshall: Hire- Jon "Doc" Holliday (no)
Memphis: Hire- Larry Porter (yes!!)
Notre Dame: Hire- Brian Kelly (no)
San Jose State: Hire- Mike MacIntyre (no)
South Florida
Tennessee
Texas Tech- Hire- Tommy Tuberville (no)
UNLV: Hire- Bobby Hauck (no)
USC: Hire- Lane Kiffin (no)
Virginia: Hire- Mike London (yes!!)
Western Kentucky: Hire- Willie Taggart (no)

Good times...

Oh, and there's this:

Bowl Season

Ok, I'll admit it. I suck. Almost a week late on this. Sorry.

The good thing, other than the fact that I'm finally finishing this, is that we've seen over the last 24 hours that you can be inept in a job or two and still get a promotion and a raise.

Great job by Joe in the bowls... I guess the off season is really good to you!

For the record, Dan and I had a "let's not change the points and see what happens" agreement- If you finished lower than us, you've got that to console yourself with.

It happened- Visser beat Michael in both points and picks. Heck, Caleb beat Micheal in picks. Looks like you're raising him well.

Janie won the overall points competition for the year, with Carrie and Scott coming in as first and second losers. I'm not going to hear the end of that, I'm sure.

But Terp managed to squeak by them for the points championship. We'll have to have some sort of playoff- Steve, can you set something up?

That's all for this year- unless Joe accepts the open UT job; then things will get pretty interesting...

Justice coming

Sure sounds like it:

After almost four years of investigation, the NCAA’s probe into the University of Southern California athletic program has reached a conclusion. Sources familiar with the investigation have told Yahoo! Sports that the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions will meet Feb. 19-21 to address what investigators uncovered at USC. According to typical NCAA procedures, if sanctions are necessary, they will be determined and then made public via a news conference within six to eight weeks of the February hearing.

The NCAA probe has stretched beyond individual athletes, widening its focus to USC’s control of its sports programs, as well as various aspects of compliance and oversight, according to sources. It is expected to make conclusions on USC’s institutional control and whether the school had the proper checks and balances in place to oversee its athletes.

Gives Pete's cowardly exit some context...

Coaching Carroll

Whoops- I meant "Carousel". Not Carroll. So sorry.

Sorry that I've been such a slacker around here. It's like the faithful golden retriever who gets usurped by a new puppy. We'll go out and have a catch soon... and I promise I won't have you put down.

Anywho- a couple of pieces of news in the coaching world. Pete Carroll is headed to greener pastures in Seattle, just ahead of the coming storm that's gonna finally (I hope) hit U$C. The perfect hire? Mike Leach- it would be hard for me not to enjoy the Trojans if the Pirate Cap'n was in charge.

Speaking of hitting things, Jim Leavitt is out at USF; the third coach this season to be dismissed for "abuse" of a student athlete.

Texas Tech missed an opportunity and has hired Tommy Tuberville (as one person called him "the anti-Leach"; good ol' boy who won't ruffle feathers). But, Kentucky has confirmed Joker Phillips, so that's a good thing.

Here's where we are:

Akron: Hire- Rob Ianello (no)
Buffalo: Hire- Jeff Quinn (no)
Central Michigan
Cincinnati: Hire- Butch Jones (no)
Florida: Return- Urban Meyer (no)
Florida State: Hire/Appointment- Jimbo Fisher (no)
Kansas: Hire- Turner Gill (yes!!)
Kentucky: Hire/Appointment- Joker Phillips (yes!!)
Louisville: Hire- Charlie Strong (yes!!)
Marshall: Hire- Jon "Doc" Holliday (no)
Memphis: Hire- Larry Porter (yes!!)
Notre Dame: Hire- Brian Kelly (no)
South Florida
Texas Tech- Hire- Tommy Tuberville (no)
UNLV: Hire- Bobby Hauck (no)
USC
Virginia: Hire- Mike London (yes!!)
Western Kentucky: Hire- Willie Taggart (no)

Later this week (I promise) wrap up of the bowl challenge and our overall winner.

Coaching- Wow...

So- How you been? Anything exciting happen? Yeah, nothing big here...

Our discussion of Urban Meyer's departure was premature. He had a big breakfast at waffle house, and is now headed back to the Gators, most likely by August.

Rich Brooks celebrated Kentucky's loss against Clemson by saying he was "80% sure he wasn't coming back next season". And now, he's gone. Which is perfect, because they've got a great "head coach in waiting" ready to take over. However, if they don't want to follow through, have I got a solution to their problem-

Our good friend Capn' Mike Leach is out of a job, due to player mistreatment and arrogance (if you believe TTU) or salary issues and helicopter parenting/spoiled children (if you believe Leech). Again, if Kentucky's Phillips moves on, Leach would be a perfect fit- runs a similar offense, so no huge transition with personnel; and Kentucky doesn't seem to care about the character of their coaches as long as they win.

However, judging what we saw in the Outback Bowl, Texas Tech has a great coach already on the payroll. And, if he is chosen and Phillips is confirmed at UK, we'll have added two more coaches of African heritage to the roll; both at BCS institutions.

Here's where we are:

Akron: Hire- Rob Ianello (no)
Buffalo: Hire- Jeff Quinn (no)
Central Michigan
Cincinnati: Hire- Butch Jones (no)
Florida: Return- Urban Meyer (no)
Florida State: Hire/Appointment- Jimbo Fisher (no)
Kansas: Hire- Turner Gill (yes!!)
Kentucky: Hire/Appointment- Joker Phillips (yes!!)
Louisville: Hire- Charlie Strong (yes!!)
Marshall: Hire- Jon "Doc" Holliday (no)
Memphis: Hire- Larry Porter (yes!!)
Notre Dame: Hire- Brian Kelly (no)
Texas Tech
UNLV: Hire- Bobby Hauck (no)
Virginia: Hire- Mike London (yes!!)
Western Kentucky: Hire- Willie Taggart (no)

This means that now there are African American coaches in the SEC, the Big East, two in the ACC, and if McNeill is hired at TTU, there will be two in the Big 12. Both coaches in the premier programs in Kentucky are African Americans.

So- Pac 10 and Big T1e1n... What are you waiting on?