Jim Leavitt, Image: Newscom

Says the special teams player,

“I don’t think anything should happen to him. Me and Coach Leavitt are fine. People can say different things but he only grabbed my shoulder pads to motivate me, because he’s a passionate guy. He never apologized because he had nothing to apologize for”

Allegedly, Miller’s father went to see Leavitt at his office, and inappropriate, somewhat threatening comments about Leavitt’s power at the school were made. It was also reported, though, that the coach apologized.

To me, this sounds like a case of an angry soccer mom. You know, the sports parent who is a bit overprotective and wants to see the best for their kid. Did Leavitt yell at Miller with a lot of passion? Probably. Did he grab him? Probably. Did he step over a line? The school is looking into the matter, but it sounds like he didn’t really do anything wrong. I just hope an overzealous father hasn’t affected his son’s position on the team.

Post from: EveryJoe

Miller says: Me and Coach Leavitt are Fine

However, some people are wondering if his $2 million per year raise wasn’t a bit excess.

Texas Head Coach Mack Brown, Image: Newscom

According to reports, the university’s Faculty Council has called the new deal, which raises Brown’s annual salary from $3 million to $5 million, “unseemly and inappropriate.” At first glance, I totally agreed with them. Times are touch, economically, and it seems silly to reward a single person on such a high level when he’s definitely not the only reason Texas’ football team has succeeded over the past few years.

Yet, president William Powers Jr. makes a strong case for the raise. Under Brown, the entire athletic program has thrived, with no subsidies or deficits. In the past few years, the athletic program has also transferred around $6.6 million into academics at the school. In short, Brown is helping to put butts in seats, and those ticket sales add up. He’s bringing in more money than most of the other people at that college…so shouldn’t he get more of a salary in return?

Still, I’m not sure that any coach is worth so much money. I’ve always thought that many college football coaches make way too much money every year, since at the end of the day, academics should be more important than sports. Yes, you can argue that he’s pulling in a lot of money for the school, but can’t you also argue that a certain educational program is pulling in a lot of new students who choose Texas over other colleges?

Yes, Brown deserves a raise. $2 million, though? Yeah, that might be a little unseemly and inappropriate. Your thoughts?

Post from: EveryJoe

Does Mack Brown Deserve a Raise?

Akron

Brian Kelly, Image: Newscom

• Fired: J.D. Brookhart
• Hired: Rob Ianello (assistant coach at Notre Dame)

Buffalo

• Leaving for Kansas: Turner Gill
• Hired: TBD

Cincinnati

• Leaving for Notre Dame: Brian Kelly
• Hired: TBD

Florida State

• Retiring: Bobby Bowden
• Hired: Jimbo Fisher (assistant coach at Florida State)

Kansas

• Fired: Mark Mangino
• Hired: Turner Gill (head coach at Buffalo)

Louisville

• Fired: Steve Kragthorpe
• Hired: Charlie Strong (assistant coach at Florida)

Louisiana-Monroe

• Fired: Charlie Weatherbie
• Hired: TBD

Marshall

• Fired: Mark Snyder
• Hired: TBD

Memphis

• Fired: Tommy West
• Hired: Larry Porter (assistant coach at LSU)

Notre Dame

• Fired: Charlie Weis
• Hired: Brian Kelly (head coach at Cincinnati)

San Jose State

• Retiring: Dick Tomey
• Hired: TBD

UNLV

• Fired: Mike Sanford
• Hired: TBD

Virginia

• Fired: Al Groh
• Hired: Mike London (Richmond coach)

Western Illinois

• Leaving for health reasons: Don Patterson
• Hired: TBD

Western Kentucky

• Fired: David Elson
• Hired: Willie Taggart (assistant coach at Stanford)

Post from: EveryJoe

College Football Coaching Update, 12/14/09

So of the following coaches, who will you miss the most?

Will you vote for Bowden because he’s a living legend? For Tomey or Patterson because they are all around good guys who have schools that are sad to see them go? Or for Magino or Weis because at least they made college football more interesting?

Image: Newscom

Of course, these aren’t the only football coaches leaving, and like I said, there will be more to come. Check back every Monday to see who’s in and who’s out.

Post from: EveryJoe

Coach You’ll Miss the Most

Charlie Strong, Image: Newscom

• Charlie Strong, Florida defensive coordinator
• Kirby Smart, Alabama defensive coordinator
• Bryan Harsin, Boise State offensive coordinator
• Jeff Quinn, Cincinnati offensive coordinator
• Dick Bumpas, TCU defensive coordinator

The top winner will be announced on December 8. Last year, Kevin Wilson of Oklahoma was the winner. Both Strong and Bumpas were also in the running.

Regardless of who is named the award winner, all of these men are wonderful football coaches, and it is extremely likely that we’ll see even bigger and better things from many of these coaches. A number of past award winners have gone on to become head coaches, and I could see that happening to all of the assistant

Post from: EveryJoe

Broyles Award Finalists Announced

There aren’t many coaches in the same class a Bobby Bowden. Joe Paterno of Penn State comes to mind immediately, but few other coaches have spent so long with a single school, and regardless of good or bad seasons, this dedication has created a following and network of support for the school unlike what you’ll find at most other programs.

Image: Newscom

According to sources who have remained anonymous, Bowden was given two choices by FSU president TK Wetherell: retire after bowl season or come back next year in a very limited role as an ambassador to the football program. Jimbo Fisher, who was named Bowden’s successor in 2007, has already agreed to a contract, according to reports.

It was coming down to the wire, as the school would have owed Fisher $5 million if he wasn’t named head coach by 2011. While I don’t think the school should force Bowden out, I do think that it’s time for FSU to have some fresh ideas. The past few years haven’t been great for the Seminoles, with Bowden really peaking in the early 90s.

Post from: EveryJoe

Bobby Bowden to Retire on Friday

Marshall:

• Fired: Mark Snyder
  

  Memphis' Tommy West - just one of the coaches who'll be pounding the pavement soon. Image: Newscom

• Hired: TBD

Memphis:

• Fired: Tommy West
• Hired: Larry Porter (assistant coach at LSU)

San Jose State:

• Retiring: Dick Tomey
• Hired: TBD

UNLV

• Fired: Mike Sanford
• Hired: TBD

Western Illinois

• Leaving for health reasons: Don Patterson
• Hired: TBD

Western Kentucky

• Fired: David Elson
• Hired: Willie Taggart (assistant coach at Stanford)

Most notably new to this list this week is Larry Porter, who’s known as being one of the best recruiters in the business. I’m not sure if LSU supports his decision to leave, but fans sure do – a group of Tigers fans gathered at the press conference to cheer him on as he was introduced as the new head coach at Memphis.

Post from: EveryJoe

College Football Coaching Update, 11/30/09

In actuality, it has nothing to do with Cody’s skill level and instead has to do with his dad’s feelings that he shouldn’t have been a part of a team that was clearly in a rebuilding year. Says the coach,

“Here’s a guy who’s trying to do his best to win games and help his team and does everything right and is a good student and he’s getting killed on Facebook and getting killed on his cell phone.”

The Buffaloes have a 3-8 record so far this year, and Hawkins feels like it was a bit selfish for him to recruit his son, pressuring him into playing for Colorado when he had other offers on the table.

Dan Hawkins, Image: Newscom

Whether this is true or not, it’s a little lame for Hawkins to be saying this, in my opinion. It he regrets recruiting his son he should regret recruiting anyone to the team. Yes, it is his son. I get that. But being on a team coached by his father isn’t the reason the kid’s getting a lot of crap from fans. He’s getting crap because he threw 11 interceptions this year.

The fact of the matter is, even though no one player can ever take the blame for a team that isn’t doing well, the quarterback sets the stage for a good season or a bad season. That’s why quarterbacks are often given the Heisman, and that’s why the top quarterback often goes first in the NFL draft. With that good, though, is the bad – you take the blame when your team isn’t doing well.

Cody seems to be handling the situation well, and teammates say that they respect him for being so accepting of the changes being made at the school, even though it means that he’s no longer the starting quarterback. You can read more about what his dad had to say at ESPN.

Post from: EveryJoe

Dan Hawkins: Full of Recruiting Regrets

This year hasn’t been the best, but there’s progress…and that progress is apparently saving Rodriguez’s neck, as the school is reportedly bringing him back for another year in 2010. Says athletic director Bill Martin,

He will be our coach next year. You’re asking me today if he’s going to be our coach, there’s no if, ands or buts about it. He is our coach and he has my full support. He’ll be there next year. No question about it.

On Saturday, the Wolverines lost 21-10 to Ohio State, and they’re last in the Big Ten – something that hasn’t happened since 1962. Under Rodriguez, they’re a pitiful 8 – 16. So why would they keep the coach around for another year? Is this a smart choice?

Rich Rodriguez, Image: Newscom

In this writer’s opinion…absolutely. This year, the record doesn’t tell the whole story. Although they’re sitting out again during bowl season, the team has a lot of heart and hung in there with teams that were clearly on another level. Even the Ohio State game wasn’t a total blow-out, though the offense wasn’t playing well this past weekend, that’s for sure.

A lot of players left over the past two years. People are still getting used to the Rodriguez coaching method. The team is fairly young, but they have a lot of new talent coming to the school. Keeping him around was a no-brainer in my opinion. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the guy, but I do think he can take Michigan places if given the chance.

Post from: EveryJoe

Rodriguez to Return in 2010

Says Mangino of the issue,

“I run this program with a lot of integrity. I have been in this conference for nearly 20 years, and what I can tell you is that our coaching intensity is not largely different from the rest of the Big Eight and Big 12 teams I’ve observed.”

Mangino was accused of poking linebacker Arist Wright in the chest at a recent practice. Former KU running back Jocque Crawford chimed in when he heard the accusations, saying that he transferred because of Mangino’s “disrespectful” coaching tactics. He was joined by two other former players who wished to remain anonymous, but who say that they were also personally attacked by the coach.

Mark Mangion, Image: Newscom

Some players, however, are on Mangino’s side. Senior captain Kerry Meier says that he never knew there was angry tension between Mangino and the rest of the team. He was surprised by Wright’s accusations and had nothing but praise for the coach, who had taken the team to a 5 – 5 record so far this season. The Jayhawks need one more win to qualify for a bowl game.

Some critics, however, have called Mangino “an abusive bully.” Is that enough for him to lose his job?

Let’s say, for a second, that the accusations against Mangino are completely true. Some are saying they’re not and the coach himself denies the claims, but let’s just pretend that they’re completely true, with no exaggeration. Is the lack of respect enough for the coach to be fired?

I don’t think it is, as long as the team is winning games. This isn’t summer camp. This isn’t high school football. If the coach is an ass, these players can make the choice not to play for him. They’re adults. It’s like working for a boss who is an ass. You either deal with it to make your money or you find another job. That’s what these players can do – deal with it to play for Kansas or find another team.

I don’t necessarily think that being disrespectful to the players is a good idea. It isn’t a way to make your team want to play well for you, and it isn’t a good way to grow closer to win games. Mangino will probably have problems recruiting players because of this issue, too. If all of that means that he’s not the best coach possible, then yes, Kansas should fire him.

But if he’s just a jerk…then players need to suck it up or go play for another school. It’s that simple.

Post from: EveryJoe

Should Mangino be Fired?