BuddyRyans46
Thunderdome
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Greg Schiano leads 12 candidates to replace Al Golden at Miami - CBSSports.com
Miami football is at a crossroads, just because of … everything.
Al Golden was fired Sunday, and a program lacking revenue, an on-campus stadium or even an indoor facility must find a new coach.
Oh, there are plenty of folks who will take the job. That doesn't necessarily mean they'll succeed. And unless new president Julio Frenk suddenly comes up with $7 million a year for Nick Saban, Alabama's coach isn't even taking his call. (Like that rumor ever had any traction.)
If the likes of Kevin Sumlin are doing anything, they're moving up a level to, say, USC. And Miami is definitely not up a level for the likes of the Texas A&M coach -- not anymore. So unless there is suddenly the financial wherewithal to pry a really big name loose, athletic director Blake James may have to hire someone on the come -- or on the rebound.
Everybody at Miami loves Rob Chudzinski, but Chudzinski hasn't coached in college for 12 years. (He was last the offensive coordinator under Larry Coker.) Greg Schiano would crawl to South Florida on his hands and knees, but would Miami take a defensive guy?
The most recent hires around the country -- almost to a man -- have been offensive coaches. They sell tickets, draw recruits and energize the fan base. Consider Jim McElwain (Florida), Paul Chryst (Wisconsin), Phillip Montgomery (Tulsa), Neal Brown (Troy), Chad Morris (SMU), Mike Riley (Nebraska), Tom Herman (Houston), Justin Fuente (Memphis) and David Beaty (Kansas).
The new guy hired in Coral Gables will join a program that is being criticized on the national level. CBS analyst Rick Neuheisel has called out the lack of atmosphere (and fans) at Sun Life Stadium. One source told CBS Sports that Miami missed all or part of 33 practice days in 2014 due to weather.
Indoor facilities are a big, big deal. The new coach has to make sure one is getting built.
Miami long ago lost the ability to throw up a fence around Broward and Dade counties. Everybody recruits in South Florida. In-state, Florida is rebuilding and Florida State has played for the last two national championships.
This is a crucial hire at a crucial time for Miami. It is going on its 12th year without double-digit wins. It has never won an ACC division title, much less the conference crown.
Excellence has been slipping away for a while. Clemson has a playoff-worthy team. If the ACC title game were played today, Pittsburgh would be playing the Tigers out of Miami's ACC division, the Coastal.
The job is still a good one, but there are issues. If I had to guess, Golden's replacement will at least have head-coaching experience, be considered offensive-minded and range in age from 40-55.
Keep that in mind when considering this list of candidates, in no particular order:
Greg Schiano, NFL analyst, former Rutgers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach: Makes sense as the No. 1 candidate at the moment mostly because he's available and interested. Knows the territory. ****, recruited the heck out of the territory while at Rutgers. Schiano is a hard-driving boss who builds inner toughness, but he gets results. At least he did until the NFL. James can end the search fairly quickly, unless the Dolphins beat him to Schiano.
Mario Cristobal, Alabama offensive line coach, former FIU coach: Cristobal is a proud Cane legacy (1989-92 as an offensive lineman). He has head-coaching experience at Florida International. He also has a losing record (27-47). Will the folks that matter at Miami be willing to overlook that? Cristobal has a rep as a tireless recruiter. Based on past conversations, he'd be extremely interested in returning to his alma mater.
Rob Chudzinski, Indianapolis Colts associate head coach: Beloved by many Hurricanes, “Chud” has been a player, grad assistant and assistant coach for the Canes. Since leaving Miami in 2003, he's spent four years as an NFL offensive coordinator and one as a head coach (Browns, 2013).
Butch Davis, college analyst, former Miami and North Carolina coach: Everybody likes Butch. Butch is a good coach. Butch knows Miami as well as anyone. He led the Canes out of the throes of probation and set up Coker for a championship run before going to the NFL. But Butch Davis is about to turn 64 and hasn't coached since 2010. Even though he wasn't named in the North Carolina allegations or penalties in the John Blake investigation, then-president Holden Thorp did fire him.
Interesting that Schiano and Davis have coached together at Miami and Tampa Bay. (Davis was technically an adviser with the Bucs.)
Justin Fuente (Memphis coach) / Tom Herman (Houston coach): The Memphis and Houston coaches might as well now be a tag team for any number of jobs. They're both undefeated and seem to be short-timers, particularly Fuente. Miami might be in direct competition with South Carolina for the “it” coaches of the moment.
Doug Meacham, TCU co-offensive coordinator: Every offense Meacham has been around has produced. That includes previous stops at Oklahoma State and Houston. Currently, he's in charge of an offense run by Heisman Trophy frontrunner Trevone Boykin. Gary Patterson chose Meacham and Sonny Cumbie last year to completely transform TCU's offense.
James Franklin, Penn State coach: You keep hearing rumblings that Franklin would be interested. Franklin has no ties to Miami but probably would have a better chance to win in the ACC Coastal rather than an increasingly brutal Big Ten East.
Rich Rodriguez, Arizona coach: Another guy you keep hearing rumblings about. Rich Rod may want to head back to his Eastern roots. Arizona has better facilities and can compete financially with Miami. As far as ability to win long-term and soon, Miami has Arizona beat.
Matt Wells, Utah State coach: A hot, young prospect whose name is beginning to appear on virtually every initial list of prospects. In his third season, Wells, 42, is 23-12 having won at least nine games twice. Wells was elevated following the 2011 season after Gary Andersen left for Wisconsin.
Scott Frost, Oregon offensive coordinator: It's been a tough season for the Ducks, but Frost remains a hot commodity. At the age of 40, the former Nebraska quarterback has coached a Heisman winner (Marcus Mariota), gone to four straight BCS bowls under Chip Kelly and gotten to the first CFP National Championship game with Mark Helfrich.
In his first season as offensive coordinator in 2013, the Ducks set a school total offense record. Miami could do a lot worse.
Mark Stoops, Kentucky coach: Let's get one thing clear. Nothing is going to get done at Miami until super agent Jimmy Sexton has his say. Sexton will either get one of his clients the job or get one or more of his clients raises by a) interviewing, or b) having their names attached to the job. Stoops is one of Sexton's coaches and may be becoming frustrated with trying to win in the SEC.
Miami football is at a crossroads, just because of … everything.
Al Golden was fired Sunday, and a program lacking revenue, an on-campus stadium or even an indoor facility must find a new coach.
Oh, there are plenty of folks who will take the job. That doesn't necessarily mean they'll succeed. And unless new president Julio Frenk suddenly comes up with $7 million a year for Nick Saban, Alabama's coach isn't even taking his call. (Like that rumor ever had any traction.)
If the likes of Kevin Sumlin are doing anything, they're moving up a level to, say, USC. And Miami is definitely not up a level for the likes of the Texas A&M coach -- not anymore. So unless there is suddenly the financial wherewithal to pry a really big name loose, athletic director Blake James may have to hire someone on the come -- or on the rebound.
Everybody at Miami loves Rob Chudzinski, but Chudzinski hasn't coached in college for 12 years. (He was last the offensive coordinator under Larry Coker.) Greg Schiano would crawl to South Florida on his hands and knees, but would Miami take a defensive guy?
The most recent hires around the country -- almost to a man -- have been offensive coaches. They sell tickets, draw recruits and energize the fan base. Consider Jim McElwain (Florida), Paul Chryst (Wisconsin), Phillip Montgomery (Tulsa), Neal Brown (Troy), Chad Morris (SMU), Mike Riley (Nebraska), Tom Herman (Houston), Justin Fuente (Memphis) and David Beaty (Kansas).
The new guy hired in Coral Gables will join a program that is being criticized on the national level. CBS analyst Rick Neuheisel has called out the lack of atmosphere (and fans) at Sun Life Stadium. One source told CBS Sports that Miami missed all or part of 33 practice days in 2014 due to weather.
Indoor facilities are a big, big deal. The new coach has to make sure one is getting built.
Miami long ago lost the ability to throw up a fence around Broward and Dade counties. Everybody recruits in South Florida. In-state, Florida is rebuilding and Florida State has played for the last two national championships.
This is a crucial hire at a crucial time for Miami. It is going on its 12th year without double-digit wins. It has never won an ACC division title, much less the conference crown.
Excellence has been slipping away for a while. Clemson has a playoff-worthy team. If the ACC title game were played today, Pittsburgh would be playing the Tigers out of Miami's ACC division, the Coastal.
The job is still a good one, but there are issues. If I had to guess, Golden's replacement will at least have head-coaching experience, be considered offensive-minded and range in age from 40-55.
Keep that in mind when considering this list of candidates, in no particular order:
Greg Schiano, NFL analyst, former Rutgers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach: Makes sense as the No. 1 candidate at the moment mostly because he's available and interested. Knows the territory. ****, recruited the heck out of the territory while at Rutgers. Schiano is a hard-driving boss who builds inner toughness, but he gets results. At least he did until the NFL. James can end the search fairly quickly, unless the Dolphins beat him to Schiano.
Mario Cristobal, Alabama offensive line coach, former FIU coach: Cristobal is a proud Cane legacy (1989-92 as an offensive lineman). He has head-coaching experience at Florida International. He also has a losing record (27-47). Will the folks that matter at Miami be willing to overlook that? Cristobal has a rep as a tireless recruiter. Based on past conversations, he'd be extremely interested in returning to his alma mater.
Rob Chudzinski, Indianapolis Colts associate head coach: Beloved by many Hurricanes, “Chud” has been a player, grad assistant and assistant coach for the Canes. Since leaving Miami in 2003, he's spent four years as an NFL offensive coordinator and one as a head coach (Browns, 2013).
Butch Davis, college analyst, former Miami and North Carolina coach: Everybody likes Butch. Butch is a good coach. Butch knows Miami as well as anyone. He led the Canes out of the throes of probation and set up Coker for a championship run before going to the NFL. But Butch Davis is about to turn 64 and hasn't coached since 2010. Even though he wasn't named in the North Carolina allegations or penalties in the John Blake investigation, then-president Holden Thorp did fire him.
Interesting that Schiano and Davis have coached together at Miami and Tampa Bay. (Davis was technically an adviser with the Bucs.)
Justin Fuente (Memphis coach) / Tom Herman (Houston coach): The Memphis and Houston coaches might as well now be a tag team for any number of jobs. They're both undefeated and seem to be short-timers, particularly Fuente. Miami might be in direct competition with South Carolina for the “it” coaches of the moment.
Doug Meacham, TCU co-offensive coordinator: Every offense Meacham has been around has produced. That includes previous stops at Oklahoma State and Houston. Currently, he's in charge of an offense run by Heisman Trophy frontrunner Trevone Boykin. Gary Patterson chose Meacham and Sonny Cumbie last year to completely transform TCU's offense.
James Franklin, Penn State coach: You keep hearing rumblings that Franklin would be interested. Franklin has no ties to Miami but probably would have a better chance to win in the ACC Coastal rather than an increasingly brutal Big Ten East.
Rich Rodriguez, Arizona coach: Another guy you keep hearing rumblings about. Rich Rod may want to head back to his Eastern roots. Arizona has better facilities and can compete financially with Miami. As far as ability to win long-term and soon, Miami has Arizona beat.
Matt Wells, Utah State coach: A hot, young prospect whose name is beginning to appear on virtually every initial list of prospects. In his third season, Wells, 42, is 23-12 having won at least nine games twice. Wells was elevated following the 2011 season after Gary Andersen left for Wisconsin.
Scott Frost, Oregon offensive coordinator: It's been a tough season for the Ducks, but Frost remains a hot commodity. At the age of 40, the former Nebraska quarterback has coached a Heisman winner (Marcus Mariota), gone to four straight BCS bowls under Chip Kelly and gotten to the first CFP National Championship game with Mark Helfrich.
In his first season as offensive coordinator in 2013, the Ducks set a school total offense record. Miami could do a lot worse.
Mark Stoops, Kentucky coach: Let's get one thing clear. Nothing is going to get done at Miami until super agent Jimmy Sexton has his say. Sexton will either get one of his clients the job or get one or more of his clients raises by a) interviewing, or b) having their names attached to the job. Stoops is one of Sexton's coaches and may be becoming frustrated with trying to win in the SEC.
