College coaching updates

[Sacred Ground]

12:43 AM CST on Wednesday, December 6, 2006
By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle

DENTON – University of San Diego head football coach Jim Harbaugh will interview for the head coaching position at UNT in the next two days, multiple sources said Tuesday.

Harbaugh, the former Michigan quarterback who spent 15 seasons in the NFL, has been San Diego's coach the last three seasons. Before that, he spent two seasons as Oakland's quarterbacks coach.

He led San Diego to Division I-AA Mid-Major National Championship the last two seasons. Reports out of Stanford also have Harbaugh, whose father once was coach at Stanford, as a candidate to replace Walt Harris.

[Sacred Ground]

11:49 AM CST on Wednesday, December 6, 2006
By TIM MacMAHON / The Dallas Morning News

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach described his Monday meeting with Miami athletic director Paul Dee as an unplanned, informal encounter in a New York hotel lobby.

Three South Florida newspapers reported Tuesday that Miami, which is looking for a replacement for fired coach Larry Coker, turned its attention to Leach after Rutgers coach Greg Schiano announced he was not interested in the position.

"There's all these rumors and things, but I haven't talked to anybody officially," Leach said Tuesday evening. "Sorry, I don't have this keg of excitement for you."

Leach, who has a 55-33 record in seven seasons at Tech, was noncommittal when asked about his interest level in the Miami job.

"I don't know enough about it to say," Leach said.

Leach and Dee were among the dozens of coaches and athletic directors in New York for the National Football Foundation's College Hall of Fame inductions at Waldof Astoria.

Tech athletic director Gerald Myers, who also attended the event, said nobody from Miami has requested permission to formally interview Leach. Myers said he had not discussed the matter with Leach.

"Nothing is going on that I know about," Myers said.

Dee told The Palm Beach Post on Tuesday that he formally interviewed Miami defensive coordinator Randy Shannon. Dee called his talk with Leach informal, but the paper reported that the conversation lasted a couple of hours.

"At this point, he's one of the people we had a conversation with," Dee told the paper. "I'm not going to say he's ahead or behind anyone else."

TCU coach Gary Patterson (53-20 in six seasons) has also been mentioned in South Florida newspaper reports as a potential candidate for the Miami job. Patterson, who was recruiting in the area for the Horned Frogs, said Tuesday evening that he had not been contacted about the position.

TCU athletic director Danny Morrison declined to say if any schools had asked permission to speak with Patterson about coaching vacancies.

"It doesn't surprise us that he would be contacted," Morrison said, "because he's done a fabulous job here."

Staff Writer Kate Hairopoulos contributed to this report.

[Sacred Ground]

Kosar says he's interested in Miami job

02:14 PM CST on Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Associated Press

MIAMI – Former University of Miami and NFL quarterback Bernie Kosar would like to return to the Hurricanes – as their next coach.

Miami television station WFOR reported Tuesday night that Kosar would like the job, and The Miami Herald quoted Kosar in its Wednesday editions saying "I'm interested."

"UM people knew that I had been offered the president of the Cleveland Browns job," Kosar told the newspaper. "They knew I wanted to get back into football and asked if I'd be interested in the UM job. At first it was just flattering, but then I thought, 'Yeah, I'd really like to look into it."'

Kosar, who told the newspaper that he's had preliminary talks with university officials about replacing Larry Coker as coach of the Hurricanes, did not immediately return e-mails or phone messages from The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Kosar has no coaching experience, but he often serves as a mentor to quarterbacks at Miami, where he serves as a university trustee. He retired from the NFL after a 12-year career with the Cleveland Browns, Cowboys and Miami Dolphins.

Coker was fired last month after Miami finished a 6-6 regular season, dropping his six-year record at the school to 59-15. He will coach the Hurricanes in their bowl game Dec. 31 against Nevada.

Several candidates are in the mix to replace Coker, including Miami defensive coordinator Randy Shannon and Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, both of whom have had discussions with Hurricanes athletic director Paul Dee about the vacancy.

Other potential candidates reportedly include TCU coach Gary Patterson and West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez, who has also been mentioned as a possible replacement for Mike Shula at Alabama.

Rutgers coach Greg Schiano – a former Miami assistant – said earlier this week that he was not interested in the Miami job.

Kosar was a fan favorite as the Hurricanes quarterback in 1983 and '84, leading Miami to a national championship as a freshman, beating Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. The Browns got him in a supplemental draft after he graduated early with a dual degree in finance and economics.

[stevefoxsc]

do they want leech? Cause if they do hes gone.

[Mhs06]

do they want leech? Cause if they do hes gone.

He just signed a contract...he can buy it out if he wants but hes getting a hefty paycheck at Tech as it is. (As a Red Raider, I hope to god he stays)

[stevefoxsc]

He just signed a contract...he can buy it out if he wants but hes getting a hefty paycheck at Tech as it is. (As a Red Raider, I hope to god he stays)

i do to, but think about the talent he will recieve at miami.

[Dawg Fan]

do they want leech? Cause if they do hes gone.

I heard today that if Leach goes Tech would take a shot at getting Briles from the U of H. He is a Tech alumnis I believe and he could really do well at Tech.

[lonny23]

I heard today that if Leach goes Tech would take a shot at getting Briles from the U of H. He is a Tech alumnis I believe and he could really do well at Tech.
Your guess is as good as mine.

He played for Bill Yeoman for 3 years in Houston then transferred to Tech to get his degree. He got a Master's from Abilene Christian and has coached at Stephenville and a few other places. He was an assistant for 3 years at Tech before coming to Houston.

He was happy to be head coach for his alma mater, but he might agree to go to another one of his alma maters.

[Dawg Fan]

Your guess is as good as mine.

He played for Bill Yeoman for 3 years in Houston then transferred to Tech to get his degree. He got a Master's from Abilene Christian and has coached at Stephenville and a few other places. He was an assistant for 3 years at Tech before coming to Houston.

He was happy to be head coach for his alma mater, but he might agree to go to another one of his alma maters.

I think Briles could hit the ground running with the talent he would have at Tech and his style of offense. JMO

[lonny23]

I think Briles could hit the ground running with the talent he would have at Tech and his style of offense. JMO
He'll have success, but he drives me nuts with having the QB run to the sideline for every play!:mad:

[ThEgReAtOnE]

Jim Harbough....HC @ UNT? I guess that works? Then again, you can only go up with a program like UNT. USD appears to be doing well @ 30-6, under his guidance, especially considering the I-AA school doesn't offer scholarschips.

[Sacred Ground]

do they want leech? Cause if they do hes gone.

I think it is just media generated rumor. Whoever does take the Miami head coach job will need to take their monopoly game so they can handout "get out of jail free" cards. That job is like a double-sided sword.

[BigRing5311]

Miami: Leach is out (nice job w/ the agent Mike)...Randy Shannon will be HC (thanks to reported UT offer to him to be the new DC $$$)
Stanford: Leach on short list but not enough $$$
Alabama: Saban passed on $50M/10Yr + $7M bonus...Rich Rodriguez is offered HC job @ $2M/Yr
Texas Tech: Leach is lame duck coach until he can (sorry, agent can) land him bigger gig. Top names possible if Leach were to leave in pecking order...Art Briles, Sonny Dykes, Steve Kragthorp, Todd Dodge. Whenever, Whoever has the nads to hire Todd Dodge will go down as the genius hire of the decade.
Texas A&M: Beat Texas so they have to keep Fran. That's like thinking that bowl of purple stuff on the table is grape jelly and it's really caviar.

[lonny23]

Miami: Leach is out (nice job w/ the agent Mike)...Randy Shannon will be HC (thanks to reported UT offer to him to be the new DC $$$)
Stanford: Leach on short list but not enough $$$
Alabama: Saban passed on $50M/10Yr + $7M bonus...Rich Rodriguez is offered HC job @ $2M/Yr
Texas Tech: Leach is lame duck coach until he can (sorry, agent can) land him bigger gig. Top names possible if Leach were to leave in pecking order...Art Briles, Sonny Dykes, Steve Kragthorp, Todd Dodge. Whenever, Whoever has the nads to hire Todd Dodge will go down as the genius hire of the decade.
Texas A&M: Beat Texas so they have to keep Fran. That's like thinking that bowl of purple stuff on the table is grape jelly and it's really caviar.
Miami- Probably thought Leach was too crazy.
Stanford- Leach won't go there.
Alabama- How does Rich feel getting less money?
Tech- I think Leach is stuck in Lubbock until he wins more games.
A&M- Next year, they'll regret keeping Fran.