Terry Bowden rumors abound: Virginia, UCF, Memphis could come calling

Terry Bowden’s return to coaching has helped North Alabama to a 9-0 start, a No. 1 ranking and at least a share of the Gulf South Conference football championship. It also has made Bowden a popular name on sports talk radio shows and the Internet when potential coaching vacancies are discussed. Bowden has been linked with potential coaching openings at several schools, including Virginia, Memphis and Central Florida. None of the schools has announced coaching changes, but many sports Web sites are speculating that openings will come at the end of the season. And Bowden’s name has already been mentioned as one of the possible candidates. Bowden said Tuesday he has not been contacted by any school regarding a coaching position. Bowden was hired at UNA on Jan. 1 after spending the previous 10 years as a TV and radio analyst for college football games. He is in the first year of a three-year contract at UNA. – Times Daily

JoePa survived criticism; Bowden won’t

Go ahead and give Joe Paterno the all-time Division I wins record. Bobby Bowden is finished. Paterno survived when Penn State administrators tried to show him the door in 2004, but don’t expect Bowden to do the same. Florida State officials are trying to oust Bowden, whose team dropped to 2-4 with Saturday night’s 49-44 loss to Georgia Tech. The Seminoles have all kinds of problems and appear to be on their way to a 6-6 season at best. Florida State used to be one of the top-five teams in the nation every year. Now, the Seminoles are the fourth-best team in their own state behind Florida, Miami and South Florida. JoePa entered the year with a one-game lead on Bowden in the wins race, 383-382. That lead is now up to four with Penn State’s 5-1 record. The NCAA is trying to strip Bowden of 14 victories because of a cheating scandal, which would essentially end the contest between Paterno and his friend. Even if Bowden somehow wins his appeal, which is unlikely, it would be nearly impossible for him to catch JoePa this season. And with the way things are imploding down in Tallahassee, there probably won’t be a next season for Bowden… Florida State already has a successor in place in offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher. If he’s not the head coach by the 2011 season, the university will owe him $5 million because of a clause in his contract. There’s no reason, with the team playing so poorly and Bowden serving as a distraction, that the school shouldn’t part ways with him after this year. It’s a shame for Bowden, but it’s also time for him to go. – Altoona Mirror

George O’Leary Feeling Heat at UCF

Citing the same ineffectual short-run offense that eliminated UCF from Conference USA contention last year, indecisiveness in personnel decisions, and an overall lack of spark coming from the team in their games against Samford and Southern Miss this year, donors, alumni, season ticket holders, and students are calling for George O’Leary’s head. Much to the surprise of Knights supporters, Athletics Director Keith Tribble and UCF President John Hitt aren’t crying foul toward the head football coach. A $5 million buyout in order to cut O’Leary loose might be the answer why. You see, in 2006, the university jumped the gun when the Knights were reaching new heights and on the verge of a Conference-USA championship. They signed O’Leary to a 10-year contract, keeping him at Central Florida until 2015. Two summers later, UCF announced that they were planning to cut five programs and 51 faculty members, saving them just over $6 million. Now is not a good time to be spending $5 million on football. No matter how the next few games go, O’Leary will definitely not be replaced midseason, and most likely won’t be replaced for a while. – Bleacher Report

George O’Leary Feeling Heat at UCF

O’Leary led the Golden Knights to their first national bowl game in 2005 and first Conference USA championship in 2007. But Central Florida has never posted back-to-back winning seasons during his five-year tenure and his overall record is 26-36. O’Leary’s coaching methods were also questioned after the 2008 death of wide receiver Ereck Plancher, who died following an offseason workout. Although O’Leary and his staff were cleared after a university investigation, Plancher’s parents sued the school for wrongful death in March. The Golden Knights bring back 16 starters from last season’s 4-8 team, including 10 on offense. UCF plays a difficult schedule, including nonconference games against Texas (road) and Miami (home), along with Conference USA road games at Southern Miss and East Carolina. A record similar to 2008 could spell the end of O’Leary’s tenure in Orlando. – ESPN.com