Rapid Fire: UNLV, Iowa, Clemson, UTEP Notes

“Rapid Fire” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on multiple coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on no less than four jobs…

UNLV

The case against Sanford: Sanford is constantly talking about turning the corner, but will he be the one to get them across it?Sanford is in the final season of his four-year contract. He signed on to coach the Rebels after leading the Utah Utes to a Fiesta Bowl victory as offensive coordinator in 2004. The Rebels’ head coach that season, John Robinson, resigned halfway through the season and his team finished 2-9 setting the trend for Sanford… In four years as head coach, his record speaks for itself: nine wins and 34 losses. Of those nine wins, only one has come against a team that has finished (or has to this point in the 2008 season) a winning record. – The Rebel Yell

Iowa

Kirk Ferentz, Iowa: Off-field problems the last two years haven’t helped Ferentz’s case, but the team has been playing better, and it faces a key stretch of games that will dictate the administration’s course with its $3 million-a-year coach. The five wins this fall aren’t too impressive, though Iowa should get a sixth at home against struggling Purdue. Still, the Hawkeyes might have to win two of these three remaining games — at Illinois and Minnesota, home against Penn State — for Ferentz to keep his job. – Sporting News

Clemson

Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster has been contacted about filling the coaching vacancy at Clemson, sources close to the search said. Foster, 49, is one of several candidates believed to be under consideration to replace Tommy Bowden, who stepped down Oct. 13. Others include Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin, TCU coach Gary Patterson, Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson and Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables. Clemson likely will talk to coordinators who are candidates before the season ends and wait until after the season to speak with sitting head coaches. – Rivals.com

UTEP

Mike Price, UTEP: The 0-3 start made things very shaky in El Paso. Winning three of four since has helped, and while the Miners won’t win the C-USA West (Tulsa will), Price can strengthen his case in games against state and conference rivals Rice, SMU and Houston. Win two of those three, and he’s safe. – Sporting News

The Name Game: Tub in Line at Clemson?

“The Name Game” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on active coaching searches around the country. The latest edition centers on the Clemson Tigers…

Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will be a main contender for the job at Clemson. Interviews could start at any time in a search that’s being led by Carr Sports Associates, which is headed by former Florida athletic director Bill Carr. Muschamp also likely will be a contender at Auburn if a coaching change is made there. And in a twist, don’t be surprised if Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville becomes a top target if he’s out on the Plains. In addition to Muschamp, expect Clemson – which could pay up to $2.5 million per year to its new coach – also to give hard looks to Tulsa’s Todd Graham, Vanderbilt’s Bobby Johnson and TCU’s Gary Patterson. Interim coach Dabo Swinney could claim the post if he finishes with a flourish. He is a favorite of Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips, but there may be too much pressure on Phillips to bring in someone from the outside. It looks as if Lane Kiffin is a remote possibility. – Rivals.com

The time may be right for Bud Foster finally to leave Frank Beamer’s side. Foster has done all he can, forging a rep as the best defensive coordinator in his 22 seasons at Virginia Tech. If you connect the dots, a Foster-Clemson marriage makes perfect sense. Foster is an intense and passionate coach who knows how to build and operate a big-time program. And he is well-connected in ACC recruiting circles. – Rivals.com

The Name Game: Muschamp Emerges as Leader at Clemson

“The Name Game” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on active coaching searches around the country. The latest edition centers on the Clemson Tigers…

Tommy Bowden, Clemson: The fit: Will Muschamp, Texas defensive coordinator. Played in the South, coached and recruited in the South and is a young version of Nick Saban. What’s not to like? – Sporting News

Texas Longhorns defensive coordinator Will Muschamp is the current favorite to replace Tommy Bowden as head coach at Clemson University, sources tell FITS. A former standout defensive back at the University of Georgia, Muschamp has held defensive coaching positions at LSU, Auburn and Texas, among other college programs, and was the Miami Dolphins assistant head coach and defensive coordinator in 2005. In thirteen years as a coach, Muschamp has never remained at one school longer than four seasons. Known for his fiery sideline demeanor, Muschamp is easily one of the most talented defensive coaches in the college game, although he has never held a head coaching position at any level. In addition to his lack of head coaching experience, it is unclear whether or not Muschamp’s irascible personality would mesh well with Tigers’ athletic director Terry Don Phillips, who has a habit of stalking the sidelines (in purple sweater vests, no less) and second-guessing his head coaches. – fitsnews.com

Carroll, Kiffin Rumors Swirl

Pete Carroll
USC coach Pete Carroll said Monday he did not want to answer questions about the San Francisco 49ers coaching situation because it would only lead to more questions from the media. The 49ers fired coach Mike Nolan on Monday and assistant coach Mike Singletary is expected to take over for the rest of this season, although no official word has come from the NFL team. Carroll, a former 49ers assistant and Bay Area native, said in 2003 he was offered the job but turned it down. Carroll said five years ago the organization changed from the one he worked for under the late coach Bill Walsh. But speculation immediately rose after Nolan was fired. “There’s no reason to respond,” Carroll said. “I’m even going to respond to anything.” – LA Daily News

Lane Kiffin
Today it feels better to help than to hurt, so today I will help Clemson and Tennessee and Syracuse — well, maybe Syracuse can’t do any better than Lane Kiffin — by telling them to kindly, but swiftly, pull your head out of your ass and understand who Lane Kiffin is. And who he is not. Who he is: A terrible NFL head coach. Bill Callahan, not Bill Cowher. True, the Raiders are poisonous. But Kiffin didn’t do anything to make them better. The Raiders sucked before he got there, and the Raiders sucked while he was there, and the Raiders suck now that he’s gone. Lane Kiffin had no impact. Zero. So if Kiffin’s time with the Raiders was a complete zero, who else is he? He’s a former offensive coordinator at the most talented program in college football. That’s all he is, and if that sounds flippant, good. – CBS Sports

Clemson, Auburn in State of Flux

Was there anything inherently wrong with athletic director Terry Don Phillips standing among the players and coaches during Clemson’s 21-17 loss to Georgia Tech in Death Valley on Saturday, just five days after the dismissal of longtime head coach Tommy Bowden? According to the fans and Phillips himself, no. “I have always come to the sidelines at some point during a game
 my entire career as an athletic director,” he said after the game. “(Interim) Coach (Dabo) Swinney came to the end of the team box where I was
 standing, I did comment about the holding against a Clemson offensive 
lineman on the fourth-and-12 play at the end of the game. That
 frustration was directed at the call, and not towards anything our coaching 
staff or players had done.” Understandable; however, it was a little too much of a Jerry Jones action. And perception, not reality, can hurt Clemson come December, although the reality appears to be nothing but positive. “The biggest thing I wanted to accomplish was unity, embracing some things, creating some pride in doing the little things right,” Swinney said. But what are head coaching prospects thinking? Particularly those who may already be top head coaches looking for a change of scenery? Do they see nothing wrong with their potential boss stalking the sidelines? Or would this situation make them uncomfortable and turn them away from considering Clemson as their new home? Your best head coaches, in all likelihood, want to be the Man on the sidelines. They command total control on game day, and having your boss alongside takes away from that. Who wants to work for a boss who’s right there all the time? Clemson is at a crossroads in its program. If it hires the right guy, Clemson will start collecting ACC titles. If it hires down (which it’s done since 1990), the program will be stuck in mediocrity for a while longer. For now, Phillips, despite his good intentions, should leave the sideline, let the coach do his job and focus on finding a long-term Bowden replacement. – RealFootball365.com

Yes, Auburn (4-3, 2-3 in the Southeastern Conference) is a program in flux. A team picked to win the SEC’s Western Division now has become a haven of uncertainty. Each day brings with it a new speculative tangent about coach Tommy Tuberville’s job status, closed-door arguments among the staff or imminent problems with the team’s recruiting effort. So how did the Tigers get here? The fall of former offensive coordinator Tony Franklin mimicked Auburn’s remarkable fall from prominence. Hired last winter from Troy University to install an aggressive attack, Franklin needed only two weeks to design a scheme good enough to win the 2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl. Coach Tommy Tuberville figured 15 spring practices and a summer of unsupervised-yet-structured workouts would enhance a system that already was a winner. He was wrong. – Montgomery Advertiser

The Name Game: Muschamp, Johnson Gaining Traction at Clemson

“The Name Game” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on active coaching searches around the country. The latest edition centers on the Clemson Tigers…

Vanderbilt Coach Bobby Johnson is being rumored as a potential candidate for the Clemson opening, while UT Coach Phillip Fulmer is on the proverbial hot seat. – Tennessean

Roughly 10 months after he was hired as one of the highest paid assistant coaches in the country, Texas’ Will Muschamp could once again be on the move to a team with a different shade of orange. – CUTigers.com

Bowden’s departure is only the first in what could be another turbulent coaching offseason. Keep an eye on what happens with Phil Fulmer at Tennessee in the next few weeks. There are already watches going on at Syracuse and Washington. And who knows what will happen at Penn State, if the Nittany Lions roar through the season undefeated and Joe Paterno decides at the age of 81 it would be a nice way to leave center stage. And then there will be the inevitable questions about when is it time for Bobby Bowden to step aside and allow coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher to move into the top slot. At Clemson, the search will move forward. Names such as Vanderbilt’s Bobby Johnson, a Clemson alum and former defensive coordinator for the Tigers, Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe, and Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp have been mentioned. – Boston Globe

The Name Game: Clemson Looking at Vandy’s Johnson

“The Name Game” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on active coaching searches around the country. The latest edition centers on the Clemson Tigers…

While Tennessee’s Phil Fulmer and Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville face questions about their job status, it was only a matter of time before Vanderbilt’s Bobby Johnson started getting questions, too — about job offers. Johnson’s alma mater, Clemson, parted ways with Tommy Bowden after a disappointing 3-3 start, and the name of the Vanderbilt coach, who has the Commodores sitting pretty at 5-1, is being bandied about as a possible candidate for the job. Johnson, who played defensive back at Clemson from 1970-72, said Wednesday that he has had no contact with the Tigers. “We’re trying to get ready to play Georgia and that’s all I’ve tried to concentrate on,” he said, adding that he has not addressed the issue with his team. “There’s nothing to ignore. Nobody’s contacted me, I’ve not contacted anybody else and as far as I’m concerned, we’re just moving along in our schedule.” Other possible candidates for the Tigers’ vacancy include former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin, Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, Tulsa head coach Todd Graham, East Carolina head coach Skip Holtz and Clemson’s current interim head coach, Dabo Swinney (a former Alabama player and coach). – Mobile Press-Register

Bobby Johnson has been prominently included in a media list of potential candidates to replace Tommy Bowden at Clemson. The connection is an obvious one: Johnson played at Clemson, served as defensive coordinator with the Tigers for a season, is a Columbia, S.C. native and had great success as head coach at Football Championship Subdivision Furman in Greenville, S.C. Johnson played down the home-state ties on Wednesday. “I really don’t have a whole bunch of them,” Johnson said of his feelings on the Clemson job. “We’re trying to get ready to play Georgia. That’s all I’ve tried to concentrate one. We’ve got enough to do here without having to worry about that.” Johnson has enough going on this week without eyeing a new job. The Commodores play at Georgia in a showdown of SEC East-leading teams. – Huntsville Times

Scoop: New Names Emerge at Clemson

Three new names have emerged in Clemson’s new coaching search. With Vandy Coach Bobby Johnson, Wake Forest Coach Jim Grobe, Texas DC Will Muschamp, Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville and Interim Coach Dabo Swinney already in the mix, the hunt of off to a great start. Here are three more names that are sure to draw an interest from the Tigers…

Mike Gundy, Head Coach at Oklahoma State: Clemson AD Terry Don Phillips is quite fond of Gundy. Phillips brought the young coach back to Oklahoma State as an assistant a few years back. Gundy is sure to get a call, though he is unlikely interested in leaving his alma mater.

Lane Kiffin, Former Head Coach of Oakland Raiders: Phillips is reported close friends with Kiffin’s father Monte. The two have ties from their time at Arkansas. Kiffin could be a real player in this race.

Rich Rodriguez, Head Coach at Michigan: Richie Rod could be the ultimate wild card. He has told associates he is not happy with the talent level he inherited at Michigan. The natives are already growing restless with the Wolverines’ latest loss to… Toledo. It seems both Rod and Michigan may have buyers remorse. Clemson loves Rich Rodriguez from his days as Tommy Bowden’s OC. Rodriguez and his wife are quite fond of Clemson. Could he bolt Michigan after just one season? It’s unlikely, but not out of the realm of possibilities.

UPDATED Scoop: Grobe, Tub, Muschamp, Johnson Early Names at Clemson

Now that Clemson has fired Coach Tommy Bowden, speculation turns to who may replace him. Sources tell Football Rumor Mill that Athletic Director Terry Don Phillips’ number one target will likely be Wake Forest Head Coach Jim Grobe.

Some think interim Coach Dabo Swinney might have an outside shot at the job, although that will likely depend on how the Tigers finish the season.

Three other names that will likely garner significant interest are Vanderbilt Coach and South Carolina native Bobby Johnson, Texas DC Will Muschamp and soon-to-be-former Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville. Tub could be the wild card in the mix. Assuming he can amicably extricate himself from the Auburn situation, Tuberville could be the big name splash hire Clemson wants.

The Firing Line: Could Kiffin Replace Bowden?

“The Firing Line” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on Clemson Coach Tommy Bowden…

As for Bowden’s future, I think it’ll be tough for him to save his job again this year. Even if he runs the table now, I don’t know if that’d be enough. 9-3 in the ACC? Yawn. Trouble is, Bowden’s deal reportedly would cost them about $4 million to get him out of there. In fairness, the guy does have a winning percentage of over 64 percent, but I feel like there just isn’t a lot of momentum pushing that program forward and elevating it beyond 7-5 and 8-4 type of seasons, which are solid, but should Clemson be aspiring to better? It seems to be time for a change… I definitely think Clemson is a very good coaching job. It has great tradition, good facilities and a big fan base. Plus that area produces a lot of talent. It feels like an SEC school in the ACC in terms of profile. Big-time football school. I’d probably go after Lane Kiffin first. He is an energetic offensive mind who can really recruit. (He got Mike Williams out of Tampa, among others.) He could also put together an incredible staff. – ESPN

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