JMU’s Mickey Matthews a Candidate at Virginia?

If U.Va. fires Al Groh at the end of the season - a complicated issue, by the way - the Cavaliers would be arrogantly stupid not to look westward to James Madison University, where Mickey Matthews has become a junior-league Frank Beamer. Matthews - a West Texan with the accent to prove it - has turned the Dukes into a self-perpetuating football program that each season contends for its conference championship and, often, enters the national-title picture. Just like Virginia Tech. Also like the Hokies, the Dukes project a tough, blue-collar persona fueled by talented players from the 757 and 804 area codes, aka Hampton Roads and Richmond. One more similarity: Beamer, like Matthews, began his head-coaching career in Division I-AA. That’s where he was when Tech plucked him out of anonymity to transform the Gobblers into the Hokies, and - for better or worse, depending on your view of big-time athletics - to turn a rural land-grant school into a household name from L.A. to NYC… If U.Va. decides to dump Groh - assuming the Cavaliers continue to fade - it could snare Matthews at Wal-Mart prices. When Rich Rodriguez left West Virginia, he was earning about the same paycheck as Groh - roughly between $1.8 and $2 million a year. WVU hired then-assistant Bill Stewart, whose only head-coaching experience was at I-AA VMI, for $800,000 (plus incentives). Because U.Va. oddly Gillenized Groh - gave him an extension a la former basketball coach Pete Gillen that appears to necessitate a multi-million-dollar buyout - a high-quality, bargain-basement coach might be attractive even to a university with extraordinarily deep pockets. As for Matthews, $800,000 annually would more than triple the pre-incentives salary of $222,000 he gets each year from JMU. That would be hard to turn down. So would a million bucks, which might be the more likely offer. “He’d be as good a choice as they could make,” said former U.Va. coach Sonny Randle, a friend of Matthews. “He’s going to be successful wherever he goes. They couldn’t get a better coach.” – Daily 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