Fulmer, Tub, Carroll, Paterno News

Tennessee

But does it really come down to winning one game? That seems to be the buzz about Saturday’s Alabama-Tennessee game, with at least some pundits calling it a “make-or-break” game for Fulmer. Perhaps it is. If so, that’s not sound decision-making by the Tennessee administration. I have no particular proximity to the Tennessee program and can’t make an informed call on whether Fulmer should be fired or not, although writers like Ron Higgins and John Adams, columnists I respect, do have that proximity and have said, in print, that UT and Fulmer should come to a parting of the ways. Their reasoning seems sound — and it is not based on whether Tennessee upsets Alabama on Saturday night. It’s something that I wrote in 2006, but I will repeat it. If an administration is basing its decision on whether to keep a coach or can him based on one game, the decision should already have been made. Anything can happen in one game.  A Tennessee win over Alabama on Saturday would be an upset, given what has happened this season, but it is hardly outside the realm of possibility. Alabama already has to deal with one key injury this week. What if it sustains another that sidelines a key player? What if the Crimson Tide turns the ball over uncharacteristically? Such things are possible. The point, though, is that when a program starts viewing its coaching situation through the narrow prism of one game, it is not asking the right questions about itself. It has to be about a body of work, and the direction of a program. It’s the “direction” thing that has Fulmer in trouble. And winning against Alabama, as gratifying as it would be for UT, wouldn’t necessarily mean that the “direction” problem has been resolved. – Tuscaloosa News

USC

Now that the Mike Nolan era officially ended in San Francisco, it was only a matter of time before the speculation began. Nolan was fired from his perch on Monday. Later in the day, Pete Carroll was already asked about his interest in the 49ers head-coaching position. (Assistant Mike Singletary will serve as head coach on an interim basis). Like a calculated technician, the USC coach refused to make any comment on the job in order to avoid further speculation. Yes, it has come to this — a coach in a perfect situation, in the midst of challenging for a national title, must be peppered with questions about a job that outsiders assume is a logical fit. But, what these people don’t know is that Carroll is content as can be. Carroll is the envy of many coaches, and nearly all men, for than matter. He lives in one of the most desirable areas in the United States, he has a perennial top-10 program with five-star recruits knocking down the door to come play there, and, most importantly, he has job security. The only way Carroll leaves SC is if it’s on his own accord. The guy could have the pick of most college jobs in the land and even a handful of NFL jobs if he so chose. Instead, he’s chosen to stay loyal to the Trojans and they in turn will stay loyal to him. – Examiner

Auburn

The turmoil and rumors forced Tuberville to confront questions about his health and future during a press conference this week. Auburn’s 10th-year head coach said he has no plans to resign or retire. Tuberville said he hates to refer to any game as “must-win.” But Auburn must improve on both sides of the football after some startling breakdowns against Arkansas 12 days ago. “I would never tell them that we must go to West Virginia and win this game,” Tuberville said. “That’s not what it’s about. It’s about getting better and understanding your problems and not worrying about rumors, and instead, working those problems out and making yourself better. We have a lot of room for improvement in every area.” – Mobile Register

Penn State

Although Joe Paterno might like to, he can’t coach forever. And after 30 years of loyal service, Tom Bradley would seem to make an obvious heir apparent to the Penn State head coach. “I don’t worry about that,” Bradley, the Penn State defensive coordinator said recently. “I like what I do. Everybody says, ‘You have to be a head coach.’ I’ve had such a great experience, great things have happened. The people that I’ve met, I wouldn’t trade for the world.” Bradley’s Penn State roots go back more than three decades. He went from special teams captain to graduate assistant in 1979 and has been in Happy Valley ever since. – San Francisco Chronicle

Rapid Fire: Focus on Fulmer, Tub, Fridge, Willingham & Shannon

“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 five jobs which could soon be open…

Fulmer and Tuberville

Beating a mid-level Division 1 team, 13-9, while recording just 10 first downs, or losing 14-13 to the No. 19 team in the country while rushing for just four yards in the second half. Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer and Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville appear to be the same canoe, both with a quarterback to help them paddle before they fall over the edge of a waterfall… Tennessee and Fulmer are rapidly becoming college football’s punchline. Such as the rumor that Fulmer will leave his job to join FEMA, because he’s so good at evacuating 100,000 people in 10 minutes. Tuberville is drawing heat also, because the offensive coordinator (Tony Franklin) and scheme (the spread option) that Auburn switched to doesn’t fit the personnel. The most alarming thing about the Tigers in their 14-13 l oss to Vanderbilt was their 11 penalties. That’s just sloppy, undisciplined football. – Commercial-Appeal

Ralph Friedgen

Ralph Friedgen, frankly, seemed out of answers. He said he is not reaching the players. He said they lacked focus. You know how it is, they have been through this before, like last month in Murfreesboro. But this loss was even more damaging for the Terps… Maryland can win or lose any game left on its schedule. – Washington Post

Tyrone Willingham

But just moments later, Washington athletic director Scott Woodward said that his football coach will not be leaving the program anytime soon, despite the Huskies’ 48-14 loss to Arizona. “I told you last weekend that I was less satisfied than I was the week before, and I’m even less happy today,” Woodward said. “But we have seven games to play, and we’re going to play those seven games. And, no, there’s not going to be a change this week. Like I said, (I will) look at the whole body of work of this season and assess it at the end of the season.” The loss dropped Washington to 0-5, leaving the Huskies and North Texas as the only winless teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision. It also was UW’s seventh straight loss, now the longest losing streak in the FBS. Willingham said that his team can play better, but added that he believes his players are still giving full effort. Woodward said he believes that, too. “Coach Willingham’s coaching as hard as he can, and the kids are playing hard,” he said. “I didn’t see quit in these guys. They didn’t play well, but I didn’t see quit. I didn’t see bad dissention. But it’s not good. I don’t want to sugar coat it, but it’s not good.” Woodward said an in-season firing would be bad for the university’s image and also bad for the players, who he believes have enough going on as students and athletes without having to deal with losing one coach and adapting to a new one. – Bellingham Herald

Another night. Another embarrassing loss. Another reason to end the misery now. In the latest installment of dismay, the Washington football team lost 48-14 to Arizona with the resistance of an unlocked door and insisted afterward that redemption could be had. At 0-5 now, the Huskies still look at their seven remaining games as an opportunity instead of a slow countdown to destruction. As new owners of the nation’s longest losing streak (seven games), they still dream of accomplishing more than a coaching search. “We can play better,” Willingham claimed… Because of his own mismanagement, he’s a suffering Dawg, and every game he limps onto the field, overmatched and overwhelmed, dying slowly and cruelly. Lord, please take him. End the pitiful play. End the trampled looks on the players’ faces. End the fan outrage. Fire Willingham for his own good. For his health. For his sanity. For his family, which cannot be fully shielded from the public rancor. This is an ugly situation that, barring a miracle, will only get worse. The season isn’t half over, but we’ve seen enough. We know Willingham won’t be back next season. – Seattle Times

Washington athletic director Scott Woodward pulled the trigger — but it wasn’t on football coach Tyrone Willingham. Not even three weeks into his tenure, Woodward has dismissed Marie Tuite from her positions as senior associate athletic director for sports programs and senior women’s administrator. – Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Randy Shannon

“We’re that close,” Shannon said. Close, of course, isn’t good enough for the Hurricanes, who are reeling once again. Saturday’s 41-39 loss to Florida State was Miami’s 12th defeat in its last 15 Atlantic Coast Conference games, its fifth straight league loss at home, and left the Hurricanes at the bottom of the standings. A different play here against North Carolina, a different play there against the Seminoles, and Miami could be in first place, probably back in the national rankings for the first time in two years as well. Instead, the Hurricanes (2-3, 0-2) now stand on the brink of a second straight disappointing season… All of it, he insists, is correctable. And with seven games left, starting Saturday at home against Central Florida, he believes there’s still time to save this season. “You’ve got to keep banging away on pride, the pride factor that you have inside of you,” Shannon said. – Sporting News

Rapid Fire: Focus on Fulmer, Glenn, Robinson, Ferentz, Bowden, Chuck & Rocky Long – 10/01/2008

“The Firing Line” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on no less than seven head men on the proverbial “hot seat”…

As losses become more plentiful than they used to be, opponents start winning a few more recruiting battles and ticket sales aren’t as brisk as they once were, college football coaches can find themselves fending off talk of hot seats and employment prospects. There never seems to be an offseason for speculation on which coaches will survive or who will be moving on. And in a world where fans want success and want it yesterday, patience is in short supply. After only a month of the season, Internet fan forums and talk radio shows are already overflowing. Phillip Fulmer is the subject at Tennessee, where the Volunteers are 1-3. Greg Robinson, 8-32 in his fourth year at Syracuse, is as good as gone, if many fans are to be believed. Virginia’s Al Groh is a target after a 1-3 start that includes lopsided losses to Connecticut and Duke. Washington’s Tyrone Willingham is a loss away from the Huskies’ first 0-5 start in almost four decades. Clemson was picked to win the Atlantic Coast Conference, but coach Tommy Bowden’s club is a disappointing 3-2, including 1-1 in the league. – USA Today

Phillip Fulmer – Tennessee

Once, Johnny Majors was an embattled football coach at the University of Tennessee. There is another coach in the same situation now. Just don’t draw any more parallels than that. “I wouldn’t put myself in comparison in Phil Fulmer with anything you ask,” Majors said Tuesday night before speaking to the Huntsville Quarterback Club. “I don’t want to compare what I’ve been through any time, any situation where ever, compared to who the head coach is there. I’m above that, compared to what I had to do, to rebuild three programs.” But here are some comparisons: Majors and Fulmer both coached 16 full seasons at Tennessee. Majors’ last six seasons he won 53 games. The six seasons going into this year, Fulmer had won 52. – Huntsville Times

Joe Glenn – Wyoming

Wyoming’s Joe Glenn is in his sixth season in Laramie, Wyo., and in big trouble. His team’s only wins were a 21-20 squeaker over Ohio in the season opener and a 16-13 victory over North Dakota State, a Football Championship Subdivision team. The Pokes (2-3, 0-1 MWC) have lost their past two games by a combined score of 89-16, and with games the following two weeks against 15th-ranked Utah and TCU, easily could lose five in a row if they can’t get past New Mexico (2-3, 0-1) on Saturday night. – Coloradoan

Rocky Long – New Mexico

Rocky Long, who is in his 11th season at New Mexico with a 63-64 record, isn’t on the same kind of hot seat as Glenn. But the Lobos (2-3, 0-1) are limping along since losing quarterback Donovan Porterie to a season-ending knee injury in a 56-14 loss two weeks ago at Tulsa. Redshirt freshman Brad Gruner led the Lobos to a 35-24 victory this past Saturday at New Mexico State, but it remains to be seen whether he’s capable of leading the Lobos through MWC play. – Coloradoan

Greg Robinson – Syracuse

Well, if now former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin is high on your list of candidates to replace Greg Robinson as head coach of the Syracuse Football team if and when he goes, this must be like Christmas morning in the timing department for you. … Lane Kiffin has absolutely been one of the most popular names mentioned as a possible candidate to replace Grob. That conversation was made all the more interesting when Daryl Gross told me last week that Kiffin would be a candidate in any coaching search that would be done here. — Syracuse Post-Standard

Kirk Ferentz – Iowa

If Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is “The Senator,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz should be called “The Junior Senator.” Ferentz’s calm and smooth approach to handling questions from reporters has served him well throughout his tenure as Iowa’s coach. It has been especially valuable in recent months, as Iowa endured a wave of off-field problems involving players. Now Ferentz finds himself in the crosshairs after Iowa suffered back-to-back losses… It’s important to note that Ferentz signed a contract extension through 2012 that includes a large buyout, so he’s probably not going anywhere. But if Iowa continues to slide — Saturday’s game at Michigan State is absolutely critical — Ferentz will continue to be asked about his job security, as he was on Tuesday’s Big Ten coaches’ teleconference. “I’m not aware of the reports on my job status,” he said. “Maybe our kids are more in-tune than I am. That’s the last thing I’m worried about.” – ESPN

Chuck Long – San Diego State

Chuck Long is struggling to get San Diego State over the hump. He is in his third season and is just 8-20. The Aztecs are 1-3 this season, though they are coming off their first win (Idaho) of the season. Given the rest of the schedule, San Diego State could finish 1-11. If a change is made, don’t be shocked if former Minnesota coach Glen Mason becomes a prime candidate. The hire makes sense, because the program needs a veteran hand. The Aztecs haven’t been to a bowl since 1998, when Ted Tollner was coach. The best SDSU has managed since is a 6-6 mark in 2003. – Rivals.com

Tommy Bowden – Clemson

“I’ve defended Bowden to no end, but I’m done defending him,” he said. “People have seen this before, and here we are again. … It just kills you. It takes the wind right out of the sails.” Smith’s dissatisfaction appears to represent a growing number of Clemson supporters who have soured on Bowden and the direction of his team. Fan criticism of Bowden is nothing new, but recent events have brought disillusionment even among people who previously supported Bowden… Dr. Jim Bostic, president of IPTAY, said he’s heard some criticism from boosters but didn’t want to discuss specifics. “I’m hearing the same things you’re hearing,” he said. “I don’t think we ought to be in a crisis mode or anything like that, but I’m hearing that people are very disappointed about what’s happening with the team. Anytime you have people who are not happy about what’s going on, you have to listen to those people.” Bowden, who last December signed a contract extension through 2014, said he can’t preoccupy himself with questions about his job security. – Post and Courier