Butch Davis’ intent is to stay with UNC Tar Heels

Burned by the public promise he broke at Miami in 2000, Butch Davis no longer uses definitive statements in regard to his future. When asked about his future at North Carolina, Davis went about as far as he’s willing to go. “I have every intention of making this my last job,” Davis said in an extensive interview this spring. Davis, 58, has three seasons in the books at UNC, with five seasons left on his contract. His fourth Tar Heels team promises to be his best, with 19 starters back from a team that won eight games. Davis gives himself an out with references to “every intention,” because shortly after telling his Miami team, in no uncertain terms, that he wasn’t leaving, he left for the Cleveland. – Charlotte Observer

Miami coach Randy Shannon worried about being lame duck

What is irrefutable is that Randy Shannon, who took over at the University of Miami in 2007, is the second-lowest paid coach among 12 ACC teams. Shannon is entering the final season of his four-year contract, and while the coach and university officials insist a deal will get done this off-season — with one UM source saying something could be in place by Thursday, the start of an important recruiting evaluation period — so far nothing has been signed. Any delay beyond the start of the 2010 season on Sept. 2 could provide a major distraction for a team that has a murderous three-game road trip scheduled — at Ohio State, Pittsburgh and Clemson — after their opener against Florida A&M. Shannon realizes the pitfalls that could befall his team if he enters the season as a lame duck. “That’s a tough thing during the season to go through,” Shannon said. “You’re going to get the question every day. If you’re winning, the press is going to ask, ‘Do they really want you?’ And if you’re losing, they’re going to say, ‘Well, the university doesn’t want you.’ It’s a bad deal either way.” – Palm Beach Post

Seminoles, Hurricanes to SEC?

There can never really be enough realignment talk between January and September. Other than spring practice and fall camp, there is not a whole lot other than these rumors to keep a college football fan going. So here’s one more to think about: could the Miami Hurricanes and Florida State Seminoles be heading to the SEC? Probably not, but if the Big Ten makes a big move and expands to 16 teams, don’t expect the SEC to be far behind in expanding. – Miami Herald

Randy Shannon having issues on Miami contract extension

Salary isn’t the only stumbling block in UM’s contract talks with coach Randy Shannon. They also have not seen eye-to-eye on terms of a buyout if he’s fired. Is Shannon frustrated? “No,” he said. “I don’t make it personal. It’s just business.” A UM trustee said the school increased its offer to $1.4 million annually in base salary but that Shannon wants about $2 million. Five Atlantic Coast Conference football coaches make $2 million or more. … Shannon, who has one year left on his deal at less than $1 million annually, said the contract situation has made recruiting a “challenge. Do other schools use it? Yeah, they use it against us. I have confidence that it will get worked out.” UM athletic director Kirby Hocutt said, “We’re working on it,” but wouldn’t elaborate. – Miami Herald

Why Randy Shannon is mad

Randy Shannon’s contract negotiation has been going on, and on, and on, for months, and still he’s entering the final year of his contract. Why? Because Miami is a small, private school that does sports - even football - on the cheap. I wrote about the issue in a column for Thursday’s paper. Miami’s extension proposal of around $1.3 million a year, according to a source, would make him the 11th-highest-paid coach in the 12-team Atlantic Coach Conference. – Sun-Herald

Randy Shannon negotiating new Miami contract

Randy Miami has been going back-and-forth with head coach Randy Shannon’s agent on contract terms, with the process taking longer than expected, and the agent said to be seeking a salary more on par with other Atlantic Coast Conference coaches. But UM athletic director Kirby Hocutt said the extension — adding three or four years to the one left — “will get done in the coming weeks.” – Miami Herald

Randy Shannon still in line for extension?

Before the North Carolina game, a Miami Board of Trustee member said the administration planned to discuss a contract extension with Randy Shannon (beyond next season) after UM’s Nov. 28 regular-season finale. Unclear is whether a poor finish could risk that. – Miami Herald

Notre Dame ducking Miami series?

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said in April he wanted to renew the football series with Miami. But Swarbrick now isn’t returning calls, and UM believes he’s no longer interested because he never responded to two UM proposals (including a home-and-home series and/or a neutral site game). – Miami Herald

Randy Shannon in line for extension at Miami

After No. 11 Miami beat Oklahoma 21-20 for the program’s most significant win in several years Saturday night, Hurricanes athletic director Kirby Hocutt reaffirmed that the university has no intentions of letting Shannon slip away. Shannon’s contract expires after the 2010 season, but formal talks about an extension haven’t yet taken place. And any whispers that Shannon’s future could be in jeopardy are certainly nonexistent now. Randy Shannon is going to be our head coach for a long, long time,” Hocutt said. Hocutt has offered similar sentiments before and Shannon quickly dismisses any talk about his contract, even though he’s acutely aware that trying to convince recruits to spend four years at a school but not having any assurance he’ll be there past 2010 can be daunting. “Not worried about it,” Shannon said. “Really, I’m not.” But after this 3-1 start, there would figure to be motivation for Miami to get a deal done — probably around season’s end. – ESPN

Randy Shannon can breath easier at Miami - for now

Randy Shannon doesn’t sleep much during football season. Too many details, too much adrenaline and, lately, lots of late-night congratulatory phone calls. But he can sleep easier now. Two consecutive victories against ranked opponents on national TV is a sure-fire cure for insomnia. In these days of job insecurity, Shannon has removed himself from the hot seat. For now. – Miami Herald

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