Assistant coaches’ salaries spiking in football

Trickle down economics are alive and well in college football. With many contracts being negotiated or finalized, nearly a dozen schools in the NCAA’s 120-school Football Bowl Subdivision have made deals under which they will be spending at least 38% more on their offensive or defensive coordinator in 2010 than they did in 2009. These increases come a year after four assistants — Tennessee’s Monte Kiffin and Ed Orgeron, Texas’ Will Muschamp and Washington’s Nick Holt — joined Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher in having deals worth at least $600,000 a year. (Kiffin and Orgeron have moved to Southern California, and Fisher has become Florida State’s head coach.) They also come amid continuing financial distress within higher education. – USA Today

Lane Kiffin Takes Another Shot at Florida Gators

Oh, Lane Kiffin, you are the gift that keeps on giving. The Tennessee coach cannot help himself when it comes to taking shots at the Florida Gators. As if accusing coach Urban Meyer of cheating wasn’t enough. As if saying Meyer was using the flu as an excuse for why the Gators struggled to beat Tennessee 23-13 wasn’t enough. Now comes this gem of a quote, as Tennessee prepares to play Alabama, the No. 1 team in the AP Poll. “I think one poll got it right,” Kiffin said Monday. “If you watch football and pay attention, I don’t think there’s any doubt who the No. 1 team is. Alabama has a great team — very well-coached, extremely talented, great special teams, great on offense, great on defense.” – Orlando Sentinel

Lane Kiffin, Urban Killer?

But whoever believed the Urban-killer would be Lane Kiffin? Yeah, that Lane Kiffin. Yet, that’s what happened the other day in the Swamp and it might have been the most significant development of the year in the SEC. There is another one developing as well: Florida may not even be the best team in the SEC (more on that in a moment). With the whole world watching, Meyer appeared to be a mere mortal Saturday in the most ballyhooed 30-point mismatch in world history since David vs. Goliath. Meyer’s team may have won on the scoreboard. However, Meyer’s biggest loss as a coach may have occurred when he was unable to wipe the smirk off Kiffin’s face. Gator fans cheered in the wake of the victory, but deep down, most probably left the Swamp disappointed and frustrated. Kiffin was the first person CBS wanted to interview after the game. Have you ever seen the loser interviewed first after a college football game? Kiffin just started running his mouth and trotted away happy as a lark. Asked later in the locker room about his famous utterance of singing Rocky Top all night long after beating Florida, Kiffin quipped: “We didn’t hum but I will come back for the basketball game with Bruce,” Kiffin said, referencing Bruce Pearl, the UT basketball coach who has a 7-1 record against Billy Donovan, who also has two national titles in Gainesville. And while Kiffin continued to play his role as the mouth of the South, Meyer was the defensive one. At 45 years old and one of the most feared coaches in the game, he suddenly looked old and over the hill. He parsed words. He acted truculent. He looked like a loser instead of a winner. Was this Meyer’s frustration with himself, his team, the pressure of being unable to grant his fan base their fervent desire to beat Kiffin by 50? Or was it the realization that his football team just ain’t that great? If the mighty Gators had to struggle against mediocre Tennessee, a team that lost the week before to UCLA at home, how are they going to fare in three weeks at Tiger Stadium or against Georgia or against Alabama on the first weekend in December in Atlanta? – Mobile Press-Register

Phil Fulmer Still Upset at Tennessee Over Firing

Phil Fulmer was approached by some UT big-wigs, who inquired about the possibility of him running for a state house spot. He says he’s not done coaching. Less than 10 months ago he stepped down as Tennessee’s head coach, but not necessarily willingly. UT fans and administration had become restless, and in early November he agreed to step away at the end of the season. “I’m still PO’d to say the least. There’s probably a couple of people there that I’m not going to invite to Christmas dinner any time soon,” Fulmer said. “I’ve chosen the best I can to take the high road. I really love Tennessee, so let there be no doubt about that. It’s very much a part of me.” – Daytona Beach News-Journal

Phil Fulmer Takes Jab at Lane Kiffin

Now 1-1 after a shellacking of Western Kentucky and Saturday’s home loss to UCLA, Kiffin is about to get the meeting with Meyer and the 2-0 Gators he desires as the SEC on CBS returns for its 2009 debut on Saturday afternoon at the Swamp. “You know everybody has the chance to do things their way,” said Fulmer, who is about to be unveiled as a CBS studio analyst. “We were very pleased with what we were able to accomplish during the majority of our time at Tennessee, and we did it without having to be brash and so on. But this is his style, what he thought he had to do. “We didn’t have a very good season last year. I certainly take full responsibility for that. And now it’s (Kiffin’s) turn to do it as he thinks he needs to do it. But the problem in this league is you’re going to play great football teams every week once you get into the Southeastern Conference schedule. So, if you’re going to be brash, you’d better be able to back it up.” – Gainesville Sun

Lane Kiffin’s Wife Loves Knoxville

Moving to Knoxville has afforded Layla Kiffin something that’s very unusual in the world of football - being near family. “For us to be here with my mom and Lane’s dad and mom is just priceless. It’s very rare in this profession to be with family,” she said. Her brother, David Reaves, is also in Knoxville, working with husband Lane Kiffin as quarterback coach for the University of Tennessee. “I told Lane we better do good because I don’t ever want to leave,” she said. – Knoxville News-Sentinel

Phillip Fulmer Eyeing Louisville Cardinals?

Former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer is multitasking. First, the CBS gig keeps Fulmer busy. Second, it maintains a link to the game he loves. And it keeps him in the public eye while he’s looking for his next job. Fulmer is making no secret that he wants to get back into college coaching if/when the right situation develops. Those closest to him say he has interest in a handful of jobs, some of which could come open after the ‘09 season. Fulmer isn’t alone. Ousted Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville is watching and waiting. Like Fulmer, he’ll be on TV this fall, working as a co-host on ESPNU’s Inside the Polls. The availability of veteran coaches like Fulmer and Tuberville will ratchet up the pressure on at-risk coaches who need strong seasons to keep their jobs. Among the attractive jobs that could be looking for new leadership are Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Virginia, Wisconsin, Colorado, Indiana and Louisville. Of those, Louisville would appear to be the best fit for Fulmer. – Tennessean

The Name Game: Leach Could Land at Tennessee

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

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach falls into the category of a successful coach at a program with fewer resources. In the most competitive conference outside of the SEC, he has made headway against the likes of Oklahoma and Texas. And his team plays in a stadium with about half the seating capacity of Neyland Stadium. A source told me that Leach is “very, very interested” in the UT job. Of course, Leach isn’t going to say that. In case you haven’t noticed, he’s currently preoccupied with trying to win a national championship. He’s also on the verge of having his contract renegotiated. So he’s probably happy where he is and committed to building a championship program at Texas Tech. But don’t cross him off your list – Knoxville News Sentinel

A source with knowledge of the search told ESPN.com that among the candidates on Tennessee’s preliminary list are Minnesota coach Tim Brewster, Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly, former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin and Texas Tech coach Mike Leach. Contact has already been made or will soon be made with representatives of all four coaches. Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton confirmed Thursday that the Vols’ initial list had already been forwarded to Chuck Neinas, who’s been hired to lead the search and will make the initial contact with coaches through their representatives. Hamilton said he would neither confirm nor deny any specific candidates. Neinas, who runs Neinas Sports Service, has been involved in several high-profile searches over the years, including Urban Meyer to Florida, Mack Brown to Texas and Butch Davis to North Carolina. Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp is another name that has been connected with the Tennessee job. Hamilton said someone with head coaching experience makes it easier to document that person’s success and record, but that it wasn’t a requirement… Some of the other names that could end up on the Vols’ list include Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio, TCU coach Gary Patterson, Air Force coach Troy Calhoun and Illinois offensive coordinator Mike Locksley. Others will emerge as well as the coaching dominoes start to fall around the country. – ESPN.com

Mike Locksley, the Illini’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, is considered a possible candidate to replace Fulmer at Tennessee and is also a possible replacement for Syracuse coach Greg Robinson, whose firing has been long rumored. Locksley has been a part of Zook’s staff at Illinois and Florida since 2003. Zook said that Locksley’s departure for a head-coaching job of his own is only a matter of time. “I don’t think there’s any question, Locks is going to get a job. I think that’s something we all expect, and we all look forward to celebrating with him,” Zook said. “Do I want to lose him? No, I don’t want to lose him. But it makes you feel good knowing you had a guy the caliber of Locks, and he deserves that opportunity.” – Daily Illini

A little birdie says Tennessee could end up using the same football coach search firm that Minnesota did in finding Tim Brewster. – Pioneer Press

North Carolina football coach Butch Davis says he’s happy in Chapel Hill and committed to building a championship program there. His agent, Jimmy Sexton, also downplayed the Davis-to-UT rumor. So you immediately crossed Davis off your University of Tennessee coaching candidates list, right? Of course, you didn’t. Davis was hardly as emphatic in dismissing speculation connecting him to the UT vacancy. In fact, he might be the most reasonable rumor of all the high-profile candidates. A source told me weeks ago that “UT representatives had expressed an interest in Davis.” – Knoxville News Sentinel

Beyond that, it’s up to Hamilton to identify and hire Fulmer’s successor. He can’t afford to get this wrong or he’ll be the next person out the door. Personally, I’d gravitate toward Tim Brewster at Minnesota because of his live-wire personality and relentless recruiting style. If you can sign blue-chip recruits at Minnesota, you should be able to one-up that at UT. Meanwhile, UT figures to make richer men out of some of the names on its wish list. Because he now is perceived to be in play, Davis will cash in at North Carolina without having to switch conferences to the tougher SEC. Likewise, Mike Leach should parlay his success and the interest of other schools into a lucrative new deal at Texas Tech. – Tennessean

Tennessee athletics director Mike Hamilton has a long list of qualities he’s looking for in the next Tennessee coach but no timeline on which to hire him. “I’m more concerned about hiring the right candidate than I am about how quickly we get it done. I do think that we need to be expedient and go about our business as quickly as is possible,” Hamilton said in his last public comments before hiring someone to replace Phillip Fulmer. The right candidate, Hamilton said, is one who has a lot of integrity, is a proven leader, is good at recruiting and building a staff and can work as a salesman to promote Tennessee. – The State

What does what happened with Phil Fulmer at Tennessee say about the college football world right now? A: Well you know it’s sad for the profession, when a guy gets a new contract like that and then gets let go. Really it questions the leadership there when a guy is handling the money of the university and then five or six months later, not only do you have to pay him off, but the assistant coaches. You’ve got an $8 million payout. But at the same time, I can see the AD’s part, too. They’ve had a hard time winning against the teams they’ve got to beat and they’ve got to look to the future. But why give him that new contract? – Athens Banner-Herald

On Tuesday as voters flocked to the polls, coaches David Cutcliffe of Duke and Butch Davis of North Carolina took to the podiums. Their message? Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton shouldn’t waste a phone call gauging their interest in the Vols’ head coaching vacancy that’s effective at the end of the season. “So to put an end to any speculation, I’m staying at Duke,” said Cutcliffe, the former Vols offensive coordinator who was lame-duck coach Phillip Fulmer’s right-hand man for most of Fulmer’s career. “(Tennessee) is not even a thought process.” And Davis? “The long and short of it is that the administration and I are completely, firmly committed to building a championship football program at North Carolina,” he said. “And my family and I are very happy in Chapel Hill.” – Commercial-Appeal

The Name Game: Tennessee Has Many Options

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

One of the first names I heard early this season was North Carolina’s Butch Davis. Davis would be a perfect fit because he is a great recruiter, which Tennessee must have, and a very good coach, which Tennessee also must have. Fulmer took Tennessee’s program to another level starting in 1993 because he was a relentless recruiter. Davis rebuilt the Miami football program and left enough players behind to win one national championship and come within one an eyelash of another. But Davis is not going to leave the relative comfort of Chapel Hill, N.C., to come to Tennessee. Why? – Atlanta Journal-Constitution

USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said he had not been contacted by Tennessee regarding its head coaching job, but would assess the possibility if he were. Phillip Fulmer announced Monday that he would step down after the season. – Los Angeles Times

Texas Tech is going to rue the decision not to give coach Mike Leach the contract extension he wanted before the season. Now, riding the crest of a 9-0 start and coming off the biggest victory in school history, Leach may be the nation’s hottest commodity. Expect Leach to become a top target at Tennessee now that the Phillip Fulmer era is over. Tennessee will have competition for Leach, who also will be in the crosshairs at Clemson and Washington. Leach has come close to leaving Lubbock in the past, being involved heavily at Stanford and BYU when those posts came open in recent years. But neither could pay enough. In addition to Leach, expect Tennessee A.D. Mike Hamilton to talk to Boise State coach Chris Petersen, former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin and Minnesota coach Tim Brewster. It’s also believed Hamilton will consider an assistant – Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. But some feel the Longhorns will do all they can to retain Muschamp and groom him to be the successor to Mack Brown. – Rivals.com

Just imagine, 106,000 orange-clad Vols fans cheering for their beloved Tennessee. And trotting out to the sidelines under a neon visor, Tennessee coach Steve Spurrier. It could have happened. South Carolina’s head coach said so Monday night after practice, had the Vols job come open four years back when Spurrier had flopped in the NFL and looked to return to the college game. Now, with Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer set to end his tenure, Spurrier says he’ll only go back to Neyland Stadium as the opposing coach. “This is going to be my last gig right here,” the 63-year-old Spurrier said Monday night. Speculation about Spurrier, who grew up in Johnson City, Tenn., pulling for U-T, taking over Tennessee had started on Internet message boards long before the Gamecocks placed the final straw on Fulmer’s broken back, 27-6, this past Saturday night. “He’s probably, 16, 17 years there, probably long enough,” Spurrier said. “Wasn’t working very well. I think everybody understands, when it starts going bad, they got to make changes. We all know that. “Congratulate him on hitting that lottery ticket, that’s a big ticket he got, a big one,” Spurrier said, smiling. Call it a barb at Fulmer’s expense. No one was better theater during the 1990s than Florida coach Spurrier. Fulmer was perhaps Spurrier’s biggest foil, enraging Vols fans everywhere. Spurrier famously quipped, “You can’t spell Citrus without UT,” when it was the Gators on top of the SEC and the Vols settling for seconds. – Associated Press

The Firing Line: Fulmer Gets Last Cigarette

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

No formal decision has been made regarding Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer’s future, an anonymous source who would be involved in such a decision told the News Sentinel on Monday, two days after the Vols lost to No. 2 Alabama in Neyland Stadium and fell to 3-5 overall. However, the source said that big losses to SEC rivals and an upset loss in overtime at UCLA in the season-opener could prove too much for Fulmer, regardless of what happens in UT’s four remaining games. A second source close to the program said a win over Alabama last week would have strongly bolstered Fulmer’s chances to be retained next season, especially if UT went on to win its four remaining games. That source said a 6-6 record would result in a coaching change, adding that Fulmer would not be guaranteed to save his job if the Vols go 7-5 this season. – Knoxville News-Sentinel

The brimstone seems to have faded. The debate, once hotly contested, now appears decided. The end looks inevitable. The old saying is, “It’s all over but the shouting.” Well, when it comes to the job status of Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer, the shouting also might be done in Knoxville. – The State

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