The Name Game: New Names Surface at Washington

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

A number of big coaching opportunities are out there, including at Washington, where Ty Willingham will not return for 2009. Amid scores of early season firings, Petersen is rumored to be the name circling at a number of places, but Pete isn’t buying into it. He is comfortable in Boise, but worries about the recruiting aspect more than anything else, and keeping his guys up to date on what is happening. – KMVT

Tennessee will have competition for Leach, who also will be in the crosshairs at Clemson and Washington. – Rivals.com

The Washington search looks to be secretive, along the lines of the hush-hush search Iowa State A.D. Jamie Pollard did a few years ago before hiring Gene Chizik. Washington president Mark Emmert and A.D. Scott Woodward are working closely together on the identifying candidates, letting few – if any – other people in on the process. A search firm from Los Angeles has been hired to assist Washington in the process. Expect Emmert and Woodward to cast a wide net. Early leaders appear to be Kiffin, Muschamp, Petersen, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian and Montana coach Bobby Hauck. – Rivals.com

The Name Game: Mora Out, Pinkel Next at UDub?

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

Jim Mora, the favorite of many fans to become the next coach of the Washington Huskies, said Friday he will not be a candidate for the job. There was no formal approach or proposal from Washington, but according to a source with knowledge of the situation, there was an informal inquiry about Mora’s availability through intermediaries and the message was conveyed to UW that Mora would not be a candidate. The Seahawks have signed Mora to be their head coach beginning in 2009. Mora had not previously talked publicly about the UW job since it opened, deferring questions from the media on Thursday. – Seattle Times

With Jim Mora out of the picture, rumors will shift focus to other candidates. One of the leading candidates could be Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, a former UW assistant under Don James. Pinkel declined to comment on the UW job this week when asked by reporters in Missouri. Other possible candidates include Pat Hill of Fresno State, Chris Petersen of Boise State, former Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick, Utah’s Kyle Whittingham, TCU’s Gary Patterson, California’s Jeff Tedford, Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, Missouri offensive coordinator Dave Christensen, UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker, former Raiders coach Lane Kiffin, USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, Texas Tech coach Mike Leach and Air Force coach Troy Calhoun. – Seattle Times

BREAKING NEWS VIDEO: Willingham Out at Washington

BREAKING NEWS: Willingham Resigns

Washington coach Tyrone Willingham said Monday he will step down at the end of the 2008 season. The embattled Washington coach fell to 0-7 on Saturday after a 33-7 loss to Notre Dame. Willingham and athletics director Scott Woodward made the announcement at a news conference.

Willingham has been under fire for being unable to turn around the Washington program. He is 11-32 overall in his four seasons with the Huskies. Washington currently has a nine-game losing streak dating back to last season, tied with North Texas for the longest in the country.

Woodward has said he did not want to change coaches during the middle of the season. But he said Monday’s announcement ends speculation of what is going to happen with Willingham and lets the team focus on the final five games. – AP

The Firing Line: Willingham Out of Time at UDub

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

The Fighting Irish don’t want Willingham. It seems only a matter of when before Washington’s administration reaches the same decision, especially after Saturday’s 33-7 loss to Notre Dame. “Right now the thing we’ve got to draw on is basic pride,” Willingham said. “We’ve got to step up, coaches and players and all of us have to step up and be better than what we did because this was not a good performance.” But Willingham very well could be gone at any time. Athletic director Scott Woodward has stated many times that he does not believe that an in-season coaching change is a prudent move, yet the Huskies have dropped nine straight, dating to last season, and are assured of not going to a bowl game for the sixth consecutive year. Willingham is 11-32 in his four seasons, and the Huskies are 0-7 for only the second time in school history. Their losing streak is the longest in the country, tied with North Texas. Woodward surely couldn’t help but notice the exodus of fans from the stadium at halftime. Many of the 70,437 that stayed through Saturday’s rout were Notre Dame fans more than willing to celebrate Willingham’s demise after his three lackluster seasons with the Irish earlier this decade. – Sporting News

If, as many speculated, there was a lot going on behind the scenes, it was being kept well hidden. What is out in the open now, however, is that Willingham will soon be gone as UW’s coach, the Huskies falling to 0-7 with Saturday’s 33-7 loss at Notre Dame, dropping his Washington record to 11-32. Saturday’s loss meant that even the last remaining vestige of hope this season — running the table in the last six games to get to the postseason — is no more as the defeat mathematically eliminated UW from bowl contention. There has been much speculation that once that bridge was crossed, a change could happen at any point, and even before halftime of Saturday’s game the rumor mill began churning wildly. UW athletic director Scott Woodward has said he doesn’t foresee making an in-season change. But he hasn’t ruled it out, and there is also the possibility of a negotiated resignation in which Willingham could end up coaching the team for the rest of the season. If a change were to be made — whether it’s this week or later in the season — it would likely happen on a Monday, before Willingham’s weekly news conference and before the staff begins to put together a game plan for that Saturday’s contest. – Seattle Times

But now it is official. Now we know that Willingham’s fourth season at Washington will end like his first three: with a losing record. Only this one will almost certainly be worse than the last three. It’s hard now to look at the schedule and see any wins for the Huskies save the Apple Cup in late November. And given the unpredictable nature of the rivalry game, a win over Washington State is no gimme either. Two-and-10, 1-11, 0-12, does it even matter at this point? The only intriguing story lines left for this fall and winter are trying to figure out when Tyrone Willingham will be fired and who will replace him.
No matter how this season ends, it’s safe to say that Washington football is a mess. Still.
For the fifth time since Don James retired in 1993, the Huskies will be looking for a new coach this offseason. – HeraldNet

The Huskies lost 33-7 tonight to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. It was more than a loss, though. Quitting occurred. Uh-oh, the “Q” word. After last season, many well-vindicated Husky fans asked for the dismissal of Head Coach Tyrone Willingham. Many of us that thought that it was OK for Willingham to stay around for another season were asking for his head several weeks ago when the 2008 season started to fall apart. When we asked for Willingham’s head, UW AD Scott Woodward said that we were crazy and that he was going to keep him until the end of the season. We groaned. Some fans said that firing Willingham wouldn’t accomplish anything. Now, some of those fans are changing course and saying that he should be fired on Monday (or before). Nope. Don’t do it. Woodward wanted this situation. He got it. Don’t let Woodward or Willingham off the hook now. Woodward made his decision and he needs to live with the consequences. If he gets roasted by the local media, so be it. We all make decisions that have rough consequences. Most importantly, I want Tyrone Willingham to live through the next several weeks of misery. I don’t want him off playing golf in North Carolina while we get shellacked by eight touchdowns at USC. If the fans have to look down the barrel of a loaded gun, Willingham needs to be right there with us. – thedawgblawg.com

Rapid Fire: Focus on Groh, Willingham, Rodriguez, Sanford

“Rapid Fire” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on multiple coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy…

Virginia

Sitting at 1-3 and on the heels of a disappointing loss to Duke, Virginia coach Al Groh was certainly sitting on the hot seat. Losing to Duke, in the eyes of the Virginia faithful, was not acceptable. It had been four years since the Blue Devils actually beat an ACC foe. Throw in the off-the-field problems that the Cavaliers’ coaching staff endured and there was ample reason to think Groh”s time at his alma mater was coming to a quick end. Yet magically, in Groh-like fashion,- he seems to coach his best football with his back against the wall - the naysayers were silenced with the current three-game winning streak. Making it to a bowl game, which would require two more wins, would likely buy Groh another year, but another loss to in-state rival Virginia Tech in the regular-season finale would make it an interesting $6 million decision for the movers and shakers. – Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Washington

Tyrone Willingham, Washington: The fit: Kiffin. Knows the West Coast, and his dynamic personality is a perfect fit for a program desperate for enthusiasm — and for millions to upgrade facilities. – Sporting News

Michigan

Michigan athletic director Bill Martin joined Bill Simonson on “The Huge Show” to talk about Rich Rodriguez’s first season with the Wolverines and Saturday’s game against Michigan State. “I have been very, very pleased with Rich in the way he has embraced Michigan,” Martin said. “He’s a good guy. He’s a very experienced coach. Truly, the record we have so far (2-5) doesn’t reflect what his tenure will be as coach. Would I like more Ws? Sure, but it is what it is.” – Grand Rapids Press

UNLV

Recruiting is the lifeblood for any college sport, and UNLV’s defense is anemic because of shortcomings in football coach Mike Sanford’s early classes… But UNLV (3-4, 0-3 Mountain West) has allowed more than 500 yards in each of the past three games and has just six takeaways all season. The Rebels reached this low point for a reason. – Las Vegas Review-Journal

The Firing Line: Focus on Tyrone Willingham

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

Willingham was fired, replaced by Charlie Weis. For many national media members, still recalling the magic of Willingham’s first few months on the job, the firing seemed unjust, and they expressed that in no uncertain terms. Four years have now passed, however, and Willingham again sits on one of college football’s most uncomfortable hot seats. In fact, barring a stunning turnaround over the second half of this season, it is difficult to envision a scenario that still has Willingham coaching at Washington come 2009. Again, things have come tumbling down after the program seemed to be on the cusp of a turnaround. – South Bend Tribune

Washington could turn the page early on Tyrone Willingham, regardless of the conjecture and rhetoric you hear from the school’s brass about letting the coach finish the year. – Rivals.com

Expect Washington president Mark Emmert to put in a call to Nick Saban when the Huskies begin their coaching search. No, not to offer the job but rather to solicit information; Emmert was chancellor at LSU when Saban was hired there and values his input. In addition to Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin, other names that would crop up for Washington include Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, Boise State coach Chris Petersen, Fresno State coach Pat Hill, Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall and Missouri offensive coordinator Dave Christensen. – Rivals.com

The Firing Line: Huskies Focus on Willingham; Not ND

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

Ty Willingham on why he hasn’t had success with the Huskies: “We just haven’t made the things happen that we need to have happen. At the wrong times, we’ve made mistakes. We’ve had some wonderful efforts along the way, but effort is not what it’s about. It’s about finishing the task. That’s what we’ve got to do.” – Chicago Tribune

As much as he’d prefer not to be, Tyrone Willingham is the center of attention as Washington prepares to host Notre Dame this weekend. Truth be told, Willingham is a story this week and every other week regardless of who is on the schedule. The Huskies are 0-6 this season and are 11-31 under Willingham, who is in his fourth — and many people are assuming — last season at Washington. A coaching change seems inevitable at this point, so Willingham is a story every week. But factor in the opponent, a program with more history and tradition than just about any other in the country, a program that, oh by the way, fired Willingham four years ago, and whether he tries to downplay it or not, the spotlight this week is going to fall on Willingham. – HeraldNet

Such as continuing to rehash the team’s 0-6 start, UW’s worst in 39 years, and eight-game losing streak, tied with North Texas for the longest in the nation? Given UW’s dire straits, the Willingham-Notre Dame angle will at least give media and fans something else to focus on this weekend, even if the coach doesn’t quite see it that way… But given Willingham’s seemingly tenuous hold on his job at UW, a win over Notre Dame could serve as a momentary respite, something a few players said they recognize. “Every game you want to win for coach Willingham since he is taking all this negativity,” running back Terrance Dailey said. “So this would be a big game especially to win for him. But we are just trying to get the win and not really paying attention to all that other stuff.” – Seattle Times

The Firing Line: Time Running Out for Willingham

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

It appears now just a matter of when and how, not if, Willingham loses his job. And while UW athletic director Scott Woodward has said publicly that he doesn’t foresee making an in-season coaching change, many close to the program wonder if one still could happen, possibly by resignation instead of firing. The slim thread to which Willingham can cling to is that with six games left, the Huskies still have a mathematical chance at running the table and getting to a bowl game, though the odds of that are probably similar to that of Keith Olbermann giving the keynote address at the next Republican National Convention. Once that thread is gone, however, anything could be possible. – Seattle Times

The Washington coach is going down after this season. That isn’t debatable. – Seattle Times

One measure of how a program laden with potential has been so bungled lately: In the 30 years before Willingham took over, Washington posted a .669 winning percentage. The Pac-10 Conference’s untouchables, the USC Trojans, registered a .671 winning percentage over the same span. “It’s tough,” Washington athletic director Scott Woodward said. “Like I’ve told numerous people, I’m not happy. I’m not happy with where the program is right now.” – Chicago Tribune

The Firing Line: UDub Looking for Willingham Replacement

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

Tyrone Willingham, Washington: The final days: Back-to-back home games against Oregon State and Notre Dame will end this failed run. By the time the Irish roll into town and hand the Huskies their seventh straight loss this season (and ninth overall), there will be numerous empty seats at Husky Stadium and the end will come quickly — as soon as the Monday after the Notre Dame game. The fit: Lane Kiffin, former Oakland Raiders coach – NBC Sports

Washington is 0-5, one of two winless teams in major college football, and questions about Coach Tyrone Willingham’s status are not about if he will get fired, but when… With the dismissal of Ty Willingham a seemingly foregone conclusion, the most popular potential successor is Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel, who has turned the Tigers into a national championship contender the last two seasons. Pinkel was an assistant at Washington under Don James, who was his coach at Kent State. Another player on those teams at Kent State was Alabama Coach Nick Saban, who was hired at Louisiana State by the chancellor Mark Emmert, who is now the president at Washington. It’s easy to connect those dots, but James doesn’t believe Pinkel would come to Seattle. He might have a decade ago when, as the coach at Toledo, he lost out to Rick Neuheisel. But not now. “I don’t know why he’d be interested,” James said. “He’s making a lot more than they’re paying here. He’s got the best facilities in the country and his home is in Ohio. He’d have come here from Toledo in a heartbeat, but not now.” – New York Times

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