'15 - 16' Coaching Carousel

canderson

Mr. Brightside
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Jul 16, 2005
39,619
Harrisburg, Pa.
UNT fired their had coach las night in the tunnel after their 66-7 loss to FCS' Portland State. They will also fire the AD but not until after their final game this season (good friend is a high-placed source there).
 

berniecarbo1

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Oct 1, 2008
1,518
Los Angeles, CA
canderson said:
UNT fired their had coach las night in the tunnel after their 66-7 loss to FCS' Portland State. They will also fire the AD but not until after their final game this season (good friend is a high-placed source there).
Portland State beat Washington State earlier this year at Pullman. They are one of the best FCS teams this year. But thrashing an FBS team by 59 is pretty impressive. North Texas coach deserves to go.
 

soxhop411

news aggravator
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Dec 4, 2009
46,519
“@schadjoe: Steve Sarkisian will seek treatment and Clay Helton is interim coach at USC per source”

Alcohol?
 

soxhop411

news aggravator
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Dec 4, 2009
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“@BruceFeldmanCFB: Am told by multiple sources Steve Sarkisian showed up in no condition to work today & #USC brass knows he needs serious help.”
 

Senator Donut

post-Domer
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Apr 21, 2010
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This is no doubt the best course of action at this time, but Pat Haden is going to have to answer some tough questions as to why this is happening after a loss to Washington, rather than when his problems first came to light in August.
 

canderson

Mr. Brightside
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Jul 16, 2005
39,619
Harrisburg, Pa.
Alcoholism is a tough nut to crack for anyone, I'd imagine with the pressure of a massive college football job it's incredibly tough to battle. Best wishes to him.
 

berniecarbo1

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Oct 1, 2008
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Domer said:
This is no doubt the best course of action at this time, but Pat Haden is going to have to answer some tough questions as to why this is happening after a loss to Washington, rather than when his problems first came to light in August.
Agree that it was on display at the booster dinner over the summer. Sometimes folks are at a loss as to what to do. I think Haden probably warned him to deal with it and Sark probably kept it in the closet until he lost to his old team on Thursady. The loss to the Huskies and knowing any shot at the playoffs went down with it put a fragile situation over the top and Sark couldn't hide it anymore. From the reports he showed up at USC today blasted and Haden had no choice but to suspend him.

I hope Sark can recover from it. The pressure on these high end programs to win and win titles is incredible. No place is that pressure more than at your school. Those jobs can kill a horse. Let's hope he makes it back. He's a decent guy. Really is.
 

soxhop411

news aggravator
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Dec 4, 2009
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Uh. This is very bad

“@InsideUSC: BREAKING: Some #USC assistant coaches believed Steve Sarkisian was drunk during the Arizona State game on Sept. 26.”
 

soxhop411

news aggravator
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Dec 4, 2009
46,519
“@InsideUSC: BREAKING: #USC players said Sarkisian drank and passed out on flight back from Washington State game in 2014. Some reportedly took photos”
 

Senator Donut

post-Domer
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Apr 21, 2010
5,528
RedOctober3829 said:
@InsideUSC: A witness tells me Patron Tequila was also Sarkisian drink of choice in locker room following #USC Holiday Bowl victory over Nebraska
I remember when USC came out with its bizarre statement that they had banned alcohol in the locker room. My reaction was something along the lines of "well, duh." It turns out they were trying to help Sarkisian.

I don't think Haden lasts much longer. Right now, the appearance is that the USC athletic department is okay with its employees working while intoxicated if they're blowing out Pac-12 opposition. I understand Sarkisian is going through a divorce. I have no idea if this is a cause of effect of his problems with alcohol, but it underscores the importance of this issue over coaching right now.
 

berniecarbo1

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Oct 1, 2008
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I think you are right Domer. Many are at cross roads here, Sark, the USC football program and Haden as AD. He's had 2 bad hires in the most important coaching post at SC. Since 2013 they will have been through 5 interim and actual coaches for the football team. Maybe it's time that USC just cleans house completely and brings in a new AD and they hire a coach with no ties to the Pete Carroll era. Seems those hires have not worked very well.
 

Senator Donut

post-Domer
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Apr 21, 2010
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Kiffin was actually hired by Garrett, but Haden's basketball coach isn't looking good either.
 

Average Reds

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Sep 24, 2007
35,421
Southwestern CT
If there is any truth to the reports about the extent of the drinking issue here, Haden should be fired right after Sarkisian.

I'm all for helping addicts get their life together, but being drunk on the job is a firing offense. Except apparently at USC, where (if these reports are true) it appears to be just another day.

What a shitshow.
 

soxhop411

news aggravator
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Dec 4, 2009
46,519
USC Trojans ‏@USC_Athletics  9s9 seconds ago
USC athletic director Pat Haden announces the termination of Steve Sarkisian as head football coach: http://usctrojans.com/blog/2015/10/sarkisian-terminated-as-usc-football-coach.html
 
 
 
 
"After careful consideration of what is in the best interest of the university and our student-athletes, I have made the decision to terminate Steve Sarkisian, effective immediately. 
"I want to thank Clay Helton for stepping into the interim head coach role, and I want to add how proud I am of our coaching staff and players and the way they are responding to this difficult situation. 
"Through all of this we remain concerned for Steve and hope that it will give him the opportunity to focus on his personal well being."
 

soxhop411

news aggravator
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Dec 4, 2009
46,519
@BruceFeldmanCFB: Source on why #USC & Pat Haden made the move now to fire Sarkisian & was told they'd learned that more bad behavior had occurred/may surface
 

Average Reds

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Sep 24, 2007
35,421
Southwestern CT
axx said:
Think they have a shot at Chip Kelly?
Chances are very slim. Lurie has invested too much in Kelly to give up on him after one slow start.

As for Sarkisian, it appears that USC finally came to their senses. Letting the behavior slide once creates some legal risk. A failure to act after it happened again (and again) would have opened up a pandora's box of potential litigation.

If USC listens to their lawyers, Haden may be right behind him.
 

PaulinMyrBch

Don't touch his dog food
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Dec 10, 2003
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MYRTLE BEACH!!!!
Per Twitter from an SI report. Spurrier is retiring. Don't know when (immediate or end of season), but tons of tweets out there. Should know more soon.
 

PaulinMyrBch

Don't touch his dog food
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Dec 10, 2003
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MYRTLE BEACH!!!!
The State newspaper is reporting retiring immediately. Told team tonight. Interim coach will be the QB coach. G.A. Mangus.
 

sachmoney

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Jun 14, 2008
9,513
Tim Thomas' Bunker
Shocked and saddened. I have a soft spot for Spurrier since I grew up watching Michigan and Florida. One of the few coaches with a great personality. I hope that there aren't any health issues, or serious ones, because he would be great on TV. Could he be a possible Corso replacement?
 

PaulinMyrBch

Don't touch his dog food
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Dec 10, 2003
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MYRTLE BEACH!!!!
I'm all in for Clemson, but love watching the guy. The 30 minute Gamecock football show on Sunday mornings is pure gold. Still a bit surprised he never got a QB at SC like he had at Florida. Totally expected an elite thrower to be the QB once he got the job years ago. The guy is a no nonsense winner. Sad day for college football. 
 
Anyway, I'm tight with some guys connected to folks on the inside. It will take a few days, but I'll get some info if there is anything beyond he's just old and doesn't feel like dealing with rebuilding the mess of a roster he's got. 
 

PaulinMyrBch

Don't touch his dog food
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Dec 10, 2003
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MYRTLE BEACH!!!!
Shawn Elliott is the interim coach at South Carolina. He is the offensive line coach and co offensive coordinator.
 
Lots of speculation on who they will hire. Finebaum said this morning he expects the leading two candidates to be Kevin Sumlin and Chip Kelly. If someone can explain to me why either of those two would take that job while still employed in their current job, I'd love to hear it.  
 
Edit: Pulled the bolded from a tweet this morning. I think that tweet had the USC's confused. I think Finebaum was talking about Southern Cal. 
 

canderson

Mr. Brightside
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Jul 16, 2005
39,619
Harrisburg, Pa.
Why on earth would either leave a better situation for South Carolina? Chip Kelly is not getting fired this season either. 
 
I can see Art Bryles. But they'd have to back up the truck for him. 
 

RedOctober3829

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Jul 19, 2005
55,483
deep inside Guido territory
PaulinMyrBch said:
Shawn Elliott is the interim coach at South Carolina. He is the offensive line coach and co offensive coordinator.
 
Lots of speculation on who they will hire. Finebaum said this morning he expects the leading two candidates to be Kevin Sumlin and Chip Kelly. If someone can explain to me why either of those two would take that job while still employed in their current job, I'd love to hear it.  
What about South Carolina alum Mark Dantonio?
 

PaulinMyrBch

Don't touch his dog food
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Dec 10, 2003
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MYRTLE BEACH!!!!
Obviously its real early. Haven't heard anything solid. FWIW, Dantonio makes 3.4M, Spurrier made 4M, Briles makes 4.2M, Sumlin 5M. 
 
You've got Ray Tanner as the AD, some people feel he is over his head in that role. This will be a huge test for him. 
 
A local columnist speculated the following names.
 
Justin Fuente, Memphis HC
Kirby Smart, Bama DC
Tom Hermann, Houston HC
Chad Morris, SMU HC and former Clemson OC under Dabo
Rich Rodriguez, Arizona HC and former OC at Clemson under Bowden
 

sachmoney

Member
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Jun 14, 2008
9,513
Tim Thomas' Bunker
Eh.
 
Your alma mater is your alma mater, but there's good reason to think that Dantonio wouldn't seriously consider going back to SC. He has coached his entire career in the Midwest. He built a program to respectability at Michigan State. He would have to do something similar at South Carolina, a program that has been periodically good, but traditionally lagging behind Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee in the SEC East and other as far as the conference as a whole. Going to South Carolina will be a stressful job. Not necessarily in terms of the fan base, but in terms of the work he'd have to put in. Dantonio has had health issues. I just feel like he has done a great job at Michigan State and it's his program that he built. He has great support from the AD, Mark Hollis, who was integral in making sure they kept Narduzzi as long as they did. State actually pays their assistants better than most schools. Dantonio has support there and I don't see a reason for him to leave.
 

WayBackVazquez

white knight against high school nookie
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Aug 23, 2006
8,294
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soxfan121 said:
Isn't MSU a better (higher profile) job now?
Now and pretty much always. South Carolina has only been a notable program for about 15 years. Many people's assumption that all other things being equal, SEC!!! doesn't really comport with reality. Save for a few programs, an elite coach is probably better set up for success in the Big Ten. Yes, less rich recruiting base, but also less competitive recruiting of that base, and easier road to the playoff.
 

soxhop411

news aggravator
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Dec 4, 2009
46,519
Andrew Siciliano ‏@AndrewSiciliano  5s5 seconds ago
Hmmm.
Spurrier: "I'm resigning. I'm not retiring."
 
Dr. Saturday ‏@YahooDrSaturday  2m2 minutes ago
Spurrier: "I am resigning, not retiring. I doubt I'll ever be a head coach again."
Says he could possibly coach high school.
 

PaulinMyrBch

Don't touch his dog food
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Dec 10, 2003
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MYRTLE BEACH!!!!
Spurrier at his press conference laid it out pretty simple. The program is trending in the wrong direction with an old coach. Recruiting is effected due to his age. It's time for him to step aside and let the rebuild go forward with new coaches. Didn't really consider staying to the end of the year. The sooner the better. Feels this is what is best for USC and the program moving forward. This is entirely based on the fact that they are worse than he thought. Doesn't feel a bad team and an old coach are a good combination for fixing the program. 
 
Seems like this is mainly a decision based on the difficulty of a 70+ year old coach recruiting. He knows they need to recruit to compete and get back to where they were 2-4 years ago and he knows that he'll have difficulty doing that due to his age. Really tired of getting asked that question when he's out recruiting. "How long are you going to coach?" 
 
The right now part comes from the desire for one of his guys to get a chance to show what he can do over the last 6 games. Really a straight forward press conference, wouldn't expect much else.