--- In collegebcs@yahoogroups.com, Trader Kevin <cbot_kevin@...>
wrote:
>
> Story by Pete Thamel
> The New York Times
> October 9, 2006
>
> GAINESVILLE, Fla.--Two years ago this month, the Florida
> football program was in crisis mode after a loss at
> Mississippi State.
>
> Things had become so bad that in less than three seasons
> under Ron Zook the Gators had lost six home games, more
> than in Steve Spurrier's 12-year tenure.
>
> So the athletic director, Jeremy Foley, fixed his own
> mistake by firing Zook the Monday after the Mississippi
> State debacle. The move, considered unusual and
> controversial at the time because it was so early in the
> season, looks ingenious two years later.
>
> Now, under Urban Meyer, Florida is 6-0 for the first time
> since 1996 and is ranked No. 2 in The Associated Press poll
> for the first time since 2001. In two years, the Gators
> have gone from a complete mess to the elite team in this
> football-rich state, rocketing past Miami and Florida
> State, both unranked for the first time in 24 years.
>
> One of the legacies of this swift and stunning Florida
> revival may be a blueprint of how to fire and hire a head
> coach.
>
> "I don't want to advocate firing coaches, but if someone is
> headed down that road, I think it does help," Foley said of
> a dismissal early in the season. "You need to do your due
> diligence, especially in a high-profile program where the
> scrutiny is going to be very, very high. I don't think I'll
> have to, but I would not hesitate to do it again."
>
> And with this season crossing its halfway point on
> Saturday, there is the potential for a slew of high-profile
> jobs to open. Last season, only four jobs changed hands
> among the 65 in the six major conferences. Only one of
> those, Colorado, came from a university firing its coach.
>
> In this short-fuse world of college athletics, where
> instant results are not quick enough, that low job turnover
> led to predictions last off-season of an avalanche of job
> openings.
>
> Most of the speculation will revolve around Bobby Bowden at
> Florida State and Larry Coker at Miami. Both programs are
> mired in relative mediocrity.
>
> It is unlikely both of those jobs will open. But if one
> does, those universities will probably be competing with
> several others for the top available coaches. Topping the
> list of jobs likely to be open are North Carolina, Michigan
> State and Arizona State. None of those jobs are the caliber
> of Miami and FSU, but they offer good tradition, salaries
> in excess of a million dollars a year and good facilities.
>



I think the above colleges should considered hiring a young
coach......with potential.............like Major Applewhite....
Rice's offensive coordinator