Yes, you read that headline correctly. Let me preface this posting by stating I have only once source, but it is a source extremely close to the situation.
Larry Coker the source states has worked his way into the good graces of athletic Director Paul Dee and University President Donna Shalala for a number of reasons.
- Miami's Graduation Rate among Football Players is in the top 20% of all Division 1A Programs over the past five years. This can be favorably compared to Florida State who is in the bottom 20%.
- Larry Coker won a National Title as UM Coach and had another taken away on a controversial call in a game where a possibly ineligible star player( Maurice Clarett) played for the opposition.
- Larry Coker is a combined 8-2 versus Florida and Florida State
- Despite the high profile fight with FIU and the shooting death of Brian Pata, Miami is in the bottom 10 percentile among D 1A school for player arrests and police reports during the six years of Coker's tenure. That's right, despite the "Thug U" rap Miami gets from the media, over 90% of other D1 programs have had more player problems off the field.
- Miami's entrance standards for athletes were the highest of any non Big Ten school ranked in the AP Top 25 at the end of last season. Under Coker, Miami has lost several highly touted recruits such as Nate Brooks, Graig Cooper, LeSean McCoy, Bobby Washington and (presumably) Antoine Smith because of academics.
In addition Coker is being given a pass for the four game losing the streak the team is currently on because of the aftermath of the FIU fight, the death of Brian Pata and the number of injuries the team has suffered. Also, Coker has six new staff members this season that have yet to gel as a coaching unit. My source states that Coker will be retained unless Miami can land a big name coach, ala Steve Spurrier or Jeff Fisher. The source told me (and this is a direct quote) "We will not take a chance that we end up with a Ron Zook like problem. We will not hire an unproven coach." If Spurrier agrees to come to Miami, then Coker will be dismissed according to the source. If the best Miami can do is let's say Mike Leach or Jim Leavitt, UM will retain Coker and hope either the team improves next season, or better candidates will be interested in the job next year.
Posts
7 comments:
These comments are totally classless and uncalled for.
Is it time for my midnight snack?
I'm calling Domino's,
You guys need to monitor your site.
Why allow these mouth-breathers a forum?
Oh god the graduation rates and good citizen arguments.
Here's one for you.
Miami is in the bottom ten percentile among D1 teams in offense and wins!
That should settle it.
Barf bag please.
Paul Dee is a moron.
Can you people make your points with out resorting to the use of racial epitaths? We all know what ytou are trying to say. Miami is a bunch of thugs and black kids rule Miami. Well if you would take the time to actually read the article you'd realize that is not the case.
Miami needed a babysitter in the mid 1990s much like Oklahoma did in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Butch Davis and Gary Gibbs served those roles well, and Shalala whatever her faults might be will not fire Gibbs the way another former Democratic politician OU President David Boren did. Gibbs had cleaned up OU, cut player problems and raised the gradutation rates only to be fired for losing too many games. Shalala will not do the same to Coker unless she can get a big name replacement. She likes the work he does with the kids and keeping them off the streets, unlike the gang up in Tallahassee.
Once upon a time Chuck Amato used a picture of a dead Marlin Barnes to recruit kids to FSU. Now Miami can pull out a rap sheeet of FSU arrests to get good kids to Miami.
Post a Comment