AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2007 > December > 06
Thursday, December 6, 2007
If Johnson says no to Tech, Strong should get another interview
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just one man’s opinion:
1. Charlie Strong deserves a shot: If Paul Johnson doesn’t take the Georgia Tech job and the school doesn’t elevate Jon Tenuta to head coach, then Charlie Strong deserves another interview. If I’m Strong, I’m wondering right now what I have to do to get an opportunity to be a head coach. I’ve been a top-flight defensive coordinator for 10 years under Lou Holtz, Steve Spurrier, and Urban Meyer. I have proven I can walk into any living room in the country and recruit. I can relate to today’s athlete both personally and academically. I’m one of the top 2-3 African-American candidates out there in a sport that should be embarrassed by its lack of minority head coaches. I could give Georgia Tech the “juice” and excitement that its athletics director says he wants. So what is the problem? Tech AD Dan Radakovich says he wants to do something bold to take the school out of its comfort zone. Let’s see.
2. If I’m Les Miles, Bo Pelini does not coach in BCS championship: Once Pelini, LSU’s defensive coordinator, was introduced as Nebraska’s new head football coach, the head coach should have called a meeting. Here is what Miles should have said: “Bo, I love you like a brother. You have been a great coach for LSU. I appreciate everything you have done. But you’re the head coach at Nebraska now. You need to go coach your team.” It almost never works. The guy in that position coaches his old team during the day and stays on the phone all night putting his staff together and taking care of million details.
3. June Jones need to zip it: I have no idea what the Hawaii coach means when he calls Tim Tebow a “system quarterback” and his guy, Colt Brennan, an NFL quarterback. Every quarterback runs some kind of system. All Jones did was create two days of nonsensical stories in an effort to pump up his guy. Your guy is good, Coach Jones. And every time you’re asked, you should say your guy is good. But it does you no good to build your guy up by knocking a kid like Tebow.
4. Jimbo Fisher’s deal at Florida State is a brilliant move It’s pretty simple, really. President T.K. Wetherell is going to support coach Bobby Bowden but he also wanted some structure to the transition when it occurred. With all of these openings at head coach, offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher was going finally get his shot. So in one move the president takes care of the transition and locks up the head coach that he wants. And as time goes on Bowden will begin delegating more and more of his duties to Fisher, who at some point in the next couple of years will become the de facto head coach. And if for some reason FSU backs out on the deal, Fisher will be a very rich man.
5. Arkansas is getting a reality check: A lot of people tried to warn Arkansas that if they ran Houston Nutt off, it would not be easy to hire another head coach. The count of proven head coaches to negotiate with Arkansas and then say no is now up to three. Tommy Tuberville and Tommy Bowden got nice contract improvements at their respective schools after flirting with Arkansas. Wednesday night the Arkansas papers were reporting that Jim Grobe would leave for Wake Forest and come to Fayetteville. Thursday morning Grobe decided to stay put. Arkansas is not an easy job and Nutt, who was chased into the arms of Ole Miss, did it pretty well. A portion of the school’s fan base is now getting that reality check.
