11/21/24
November 24, 2006
Larry Coker Fired at Miami: The U ended Coker's 12-year association with the school this morning, one day after the Hurricanes rose to 6-6 with a Turkey Day upset of Boston College before a small Orange Bowl crowd. Because he'll stick with the team through the postseason, a head coaching run that began with a National Championship may end on the Smurf Turf in Boise, site of the MPC Computers Bowl.
Honestly, I believe there are far too many issues and undercurrents in play with Miami Football for one Head Coach to control. That said, I think Coker gave up too fast and let this team slide out of control. I'm still surprised, given the fallout from the brawl with FIU, the shooting death of Bryan Pata*, and the general image of the program, that Shalala didn't appoint some regent or some special officer to look into the organizational specifics of the whole football department. Miami needs a strong coach who can actually corrall players and either intimidate or inspire some form of respect from them, not only for himself and his staff, but for the university as a whole. There's an arrogance around the program that belies how badly they've played (at least on offense) this year. That coach will also have to reestablish some fundamental level of respect for university policies and procedures, and could surely use some institutional help to keep an eye on which hangers-on are actually harmful, and disassociate the program from them. There's a lot of dirt here, and it's going to take a serious scrubbing before this program has any kind of institutional integrity. "The U" is a Hiaasen novel waiting to happen, and to say it's a matter of Miami's lack of "loyalty" towards Coker ignores the man's absolute lack of control over his own program, which the University has a huge stake in, financially, first and foremost, but also as a representation of the school. *I hesitate to bring it up, simply because of the shaky debate it woke up originally when the story was an FPP. I only include it because the death of a player, regardless of the circumstance, leaves a dark cloud over a team. I feel it can easily shake a program in a fundamental way.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 12:04 PM on November 24, 2006
After listening to the interview last night following the game, could anyone have really doubted this was going to happen? Kind of reminded me of the Shakespeare quote. "Methinks he doth protest too much." Got the same vibe out of Jake Plummer after the KC/Denver game.
posted by hawkguy at 12:14 PM on November 24, 2006
I don't have a problem with universities firing coaches at will.that is thier right.the problem I have is this "you're fired,but you can finish the season,or coach the bowl game crap."how can you have a teams respect,if you already got your pink slip?and how can anyone go to work everyday when it's already confirmed they don't want you anymore?I can't believe the lack if dignity and self respect these coaches like Coker,and John L. Smith have.if that happened to me I would tell them:FYPM.if you don't know.I won't be explicit but that means _you pay me.fill in the blank for the first word.
posted by mars1 at 12:16 PM on November 24, 2006
It's not like Miami has had a reputation of being a law-abiding, clean program... you just don't hear about it when they're winning.
posted by igottheblues at 01:29 PM on November 24, 2006
There's a lot of dirt here, and it's going to take a serious scrubbing before this program has any kind of institutional integrity. I would be surprised if that is the goal of this program. I would think the goal would be to begin dominating again on the football field. The problems off-the-field were magnified by their poor on-the-field performance. In prior year, some of that stuff was considered Miami swagger. Now, it is just an out-of-control program.
posted by bperk at 02:46 PM on November 24, 2006
I would be surprised if that is the goal of this program. I would think the goal would be to begin dominating again on the football field. The problems off-the-field were magnified by their poor on-the-field performance. In prior year, some of that stuff was considered Miami swagger. Now, it is just an out-of-control program. Exactly . . . Exactly
posted by brainofdtrain at 07:18 PM on November 24, 2006
haha, after the B.C game Coker said how he garunteed his future in Miami...
posted by marinersrule12e at 01:07 PM on November 25, 2006
Take notice. This is what happens when you let the Inmates run the Prison.
posted by Jedi Master at 04:07 PM on November 25, 2006
Not to say he was a great coach but he was a great recruiter. If he doesn't end up coaching somewhere else next season I can see him working for some big program helping with recruiting in some fashion.
posted by livewire at 09:28 AM on November 26, 2006
reminded me of the Shakespeare quote. "Methinks he doth protest too much." Lady Macbeth would be aghast. "The Devil can quote Scripture for His own purpose."
posted by yerfatma at 04:52 PM on November 26, 2006
Not to say he was a great coach but he was a great recruiter.
Eh, wha? Given great talent by Butch Davis, the man won one title and should have won another. Given the talent he himself recruited, he went... 6-6. The evidence would suggest he's a perfectly capable coach, but Miami is currently rebuilding, not reloading, and that hasn't happened in Coral Gables since Erickson and the early 90s. So yeah, he has to go. By all accounts he is a good guy- I hope he lands a job as a coordinator at a top-notch program and ends his career doing what he previously did best- taking the players found by someone else and molding them into a very good football team. posted by tieguy at 09:10 PM on November 26, 2006
I was going to pile on that "great recruiter" line, but tieguy beat me to it. Coker wasn't even able to claim the top recruiting class in his own state, and since he didn't like going out of state for talent, he ended up with a lot of players who never would have been accepted at Miami in the past, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 05:12 AM on November 27, 2006
There is little loyality in sports. Its strictly what have you done for me lately?