[Husker] Southern Miss.

[Mike Nolan]

> When we played them, they didn't look like they'd be 0-12 bad. Wow.

There are probably other factors.  I wasn't aware their OC was previously a 
high school coach.  Sounds like a bad idea.  

They also had some close games, including a loss in OT to UCF.  They also
lost by only 4 to Louisville, and by 1 to UTEP.  But they lost 8 games 
by double digits.  

ESPN.com had a poll up yesterday as to how many years a team should give a coach
before firing him.  The most popular answer was 3 years.  I think a decade
ago the most popular answer would have been 4 years, if not longer.

Let's face it, fans, boosters and ADs are quicker to bail on a coach these days.
(And coaches will leave abruptly, too, like last year at Southern Miss.)

It will be interesting to see who Southern Miss gets as their next coach.
Colorado may be an even more difficult hire, especially with their just-fired
coach claiming that race was an issue.  

Interesting coaching search rumors out there.  Arkansas has reportedly gone
after Les Miles, reportedly offering in excess of $5 million a year.
Jon Gruden is denying rumors that Tennessee has contacted him, but sometimes
that just means that the negotiations are being handled by intermediaries
to allow 'plausible deniability' if no deal can be reached.  (The strangest part
of the Gruden rumor is that the offer reportedly includes part ownership of the 
Cleveland Browns.)
--
Mike Nolan