[NU Sports] Coaching Merry-go-round

[cherron604 at aol.com]

Three firings today may show why Gary Barnett (or any other sane person) might want to avoid the coaching 'profession':
 
- Mike Shula, Alabama (4 years, 26-23).  They were 10-2 last year, Cotton Bowl winners over Texas Tech.  But, no SEC success, 4 straight losses to Auburn (first Alabama coach to lose 4 straight to them ?) and 4 straight losses to LSU.  Also, just last year they extended his contract through 2012 ($1.55 million annually, $200,000 signing bonus).
 
- Dirk Koetter, Arizona State (6 years, 40-33).  3 bowls in the first 5 years, Holiday, Sun and Insight, plus a 3rd consecutive bowl this year.  4-2 against Arizona, but 2-19 against ranked teams.  Last year, his contract was extended through 2009, at just under $1,000,000 a year.  He seemed very popular when we were out there last fall, but apparently they wanted him to beat the big boys (Cal, USC) from time-to-time.  Can ASU ever go back to the glory days of Dan Devine or Frank Kush ?
 
- Chuck Amato, North Carolina State (7 years, 49-37).  5 bowl games.  11-3 in 2002, with a Gator Bowl win over Notre Dame.  Unfortunately, 25-31 in the ACC.  Also, 3-9 this year and seven straight losses.  Interestingly, both Shula and Amato were fired by the schools they attended and played for.
 
The firings might dissuade anybody from coaching.  But the buy-outs are probably a nice consolation.
 
Chuck Herron   Tech '85
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