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Sun Sentinel
1/4
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica]JOSEPH: Firings should keep Coker off hot seat - for now[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Published January 3, 2006[/FONT]
[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica][FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica] Don Soldinger never held anything back while serving the University of Miami.
You might not have liked what you heard, but the Hurricanes' assistant coach was always a straight shooter and you knew where you stood. That didn't change on Bloody Monday.
After being told in the morning by coach Larry Coker he was one of four assistants being fired, Soldinger asked Coker the same question anyone else would have -- why?
"He said he didn't want to get into specifics," Soldinger said Monday afternoon after fielding calls from a number of former students, including former running back Frank Gore. "The only thing is ... if I was handling the situation I guess I would have done things a little different. I worked with and for [Coker] a long time.
"Hey, he knows what he's doing. I guess I don't fit into his plans. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Larry Coker. I wish it was two ways. Maybe it is."
Perhaps Coker fired offensive assistants Soldinger, Art Kehoe and Dan Werner and linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves to infuse the program with some spark. But there's reason to believe that Coker's chopping of heads was an attempt to save his own.
Call it self-preservation.
No matter how many ways you look at it, there's no way you can honestly believe the Hurricanes are better without Soldinger. The same could probably be said for Kehoe and Hargreaves.
Let's see, all Soldinger did during his years as an assistant at Miami was develop one of the country's strongest running games and backs Edgerrin James, Willis McGahee, Clinton Portis and Gore.
As for Hargreaves? Well, there were those first-round draft picks Jonathan Vilma and D.J. Williams as well as all-world Dan Morgan. And how is it that a guy like Kehoe can suddenly become incapable of coaching when he did the job for Howard Schnellenberger, Jimmy Johnson, Butch Davis and Dennis Erickson?
"It's the nature of the business, I guess," Soldinger said.
But there's something troubling about what occurred at UM. Soldinger and Kehoe were lifers; they would have given blood for the program, and they had a successful record. So doesn't it seem odd that the only time in more than two decades they haven't been able to develop talent is during Coker's regime?
Yes, part of the problem was Werner's offense. But Coker must take a bigger share of the responsibility. It's his teams that have lacked emotion the past two years, and it's Coker who has failed miserably in recruiting the kinds of players the Hurricanes program has been loaded with in the past.
But Coker's biggest crime Monday was copping out, not once but twice.
First, he owed his staff, every single one of them, an explanation Monday as to why they were being fired. His inability to provide one (at least to Soldinger) seemed to indicate there wasn't one.
But Coker spoke as if he was above the program, above criticism.
He said, "Our performance hasn't been up to our expectations." He also added, "This program deserves better."
But isn't Coker's job as head coach defined as being the one in charge to bring the program's performance up to expectations and to get better? Coker is driving the bus, not Soldinger or Kehoe or anyone else.
No question, Coker's job is in jeopardy. Anything less than an ACC championship next season and he'll be looking for work next winter.
Unfortunately, what Coker didn't understand Monday was his best shot to save his own head was with coaches like Soldinger and Kehoe by his side. [/FONT][/FONT]
1/4
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica]JOSEPH: Firings should keep Coker off hot seat - for now[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Published January 3, 2006[/FONT]
[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica][FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica] Don Soldinger never held anything back while serving the University of Miami.
You might not have liked what you heard, but the Hurricanes' assistant coach was always a straight shooter and you knew where you stood. That didn't change on Bloody Monday.
After being told in the morning by coach Larry Coker he was one of four assistants being fired, Soldinger asked Coker the same question anyone else would have -- why?
"He said he didn't want to get into specifics," Soldinger said Monday afternoon after fielding calls from a number of former students, including former running back Frank Gore. "The only thing is ... if I was handling the situation I guess I would have done things a little different. I worked with and for [Coker] a long time.
"Hey, he knows what he's doing. I guess I don't fit into his plans. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Larry Coker. I wish it was two ways. Maybe it is."
Perhaps Coker fired offensive assistants Soldinger, Art Kehoe and Dan Werner and linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves to infuse the program with some spark. But there's reason to believe that Coker's chopping of heads was an attempt to save his own.
Call it self-preservation.
No matter how many ways you look at it, there's no way you can honestly believe the Hurricanes are better without Soldinger. The same could probably be said for Kehoe and Hargreaves.
Let's see, all Soldinger did during his years as an assistant at Miami was develop one of the country's strongest running games and backs Edgerrin James, Willis McGahee, Clinton Portis and Gore.
As for Hargreaves? Well, there were those first-round draft picks Jonathan Vilma and D.J. Williams as well as all-world Dan Morgan. And how is it that a guy like Kehoe can suddenly become incapable of coaching when he did the job for Howard Schnellenberger, Jimmy Johnson, Butch Davis and Dennis Erickson?
"It's the nature of the business, I guess," Soldinger said.
But there's something troubling about what occurred at UM. Soldinger and Kehoe were lifers; they would have given blood for the program, and they had a successful record. So doesn't it seem odd that the only time in more than two decades they haven't been able to develop talent is during Coker's regime?
Yes, part of the problem was Werner's offense. But Coker must take a bigger share of the responsibility. It's his teams that have lacked emotion the past two years, and it's Coker who has failed miserably in recruiting the kinds of players the Hurricanes program has been loaded with in the past.
But Coker's biggest crime Monday was copping out, not once but twice.
First, he owed his staff, every single one of them, an explanation Monday as to why they were being fired. His inability to provide one (at least to Soldinger) seemed to indicate there wasn't one.
But Coker spoke as if he was above the program, above criticism.
He said, "Our performance hasn't been up to our expectations." He also added, "This program deserves better."
But isn't Coker's job as head coach defined as being the one in charge to bring the program's performance up to expectations and to get better? Coker is driving the bus, not Soldinger or Kehoe or anyone else.
No question, Coker's job is in jeopardy. Anything less than an ACC championship next season and he'll be looking for work next winter.
Unfortunately, what Coker didn't understand Monday was his best shot to save his own head was with coaches like Soldinger and Kehoe by his side. [/FONT][/FONT]
Upvote
0
Um let's see ...
Schmooze the boosters and keep the influx of cash coming ... CHECK
Smooch the AD's and President's butts ... CHECK
Recruit like a madman ... CHECK
Mail in a couple 10 win seasons ... CHECK
Talk about that one time a couple of seasons ago you actually beat all of your major rival(s) ... CHECK
When the shit hits the fan, fire all the assistants, which is pretty easy since you're an 'outsider' to the program anyway ... CHECK
Coker worked four years under Cooper at Tulsa, then rejoined the Cooper family tree for another two at Ohio State. Coker learned from the best, so is this really any surprise?
If anyone knew how to parlay losing either your last game of the season or your bowl game 75% of the time into a contract extension ... well, like I said, Coker learned from the best.
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ysubuck
Be water my friend.
I was stunned that they got rid of Kehoe. That guy has been there since Moses wore short pants.
I'm also surprised that he isn't more up front with the coaches about why they are being fired.
"Coach why was I fired?"
"I don't want to get into specifics."
Are you kidding me? That response tells me that he doesn't have a good reason for firing him. Ridiculous. I'm not sure I'm going to buy the "Larry Coker is a good guy" routine any longer.
I'm also surprised that he isn't more up front with the coaches about why they are being fired.
"Coach why was I fired?"
"I don't want to get into specifics."
Are you kidding me? That response tells me that he doesn't have a good reason for firing him. Ridiculous. I'm not sure I'm going to buy the "Larry Coker is a good guy" routine any longer.
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smith403
The Man Who Started A Dynasty
Some additional info...if already posted, sorry...
University of Miami football coach Larry Coker fired four assistants Monday, sending shock waves through a program already dazed by Friday's 40-3 loss to Louisiana State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl -- and making at least one player reconsider his future. Junior tailback Tyrone Moss said he was so shocked at losing his position coach that he might declare for the NFL draft.
-- Miami Herald
Possibilities to replace fired Miami offensive coordinator Dan Werner could include former UM quarterbacks coach and current N.C. State offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, recently released Tennessee offensive coordinator Randy Sanders and San Diego Chargers tight ends coach Rob Chudzinski, UM's offensive coordinator before Werner.
-- Miami Herald
Miami's top recruit, quarterback Pat Devlin of Downington East High in Exton, Pa. -- said he had already talked to coach Larry Coker and was still coming to UM, despite being recruited by fired assistant coaches Dan Werner and Art Kehoe.
-- Miami Herald
University of Miami football coach Larry Coker fired four assistants Monday, sending shock waves through a program already dazed by Friday's 40-3 loss to Louisiana State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl -- and making at least one player reconsider his future. Junior tailback Tyrone Moss said he was so shocked at losing his position coach that he might declare for the NFL draft.
-- Miami Herald
Possibilities to replace fired Miami offensive coordinator Dan Werner could include former UM quarterbacks coach and current N.C. State offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, recently released Tennessee offensive coordinator Randy Sanders and San Diego Chargers tight ends coach Rob Chudzinski, UM's offensive coordinator before Werner.
-- Miami Herald
Miami's top recruit, quarterback Pat Devlin of Downington East High in Exton, Pa. -- said he had already talked to coach Larry Coker and was still coming to UM, despite being recruited by fired assistant coaches Dan Werner and Art Kehoe.
-- Miami Herald
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0
Miami Herald
1/5
Kehoe, Soldinger both deserved better
LINDA ROBERTSON
[email protected]
<!-- begin body-content --> Legions of disillusioned University of Miami fans are asking why coach Larry Coker wasn't fired instead of the four assistant scapegoats.
Coker doesn't deserve to be fired, and neither did two of the assistants. Nor could UM justify firing a coach coming off a 9-3 season who has a 53-9 record and a national title in his five years on the job.
Coker is a man of integrity. UM, an institution of higher learning, could not fire him without looking like an institution of higher earning. It's still a football team, even though the hyperventilating over the stakes makes it seem like a Fortune 500 corporation.
UM is not in the Rose Bowl, and hasn't been in the national title game for an eternal, oh, three years now, but Florida State isn't going to fire Bobby Bowden after an 8-4 regular season, and Penn State didn't fire Joe Paterno after a 4-7 season. Coker should not be fired after a 40-3 humiliation by Louisiana State in the Peach Bowl. It was inexplicable, but the way in which the UM players surrendered was an aberration.
Have the Canes slipped? Definitely. Has the talent level declined? Slightly. Has the program lost its flair? Some. Were the recruiting classes of Butch Davis the best ever? You can't argue with 15 first-round NFL draft picks.
But to keep harping that anybody could have won the 2001 title with the Davis treasure chest is unfair. Coker led that team to No. 1. Davis wasn't here.
What isn't justified is the sacking of Art Kehoe and Don Soldinger. It's a decision Coker will regret.
The firings of linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves and offensive coordinator Dan Werner make sense. Hargreaves did not see eye to eye with defensive coordinator Randy Shannon. Werner was the author of UM's snooze of an attack.
Under Werner, UM's quarterbacks have been inconsistent, the running backs underutilized and the offensive line unsettled. The predictability of his system was exposed when the season turned sour against Georgia Tech. Tech players said they anticipated everything UM did, and were surprised by the absence of reaction.
''You stay the same and people catch up -- they understand your schemes and game plans,'' Coker acknowledged. ``We need to put some energy on the field and some explosiveness in the offense.''
This season, for the first time in a couple of decades, UM didn't have a playmaker on offense (or on defense). Nobody pulled fans to the edge of their seats or got draftniks yakking. Was it a lack of skill or a lack of opportunity? Greg Olsen, touted as the next Jeremy Shockey, had zero catches in the Peach Bowl. Sinorice Moss, brother of Santana, had two. Charlie Jones got only eight carries. It was a pattern. Players such as Ryan Moore and Devin Hester never got on track during the season.
FOUNDATION COACHES
So Werner had to go. He's the variable after five years in Coral Gables -- not Kehoe, who has five national championship rings in 25 seasons, or Soldinger, two rings in 16 seasons.
Kehoe and Soldinger were rocks of the community and the program, adored by players. Kehoe, the former Canes lineman with the bullhorn voice, will probably be buried in an orange and green casket. Soldinger, winner of two state titles at Miami Southridge High, coached under three UM regimes with a 108-17 record. Not good enough when you are only as good as your last game.
Neither received an explanation when they met Monday with Coker and Pete Garcia and were told to clean out their offices. They deserved one.
''I was flabbergasted, and I don't think Larry handled it well,'' said Soldinger, coach of running backs and special teams. 'I've been in charge and I am a bottom-line guy, and if Larry had said, `Don, I'm not happy with this or with that,' I would respect him as the boss and the one on the hot seat. But there was no warning.''
Soldinger has mentored Edgerrin James, Clinton Portis and Willis McGahee. Tyrone Moss was rumbling toward a 1,000-yard season until a knee injury ended it. UM's kicking game has had its deficiencies, but how can you pin enough blame on Soldinger to cost him his job?
As for Kehoe's offensive line, it never jelled after allowing seven sacks against Florida State; his 2000 and 2001 lines allowed seven sacks in two seasons. There were too many injuries to overcome. Kehoe hasn't had the parade of All-Americans he had from 1991 to 2002, but he did have Eric Winston, a projected first-rounder.
PLAN IN PLACE
A certain staleness has taken hold under the easygoing Coker. There is a plan behind this shake-up, and former offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, now with the San Diego Chargers, is likely at the top of it. Out with the old (and outspoken) -- Kehoe and Soldinger -- so the new guy can command his own.
Athletic director Paul Dee supported Coker's decision to make ''a total change with respect to the offense,'' Dee said. ``It was difficult. The key was the productivity of the offense the past two years and not having to rely on defense every game.''
Coker took responsibility, and then he took the heads of four assistants -- two too many.
Former and current Canes called Soldinger and Kehoe on Tuesday.
''We had a fabulous run -- arguably the best in college football,'' Soldinger said. ``Tyrone [Moss] called to say he didn't want anybody to coach him but me. The kids know. I'll really miss them.''
1/5
Kehoe, Soldinger both deserved better
LINDA ROBERTSON
[email protected]
<!-- begin body-content --> Legions of disillusioned University of Miami fans are asking why coach Larry Coker wasn't fired instead of the four assistant scapegoats.
Coker doesn't deserve to be fired, and neither did two of the assistants. Nor could UM justify firing a coach coming off a 9-3 season who has a 53-9 record and a national title in his five years on the job.
Coker is a man of integrity. UM, an institution of higher learning, could not fire him without looking like an institution of higher earning. It's still a football team, even though the hyperventilating over the stakes makes it seem like a Fortune 500 corporation.
UM is not in the Rose Bowl, and hasn't been in the national title game for an eternal, oh, three years now, but Florida State isn't going to fire Bobby Bowden after an 8-4 regular season, and Penn State didn't fire Joe Paterno after a 4-7 season. Coker should not be fired after a 40-3 humiliation by Louisiana State in the Peach Bowl. It was inexplicable, but the way in which the UM players surrendered was an aberration.
Have the Canes slipped? Definitely. Has the talent level declined? Slightly. Has the program lost its flair? Some. Were the recruiting classes of Butch Davis the best ever? You can't argue with 15 first-round NFL draft picks.
But to keep harping that anybody could have won the 2001 title with the Davis treasure chest is unfair. Coker led that team to No. 1. Davis wasn't here.
What isn't justified is the sacking of Art Kehoe and Don Soldinger. It's a decision Coker will regret.
The firings of linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves and offensive coordinator Dan Werner make sense. Hargreaves did not see eye to eye with defensive coordinator Randy Shannon. Werner was the author of UM's snooze of an attack.
Under Werner, UM's quarterbacks have been inconsistent, the running backs underutilized and the offensive line unsettled. The predictability of his system was exposed when the season turned sour against Georgia Tech. Tech players said they anticipated everything UM did, and were surprised by the absence of reaction.
''You stay the same and people catch up -- they understand your schemes and game plans,'' Coker acknowledged. ``We need to put some energy on the field and some explosiveness in the offense.''
This season, for the first time in a couple of decades, UM didn't have a playmaker on offense (or on defense). Nobody pulled fans to the edge of their seats or got draftniks yakking. Was it a lack of skill or a lack of opportunity? Greg Olsen, touted as the next Jeremy Shockey, had zero catches in the Peach Bowl. Sinorice Moss, brother of Santana, had two. Charlie Jones got only eight carries. It was a pattern. Players such as Ryan Moore and Devin Hester never got on track during the season.
FOUNDATION COACHES
So Werner had to go. He's the variable after five years in Coral Gables -- not Kehoe, who has five national championship rings in 25 seasons, or Soldinger, two rings in 16 seasons.
Kehoe and Soldinger were rocks of the community and the program, adored by players. Kehoe, the former Canes lineman with the bullhorn voice, will probably be buried in an orange and green casket. Soldinger, winner of two state titles at Miami Southridge High, coached under three UM regimes with a 108-17 record. Not good enough when you are only as good as your last game.
Neither received an explanation when they met Monday with Coker and Pete Garcia and were told to clean out their offices. They deserved one.
''I was flabbergasted, and I don't think Larry handled it well,'' said Soldinger, coach of running backs and special teams. 'I've been in charge and I am a bottom-line guy, and if Larry had said, `Don, I'm not happy with this or with that,' I would respect him as the boss and the one on the hot seat. But there was no warning.''
Soldinger has mentored Edgerrin James, Clinton Portis and Willis McGahee. Tyrone Moss was rumbling toward a 1,000-yard season until a knee injury ended it. UM's kicking game has had its deficiencies, but how can you pin enough blame on Soldinger to cost him his job?
As for Kehoe's offensive line, it never jelled after allowing seven sacks against Florida State; his 2000 and 2001 lines allowed seven sacks in two seasons. There were too many injuries to overcome. Kehoe hasn't had the parade of All-Americans he had from 1991 to 2002, but he did have Eric Winston, a projected first-rounder.
PLAN IN PLACE
A certain staleness has taken hold under the easygoing Coker. There is a plan behind this shake-up, and former offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, now with the San Diego Chargers, is likely at the top of it. Out with the old (and outspoken) -- Kehoe and Soldinger -- so the new guy can command his own.
Athletic director Paul Dee supported Coker's decision to make ''a total change with respect to the offense,'' Dee said. ``It was difficult. The key was the productivity of the offense the past two years and not having to rely on defense every game.''
Coker took responsibility, and then he took the heads of four assistants -- two too many.
Former and current Canes called Soldinger and Kehoe on Tuesday.
''We had a fabulous run -- arguably the best in college football,'' Soldinger said. ``Tyrone [Moss] called to say he didn't want anybody to coach him but me. The kids know. I'll really miss them.''
Upvote
0
Miami Herald
1/5
Ole Miss might get a little better because of Coker...
WERNER INTERVIEW
Former University of Miami offensive coordinator Dan Werner is expected to interview for the University of Mississippi offensive coordinator opening.
Ole Miss is coached by former UM assistant coach Ed Orgeron.
''He and I are going to talk about it and see if it fits,'' Werner told The Jackson Clarion Ledger. ``I've had a lot of friends throughout the years that have worked at Ole Miss, and I've heard a couple different things about it. I want to talk to him and learn more about the situation.''
Kehoe will interview for the Ole Miss offensive line opening.
1/5
Ole Miss might get a little better because of Coker...
WERNER INTERVIEW
Former University of Miami offensive coordinator Dan Werner is expected to interview for the University of Mississippi offensive coordinator opening.
Ole Miss is coached by former UM assistant coach Ed Orgeron.
''He and I are going to talk about it and see if it fits,'' Werner told The Jackson Clarion Ledger. ``I've had a lot of friends throughout the years that have worked at Ole Miss, and I've heard a couple different things about it. I want to talk to him and learn more about the situation.''
Kehoe will interview for the Ole Miss offensive line opening.
Upvote
0
Wow. If a Coker-less UM coaching crew relocates to Ole Miss, the SEC West division may see a huge shift in power. LSU seems the most likely candidate to really wind up the loser if Ole Miss can thrive.
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