Tough profession
Published: 11/27/2006 3:22 PM
Last Modified: 11/27/2006 3:22 PM
From the six degrees of separation file. Arizona State fired head coach Dirk Koetter on Sunday. Six years ago this week, Koetter was Oklahoma State’s head coach for about 48 hours before deciding his football future was apparently much brighter in the Valley of the Sun and Arizona State. OSU didn’t go wrong with Plan B in hiring Les Miles, who brought Mike Gundy back to Stillwater as his offensive coordinator. Gundy, of course, took over as OSU’s head coach after Miles bolted for LSU following the 2004 season.
On Monday, Alabama fired head coach Mike Shula. The Crimson Tide, OSU’s likely opponent in the Independence Bowl, will be guided by defensive coordinator Joe Kines in a bowl game. What a coincidence that would be if it’s indeed OSU-‘Bama in Shreveport. After dismissing Pat Jones following the 1994 season, then OSU athletic director Terry Don Phillips quickly tried to anoint and appoint Kines as OSU’s next head coach. Phillips was rebuffed by outraged OSU followers and settled on Bob Simmons as OSU’s next head coach. Simmons’ tenure was not exactly spectacular, but the last time I checked, Kines has always been a career assistant coach.
OK, how does these two transactions relate to OSU? Arizona State went 40-33 in Koetter’s six seasons and went to a bowl in three seasons. The Sun Devils beat in-state rival Arizona four out of six times under Koetter’s guidance. Still, ASU decision makers couldn’t get over the fact the program languished in the middle of the Pac-10 Conference.
Like OSU, Alabama was guided by a man who was a starting quarterback in the 1980s. Shula was one of them. But being an alum, and inheriting a mess thanks to NCAA probation four years ago, didn’t give Shula the benefit of the doubt. Alabama went 6-6 this year after going 10-2 last year. Shula’s cardinal (or crimson) sin was losing to in-state rival Auburn all four years of his coaching tenure.
Let’s be clear that I’m not stating Gundy is on the hot seat. Progress was made this season in Stillwater. Maybe not as much progress as some thought it could have been, but the Cowboys did take a step forward in football this year. Gundy is getting the benefit of the doubt from AD Mike Holder, who has the utmost faith in his football coach. The talent level under Gundy is improving and the new facilities being constructed now and in the future will definitely help.
Ultimately, it comes down to wins and losses in the coaching profession. Gundy knows this all too well. He was on staffs at OSU (under Jones), Baylor and Maryland that were terminated. The OSU head coach does not want to be in the same situation years from now that Koetter and Shula are in today.
---- Matt Doyle
Written by
Bill Haisten
Sports Writer
