Coker safe for now

[Neo]

Miami trustees discuss brawl; Coker safe for now.

By Joe Schad
Special to ESPN.com

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- About two dozen members of the University of Miami board of trustees met for two hours on Monday morning, spending the last 30 minutes discussing Saturday's ugly brawl with Florida International and the future of Hurricanes coach Larry Coker.

According to the trustee who attended the meeting, President Donna Shalala said: "Nobody's job is in jeopardy now."

Shalala, the trustee said, is standing by her committment to Coker, at least through this season, adding that the fight was "embarrassing" but "not cause for dismissal."

"Saturday's on-field melee has no place at the University of Miami," Shalala said in a prepared statement issued during the meeting. "Regardless of who started it, this was an embarrassing display of unsportsmanlike behavior."

"FIU President Mitch Maidique and I talked by phone shortly after the incident on Saturday night. We both expressed deep disappointment and apologized to each other on behalf of our institutions," Shalala said in the statement. "The ACC maintains rigorous behavioral and academic standards for student-athletes. We are satisfied with their decision."

Miami has suspended 13 players for at least one game. On Monday afternoon, after further consultation between the ACC and the school, the suspension of sophomore safety Anthony Reddick was extended indefinitely. All other suspended players will face additional disciplinary measures, including community service.


Florida International called a news conference for later Monday, at which time further "much harsher penalties" would likely be announced, coach Don Strock said.

"This is certainly embarrassing. It's disgraceful. It's amazing. I've run out of words," Strock said Monday. "There's no place for it in college football or football period. This is way overboard. I apologize to all the fans of college football for this taking place."

It's a real embarrassment," FIU linebacker Keyonvis Bouie said, "especially for our school. ... I'm just really disgusted with our players and the way we handled the situation."


The mayhem began shortly after halftime, when Miami's James Bryant pointed at the FIU bench and bowed to the crowd after catching a touchdown pass. Moments later, on the point-after attempt, FIU's Chris Smith wrestled Miami holder Matt Perrelli to the ground and punched him.

The benches cleared and the two teams skirmished for five minutes, as several players from both sides were seen throwing punches. Miami's Brandon Meriweather was seen attempting to stomp on FIU players, while an injured Golden Panther swung a crutch menacingly at several Miami players. Reddick charged across the field, helmet raised over his head, and slammed it into FIU's Robert Mitchell.

The fight marred what was supposed to be the beginning of a rivalry between two schools with players who grew up playing each other on high school fields in South Florida.

Joe Schad is ESPN TV's national college football reporter. Information from The Asssociated Press was used in this report.


http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2628132

[uscrebel]

Safe, but then again....

Shalala, the trustee said, is standing by her committment to Coker, at least through this season, adding that the fight was "embarrassing" but "not cause for dismissal."

[shanksta13]

I can't believe he isn't gone yet. I don't have anything bad to say about Larry Coker, other than that he should have a better handle on his players. The decision not to fire him immediately, however, is a blemish on the University of Miami's already tarnished national reputation. I simply cannot believe that after his team's extremely mediocre performance and the brawl that occurred Saturday night, there is still a nameplate on the the Head Coach's desk in Miami that reads "Larry Coker". Unbelievable.

Although, it is kind of interesting to wonder what an SEC team would have done given the circumstances. Sure, everyone will defend their institution, but one has to wonder. If the same thing had happened at LSU, would Les Miles have been fired? Hard to say. It's always easier to criticize from the outside looking in. That said, I'm still not sure what I think about the whole situation. I have lost all respect from the University of Miami pending further punishment or action from the University, however.

[TigerFanatic]

I can't believe he isn't gone yet. I don't have anything bad to say about Larry Coker, other than that he should have a better handle on his players. The decision not to fire him immediately, however, is a blemish on the University of Miami's already tarnished national reputation. I simply cannot believe that after his team's extremely mediocre performance and the brawl that occurred Saturday night, there is still a nameplate on the the Head Coach's desk in Miami that reads "Larry Coker". Unbelievable.

Although, it is kind of interesting to wonder what an SEC team would have done given the circumstances. Sure, everyone will defend their institution, but one has to wonder. If the same thing had happened at LSU, would Les Miles have been fired? Hard to say. It's always easier to criticize from the outside looking in. That said, I'm still not sure what I think about the whole situation. I have lost all respect from the University of Miami pending further punishment or action from the University, however.
les miles wou;dn't need to be fired. it would give us solid justification to to hang him from the clock tower

[scunyon]

In the grand scheme of things, he wasn't on the field throwing any haymakers. You also have to remember where most of these players come from. I'm not making any excuses for the guy, just trying to get things in the proper perspective. The fight was totally uncalled for, and shouldn't be tolerated. The FIU coaches should've used TV timeout to get their guys together and stop all of this foolishness before it got started, but apparently they didn't.

USC fans watched the brawl with CU unfold after one of their players took a cheap shot at Syvelle. There is no team in the country that players will not defend the QB, PK or other player who is vulnerable.

FIU should've taken their frustrations out by scoring, but that didn't happen. In Coker's case however, he just doesn't seem to have a reign on his guys, whatsoever. Half of the time he looks like that ugly little tingy looking for the ring in "Lord of the Rings" and the other half like he shared a bong with his team.

Coker's sucess at UM came on the backs of players he didn't recruit. Once his players rotated fully into the starting roles, the wheels fell of the wagon, one by one. It's just a matter of time before the mule pulling the cart goes ass-over-tea kettle and takes him with it.