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Noah.Dreams
12-06-2006, 08:42 AM
Kosar says he's interested in Miami jobPosted 12/6/2006 2:25 AM ET USA Today

MIAMI (AP) — Former University of Miami and NFL quarterback Bernie Kosar said he is interested in becoming the school's next football coach, the Miami Herald reported Wednesday.
Kosar told the newspaper that he has had preliminary talks with university officials about replacing Larry Coker, who was fired last month.

"Yeah, I'm interested," Kosar told the paper. "UM people knew that I had been offered the president of the Cleveland Browns job. They knew I wanted to get back into football and asked if I'd be interested in the UM job. At first it was just flattering, but then I thought, 'Yeah, I'd really like to look into it."'

Kosar has no coaching experience, but he often serves as a mentor to quarterbacks at Miami. He retired from the NFL after a 12-year career with the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins.

There has been much speculation about who would replace Coker, fired Nov. 24 after the Hurricanes completed a 6-6 season. They posted a 53-9 record in Coker's first five years at Miami.

The only confirmed candidate to replace Coker is Miami defensive coordinator Randy Shannon, who hasn't commented on his interest in the job.

Other names have been mentioned as possible candidates — Rutgers' Greg Schiano, former Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez, South Florida's Jim Leavitt, Auburn's Tommy Tuberville, Texas Tech's Mike Leach and former Alabama coach Mike Shula, son of Miami Dolphins coaching legend Don Shula. Some NFL coaches also are in the mix.

It was a turbulent season for Miami: a player was shot and killed outside his off-campus apartment complex Nov. 7; a top wide receiver was suspended for much of the season after getting involved in an altercation with two women; a player was shot in an alleged robbery attempt where another teammate returned fire at the purported assailants; and the Hurricanes were involved in an on-field brawl with Florida International that resulted in the suspension of 31 players, 13 from Miami.

Kosar was a fan favorite as the Hurricanes quarterback from 1983-84, leading Miami to a national championship as a freshman, beating Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. The Browns got him in a supplemental draft after he graduated early with a dual degree in finance and economics.

Kosar threw 124 touchdown passes in his NFL career, with 87 interceptions

WallyGoat
12-06-2006, 11:49 AM
I must be confused...I though Bernie Kosar was the only NFL QB never to throw an INT. I believe I am confusing him with a guy from Cincy. Does anyone know who that is?

BTW, Kosar at Miami, that has a ring to it.

My top choices for the Miami Hurricanes job:

Schiano, Alvarez, and Shula. Jim Leavitt.....eh....I don't know. Does Miami want him? If so, JL is up their too.

Mike Leach may leave Texas Tech, but I believe he is comfortable in his own little corner. If Tubs wanted to leave for Miami (former assisstant coach at UM), then that would be great. We can finally beat Auburn! :laugh: jk I'd love for Bama to beat Tubs for years to come. Whether that happens or not is not clear....

SeanVol
12-08-2006, 12:01 AM
Kosar will have to wait.


Defensive coordinator to become new head coach


Miami didn't look far for a coach to rebuild its struggling football program. Randy Shannon, the Hurricanes' defensive coordinator the last six seasons, has agreed to a four-year contract to become the school's new head coach, a source close to Shannon said Thursday night.

The source said Shannon was offered the job on Thursday and accepted later in the day. Financial terms weren't immediately known, but Shannon's annual salary is believed to be more than $1 million per season.

A Miami official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, also confirmed the hiring.

Shannon, a popular former player and longtime assistant, becomes only the sixth African-American coach in Division I-A football.

"It's the guy that I wanted. It's the guy a lot of us wanted," Miami quarterback Kirby Freeman told The Associated Press. "Randy's been extremely sincere to this football program. He's been sincere about his feelings toward everyone on this team and the direction he wants this program to go. This is definitely the decision I wanted."

Shannon replaces Larry Coker, who was fired Nov. 24, the day after the Hurricanes upset Boston College 17-14 to salvage a 6-6 season.

Coker had a 59-15 record in six seasons at Miami and won the national championship in his first season in 2001. Miami lost to Ohio State 31-24 in double overtime in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, which cost the Hurricanes a second straight national championship.

Shannon, who has been Miami's defensive coordinator since 2001, is considered a safe hire for the financially strapped athletics department. A native of Miami, Shannon was a linebacker on the Hurricanes' 1987 national championship team and has been a longtime assistant at the school.

Shannon, 40, began working at Miami as a graduate assistant in 1991 and left to work for the Miami Dolphins from 1998 to 2000. He returned to his alma mater to join Coker's staff in 2001.

Shannon has long been regarded one of the country's top defensive coordinators and is well-liked by players. The Hurricanes ranked fifth in Division I-A in total defense this season, allowing 252.1 yards per game, and was third in rushing defense, surrendering only 66 yards per game.

Shannon was considered a viable candidate to replace his former boss from the beginning of the search. The Hurricanes targeted Rutgers coach Greg Schiano as their top choice, but the former Miami defensive coordinator told athletic director Paul Dee on Monday that he wasn't interested in the job.

It is believed the Hurricanes also talked with Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, who expressed interest in the job, and requested permission to interview West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez, who is in contract negotiations to become Alabama's new coach.

"It's an interesting hire," Miami quarterback Kyle Wright told ESPN's Joe Schad. "It's ironic that after a nationwide search, it ends up being Coach Shannon. We'll have to see how it turns out. He's highly respected here. We know how he operates and conducts himself, so we won't have to get used to a new style of play. What I want to see now is who we get as offensive coordinator."

Shannon had lenghty interviews with Miami president Donna Shalala throughout the day Thursday, and she and Miami board of trustee members agreed Shannon was their choice. Shannon met with Dee and Shalala in New York on Tuesday.

The school is expected to announce Shannon's hiring at a press conference Friday morning.

"Randy is the future of our football team now," Freeman told the AP. "And we're going to have some bright, bright success. I'm excited. I'm really excited."


http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2690489 (http://http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2690489)