Paul Bryant Jr. - "If We Can't Have a Coach, Neither Can You!"

[AU Blaaaaaaaake]

http://www.uab.rivals.com/default.asp (http://www.uab.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=619564)

(sorry link may be private rivals content)

Alabama's BOT (who control U Alabama in Birmingham) declined an interview with Jimbo Fisher. Jimbo currently makes around 400k at LSU (if I'm not mistaken), and was asking only for a 200k increase in salary.

Is this is move to land Jimbo at Alabama? Or just PBJr. being stubborn?

Poor Blazers =(

[azamugg]

I read that, its amazing to me the underground conspiracy not to destroy UAB's athletics but put a "governor" on their efforts

[GeauxTo]

Report: Fisher candidate at La. Tech (http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/featured/4924371.html) The Monroe News-Star reported Thursday that LSU assistant football coach Jimbo Fisher emerged late in the day as the leading candidate to become head coach at Louisiana Tech, a job for which LSU assistant coach Todd Monken is also a candidate. The report, which appeared on the Monroe newspaper’s Web site Thursday evening and did not cite a source, came hours after Fisher’s candidacy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham apparently ended. The Birmingham News, citing UAB sources, is reporting today negotiations between Fisher and UAB were halted by the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama System. On the same day, the San Francisco Chronicle reported LSU assistant coach Bo Pelini is a possible candidate for the head-coaching job at Stanford. Pelini dismissed the story as speculative and said he has not been contacted by Stanford or its representatives.

[Jay Bee]

Here's what the B'ham paper had on this. Funny that nobody blinked an eye when news of the "offers" to Spurrier or Rich Rod were reported but $600,000 a year for Fisher is too much (esp. since 2/3rds was coming from a private source).

WDE!
jb

Fisher too rich for Blazers
Friday, December 15, 2006
STEVE IRVINE
News staff writer

UAB's top choice for its head football coaching vacancy - LSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher - was nixed before school administrators had a chance to talk with him Thursday.

UAB's search committee of interim Athletics Director Richard Margison and associate ADs Brian Mackin and Lee Moon was scheduled to travel to Baton Rouge on Thursday morning to conduct an official interview with Fisher. The trip was pushed back a day at one point on Thursday and eventually canceled after the University of Alabama Board of Trustees expressed concerns that hiring Fisher would be too costly.

Now the search for Watson Brown's replacement turns toward a small group of candidates with Georgia offensive coordinator Neil Callaway toward the top of the list.

But while the search committee looks ahead, UAB fans are probably looking back at losing the top candidate.

A source close to the situation said UAB had planned on offering the job to Fisher during their trip to Baton Rouge.

UAB was reportedly set to offer Fisher a base salary in the neighborhood of $600,000 with a large portion of that coming from contributions from local businessmen. That amount was considerably more than approximate $375,000 that Brown was paid per year and a step up from the $400,000 Fisher is making as LSU's offensive coordinator.

But UAB never got the chance to make the offer and the News-Star in Monroe, La., reported on its Web site Thursday that Fisher moved on quickly. The paper reported that has emerged as favorite to take over at Louisiana Tech and he discussed the opening with school officials on Thursday. Fisher also remains a candidate for the offensive coordinator position at Florida State.

Meanwhile, Callaway becomes one of UAB's primary targets. Georgia head coach Mark Richt told reporters on Thursday that Callaway had interviewed on Wednesday but didn't mention UAB by name.

[goallthewayua]

A lot of the message boards are saying that Norm Chow is the front runner for the bama job now. Any truth to that?

[Jay Bee]

A lot of the message boards are saying that Norm Chow is the front runner for the bama job now. Any truth to that?

I don't know, but I saw where Chow turned down the Stanford job, so I doubt if he'll be interested in bama. Also, Malfunction said they wanted a head coach with a proven record. Chow's a career assistant isn't he? But ya never know. One thing for sure, the dude (Chow) can coach qbs. JPW should be a happy camper if it comes to fruition.

WDE!
jb

[gatorhater]

I wouldn't be devastated if we lost Neil Callaway to UAB...but I wouldn't be hurt either if he stayed. We could certainly plug in another OC that would suffice or possibly improve.

[WDavE]

It would totally surprise me for Chow to ever become a head coach.
He rarely gives interviews and hates to recruit. His MO. sounds like a offensive football geek...

[AU Blaaaaaaaake]

One thing for sure, the dude (Chow) can coach qbs. JPW should be a happy camper if it comes to fruition.

WDE!
jb
That really wasn't a problem before. Shula can coach QB's extremely well, and he's a big reason why JPW has developed so quickly. Shula just wasn't a great play-caller, and I think if he would have been willing to let in a top notch OC to call plays, he would still be UAT's coach.

[bamafan0001]

I think that was a power play by the BOT, even if UA doesn't go after him as a HC it leaves him open to hire as an OC, that is, unless someone like UL Monroe gets him first.

[WallyGoat]

A lot of the message boards are saying that Norm Chow is the front runner for the bama job now. Any truth to that?

I seriously doubt Norm Chow is interested, to be quite honest. Like someone stated above, he's a career assisstant. He's way too comfortable being one to venture into head coaching territory. He only has to be concerned with his offense, and not discipline of players and such.

Who knows for sure though?

[nooneLT]

That really wasn't a problem before. Shula can coach QB's extremely well, and he's a big reason why JPW has developed so quickly. Shula just wasn't a great play-caller, and I think if he would have been willing to let in a top notch OC to call plays, he would still be UAT's coach.

so true...but his ego kept him from hiring an OC and turned playcalling over to him, and that was part of his downfall.