[College Football] Butch Davis to UNC-Chapel Hill?

percicles · Oct 23, 2006

The coaching carousel is getting started. The biggest catch might end up at UNC-Chapel Hill. Aggies can cross out their #1 replacement for Fran. Hell, at this point they should consider themselves lucky if they can snatch Greg Davies away from UT-Austin.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/scorecard/10/23/truth.rumors.college/index.html

Former Miami and Cleveland Browns coach Butch Davis, West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez and Navy coach Paul Johnson have been mentioned in speculation as possible successors to John Bunting at North Carolina. But North Carolina has not yet even announced the process it will use in the search and likely will keep its candidates confidential.
-- Charlotte Observer
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http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_blogs/football/ncaa/

In a move that came as a surprise to almost no one, North Carolina announced the firing Sunday night of sixth-year coach John Bunting, whose team fell to 1-6 following a 23-0 loss to Virginia on Thursday. It may seem like UNC pulled the plug unusually early, but when a coaching change is as inevitable as this one, there's not much point in leaving either the coach or program hanging.

More importantly, however, Tar Heels AD Dick Baddour just gained a gigantic head start if he intends to partake in the Great Butch Davis Derby of 2006.

Before I continue, let me make it perfectly clear: I have no inside information as to who UNC, or anyone else, is looking to hire this offseason -- nor does anyone else. A general rule of thumb when reading stories about coaching searches: Ninety-nine percent of it is pure speculation. Athletic directors don't share their intentions with reporters, and while many of us do have "plugged-in" sources at various schools, believe me, unless they've actually seen the candidate step off the private plane with their own eyes, they're just throwing out gossip like the rest of us. A competent coaching search is conducted with only slightly less secrecy than a covert spy operation.

Presumably, however, UNC would not have fired its coach with six weeks remaining in the regular season if it didn't plan to do something productive during those six weeks. You can't be sure of anything involving Baddour, the former UNC admissions dean-turned athletic administrator who hired both a one-year head coaching veteran (Matt Doherty) and an unknown NFL assistant (Bunting) on the sole basis of their UNC diplomas and found a way to fire football coach Carl Torbush two seasons in a row. But I'm willing to give Baddour the benefit of the doubt that he's aware Davis, the former Miami and Cleveland Browns head coach, is currently available, and that due to Davis' free-agent status, he's free to start discussing/interviewing/negotiating at any time. Shoot, Carolina could hire him tomorrow if it was so inclined.

Obviously, Davis is hardly the nation's only desirable coaching candidate, and it's entirely possible Davis has no desire to coach in Chapel Hill. There's a lot of reasons, however, why this would be a good match. UNC needs to raise its recruiting profile in a hurry if it hopes to be competitive in the beefed-up ACC; Davis was a masterful recruiter at Miami. The Tar Heels' new coach is going to need the stomach to withstand an unpleasant rebuilding period; Davis endured the depths of probation at Miami and came out the other end having built a national-title contender. And if Davis indeed desires to return to college coaching, chances are he's going to have to do it at a mid-level BCS program. UNC is one of the few schools of that ilk that also happens to be rolling in money, which is good, because Davis could potentially fetch a $2 million-plus salary.

The whole situation reminds me of two years ago, when Steve Spurrier was sitting around waiting for a call. In a recent Orlando Sentinel article, South Carolina AD Mike McGee disclosed that he first offered Spurrier the Gamecocks' job halfway through the 2004 season. That same article discussed how Florida AD Jeremy Foley's controversial decision to can Ron Zook in late October of that season was instrumental in his ability to beat out Notre Dame for Urban Meyer.

There is undoubtedly a segment of Miami fans hoping the school will try to lure Davis back if and when it parts ways with Larry Coker, but that's not likely to happen. Either way, however, Baddour has an opportunity here to beat the Hurricanes to the punch. Or, he can drag his feet, wait for some of the big-name active coaches' seasons to end and hope one of them picks the UNC job over the many others expected to be open by then. It's a viable option, particularly if he's not particularly keen on Davis. It's also a good way to end up with another Bunting.
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http://northcarolina.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=598627

Sources have told CarolinaBlue.com that Butch Davis, former Miami Hurricanes' head coach and later head coach for the National Football League's Cleveland Browns, is waiting to see what happens with the head coaching job at Alabama before he will commit to become the next head coach at North Carolina.
Representatives from UNC have been speaking with Davis or his representatives, according our sources, but Davis apparently has said that he wants to see what happens at the University of Alabama and coach Mike Shula before he makes a decision. He would probably take the job with the Crimson Tide if offered.

Carolina is prepared to pay a hefty sum, sources say. The term being used is "Roy money," referring the amount of money basketball coach Roy Williams is paid.

UNC has never paid a football coach that kind of money, which could approach or exceed $2 million per year. One trustee said that he knows the faculty will "go nuts" when it learns of what the school may wind up paying its two high-profile athletic coaches.

The other part of this is the school is apparently willing to give Davis a long-term contact. Our sources could not pinpoint what this means in number of years, but it would imply that the contract would exceed the normal five years.

UNC is not just going to sit and wait on Davis, according our sources. The officials working on this deal (according to insiders Dick Baddour is not among those involved) are continuing to pursue other options and investigate other people on the list, such as West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriquez.
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Two Sandwiches · Oct 23, 2006

I didn't read the whole thing, but why would Rich Rodriguez want to go from a powerhouse in West Virginia to UNC?

Smokey · Oct 23, 2006

Mack : Greg

Francis : Mobley

Mack got Greg a head coaching job once. Greg lasted three years and ran back to Mack. Their "relationship" has lasted longer than most of us have been alive. If men could have common law marriage, Greg would be Greg Davis Brown.

Smokey · Oct 23, 2006

EddieWasSnubbed said:

I didn't read the whole thing, but why would Rich Rodriguez want to go from a powerhouse in West Virginia to UNC?
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Cause it's West Virginia.

Glish21 · Oct 23, 2006

First off its very doubtful Fran will get fired so I don't this A&M will be looking for a new coach. With Fran's contract extension from a couple of years ago it would not be so feasible to continue paying him and a new coach.

Rich Rodriguez attended and played cornerback at West Virginia so I highly doubt he would take a step down to coach UNC. His contract at WVU runs through at least 2009.

I guess Butch Davis is a possibility but I would think he could get a job at a better football school, but if a five year contract is that much of a priority then it could happen.

SirCharlesFan · Oct 23, 2006

Every school that wants a new coach is talking about Butch Davis right now. Hell, up here at the U of Arkansas, where I go to school, people are hoping that we do really well this year so some other school offers Houston Nutt some cash to come to their school...Why? So the U of Arkansas can hire Butch Davis. Not that it would ever happen in a million years, but writers at every school that is going to be looking for a coach are going to speculate about Davis.

Mr. Mooch · Oct 23, 2006

Considering I'm at Miami and live in Alabama, I'm kind of shocked to read about what was written about both schools.

I understand people in Alabama have been amazingly underwhelmed by Shula, but I can't imagine any scenario in which he would be fired. Sure he's a mediocre coach, but Alabama's defense lost seven starters and this is only the first year that JP Wilson is the starter (Just for reference, the last 4 QBs for Alabama went 8-4 in their first seasons as full-time starters; the Tide is now 5-3).

The biggest complaint about Shula is the uninventive offense; unfortunately, it seems like there's never enough Tressels, Stoops, and Meyers available.

And Miami expects to be in top contention for Davis. Coker's future was pretty much decided after the Louisville game, but the brawl didn't help. Problem for the AD is that Coker is the nicest guy in the world and always seems to say the right things.

I understand why Davis would be interested in the Alabama job if he's not a true college town guy -- the history, tradition, following, and most importantly facilities at UA are all brand new.

At Miami, the facilities (outside of the decent weight room and best strength coach in the nation, college or pro) are one of the worst in Division I and improvements are years away.

But anyway, good thinking by UNC to start planning ahead.

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[College Football] Butch Davis to UNC-Chapel Hill?

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