Football Coaching Carousel

College Football40

What year is it? I just tagged this entry with “Chuck Amato” and “Norm Chow”!

Don’t know if you’ve been able to follow some of the news over the holiday week that also included the bowl game, but there have been some interesting developments in the world of college football recently.

 

=====> Over at UNC, it appears Larry Fedora will announce his entire staff at a press conference on January 3rd. The speculation appears that he will bring about half his staff from Southern Miss to be complemented with some other hires, including Vic Koenning

 

=====> We couldn’t be happier for former NC State offensive coordinator, Norm Chow. Chow finally got his shot as a head coach at one of the best possible fits for him – Hawaii. This link discusses Chow’s emotional introduction at Hawaii.

After five schools, four decades and three national championships, Norm Chow’s career has come full circle.

A tearful Chow was introduced Thursday as the new coach of Hawaii in an emotional news conference surrounded by old friends, including a high school teammate.

“I’m honored, I’m humbled and I’m awfully excited to be here to stand before you as the next football coach of the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors,” Chow said, using the mascot name that was shed more than a decade ago under former coach June Jones.

The 65-year-old Chow was born and raised in Honolulu and got his coaching start in the islands. Today, Chow is being looked upon to revive the struggling Warriors football program that failed to make the postseason this year.

“How many people are fortunate enough to go full circle? I’m blessed. I’m honored. I know that,” he said. “I say my prayers every morning and I’m grateful for that. I started at Waialua High School in 1970 and to have this chance to come back home all these years later is just a treat. It’s a privilege and I’m never going to ever forget that.”

Chow has become an instant island icon in this football crazed state with no professional team sports. He was scheduled to attend a reception hosted by Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Thursday night before returning to Utah, where he is in his first season as offensive coordinator. The Utes are preparing to face Georgia Tech in the Hyundai Sun Bowl.

 

=====> Over at FootballScoop.com we find that

Akron: We hear Terry Bowden has offered the defensive coordinator job to Chuck Amato. John Pont (Miami Ohio defensive intern / linebackers) will have a spot on the staff and we hear Ben Murphy, director of football operations at North Alabama, will serve as his director of football operations.

WOW!! A Bowden & Amato coming together again? At…AKRON?!?! Of all places? Surely the Zips can’t be too thrilled to have a guy on staff who publicly criticized their academics 6 or 7 years ago?

 

=====> Ken Browning is no longer a Tar heel. It truly is a new era.  Expect there to be a lot of debate from different factions of Wolfpacknation that will have very diverse opinions on Browning and his potential value to NC State.  I am staying out of the conversation for a while.

North Carolina: Longtime UNC assistant Kenny Browning was officially released today after 18 seasons in Chapel Hill. Browning has spent the last 40 years coaching at two high schools in North Carolina and at UNC.

 

=====> Related coaching news is not just limited to college programs. There is the buzz about Bill Cowher potentially coaching Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers. (Link) If that happens, my Texans better go get me a few more Wolfpackers to help the balance of my allegiance!

About StateFans

'StateFansNation' is the shared profile used by any/all of the dozen or so authors that contribute to the blog. You may not always agree with us, but you will have little doubt about where we stand on most issues. Please follow us on Twitter and FaceBook

College Football

40 Responses to Football Coaching Carousel

  1. tjfoose1 12/30/2011 at 9:30 PM #

    Browning could help just about anywhere. But I don’t want him. He’s tainted.

  2. 61Packer 12/30/2011 at 10:14 PM #

    I’ll take a basketball title anyday over a football title. When you win the NCAA title in basketball, it’s LEGITIMATE, and NOBODY ever forgets. Divison 1-A football doesn’t have a legitimate champion, regardless of what the NCAA and ESPN say. I just saw a replay tonight of the ’83 State-Houston title game on MASN. How many times have you ever seen a replay of Clemson’s 1981 “national championship” game? The only reason it ever gets shown is the Woody Hayes incident, and that’s usually the only part of it that gets shown.

    College football may be more popular with fans than college basketball, but not in the post-season. I’ll take March Madness over the college bowl season anyday. The BCS has been a lame attempt by the NCAA (and the tv networks) to create a pecking order and a “national” champion, but when a team like Boise State goes from missing a perfect season by one missed FG and ends up playing a .500 team in an obscure bowl, the whole BCS system is FUBAR.

    The Pack could go 13-0 in college football and then win the final bowl game, but there could be other unbeaten teams out there who were shut out of the process (such as Auburn a few seasons ago). When you cut down the nets in April, there’s no doubt that you’re number one.

  3. BJD95 12/30/2011 at 11:17 PM #

    College football is the only sport where the post-season is less compelling than the regular season. Just insane that it continues to operate that way.

    Like 61, I enjoy college football – but always annoyed in the back of my head re how it could be so much better. College basketball, on the other hand, is the best it can possibly be. The NFL, too! 🙂

  4. ryebread 12/30/2011 at 11:46 PM #

    I’m with LF on this one. I don’t think that Lou slighted us in the least on that. He said that NC State was a really good school, that Raleigh was a beautiful place to live and said something about not getting a raise. How is that bad? I thought it was good PR.

    As someone else mentions, I’ve also heard Lou refer to NC State in the “we” tense several times. He used our job as a stepping stone and jumped to being the head man in the NFL. I don’t think he’s harboring any ill will.

  5. johnwolfpack2003 12/31/2011 at 12:01 AM #

    Holtz sang the fight song after we beat Clemson.

  6. bigwolfpacker 12/31/2011 at 12:55 AM #

    Ive always thought Lou spoke highly of NC State given the opportunity.

  7. albunde6 12/31/2011 at 7:48 AM #

    Don’t see how Fedora with Koenning is a good thing for us. With Koenning’s time at Clemson he will have a working knowledge of Bible. Does anyone want to do the work to show how Koenning defense performed against Bible?

    Personally love Lou Holtz. Think he likes NCState. Hell, he tried to sing the fight song. He knows we are not the “univesity of north carolina state”. I’ll bet he even knows how many seniors started on offense. Remember “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”.

  8. mak4dpak 12/31/2011 at 9:00 AM #

    The win over Louisville was nice but, I have to agree on Bible. He can be quite predictable, and loves to play not to lose when we are ahead by two scores. We opened up the passing game in the first half, for 21 points, then only 3 in the second. Something is not right with that picture. That is Bible. He needs to change his way of coaching if we ever plan on on winning any championships. He loves to run the ball, especially up the middle. But if it ain’t working, can’t he just can the ideal. We have not had the overpowering OL, like BC. Our main strength on offense is passing. And might I say Glennon had a great year, and certainly showed some of you nay sayers, that he is more than capable. Russell who? Go Wolfpack!

  9. choppack1 12/31/2011 at 9:28 AM #

    Mak4pak – That ain’t just Bible…As I’ve stated before, it’s Crumudgeon Football 101 – when you are winning, don’t do anything to lose the game. (You may have even heard Lou Holtz say this at the half of the Notre Dame game, which, ironically, Notre Dame lost.)

    It’s really all part of the package. TOB’s teams are built by doing the little things right – you don’t turn it over, you don’t commit stupid penalties, you run when you have the lead. We saw it vs. UVa, UNC and Louisville this year.We saw it vs. Clemson, UCF and WV last year. We saw it vs. us TOBs last year at BC when he played us.

    I’d point out that you also do this when you think your D can contain the offense, and/or you think a big play on D will change the complexion of the game. Against GaTech last year, Clemson and UMd this year, we were more aggressive on offense even with the leads because I think our coaches were thinking we better get plenty of points.

    I’d prefer a more balanced attach with the lead – but hey, this leopard will not likely change his spots…and Bible ain’t necessarily the leopard.

  10. Master 12/31/2011 at 11:27 AM #

    I’m no huge fan of Amato, but I think the Akron/Academic comment was blown completely out of proportion to the context. Amato was actually praising the quality of players on the Akron team by saying they were D-1 prospects except for their qualifying grades. Of course the N&O and our foolish fans who are always looking for a reason to bash our coaches took it as a swipe against the players instead of a compliment to their skills. Spin it any way you want, but you can’t look at the transcript any differently.

  11. mak4dpak 01/01/2012 at 12:15 AM #

    Choppack 1, I have no problem running the ball when you have a lead, but if ain’t working, we need to try something else. The 4th and 2 call in the 4th, could have cost us the game. Louisville knew what we were gonna do, and shut it down for a loss. Championships at higher levels will always escape us til we learn to play to win. Two scores ahead, and 5 minutes to go, then be conservative, but not until then. The final score should have never been so close. But then that is just my opinion.

  12. slushy1975 01/01/2012 at 9:35 AM #

    I’ll take two consecutive bowl wins. I’ll take a 9-win season followed by an 8-win season. I’ll take the defensive play this seasons and the two coaches that crafted the schemes. I’ll take the OC that dialed up a record breaking comeback against Maryland and a huge win over then red-hot Clemson. I’ll take Mike Glennon and support the move to hand him the ball in 2011.

    It’s almost as if the hiring of new coaches provides a rush or sugar high for some fans that, when it subsides, they immediately seek the next hiring. I will concede that there’s never as much hope as when a major coaching hire is made.

  13. gcpack 01/01/2012 at 11:17 PM #

    I believe it was chip alexander of the n&o that kept asking Amato about the Akron game weeks after the game. Amato broke so we have
    the quote that jerks at the n&o wanted.

    As for Browning I am not sure I would trust a long time Unc type like him to do what’s in States best interest. I would ne very careful with that hire.

  14. ancsu87 01/02/2012 at 9:11 PM #

    Slushy1975 I agree. As pointed out this is only the fourth time in school history we have won back to back bowl games. I would look back on the last two years and say that TOB has the program moving forward. Next year has a tougher NC schedule. I can’t wait to see what happens.

  15. JasonP 01/03/2012 at 11:14 AM #

    Browning turned Northern Durham into a powerhouse high school program as HC. It was a legacy that kept going several years after he left. He’s coached just about every position while at UNC, spending some years coaching the D-line IIRC. I have no idea what his feelings about State are, or how loyal he is to baby blue. If he’s a man of good will and sense, then TOB could definitely use him. If not here, he’ll probably end up at WF or ECU.

1 2

Leave a Reply