xCTT throws his name into the ring for Kansas job

[RunInRed 16,996]

This should erase any doubt xCTT wants to get back into coaching ...

KU coaching search narrows; Tuberville adds his name to list

By J. BRADY McCOLLOUGH

The Kansas City Star

Former Auburn and Ole Miss football coach Tommy Tuberville would like to hear from Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins about the open KU job, Tuberville told The Star on Thursday.

Tuberville, who led Auburn to a perfect season in 2004, said he had been contacted by some other schools about their vacancies but wasn’t interested.

“Kansas is a good program,” said Tuberville, 55. “It’s in a conference that you can compete in. It’s really come leaps and bounds over the last few years, going to the Orange Bowl a couple years ago. Obviously, Kansas has made a reputation in basketball, and that’s great. But I think that can just help the football program. You can win in both sports.”

To get Perkins’ attention, Tuberville will have to overcome some candidates who have moved to the forefront. As KU’s search for its next coach enters its second week today, The Star has learned that Kansas has talked with Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh about the opening and that Harbaugh is likely the Jayhawks’ top choice.

East Carolina coach Skip Holtz and Buffalo coach Turner Gill have also emerged from the pack of coaches that have spoken with Perkins — a group that includes Central Michigan coach Butch Jones, Houston coach Kevin Sumlin, Minnesota coach Tim Brewster and Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt. It appears that Holtz and Gill would take the job if offered.

But barring Perkins’ picking up the phone and calling Tuberville, Harbaugh would be KU’s home-run hire. In Harbaugh’s three seasons at Stanford, the Cardinal has made a steady progression, improving from 1-11 the year before he took the job in 2006 to 8-4 in 2009. Under the fiery Harbaugh this season, the Cardinal crushed Southern California 55-21 in Los Angeles and beat Notre Dame 45-38 at home. Stanford will face Oklahoma in the Sun Bowl.

Harbaugh, 45, a former quarterback at Michigan and for the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, shares Kansas’ interest. His wife, Sarah, is from the Kansas City area.

Holtz, 45, is an attractive option to Perkins because of their relationship — Perkins hired Holtz to coach Connecticut in 1994 — and the success Holtz has had in building East Carolina into the top program in Conference USA. The Pirates, now back-to-back league champions, had won just three of their last 25 games when they hired Holtz after the 2004 season. Holtz does not have many apparent connections to the Big 12 region.

Gill, 47, was reportedly the first candidate contacted by Perkins. In four seasons at Buffalo, Gill has just a 20-30 record, but he led the Bulls to the 2008 Mid-American Conference title and the school’s first bowl game in 50 years. While Holtz is lacking in regional ties, Gill has plenty. He grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, played and coached at Nebraska, and has a daughter, Jordan, who is a KU student.

Jones and Sumlin have spoken to Perkins but don’t appear to be strong candidates. Sumlin told the Houston Chronicle that he is close to signing an extension with Houston. Brewster and Nutt both publicly revealed their intention to stay at their current schools.

In dealing with Tuberville, a coach’s loyalty to another school would not be a factor.

“I can move overnight,” Tuberville said. “I’m a free agent, don’t have anything holding me back.”

Tuberville fashions himself as a program builder. He talked with pride about “starting from scratch” at two Southeastern Conference schools.

He went 85-40 in 10 seasons at Auburn, including a 13-0 record and No. 2 final ranking in 2004, but things began to fall apart in 2008 when Tuberville abandoned a run-based attack that had produced NFL running backs Rudi Johnson, Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown and switched to a spread look. Tuberville is a defense-first coach — he was a defensive coordinator at Texas A&M under R.C. Slocum in 1994 — but ultimately a bad offense sealed his fate at Auburn. After finishing 5-7 and losing to in-state rival Alabama 36-0, Tuberville resigned.

He said he has spent his year away making sure he’d be more prepared than ever to lead a program upon his return to the sidelines.

“I’ve spent this year going around trying to put together an offense that I feel would work,” Tuberville said.

That meant trips to Oregon to learn its run-heavy spread offense, to Air Force to learn its wishbone attack and to Notre Dame, South Florida and Texas, among others.

“I’ve studied film, I’ve worked for ESPN,” Tuberville said. “This year was good for me just to kind of re-energize, step back and look from the outside in a little bit, figure out what I want to do when I get back in it.”

Tuberville maintained that defense would be the priority of any program he runs. He said he has a staff in mind to run the offense he has been concocting. He said he could assure Kansas that he knows the Texas landscape and would hire a staff with recruiting the Big 12 region in mind.

“I’ve got a plan,” Tuberville said.

Tuberville certainly sounded like a man who has had plenty of time to think out his pitch to athletic directors. He even mentioned that he’d come cheaper because he has no contract to buy out.

“If they called, I’d like to talk to them,” Tuberville said. “That’s the only thing you want to do is talk to them. You sell your philosophy.”

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/1623907-p2.html

[Justin5 20]

They would be (and will be) an idiot to turn him down.

[BoJtrueAUman 4]

I know this isn't really on subject but does anyone know if TT and Chizik saw each other at all in this last year. I mean he still lives in Auburn so it would make sense that 2 guys that worked together would see each other.

[OldNewby 27]

Perkins, c'mon man. Pick up the phone.

[TigerHeat 9]

I know this isn't really on subject but does anyone know if TT and Chizik saw each other at all in this last year. I mean he still lives in Auburn so it would make sense that 2 guys that worked together would see each other.

I don't know the answer to your question, but I think the two are on very good terms. I remember Tuberville speaking at our club a few years ago right after Chizik left, and he had very good things to say about him. It seemed genuine and heartfelt. It wasn't the usual, "He's a great guy, good luck, and good riddance" speech. I think the two worked well together, and I believe Tuberville was sad to see him leave. I remember he specifically stated that he thought the move was in Chizik's best interest, and he said he wanted ALL of his assistants to move toward being head coaches. He said he viewed that as one measure of his own success as a person.

[WarEagle007 1]

It almost sounds like Tubs is begging for a job. He made similar comments about ND. I hope he gets a place to go soon. I'd love to see what he can do outside of the SEC.

[rtftiger 40]

I think you've heard me say this before, but Tuberville will not coach again.

Actually, this is quite surprising to me. I thought that there were only a couple of jobs that he might have any desire to coach (FSU, Miami, LSU). I think that the idea of getting to a BCS Bowl by beating Texas or Oklahoma in the Championship game is appealing to him. He has never been this specific about his desire to return to the sidelines.

Still, I believe that the horse has left the stable.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

I think you've heard me say this before, but Tuberville will not coach again.

Actually, this is quite surprising to me. I thought that there were only a couple of jobs that he might have any desire to coach (FSU, Miami, LSU). I think that the idea of getting to a BCS Bowl by beating Texas or Oklahoma in the Championship game is appealing to him. He has never been this specific about his desire to return to the sidelines.

Still, I believe that the horse has left the stable.

Care to make a little bet?

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

I know this isn't really on subject but does anyone know if TT and Chizik saw each other at all in this last year. I mean he still lives in Auburn so it would make sense that 2 guys that worked together would see each other.

I don't know but I doubt it. Chizik is paranoid about having anyone around who might be cosidered as Tubs supporters.

[rtftiger 40]

I think you've heard me say this before, but Tuberville will not coach again.

Actually, this is quite surprising to me. I thought that there were only a couple of jobs that he might have any desire to coach (FSU, Miami, LSU). I think that the idea of getting to a BCS Bowl by beating Texas or Oklahoma in the Championship game is appealing to him. He has never been this specific about his desire to return to the sidelines.

Still, I believe that the horse has left the stable.

Care to make a little bet?

No. I'm officially backing of a bit...a bit.

[TDAuburn 2]

I, personally, don't think xCTT has the fire to recruit anymore... our last 2-3 years are proof. And before any of you extol the last 2 recruiting classes... I do believe we were 15 scholarship players short. I do feel he has a great feel for the game, and is very personable on T.V. I would love for him to replace one of the clueless announcers on one of the networks ... he would be great at that. JMHO.

[mcgufcm 4,107]

I don't think Tubs will coach this year, but he wants to coach again. He will. It just takes the right fit... like when A&M fires Mike Sherman next year or South Carolina (that graveyard of coaching success) lets Steve go or something like that. I don't see him at a place like UVA or Kansas. Those aren't places willing to sacrifice for football. As much lobbying as he did for great facilities at Auburn (and Ole Miss), I just don't see him doing that song and dance again.

He's not the right guy for the places shopping now, but he's a GREAT coach and wants to coach... so he will.

PS. Glad to see Turner Gill get his shot. He's a class act and a smart coach. I think he's going to be really successful (and if he is, he'll get hired some place better than Kansas).