WILL MUSCHAMP IS THE HEAD COACH IN WAITING AT TEXAS!!

[AUSportTalk 4]

Texas announced today that Will Muschamp will be the head coach in the waiting!! This is serious BREAKING NEWS!!

[Guest auburn warrior]

great for will, although i would have loved it if he had been named head coach in waiting here

[AUSportTalk 4]

The University of Texas has struck an agreement with Defensive Coordinator Will Muschamp that will keep him in Austin and eventually lead him to the head coaching position for the Longhorns, Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds said on Tuesday. Details of the contract are still being finalized but it will start with Muschamp's salary being raised to $900,000 on January 1, 2009.

"This is a plan that has been enthusiastically agreed to by Mack Brown, President Powers and the Board of Regents," Dodds said. "With the landscape in college football and all of the changes around the country, I've been looking at this for the last couple of years. When it's not working, you have to go outside and make changes. Things are going well here, it's working, so it's best to be prepared to build from inside and that's what we're doing.

"Mack has provided outstanding leadership and continues to elevate our football program to a level as high as anyone in the country. We hope he stays a long time and he will be our coach as long as he wants, but this assures us that when the time comes, we have the right guy to step up into that position and continue to build on the great things we're accomplishing."

Muschamp joined the Longhorns this season after highly successful stints at Auburn, LSU and in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. As defensive coordinator, he helped LSU claim a National Championship in 2004. He was a finalist for the Broyles Award (nation's top assistant coach) in 2007.

"This is first and foremost about keeping Will at Texas," Brown said. "He's had several opportunities to interview for head coaching jobs, but we wanted him to stay here. I'm going to continue coaching as I'm enjoying it. I have eight years left on my contract, I am not thinking at all about moving on, it's simply that I think Will is a great young coach, a perfect fit for this place and he wants to stay. Nothing will change in our structure. He will continue in his roll as defensive coordinator and when the time comes, will be ready to step in and take over the program.

"Everything we've talked about since we've been here, the premise of our program, has been about family. This is about family. When at some point I do step away, the fans can be assured the program can continue like it is. It will not miss a beat because the family will continue. Will believes in all the same principles we believe in. This assures recruits, our coaches and our players that Texas football will just keep on rolling."

Muschamp's Longhorn defense is leading the Big 12 in rushing defense (82.5 ypg/25th NCAA) and scoring defense (19.5 ppg/25th NCAA). UT ranks second nationally with four sacks per game. The Horns have held all of their Big 12 opponents below their season scoring average and limited six foes to 14 points or less.

"I was really excited when they presented the opportunity to me," Muschamp said. "I'm not in any hurry to be a head coach and hope Coach Brown's around for many more years. I'm just glad I'm going to be able to stay at Texas. This is the top program in the country, my family loves it here and there's no better person to watch and learn from about running a football program than Coach Brown.

"President Powers, DeLoss Dodds, the administration and the leadership at Texas are outstanding. Coach Brown and a great support staff are in place. I've really enjoyed the kids in our program and everyone I've been around here. Texas has all the resources, facilities and a great recruiting base. It is the elite program in the country. No disrespect to any of the other places I've worked, but this is a really special place."

A native of Rome, Ga., and 1994 graduate of Georgia, he was four-year lettermen at safety for the Bulldogs (1991-94). He was selected as defensive co-captain as a senior and was a part of two bowl teams. He also earned a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 1993.

"When I first came here in January and my wife, Carol, and boys, Jackson and Whit, stayed back in Auburn, I got such a great feel for the community and people. When Carol and the kids moved here in May, they fell in love with Austin. If I would have left, I would have left on my own because she was staying here. She really loves the community and the people, and our kids love their schools. It's just a special place and somewhere I want to be for a long time.

"I really appreciate the confidence that President Powers, DeLoss Dodds, the Board of Regents and Coach Brown have in me. I hope Coach Brown is here for a long time and look forward to continuing to coach our defense, learning from him and eventually carrying on the outstanding Texas tradition."

[The Duke 0]

I know that Lowder was not real fond of Muschamp. But I still like him. Who would you rather have at HC. CTT or Muschamp. Its a toss-up for me. I like the fiery side of Will but also like and enjoy the CEO style that CTT has. Things would be very different if Muschamp was here. Sometimes I think that people like CTT just because he is a respectable man that looks after his players even if it means leaving them out of games when they screw up. I would take CTT over Muschamp. Anyone else have any thoughts?

[Jackson-Sullivan 0]

I think muschamp will be great.  That being said, I like Tubs right now.  I don't know if Muschamp is quite ready.  Maybe that will atleast keep him out of the SEC for a while, cause he will be good.  The Leach to Tennessee possibility is kinda scary, though...

[AUSportTalk 4]

Yeah i love having Tubs here. I also think that Muschamp will be a GREAT head coach one day maybe a couple more years and I think Texas must have been thinking the same thing b/c he will be there head coach in a couple years. I think that was very smart of Texas to lock him up at defensive coordinator for the next few years and then he becomes head coach. I also think that Leach to Tennessee is a very good possibility but i also think they will go after a big name if they can't get him.

[RollToomers1345162763 0]

Muschamp is gonna make a darn good head coach and I would love to see him here at Auburn one day. I think that Texas did the right thing because everybody knows how valuable he is.

[SuperFlyEagle 0]

Why would an elite program put its hands into someone who has never been a head coach? I'm not saying that he can't be great, but that he is obviously unproven. How many points has muschamp given up in big games? Especially at Texas... 35 to OU, like 40 something to TT. That my friends is not great coaching. Its easy to win if your offense is putting 50 every game. Not to mention that he could never make the necessary adjustments DURING games while he was here. Who do you think Harrell was going to throw to? Surely not Crabtree. Sure everyone likes the fire and all, but how good of a coach is he? Seems like Auburn has a new D coordinator every other year... some become head coaches Chizik (and not do to well, he also went to Texas). The reason our D is ALWAYS above average and sometimes great is Tommy T. Everything/one else is just icing on the cake, b/c no matter how good the icing is..... it doesnt make up for bad cake, but if the cake is good... then the icing can just be scraped off.

[RollToomers1345162763 0]

I agree that CTT is behind the strong defense with his defensive strategy and all but I also think that Muschamp is a great defensive coordinator and hes got that fire most head coaches aint got! I think that hes doing a damn good job considering who they played. OU and TT have two of the best offenses out there and the big 12 is a whole different ballgame if you ask me.

[Jackson-Sullivan 0]

The high powered O's in the Big 12 are gonna score their share of points no matter who the defensive coordinator is that's team is playing against them.  That being said, I think you have a pretty interesting point there, Superfly.  I thought he should have done a little better this year, but I expected Texas Tech to put up crazy points on his defense no matter what.  About Tuberville having a lot to do with why our defense is always solid... that, my friend is a good point.  People don't always think about stuff like that, but he does have a lot to do with it.  You notice he put his main focus on offense for a while after Otis left and we struggled on defense.  That didn't have everything to do with him not paying as much attention to the defense, but I guarantee it had a little to do with it.  The man knows his defense!

[Auhsv 0]

I really don't understand this fascination with muschamp.  OK, he was a good DC and I don't want to burst finebaum's bubble but he was NEVER going to be HC at AU.  Why after last year AND that he has come out publicly and declared he's scared of st.nick would we EVER want this guy.  Not me.  Sorry.  We may have a coaching change this year, but if we do we can find someone who won't be trembling in his boots at the thought of st. nick. 

[RollToomers1345162763 0]

I really don't understand this fascination with muschamp.  OK, he was a good DC and I don't want to burst finebaum's bubble but he was NEVER going to be HC at AU.  Why after last year AND that he has come out publicly and declared he's scared of st.nick would we EVER want this guy.  Not me.  Sorry.  We may have a coaching change this year, but if we do we can find someone who won't be trembling in his boots at the thought of st. nick.   

I wouldnt rush and judge him by that one thing to be honest. I have no clue why he did that but I don't really think hes scared of anything or anybody.

[Jackson-Sullivan 0]

I may be totally wrong, but from the article I read in the Birmingham paper, I never saw a quote from Will Muschamp saying he was scared of little nicky.  I actually looked back on it and saw not a single direct quote at all from Muschamp.

[RollToomers1345162763 0]

I dont think it ever came directly from him:

Muschamp read the writing on the wall in this state' date=' awhen he did.[/quote']

According to someone close to Muschamp, he believed Saban would awaken the 800-pound gorilla in Tuscaloosa. He believed Saban would make it happen sooner rather than later.

Having worked for him at LSU and with the Miami Dolphins, Muschamp knew how Saban would make it happen and believed, when it happened, it would make life a lot harder on Auburn.

Here's the link:

Muschamp looks even smarter for leaving Auburn