Could Doug Williams Get the Miss. State Job?
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BulldogM.Ed.23
Bulldog Fan/Supporter
Actually, there had been rumors that if MSU lost to Vanderbilt, they were going to fire Jackie Sherrill and make Ron Cooper the first Black SEC Head Coach (temporarily). Imagine that?????????
PRINCE HALL
New Member
That alumni /booster club will still stay the course.(That dog won't hunt).
Dr. Mac
Player
Won't happen in the SEC for Doug; at least not yet. He'll have to go to a mid-level DI-A or lower level DI-A school (say like a Central Florida, Houston, Cincinnati) and have some success there first. I think Houston would be a good opportunity given its location (he's already estalished in that part of the south), level of potential recruits, and given his name recognition if its ever offered to him.
Regards.
Regards.
Will Williams be hearing from SEC again?
Future opening at Mississippi State stirs up interest in GSU coach.
Nick Deriso
[email protected]
October 21, 2003
GRAMBLING - Grambling State coach Doug Williams' name has been circulating as a possible candidate for the Mississippi State job, now that long-time coach Jackie Sherrill has announced his retirement at season's end.
Not that Williams knew anything about it. He said Monday that he had not been called concerning the position.
"Mississippi State is as big as they come. You can't be in a better conference," Williams said of the Southeastern Conference. "My name will get kicked around along with some other guys who have been there before. You don't know what to expect, so you take care of your own job."
Several message boards and local sports broadcasts in Alabama and Mississippi have mentioned Williams as a possible replacement - along with current MSU assistant Ron Cooper and Green Bay Packers assistant Sylvester Croom, who are also black coaches on the rise.
"I think what happens is, with all the stuff going on about the lack of the minority coaches, some people will be associated with any opening," Williams said.
Williams was specifically mentioned, for instance, on Paul Finebaum's radio program in Birmingham. The idea has sparked lively debates at www.firejackiesherrill.com, on the SWAC Page Network and on MSN's Mississippi State Internet message boards.
Over 13 seasons at MSU, Sherrill has led the Bulldogs to a Top 25 ranking in the final Associated Press poll four times - including an all-time best No. 13 mark in 1999, when the school beat Clemson 17-7 in the Peach Bowl.
But this year brought a second NCAA investigation of the football program in less than a decade - and Sherrill's personal life took a nasty turn. His wife had a bout with cancer and both his mother and brother died.
"I won't coach anymore," Sherrill said at his regular Monday press conference. "This is my last rodeo."
The Bulldogs are also 2-5 after losing to Auburn on Saturday, a record made worse by the previous two straight three-win seasons.
An interview with Mississippi State wouldn't be Williams' first flirtation with the SEC. He has already been passed over after at Kentucky and reportedly attempted to get an interview at Alabama - though he denied that Monday.
"Jobs like that, you don't try to get an interview for," he said. "Everybody has a short list. You have to wait for them to call you. It's not something you send your resume in for. You are dealing with people who have been around sports, they have an idea about who they want."
Ironically enough, the SEC didn't even let blacks play until the late 1960s. After that, Bo Jackson and Herschel Walker (both eventual Heisman Trophy winners) became shooting stars across the athletic landscape.
"It's about opportunity," William said. "Whether in the SEC, the ACC or the Big 12, the key here is whether you get the opportunity. In the meantime, the way that I look at it is, you take care of job that you have."
The SEC has had more than 300 head coaches over the past 70 years, and none of them has been black. But that conference is not alone: The other five majors have only had 10 black football coaches combined. Notre Dame, college football's most important independent program, hired its first black ever last year, Tyrone Willingham.
Williams talked about these issues at a diversity forum held the Friday before Grambling State's season-opening game against San Jose State. The discussion, called "Diversity Dialogue: Issues in Athletics" also included SJSU Coach Fitz Hill and former Stanford and San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh, among others. Williams was interviewed afterward by "Nightline" on the topic, as well.
No swipes at the SWAC: As the races tighten in the SWAC, Williams has also circled the wagons when talking about possible coaching changes in his own back yard.
Asked if he thought first-year Jackson State coach James Bell's job might be in jeopardy, Williams would only say: "I don't know," and laugh. "I'm trying to keep (GSU athletics director) Al Dennis from firing me!"
Taking over a Tigers team that had posted consecutive 7-4 seasons, Bell - a former defensive coordinator at Indiana and Wake Forest - started the season 0-2. Jackson State would have been 2-2 in the SWAC, but Saturday's loss to Southern did not count toward its conference record.
Williams also wouldn't speculate on how Arkansas-Pine Bluff, still stuck at one SWAC win after a blowout loss to GSU, might deal with coach Lee Hardman.
Hardman, a former UAPB player, is the school's all-time winningest coach. But the Golden Lions have a 2-6 record, after falling to 3-8 last year. The fans have already gotten involved, issuing fliers on campus during homecoming week that said: Hardman Must Go.
"It's not for me to say," Williams said. "We're talking about a SWAC coach. If you asked me how Mack Brown is doing, I might could answer you."
OK: How is Mack Brown doing at Texas? "It's hard to imagine that Texas is 50 points less than Oklahoma," he said. "The numbers sum it up better than me."
Tiger bites: GSU's Moses Harris has quietly moved to the top of the SWAC list for receptions per game. ... Williams has been spotted recently at high school football games featuring Richwood, Carroll and Ruston High teams - though he wouldn't elaborate on who he was evaluating. "I can't say," Williams said. "I have enough problems with NCAA. You can't call players' names out! You're going to have me called in for a conference call!" ... Kenneth Pettway added three more tackles against the Golden Lions to remain atop the list for GSU. He now has 40 on the year.
?The News-Star
October 21, 2003
Future opening at Mississippi State stirs up interest in GSU coach.
Nick Deriso
[email protected]
October 21, 2003
GRAMBLING - Grambling State coach Doug Williams' name has been circulating as a possible candidate for the Mississippi State job, now that long-time coach Jackie Sherrill has announced his retirement at season's end.
Not that Williams knew anything about it. He said Monday that he had not been called concerning the position.
"Mississippi State is as big as they come. You can't be in a better conference," Williams said of the Southeastern Conference. "My name will get kicked around along with some other guys who have been there before. You don't know what to expect, so you take care of your own job."
Several message boards and local sports broadcasts in Alabama and Mississippi have mentioned Williams as a possible replacement - along with current MSU assistant Ron Cooper and Green Bay Packers assistant Sylvester Croom, who are also black coaches on the rise.
"I think what happens is, with all the stuff going on about the lack of the minority coaches, some people will be associated with any opening," Williams said.
Williams was specifically mentioned, for instance, on Paul Finebaum's radio program in Birmingham. The idea has sparked lively debates at www.firejackiesherrill.com, on the SWAC Page Network and on MSN's Mississippi State Internet message boards.
Over 13 seasons at MSU, Sherrill has led the Bulldogs to a Top 25 ranking in the final Associated Press poll four times - including an all-time best No. 13 mark in 1999, when the school beat Clemson 17-7 in the Peach Bowl.
But this year brought a second NCAA investigation of the football program in less than a decade - and Sherrill's personal life took a nasty turn. His wife had a bout with cancer and both his mother and brother died.
"I won't coach anymore," Sherrill said at his regular Monday press conference. "This is my last rodeo."
The Bulldogs are also 2-5 after losing to Auburn on Saturday, a record made worse by the previous two straight three-win seasons.
An interview with Mississippi State wouldn't be Williams' first flirtation with the SEC. He has already been passed over after at Kentucky and reportedly attempted to get an interview at Alabama - though he denied that Monday.
"Jobs like that, you don't try to get an interview for," he said. "Everybody has a short list. You have to wait for them to call you. It's not something you send your resume in for. You are dealing with people who have been around sports, they have an idea about who they want."
Ironically enough, the SEC didn't even let blacks play until the late 1960s. After that, Bo Jackson and Herschel Walker (both eventual Heisman Trophy winners) became shooting stars across the athletic landscape.
"It's about opportunity," William said. "Whether in the SEC, the ACC or the Big 12, the key here is whether you get the opportunity. In the meantime, the way that I look at it is, you take care of job that you have."
The SEC has had more than 300 head coaches over the past 70 years, and none of them has been black. But that conference is not alone: The other five majors have only had 10 black football coaches combined. Notre Dame, college football's most important independent program, hired its first black ever last year, Tyrone Willingham.
Williams talked about these issues at a diversity forum held the Friday before Grambling State's season-opening game against San Jose State. The discussion, called "Diversity Dialogue: Issues in Athletics" also included SJSU Coach Fitz Hill and former Stanford and San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh, among others. Williams was interviewed afterward by "Nightline" on the topic, as well.
No swipes at the SWAC: As the races tighten in the SWAC, Williams has also circled the wagons when talking about possible coaching changes in his own back yard.
Asked if he thought first-year Jackson State coach James Bell's job might be in jeopardy, Williams would only say: "I don't know," and laugh. "I'm trying to keep (GSU athletics director) Al Dennis from firing me!"
Taking over a Tigers team that had posted consecutive 7-4 seasons, Bell - a former defensive coordinator at Indiana and Wake Forest - started the season 0-2. Jackson State would have been 2-2 in the SWAC, but Saturday's loss to Southern did not count toward its conference record.
Williams also wouldn't speculate on how Arkansas-Pine Bluff, still stuck at one SWAC win after a blowout loss to GSU, might deal with coach Lee Hardman.
Hardman, a former UAPB player, is the school's all-time winningest coach. But the Golden Lions have a 2-6 record, after falling to 3-8 last year. The fans have already gotten involved, issuing fliers on campus during homecoming week that said: Hardman Must Go.
"It's not for me to say," Williams said. "We're talking about a SWAC coach. If you asked me how Mack Brown is doing, I might could answer you."
OK: How is Mack Brown doing at Texas? "It's hard to imagine that Texas is 50 points less than Oklahoma," he said. "The numbers sum it up better than me."
Tiger bites: GSU's Moses Harris has quietly moved to the top of the SWAC list for receptions per game. ... Williams has been spotted recently at high school football games featuring Richwood, Carroll and Ruston High teams - though he wouldn't elaborate on who he was evaluating. "I can't say," Williams said. "I have enough problems with NCAA. You can't call players' names out! You're going to have me called in for a conference call!" ... Kenneth Pettway added three more tackles against the Golden Lions to remain atop the list for GSU. He now has 40 on the year.
?The News-Star
October 21, 2003
Deuce
Well-Known Member
The following article DOES NOT mention Doug Williams, but does mention other black candidates.
Search to replace Sherrill begins for Miss. State
Posted: Tuesday October 21, 2003 3:09AM; Updated: Tuesday October 21, 2003 3:18AM
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) -- The search for the next football coach at Mississippi State has begun.
Athletic director Larry Templeton said Monday coaches interested in replacing Jackie Sherrill, who will retire after the season, have already tried to contact him.
Sherrill, Templeton and Mississippi State president Charles Lee held a news conference to publicly discuss Sherrill's retirement for the first time.
Templeton said he has a list of about a dozen coaches he would like to contact. He said that he had not spoken to anyone yet about the job, but he expected that to change soon.
The timing of Sherrill's decision allows Mississippi State a chance to get a headstart in the hiring process, but some possible candidates will be off limits until after the season.
"I respect the other institutions and I respect their coaches," Templeton said. "It gives us a leg up and the opportunities to narrow what we want to do. But we're not going to interfere with anybody's current coach without permission."
Templeton said there are several black coaches on his list.
The SEC has never had a black head football coach, and after the stir caused by the hiring of Mike Shula at Alabama over Green Bay Packers assistant Sylvester Crooms, who is black, the Mississippi State search is likely to get more attention than usual.
"I think there are a lot more qualified black coaches in the marketplace now than there were 13 years ago when we looked," Templeton said. "I wouldn't rule out anything, personally. But I can assure you Mississippi State is going to hire the best qualified coach."
Lee will be the chairman of an advisory committee, which will be involved in the hiring process.
Templeton will advise the seven-person group, which will include representatives from alumni groups, the student body and faculty.
Lee outlined four qualities the committee will require of candidates:
_Has technical and professional skills to be competitive.
_Has demonstrated commitment to the total welfare of student-athletes, including their graduation.
_Will be a full participant in the university community and will represent the university in a positive way.
_Has an unblemished record of integrity and character.
That last one stands out with Mississippi State still waiting for the results of an NCAA investigation into its football program.
Templeton and Lee both said they expect the NCAA to conclude their investigation soon, though neither could be specific.
Even if the NCAA does find rules violations by Mississippi State, it is unlikely that sanctions would be handed down before next summer.
Despite the NCAA issues, Templeton said the Mississippi State job will draw more interest now than it did when he hired Sherrill in 1990.
"With Jackie's help, we've shown that we can compete," Templeton said. "I think our facilities are much better. I think the recruiting base in this state is much better. And having the opportunity to compete in the best athletic conference in America, this job will attract a lot of interest."
Some of the names that have already been bandied about in the media as possible candidates are LSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong and Miami defensive coordinator Randy Shannon. Strong and Shannon are black.
Templeton said he expected a new coach to be hired sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The Bulldogs conclude their season on Thanksgiving night against Mississippi. It would be best for recruiting for Mississippi State to have a coach in place soon after the Egg Bowl.
Whomever gets the job will inherit a team that is 8-22 since 2001 with just three SEC victories.
"We kind of enjoyed the ride of being a winner," Templeton said. "We're going to get this program back to that level. We know we can and we look forward to having that opportunity."
Search to replace Sherrill begins for Miss. State
Posted: Tuesday October 21, 2003 3:09AM; Updated: Tuesday October 21, 2003 3:18AM
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) -- The search for the next football coach at Mississippi State has begun.
Athletic director Larry Templeton said Monday coaches interested in replacing Jackie Sherrill, who will retire after the season, have already tried to contact him.
Sherrill, Templeton and Mississippi State president Charles Lee held a news conference to publicly discuss Sherrill's retirement for the first time.
Templeton said he has a list of about a dozen coaches he would like to contact. He said that he had not spoken to anyone yet about the job, but he expected that to change soon.
The timing of Sherrill's decision allows Mississippi State a chance to get a headstart in the hiring process, but some possible candidates will be off limits until after the season.
"I respect the other institutions and I respect their coaches," Templeton said. "It gives us a leg up and the opportunities to narrow what we want to do. But we're not going to interfere with anybody's current coach without permission."
Templeton said there are several black coaches on his list.
The SEC has never had a black head football coach, and after the stir caused by the hiring of Mike Shula at Alabama over Green Bay Packers assistant Sylvester Crooms, who is black, the Mississippi State search is likely to get more attention than usual.
"I think there are a lot more qualified black coaches in the marketplace now than there were 13 years ago when we looked," Templeton said. "I wouldn't rule out anything, personally. But I can assure you Mississippi State is going to hire the best qualified coach."
Lee will be the chairman of an advisory committee, which will be involved in the hiring process.
Templeton will advise the seven-person group, which will include representatives from alumni groups, the student body and faculty.
Lee outlined four qualities the committee will require of candidates:
_Has technical and professional skills to be competitive.
_Has demonstrated commitment to the total welfare of student-athletes, including their graduation.
_Will be a full participant in the university community and will represent the university in a positive way.
_Has an unblemished record of integrity and character.
That last one stands out with Mississippi State still waiting for the results of an NCAA investigation into its football program.
Templeton and Lee both said they expect the NCAA to conclude their investigation soon, though neither could be specific.
Even if the NCAA does find rules violations by Mississippi State, it is unlikely that sanctions would be handed down before next summer.
Despite the NCAA issues, Templeton said the Mississippi State job will draw more interest now than it did when he hired Sherrill in 1990.
"With Jackie's help, we've shown that we can compete," Templeton said. "I think our facilities are much better. I think the recruiting base in this state is much better. And having the opportunity to compete in the best athletic conference in America, this job will attract a lot of interest."
Some of the names that have already been bandied about in the media as possible candidates are LSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong and Miami defensive coordinator Randy Shannon. Strong and Shannon are black.
Templeton said he expected a new coach to be hired sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The Bulldogs conclude their season on Thanksgiving night against Mississippi. It would be best for recruiting for Mississippi State to have a coach in place soon after the Egg Bowl.
Whomever gets the job will inherit a team that is 8-22 since 2001 with just three SEC victories.
"We kind of enjoyed the ride of being a winner," Templeton said. "We're going to get this program back to that level. We know we can and we look forward to having that opportunity."
jstate83
GOAT FARM!
If Miss. St. hire's a black coach, it won't be Doug. I think he would do a good job, BUT , this is the sec we are talking about. They have NEVER hand a black head coach anywhere. If they do hire one, it will be one that played in the SEC, CROOM, or someone from the BCS conferences. They won't hire one from the "black" 1-aa conferences no matter who he is. This, to them would be looked at as taking a step down .................. sad to say.
No offense to Doug but if I had my choice between Randy Shannon and Doug just for the fact Shannon is 36 years and is a coordinator at arguebly the best program in college football the University of Miami and he's Black. Those things alone will keep the fans happy and draw positive national attention.