The college football season is halfway over and already there are nine vacant head coaching positions in the FBS: Illinois, Maryland, Miami, Minnesota, North Texas, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, UCF, and USC.
We usually associate the dismissal of a head coach with performance on the field, but this year has been marked by several off the field incidents. Illinois fired Tim Beckman days before the season started over allegations that he mistreated players and forced them to play with severe injuries
.USC fired Coach Steve Sarkisian after he allegedly showed up to practice intoxicated; this came weeks after a video of an intoxicated Sarkisian at an alumni dinner popped up on the internet. Finally, Jerry Kill stepped down as coach of Minnesota this past week citing health concerns. Kill, diagnosed with epilepsy, has a history of seizures and even suffered one on the sidelines in 2013.
The Head Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier, controversially resigned midseason from South Carolina after the Gamecocks got off to a 2-4 start. After an abysmal 0-8 start, George O’Leary finally stepped down as UCF’s head coach two weeks after previously stepping down as Athletic Director.
Due to leaks in the Athletic Department, rumors of Randy Edsall’s dismissal swirled around the Maryland program for a week before he was finally fired after a loss against Ohio State. Two blowouts led to the ousting of Al Golden from Miami (58-0 against Clemson) and Dan McCarney from North Texas (a 66-7 loss to FCS opponent Portland State).
On November 1, Frank Beamer announced that he will retire from Virginia Tech at the end of the season, ending one of the greatest runs in college football.
With this many openings at big time programs, the coaching carousel will already be in full swing by December. Many are already predicting that jobs at Kansas State, Rutgers, and Virginia will open up too. Until these positions actually open up, here’s how I’d rank the available head coaching jobs.
Rankings:
1) USC– I don’t see how anyone could not have USC number 1. This program brings in elite talent every year, regardless of the coach. California is one of, if not the best state for college prospects, and year after year USC sends guys to the NFL. USC has great tradition and prestige (the Coliseum, national championships, Heisman Trophy winners, etc.) and is definitely the football team in Los Angeles (sorry but not sorry UCLA). The negative here is the administration. Athletic Director Pat Haden has mismanaged the hiring and firing of two coaches in the past five years, has recently had some health scares that forced him to resign from the College Football Playoff Committee, and now faces backlash from a LA Times article about his numerous “side jobs” on numerous boards. If Haden, or better yet USC’s president C.L. Max Nikias, can hire the right guy, USC can be an immediate national championship contender with its loaded roster. Leading candidates- Clay Helton (current interim coach), Chip Kelly (Philadelphia Eagles HC) Kyle Whittingham (Utah HC), Brian Kelly (Notre Dame HC), Jeff Fisher (St. Louis Rams HC)
2) Virginia Tech– What else can be said about Frank Beamer? Sure he might have stayed a little too long, but Virginia Tech has always been a dangerous team under his watch. Just ask Ohio State in 2014. This has been the dominant program in the mid-Atlantic for decades and there’s no reason that shouldn’t change with a new head coach. The fan base is very loyal, and the Hokies play in the Coastal division (insert joke here), so the path to an ACC championship is not terribly tough. Virginia Tech has always been able to bring in great players, especially on the defensive side of the ball, so recruiting won’t be an issue either. The main thing here is continuity of philosophy: tough defense, excellent special teams play, and an offense that makes just enough plays. Leading Candidates– Bud Foster (longtime Virginia Tech DC), Justin Fuente (Memphis HC), Kirby Smart (Alabama DC)
3) South Carolina– This amazing fan base has grown accustomed to winning and they don’t expect anything less, especially in an SEC East that has been down since 2009. Regardless of what the next coach does, Steve Spurrier will go down as the greatest coach in South Carolina history. Spurrier was able to bring elite talent into Columbia (Marcus Lattimore, Jadeveon Clowney, Alshon Jeffery) and he won eleven games for three years in a row! The problem with South Carolina though is that their bitter rival, Clemson, seems to have finally kicked the “Clemsoning” bug and looks like a legit juggernaut. But because this is the SEC, South Carolina will have almost no problem affording a new coach and staff. They just need to make sure they get someone who can competitively recruit in the talent rich southeast. Leading candidates Kirby Smart, Lane Kiffin (Alabama OC), Shawn Elliot (current interim HC), Mark Dantonio (Michigan State HC and South Carolina alum)
4) Maryland– the talk is always about how Maryland should be a better job than it actually is. This program is backed by Under Armor (similar to how Nike backs Oregon), is in the middle of a great recruiting zone (the Washington D.C. area), and has now joined a conference that with a storied football tradition and suits its academic requirements (the Big Ten). Randy Edsall wasn’t a terrible coach; he probably overachieved at UConn, and then parlayed that into a better job at Maryland. This is a good job, someone just needs to make it prove it. Leading candidates– Chip Kelly (Philadelphia Eagles HC), Jeremy Pruitt (Georgia DC), Tom Herman (Houston HC), Greg Schiano (former Rutgers and Tampa Bay Bucs HC)
5) UCF– this team is a disaster only two years removed from a shocking Fiesta Bowl victory against Baylor. But that team had future first round draft picks Blake Bortles and Breshad Perriman. Now UCF is 0-8 and is fighting with Kansas to go down as one of the worst teams in college football. But as George O’Leary proved, this program can win if it gets the right players and coached by competent people. UCF has the largest student body in the nation, is located in Orlando (hello Disney and Universal), and should always be able to pick up players passed over by FSU and Florida. Leading candidates– Jeremy Pruitt (Georgia DC), Mario Cristobal (Alabama OL coach)
6) Miami– I’m sorry Miami fans, this is no longer The U. Miami has not won a conference title since 2003, and since moving to the ACC Coastal division (possibly the worst Power Five division in college football) has a 48-44 conference record (including this season’s shellacking at the hands of Clemson and a controversial win against Duke). Miami cannot spend a whole lot of money on a coach, and whoever takes this job will have to coach in an empty stadium a half hour away from campus (not that fans would show up to games if there was an on campus stadium) and have a multitude of former players breathing down his neck and criticizing his every move. The only positives to this job are the abundant amount of elite players in the Miami area and the overall weakness of the ACC. Leading Candidates- Lane Kiffin, Butch Davis (former Miami HC), Greg Schiano, Mario Cristobal
7) Minnesota– Jerry Kill did a marvelous job making this program competitive, but I’m not sure the next guy will be able to continue it. The Golden Gophers haven’t had that much national or conference success since the early 1960s. They play in the weaker West division of the Big Ten, but this team still has to compete with the likes of Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, and Wisconsin. Whoever gets this job should focus on developing his players rather than trying to recruit elite talent to St. Paul and Minneapolis. As long as the team remains competitive in the Big Ten West, the fan base and administration can’t complain. But before a coach can be hired, Minnesota has to also find a new AD. Leading candidates- Tracy Claeys (interim HC), Justin Fuente (Memphis HC)
8) Illinois– the Fighting Illini had a great run to the Rose Bowl in 2008 under Ron Zook, but since then has only been to three bowl games. The only team in the Big Ten that Illinois has a winning record against is Northwestern (FYI, Northwestern is not historically good at football). When Illinois has a good team, they compete for the Big Ten and go to a major bowl game, but these teams come around once every decade. The football team will never be as competitive as the basketball program and overall this is an average to below average program every year that cannot compete with the powers in the Big Ten. Leading Candidates- PJ Fleck (Western Michigan HC)
9) North Texas– North Texas lost at home 66-7 to Portland State. That tells your everything you need to know about the Mean Green. Leading Candidates– anyone who can go 1-11 every year and not feel too bad about it.
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DraftKings CEO Jason Robins On How Growing Up In Miami Prepared Him For Success
What’s News In This Story?
This interview is part of the “Tomorrow Lives Here” Conversation Series presented by Miami Business School.
WATCH:
–DraftKings CEO and co-founder Jason Robins grew up in Miami.
–And it was that upbringing that turned Robins into a sports fanatic from an early age.
-He took that passion into the business world with the launch of DraftKings in 2012.
-The company is in the daily fantasy sports industry and allows its customers- people who manage fantasy sports teams, to compete for cash prizes.
-In a wide-ranging conversation with Miami Business School Dean John Quelch, Robins talked about how he and his two co-founders got the company off the ground despite fierce competition, what he learned from his UM economics professor father and about the power of differentiation in startups.
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5 Valentine’s Day Ideas That Won’t Bore You To Death
By Vanessa Paredes
Approximately 62 percent of Americans celebrate Valentine’s Day every year, and it’s safe to say most of them are going out to dinner…snooze!
Restaurants will be crammed with hundreds of grumpy couples and overwhelmed waiters collectively wishing the night would just be over already. Consider these much more creative ways to show your S.O. you care on February 14th.
- Painted Love
Photo Credit: Jeff Kubina/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
Make love AND art with the Love is Art Kit. The kit provides couples everything they need to craft a one-of-a-kind abstract painting, while being intimate with one another. Rolling around in paint isn’t only sexy, but a great bonding experience without ever stepping foot outside of the house.
- What’s Cooking Good Looking?
Photo Credit: Jeff Kubina/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
Avoiding restaurants but still want to eat? Don’t blame you. Luckily there’s a more unique way to grub with your lover and learn some valuable skills while you’re at it. Find a local spot that offers cooking classes like Sur La Table and cook up some romance together. Extra points if the class focuses on aphrodisiacs!
- Plan A Staycation
Photo Credit: Francine Mastini/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
Vacations aren’t cheap, so plan a Staycation with the beau in your favorite nearby city and get away from it all without having to go very far. Order room service, throw on those white fluffy robes, and take advantage of all of the hotel amenities the next day.
- Brew Up Some Romance
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Bonding over some brewskis should be a no brainer for some. Local breweries offer tours, tasting, and events perfect for beer loving duos to sip on some of the local flavors their city has to offer.
- Let’s Get Physical
They say couples that sweat together, stay together, and if that’s true it might be worth a shot to do something physical on V-day with your significant other. Consider something that builds trust like rock climbing, relaxing like kayaking or competitive like shooting some hoops at your local court to score big with your one true love.
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. Anyone can write for us as long as you are fiercely interested in making the world a better place.
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Could These College Students Spark A High Speed Rail Revolution?
By Natalie Alatriste
High-speed rail is not exactly an issue that is at the top of many millennial minds these days. But a few local college students are working to change that reality.
Two brothers—Darius and Demetrius Villa—and their friend, Aleksandr Khalfin, founded the High Speed Rail America Club (HSRAC) at Florida International University.
The club researches and promotes high-speed rail trains, also known as bullet trains, in America. Bullet trains, which average more than 150 mph, don’t exist in our country, and it’s a fuel efficient and quicker way to travel, according to Demetrius.
“Half of my family lives in New York City, so about every year, we would take the Amtrak from Miami [to visit]. The train ride, however, takes an embarrassing 32 hours; it used to take 25 hours back in the 1930s,” Demetrius said. “During a visit in December 2012…as soon as I got to NYC, I started searching up other countries’ rail travel in the hotel.”
And this is where it all began.
Demetrius said he started doing his own research and became passionate about the issue—so much so, he applied for TEDxFIU in 2013 to present his idea of revolutionizing American rail.
TED is a “nonprofit organization that is devoted to ideas worth spreading,” according to its website, which will partner with independent organizations, like FIU, to “spark deep discussion.”
Because he wasn’t an experienced speaker, he wasn’t able to present in 2013. However, that didn’t discourage him from informing others on high-speed rail.
People started hearing about it, and now High Speed Rail America Club has 676 members on Facebook. The club is also opening two new chapters at other local universities—the University of Miami and Miami-Dade College.
HSRAC doesn’t solely focus on bullet trains; it also focuses on inner-city transit. The club wants to solve common transit issues, especially in Miami, where public transportation is not as strong as other metropolitan areas.
The group says that they are determined to bring Miami a Maglev train-rail system, which is a transportation system that uses powerful electromagnets to create the high speed, according to HowStuffWorks.com.
HSRAC is working with three private companies—Texas Central Railway, American Maglev Technology and All Aboard Florida—with hopes of creating a national vision.
The club works closely with All Aboard Florida, though, which is a passenger rail project connecting Miami to Orlando. All Aboard Florida’s website says the project is scheduled to begin this service in 2017.
The HSRAC introduced the Miami Maglev idea to All Aboard Florida, and hope to continue working closely with this already-established organization for the initiative.
The Miami Maglev system would supposedly connect FIU’s Modesto Maidique Campus with Miami’s South Beach. The students in the club have been hosting events at FIU, such as the Future of Transportation Day, where members raised awareness for high-speed railways and unveiled the idea of the Miami Maglev to students.
And the members say that they are not stopping until their visions become reality.
One member, Tolga Erbora, the director of railroading and public relations for HSRAC, said he’s confident his position will be taken to a professional level once he graduates.
“The High Speed Rail America Club is an opportunity to take action and fix the issues that come in the way of travelers today,” Tolga said. “It is also a great way to network with politicians and related businesses.”
The club is in the process of making a documentary called “The American Train.” Its release date is scheduled for sometime in October.
“With this documentary, we want to spark the conversation throughout FIU and nationwide. It will include interviews from FIU deans, local historians and executives from All Aboard Florida,” Demetrius Villa said. “With this, we’ll continue to make it a reality and get everyone on board.”
To show support or for more information on the High Speed Rail America Club, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/hsrac/.
This story was originally published on www.risemiaminews.com.
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