College coaching trends

Myles Brand, president
NCAA
Indianapolis Star

Discussing the rash of firings at the end of the college football season:

"About a decade ago, the coaches were college coaches. They were paid good salaries, with good compensation packages, but more modest than what you're seeing (now).

"What's happened in this last decade is the market for these coaches has expanded to include the professional ranks. So as you see coaches moving back and forth between the professional ranks and the college ranks, it's increased the marketability of some key coaches. Now they demand far more salary.

"With that new market comes additional risks. Just like the pro coaches, college coaches are so subject to winning and losing that they can lose their job in three years before the contract is over -- just like professional coaches. The reason those coaches are getting fired is because they changed the market."

Floyd Keith, executive director
Black Coaches Association
Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Discussing the number of black coaches in basketball and football:

"It's not that basketball is where it should be. They have an issue with rehiring. A classic example is (former Arkansas basketball coach) Nolan Richardson. He did not commit any violations. He got into a verbal volleyball match with the administration. This man won a national championship and doesn't get another job or get rehired. I see white coaches in different sports that will do something morally wrong, or create NCAA violations, and they get rehired within a year."

Paul Hewitt, head men's basketball coach
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"The copycat mentality is big in sports. It's not a matter of having qualified guys out there to take over football programs. The blueprint has not proven to be successful, yet. But once the blueprint works, once you get the one guy in the right program and they win a national championship, then you'll see it start to go up. It's unfortunate that that's what it's going to take."

Michael Perry, head men's basketball coach
Georgia State University
Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"There are barriers that still need to be broken. The hiring and recycling is one of the most difficult problems. You're going to get a tough job, and it's hard to turn the tables in the short period of time you're given. It's very difficult. And you almost never see a guy getting a second opportunity."

Doug Williams, former NFL player and college coach
Washington Post

"We may say it's about black and white, but in the end it's green. The big-time boosters and alumni are out there, and the (college) presidents and athletics directors are afraid to make a decision that might irk some of their big-time boosters."

Shannon Miller, head women's ice hockey coach
University of Minnesota Duluth
Boston Globe

Discussing the fact that most collegiate women's ice hockey programs are coached by men:

"Women should coach women if at all possible, because there are plenty of opportunities for men to coach in the men's side of the game. And it's our game, and it's different than the men's game.

"Having said that, the game has grown rapidly and there may not be enough qualified women to coach all the teams starting up. I would hope ADs are selective in the type of man (they hire), that they would hire people that believe in equality, support Title IX -- compassionate people. We're teaching life, and hockey is the vehicle for teaching."

Alcohol issues

Kevin Weiberg, commissioner
Big 12 Conference
Kansas City Star

Discussing the Big 12's decision to ban alcohol sales at the league's football championship game:

"You would hope you could have reasonable consumption of alcoholic beverages around a sporting event and fans would behave themselves, but it seems as if increasingly there are problems that come up associated with alcoholic consumption. For our kind of event, it is better not to be in a position where we are contributing to that in some fashion through the direct sale."

Men's and Women's College Cup

Jay Vidovich, head men's soccer coach
Wake Forest University
Raleigh News and Observer

Discussing the possibility of conducting future Division I Men's and Women's Soccer Championships at a combined site:

"There's a possibility of making a tremendous soccer weekend and trying to develop the sport. That could be great. I also think right now, both championships are in a situation where they need to find a way to grow. ... That's one of the first issues that the men's committee has to face: How do we grow this and make it a premier event once again?"

Anson Dorrance, head women's soccer coach
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Raleigh News and Observer

"Usually when you combine a men's and women's event, it becomes a men's event with an appendage. Someone would have to convince me this was the best thing for the women's game. Right now, I'm not convinced. That doesn't mean I can't be, but I think our game continues to grow on the women's side pretty well."