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Nation Has Hot Seats, Sooner Coaches Not Likely to Fill Them by Justin Waganer Senior Sports Columnist November 15, 2001
This time of the season from 1994-1998 was generally reserved in Oklahoma for speculation about if the Head Coach will be back and if that's already decided, who the next man will be? Now, for the third time in the Stoops era, it will be about who, why, where, and if Oklahoma will lose an assistant coach? I am here to tell Sooner fans that barring a huge game of coaching dominoes, I just don't see it happening after this season.
The only jobs that are definitely open after this season are Kansas, Vanderbilt, San Diego State, California, and Navy. The Jayhawks and Commodores are too low in conferences that are incredibly tough, while San Diego State and California are too low on the California food chain. Do I have to comment on Navy?
Then the question is what jobs will open up after the season? Most likely Indiana (another sub-.500 season), SMU (just no improvement in 5 years), and Notre Dame (3-5 with Stanford and Purdue remaining) will open up after the administration "reviews the season" or in other words prepare the paperwork for termination. Not to mention a few jobs that may open if things continue to snowball. Jobs such as Northwestern, Texas A&M, UCLA, and Mississippi State.
Northwestern has the ugliness from the death of Rashidi Wheeler still looming over Randy Walker, the fact the Wildcats have lost 4 in a row, and they are in danger of finishing in the Big 10 gutter when they were supposed to be at the top really hurts. Texas A&M doesn't need to win over Texas to save Slocum's job, but a blowout may be the last straw. You may be shocked at UCLA being on this list, but they have lost 3 in a row and could end up losing their last 5 without DeShaun Foster against USC and Arizona State. Mississippi State will likely keep Jackie Sherrill around, but it has been an incredibly disappointing year in Starkville so you never know.
So would Mike Stoops, Brent Venables, or Mark Mangino be interested in any of these openings? Indiana, SMU, and Northwestern are jobs that none would be remotely interested in, but the other four are intriguing jobs to most everyone. Texas A&M would be a big time job opening and I believe Slocum should be gone, but he won't. The Aggies will give the Horns a ball game. Mississippi State will likely give Sherrill another try since he resurrected the program and UCLA will allow Bob Toledo to guide the Bruins to mediocrity again in 2002. What about the Irish?
The Irish would likely not be as interested in Mangino, not the GQ cover boy and a little older than Stoops and Venables, but the co-defensive coordinators would be on the list. How amazing would it be to have two of college football's most storied programs resurrected by Stoops brothers? Though I don't think it will happen. The Irish appear to be interested in Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden and apparently the feeling is mutual. Gruden is actually an Irish aficionado and would love to be the man in South Bend, but will the Irish wait until the NFL season ends to make a move? Thus the only job with potential to take college football's next golden boy away awaits.
Sooner fans and supporters will hear many rumors and stories in the next few weeks, but must remember the words of an unknown wise man, "The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'." Or perhaps Winston Churchill said it better, "A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on. "
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