Miami promotes their DC to HC

[Jim Johnson]

Okay... this will probably be moved to the State of Florida board... but the Miami Herald is reporting:

UM chooses Shannon as head football coach

BY SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN, BARRY JACKSON AND MICHELLE KAUFMAN

sdegnan@MiamiHerald.com

The University of Miami has a new head football coach.

UM defensive coordinator Randy Shannon accepted the position Thursday, according to a well-placed university source.

An announcement by UM is scheduled for Friday.

Shannon, 40, a Miami native, becomes only the sixth black head coach in Division I football. He replaces Larry Coker, who was fired last month after six seasons.

Shannon graduated from Norland High and then UM in 1989. He was a member of the 1987 Hurricanes national championship team and an 11th-round draft choice of the Dallas Cowboys in 1989. Shannon was a Miami Dolphins defensive assistant in 1998 and 1999 before becoming Miami's linebackers coach in 2000.

He returned to UM in 2001 as defensive coordinator, and became the first UM coach to win the Frank Broyles Award that year as the top assistant in college football. Shannon's defenses have been outstanding every season, including this one, in which UM (6-6) is ranked fifth in total defense, fourth in rushing defense and 12th in scoring defense. Shannon's son, Xavier Shannon, is an offensive lineman for Florida International University.

After practice Thursday, UM job candidate Mike Leach, head coach at Texas Tech, declined to speak with the media.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/16189333.htm

---

You should see the reaction of some Miami fans... a few are just happy to have a coach who can start recruiting... some are calling this the beginning of the end of the U.

http://www.miami-hurricanes.com/forum/tm.asp?m=249344&p=1&tmode=1&smode=1

[bulls96go]

:-?

upgrade? :-/

really?

[Joe]

This puzzles me, it's not a move away from Coker. It's not a total change they said they wanted. It's not anyone with head coaching expierence.

This screams we don't have the money to hire someone big...

[BiggTipp]

I dont get it either

[Guest]

This puzzles me, it's not a move away from Coker. It's not a total change they said they wanted. It's not anyone with head coaching expierence.

This screams we don't have the money to hire someone big...

Greg Schiano turned them down... Rich Rodriguez went to Alabama... Mike Leach had problems in his interview... Gary Patterson didn't want to leave TCU... and Jim Leavitt didn't want to leave USF.

They simply ran out of options.

[tampajo]

Richard Williamson? Leeman Bennett? Ray Perkins?  Where are all the qualified candidates???

MORE GOOD NEWS FOR USF!!!!

[E.T.]

Yeah ... I think lots has to do with Miami not being a great job opportunity.

I think they have a great hire in Shannon ... it will definately help in recruiting.

[highlight]Still hoping for a long series with them ![/highlight]

[Cubanbull]

Guys Randy Shannon is their BIG recruiter in this area. He has access and good rapport with all HS coaches. If he had not gotten thye job he was ready to head out to either Texas as DC or as Head coach to FIU, either way Miami recruting would had taken a huge hit just when they cant least afford it. So as soon As Shiano turned them down it was a no brainer in order to keep recruiting in the area open

LOL. I meant ACCESS NOT assess. ;D

[tampajo]

Guys Randy Shannon is their BIG recruiter in this area. He has assess and good rapport with all HS coaches. If he had not gotten thye job he was ready to head out to either Texas as DC or as Head coach to FIU, either way Miami recruting would had taken a huge hit just when they cant least afford it. So as soon As Shiano turned them down it was a no brainer in order to keep recruiting in the area open

Ummmmmm, where's he been recruiting lately?  Those guys have sucked for a few years now, no?  I say, GREAT NEWS they didn't get a real name - a Saban, Jimmy Johnson, Spurrier - who could recruit Shannon's ass off.

[BigShoop]

Hopefully, he sucks as much as Coker.