OT: Tulane HC Position Open For Next Year: Bob Toledo resigns. RichRod an option?

Submitted by markusr2007 on

Tulane AD Rick Dickson has accepted resignation of HC Bob Toledo (formerly of HC of UCLA 1996-2000). Al Borges was the OC for Bob Toledo at UCLA from 1996-2000.

Bob Toledo was 13-35 at Tulane over 4 years and never coached a winning season there.

In December 1998 when Tommy Bowden left head job at Tulane for Clemson HC postin.

The then Tulane AD Sandy Barbour appointed Rich Rodriguez as the interim head coach.

At that time Tommy Bowden was recruiting hard for Rodriguez to come with him to Clemson to be his OC there.

Rodriguez said this back in December 1999:

"Of the four, I'd prefer to stay as Tulane's coach," Rodriguez said. "I've kind of set next Wednesday as my deadline to decide. That's when we begin practicing for the bowl game."

Would Rodriguez ever wish to return to New Orleans, LA? Time will tell.

Tater

October 18th, 2011 at 4:12 PM ^

Mark Richt is probably going to have to run the table, win a BCS bowl, stand on his head, and shit wooden nickels to keep his job at UGA.  I don't have a lot of faith in that particular confluence of events.  Consequently, I believe the job will be open at the end of the year.  

UGA has a proud tradition and would see RR as a savior because they feel that Richt has chronically underacheived.  When you stack up Richt's record alongside that of rival Urban Meyer, it doesn't look all that great.  

If RR took the UGA job he would get the following:

1.  The full resources of the program with no backstabbing or sabotage.

2.  One of the best states in the country for talent, and proximity to Florida.  Many kids who grew up in Pahokee, idloizing Denard, would probably end up at UGA.  

3.  The two big Valdosta schools alone can stock a decent program.

4.  The SEC grading scale and entry requirements.  If you can sign your name, you are eligible.

5.  The "Hillbilly Mafia" to "persuade" reporters like Rosenpuke not to violate codes of ethics for personal agendas.  This is sorta like the "sacred brotherhood" in Columbus.

6.  Instead of being stereotyped for having a southern accent, RR would be embraced in GA.  

7.  No "psycho exes" to interfere with a smooth transition.

8.  Plenty of cute photo ops with Uga VIII.

9.  A team that will go apeshit over Rita's cooking.

All in all, UGA would be a great place for RR.  It looks like Dabo Sweeney will get an extension instead of a pink slip at Clemson, which was most people's best guess as to where he would end up.

RR deserves a BCS program where he has a realistic chance to show people that he is still the Godfather of the Spread Option.  I hope he doesn't take one of the many smaller jobs for which he will be mentioned.  Something major will open up; it does every year.

jdberkley

October 18th, 2011 at 5:42 PM ^

...did a month ago. Georgia's won five straight, and of their last five regular-season games, two are gimmes(New Mexico State and Kentucky), two are against rivals that are struggling badly with inexperienced QBs on offense(Florida and Auburn), and they finish up with a Georgia Tech team that crashed and burned at Virginia this past Saturday. Georgia has a realistic chance at finishing 10-2, and with the injury to Marcus Lattimore at South Carolina, 9-3 in the regular season might be good enough to win the SEC East. That would probably get Richt another year. Even if Richt were to be fired, I'd expect Alabama DC Kirby Smart(a Georgia alumnus) would be first in line for that job.

I think Rich Rodriguez might be in contention for an SEC job, but at Kentucky or Ole Miss, not Georgia. Even so, Rich Rodriguez should not dismiss the opportunity at Tulane out of hand. With his unfortunate time at U-M and the minor NCAA issues on his track record, Rodriguez isn't a lock to get a BCS-level job whenever he wants one. If he thinks he's got a shot at a bigger job, great, but he probably ought to keep in touch with the folks at Tulane, just in case.

FrankMurphy

October 18th, 2011 at 6:17 PM ^

I think UGA sees itself as on par with Michigan. I doubt they would hire a coach who was fired by Michigan after going 15-22.

Rich Rod's stock hasn't plummetted, but it did take a hit. He'll probably get a job at a school in a BCS conference, but not one of Michigan's caliber. 

Needs

October 18th, 2011 at 6:23 PM ^

Two questions:

1. Why would kids from Pahokee grow up idolizing someone from Deerfield Beach? 

and

2. <Georgia booster>He couldn't win in the Big Slow 10. How is he going to handle the ESS-EEE-CEE?</Georgia booster>

In all seriousness, I have a hard time seeing RichRod, after his struggles here, being handed the keys to a perennial top 20 program where he doesn't have any connections. I agree with whomever said he's got a far better shot at UK/Ole Miss than at the Georgia job if it comes open.

95civicex

October 18th, 2011 at 11:08 PM ^

"1. Why would kids from Pahokee grow up idolizing someone from Deerfield Beach"

 

This is part of my thought when I read that, the other part is I don't know that recruits for the 2012 and 2013 class really grew up idolizing Denard. He's what, 4 and 5 years older than those kids?

Drew Henson went to my high school and is 5 years older than me, I never idolized him. I didn't even like the guy. I respected that he was a great athlete, can't say that his personality matched.

That's not to say that kids 4-5 years younger don't like Denard, he seems much more likable than Henson ever was, but now we're getting way off the topic at hand.

jmblue

October 18th, 2011 at 7:00 PM ^

I don't think the question is whether or not RR would be interested in Georgia, but whether Georgia would be interested in him.  I don't think they would want to hire a guy that was recently fired here.  As a rule, fired coaches have to go down a level in prestige to rebuild their reputations.

kempalex13

October 18th, 2011 at 3:31 PM ^

Why do we have to talk about RichRod every time a head coaching position is open? Can we just move on from him please? And Tulane? Come on man! He's not going back there.

gobluednicks

October 18th, 2011 at 5:40 PM ^

of what we come here for?  to talk about stuff like this.  

i personally like talking about RR and i hope he succeeds.  honestly, i think he'll win a NC before we do.  and it kind of serves all the jackasses like lloyd carr right.  it's funny how no one ever talks about a guy who claims to have so much love for the program yet he purposely let things slide cause he knew he was going to retire and didn't want a new coach coming in and showing him up.  hell, his NC was from Moellers players, not his own.  i have absolutely no respect for the guy.

Marvin

October 18th, 2011 at 3:37 PM ^

RR won't take a job that's below Maryland. That's sort of an interesting metaphysical way of thinking about the prestige of DI BCS programs.

 

BRCE

October 18th, 2011 at 3:46 PM ^

Maybe, but life is about timing. If he wants to get back into coaching next year, there will only be so many jobs open. He doesn't just pick one, he has to also get picked and the politics of "fit" don't always select whoever the best coach is, objectively-speaking.

If he's desperate to get back in the game now, Tulane might not be bad. The suggested Mountain West/Conference USA would be a better candidate for AQ conference status than the depleted Big East (unless they merge with the Big 12, which looks less likely now).

FrankMurphy

October 18th, 2011 at 3:44 PM ^

He would be a home run hire for Tulane, but it's not going to happen. Rodriguez' stock hasn't fallen so far that a job at a BCS school is out of the question, and I don't think Rodriguez would consider anything other than a job at a BCS school. Tulane actually considered dropping its football program a few years back. If Tyrone Willingham can get a job at Washingon after having been fired by ND, then Rodriguez can clearly do better than Tulane. 

I think he's more likely to end up at Arizona than Tulane, despite the lack of prior ties. UCLA might consider him too, if they don't have any hangups over hiring a guy who Michigan fired. 

backslash321

October 18th, 2011 at 4:46 PM ^

I think he takes it. Some roots there as the OC and it is in the south. he will take it if the money is right. Tulane will be a school that may look to move conferences too (IMO). The job is tailored for him. An unsuspecting team where there isn't much pressure, a place where he can insert his system without the pressure and he will be able to scrape from some really good JuCos.

MgoColorado

October 18th, 2011 at 3:49 PM ^

I'm sure a decade ago, maybe, but after succeeding at WV and then failing at UM, why would you coach Tulane? its not like RichRod is Gerry Dinardo or anything....

icefins26

October 18th, 2011 at 5:30 PM ^

I'm hearing whispers that Montcalm Community College has an opening at Head Coach -- rumor has it that RR is already is in discussion.  Taking down the center part of the state one IM team at a time...

EDIT:  This was more of a joke that RR is in discussions for every single job opening in the history of job openings.  Not a jab at him.

Farnn

October 18th, 2011 at 4:09 PM ^

I was hoping he'd get the Clemson job, but that doesn't look like it will open up after the season.  I don't think RR would take the Tulane job, but he is probably looking for something in the SE part of the country.  I've started wondering how he would fit at FSU.  Tons of talent there and right in his favorite recruiting state.

LSAClassOf2000

October 18th, 2011 at 5:15 PM ^

I wouldn't think so. Do you go home again, as it were, to a mid-market team when you've coached one of the traditional powerhouses? I don't think his reputation is so tarnished that he couldn't get a program closer to the spotlight, if not in it right now. 

NateVolk

October 18th, 2011 at 7:33 PM ^

My Arizona moles are telling me they will make a play for Chris Peterson and the dark horse more likely candidate is Duane Akina, DB's coach at Texas. He's been there 11 years and is a big recruiter for them. He was a popular coach at AU under Dick Tomey.

They are looking west coast and preferably Arizona ties. The feeling was Stoops was aloof and too midwest. Rich won't  be considered for that job. Even though I think it might be a good fit in terms of program size and access to recruits.

UCLA is highly unlikely too. They don't have any patience and Rich would want to rebuild with his players.  They are looking to make hay now while USC is lacking scholarships.