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[SAD] UTSA Football to start in 2011
Discussion in 'Football: NFL, College, High School' started by Mulder, Mar 6, 2009.
Mulder Contributing Member
Former Miami coach Coker hired to lead UTSA
By PAUL J. WEBER, Associated Press Writer Mar 5, 2:35 pm EST
SAN ANTONIO (AP)—Former Miami coach Larry Coker has been hired to lead the new Texas-San Antonio football program, his first coaching job since the Hurricanes fired him in 2006.
UTSA announced the decision Thursday. A news conference is scheduled for Friday.
Texas-San Antonio plans to play its first season in 2011 in the Football Championship Subdivision. Coker was among three finalists for the job, along with Tulsa assistant Paul Randolph and Northwest Missouri State coach Mel Tjeerdsma.
Coker's hiring was first reported by San Antonio television station WOAI.
A phone message left at Coker's home in Florida on Thursday was not immediately returned.
Coker, who has been working for ESPN as a college football analyst, went 60-15 with the Hurricanes and led them to the 2001 national championship. He was fired in 2006 after a tumultuous season in which the team went 6-6.
That season was marred by problems off the field, including an infamous brawl during the Florida International game that resulted in the suspension of 31 players. Coker has talked of returning to coaching since being fired, and his name has been linked to several openings.
In a 2007 interview with AP, Coker said it only took "about 30 seconds" before Miami's 2006 brawl with FIU came up during interviews for coaching jobs elsewhere.
Coker reached the pinnacle of college football in 2001, guiding Miami to a 12-0 record and a national championship victory over Nebraska in his rookie season as a head coach.
Now, the 60-year-old Oklahoma native will pilot a program just getting off the ground.
San Antonio is the largest city in the nation without an NFL or Division I-A football team. UTSA has about 28,000 students, and an overwhelming majority approved a referendum in 2007 that served as a major step in establishing a football program.
The Roadrunners plan to play in the Alamodome, the 65,000-seat downtown stadium built in 1993 that never attracted an NFL franchise like the city hoped.
Coker won the Big East each of his first three seasons at Miami. He started off coaching in the 1970s at an Oklahoma high school before moving on to assistant jobs with Tulsa, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Ohio State.
Updated Mar 5, 2:35 pm EST
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j_2smW7UEcCTE3ThE-Ej27aIRabAD96O2IJ80
I guess I am happy for my Alma Mater, but barring the incredibly unlikely undefeated first season, I won't be able to wear my "UTSA Football: Still Undefeated" shirt anymore.
#1 Mulder, Mar 6, 2009
MadMax Contributing Member
I hear Kathy Ireland is gonna be the place kicker.
#2 MadMax, Mar 6, 2009
TheBigAristotle Member
San Antonio is quickly becoming a competitor to our native city.
We must destroy it.
#3 TheBigAristotle, Mar 6, 2009
Ziggy 99ers STAND BY
Holy crap Coker fell off
#4 Ziggy, Mar 6, 2009
TheRealist137 Member
Ziggy said:
Exactly what I was thinking while reading the article.
#5 TheRealist137, Mar 6, 2009
Smokey Contributing Member
Just great. We don't need anymore football teams in Division I. Do you think UTSA wants to stay in the FCS? No, they'll jump to the FBS as soon as they can. What will that do? Just add another have not to a screwed up system.
PS - Lamar is also adding football. I hope both these teams stay in the Southland.
#6 Smokey, Mar 6, 2009
gucci888 Contributing Member
I read this a couple weeks back and that's one of the first things I thought, great hire for UTSA though, but I thought Coker would have received interest from better/established programs.
But like I said, this is a GREAT hire for UTSA.
#7 gucci888, Mar 6, 2009
weslinder Contributing Member
Mulder said:
"UTSA Football: Still Undefeated" shirt
Awesome. I have a "Lamar Football: Undefeated since 1989" shirt.
#8 weslinder, Mar 6, 2009
Cannonball Contributing Member
gucci888 said:
Coker was a finalist for the Rice job a couple of years ago but lost to David Bailiff who came from Texas State. I heard we was also up for the Tulsa job around the same time but he didn't get that either.
#9 Cannonball, Mar 6, 2009
TheBigAristotle said:
The University of Incarnate Word is adding football at the DII level. I think they begin play next season. The renderings I've seen for Texas A&M - San Antonio have a football stadium. Don't know how long they'd wait before starting athletics programs though.
#10 Cannonball, Mar 6, 2009
JJ Member
He will be expected to fundraise like a mother, because UTSA needs to bring in private funds to get going. Plans are to play as an independent for a year and then join the Southland. Long term, move to a conference such as Conf. USA.
For all you Longhorn lovers, Sloan Thomas has been working at UTSA for the past year as a development officer for Athletics. He and Coker will be teaming up to seek out financial support.
If you are an alum, you should be excited about this. Sure it will be a while before a W comes our way, but you gotta start somewhere, right? Don't hate on a program that has been 5 years in the making.
#11 JJ, Mar 6, 2009
leroy Contributing Member
Went to UTSA for one year back in the early 90's. I figured they'd get to this point eventually. I will follow them and pull for them except when they play what became my alma mater, SHSU.
#12 leroy, Mar 6, 2009
SwoLy-D Contributing Member
A buddy of mine went to UTSA. I'd like to pass this story on to him.
LINK or GTFO, sir.
#13 SwoLy-D, Mar 6, 2009
JJ said:
Long term, move to a conference such as Conf. USA.
Yep, and the teams in C-USA want to get out.
#14 Smokey, Mar 6, 2009
SwoLy-D said:
Its on yahoo sports, espn, take your pick. GoUtsa.com is another source. This isn't exactly breaking news.... its been scrolling on ESPN since yesterday.
Cannonball said:
There's a TAMU-SA? WTF?
#16 Mulder, Mar 6, 2009
Good catch. Fixed the OP.
There's going to be. I think they open in 2011. I think it's operating now under the name of TAMU - Kingsville System Center. But when construction on the campus is complete, they'll be their own campus. They plan to enroll 1,500 students when they open with plans to eventually grow the student body to 25K.
moose Member
Yeahh!! Go UTSA!! I think I might try out. haha.
#19 moose, Mar 6, 2009
kikimama Member
Awesome play: run 2 circles around yao for the jumper!
#20 kikimama, Mar 6, 2009
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