Tuberville Finds Tough Job Market

by Jay Coulter on Dec 4, 2009 1:00 AM CST in Football Comment 17 comments

Tommy Tuberville would like to do more than appear in movies.

A year ago yesterday the unthinkable and yet inevitable happened at Auburn. Tommy Tuberville was relieved of his duties as head football coach. Almost immediately following the firing, Tuberville vowed to get back in the game. His plan has always been to take the 2009 season off and jump right back into a big time coaching gig. The question now is whether there are any out there for the taking.

Talking to Fox's Chris Meyer the day before the Georgia game, Tuberville said he spent a good part of the season visiting programs around the country studying coaching philosophies. He reiterated his pledge to coach again in 2010. With the college hiring season in full swing, Tuberville is finding the job market much like the rest of American job seekers - scarce.

The few high profile openings are at Notre Dame, Virginia, Louisville and Kansas. There's not likely to be many more in the coming weeks. Of the four openings, Tuberville's name is most associated with Louisville and Virginia. Even at those two schools, he's one of many vying for the post. The former Tiger coach is learning that being gone even a year tends to push your name to the back of the pack of candidates.

Tuberville now finds himself in competition with coordinators from successful programs like Florida's Charlie Strong. There's also competition from coaches at smaller programs trying to make the big time like Richmond's Mike London and Al Golden at Temple.

Then there are the other former coaches like Phil Fulmer, Dennis Franchione, Gary Barnett and Glen Mason. All want back into the limelight. For the first time in recent memory there will be no openings in the SEC at year's end. South Carolina's Steve Spurrier appears to be safe and Kentucky's Rich Brooks looks to be headed back for another year in Lexington. Should he leave, coach-in-waiting Joker Phillips is poised to step in for the Wildcats.

Tuberville likely would be at the top of the list at schools like Clemson, Texas A&M and Central Florida. Unfortunately for him, all three programs turned their fortunes around mid-year and no changes are expected.

A hot rumor on the Georgia message boards earlier this week was that Mark Richt was going to make a strong push for Tuberville to be his new defensive coordinator following the firing of Willie Martinez on Wednesday. Don't bet on it dog breath. The days of Tuberville working for another coach are gone forever. Besides, Richt will likely find himself in the same position within the next two seasons.

It looks like two former Auburn head coaches will share the same zip code for another year. Maybe Tuberville and Pat Dye should do a daily sports radio show. Now that would be entertainment. Of course, you'd have to put them in separate rooms to keep the peace. Dye could talk about why the wishbone will still work in the 21^st century and Tuberville can convince listeners that his version of the spread offense is better than Gus Malzahn's.

It would sure beat Paul Finebaum and Jay Barker.

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Pat Dye/Tuberville Radio Show

I would actually turn on the radio to something besides WEGL.

I was reading earlier (mostly because Louisville’s where I might end up going to grad school) Strong’s name is number one on the Louisville list, and they’ve also had some sort of contact with Fulmer. Tuberville’s name wasn’t even mentioned in that article, and I’d only found one article that mentioned him as a possible candidate.

by KentuckyTiger on Dec 4, 2009 7:58 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Source?

“Almost immediately following the firing, Tuberville vowed to get back in the game.”

Jay, have you done any independent reporting to support your assertion that Tuberville was “fired?”

I’m just asking.

by xotus on Dec 4, 2009 8:22 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Yes... I'm very comfortable saying he was terminated.

Track'em Tigers.com

by Jay Coulter on Dec 4, 2009 4:43 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Jay, I try to follow most news stories ...

… that pertain to Auburn University with special interest in those about the football program. Last year I read everything I could find about Tuberville’s termination as Auburn’s coach — both ‘opinion’ pieces and ‘investigative reporting’ pieces. And I did my share of digging, on my own, using friends of mine who have current Auburn contacts.

I’m sure most people who followed the story have seen Tuberville’s resignation letter, as I have. It’s absolutely clear that the final decision that Tommy Tuberville made, as Auburn’s football coach, was to hand the resignation letter, that he had written, to the man he reported to at Auburn University. That quite simply is the way one resigns his job. That is not the way one is fired from his job. Any sane person who has sat on either side of the desk and has experienced either side of a ‘firing’ or a ‘resignation’ will never get the two mixed up. It’s an absolute impossibility for the principals involved to do so.

I’ve seen only one story written that attempts to refute the words written in that letter — and, it was the one quoting Tuberville’s mother saying, “He didn’t quit” … “he was fired.” I waited for a follow-up story, but one never came. I concluded that meant that all the media covering this story saw this – after they looked into it — as nothing but an incredible assertion made by an 80-year-old mother who still had her protective instincts.

Or maybe there’s another reason. Maybe some reporters are sitting on the story. Why don’t you share the results of your independent reporting with your readers? It would be interesting to see what you have. Thanks.

by xotus on Dec 4, 2009 8:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Come on xotus.....

be real. Tubs wasnt given a 5+ million buyout because it was the right thing to do…..especially in this economy.

I would have gone to bammer if my grades hadn't been good enough to go to AU

by Todd92 on Dec 5, 2009 11:01 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I must object ...

That statement is argumentative, i.e. stating facts and suggesting that particular inferences and conclusions can be drawn from them.

We are in the evidentiary phase now.

The time for argument is after the evidence is presented.

Please wait until Jay presents his evidence.

Thank you.

by xotus on Dec 5, 2009 11:37 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

did I log in to the wrong message board?

Is this a court proceeding? If people want to be argumentative, I would “argue” that this is the place to do it. My “evidence” is 5 million dollars and yours is something written on a piece of paper which was discussed behind closed doors.

I honestly mean no disrespect to you as I think you have valid points, but I think you are ignoring what we all know. Tubbs was fiercely loyal to his staff and the AD wanted to make changes he wasn’t willing to make. Calling it a resignation instead of a firing is semantics when there is an ultimatum involved. But there I go arguing my opinion without evidence. oops.

by mgizmo2005 on Dec 5, 2009 3:33 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Just when I thought I may own the only dictionary left in the world ...

… someone steps forward and admits there is a difference between argument and evidence.

To argue that Tubs was fired is not to argue with me, it is to argue with Tuberville’s own words. In the letter he gave to Jay Jacobs last December, Tuberville said: “After long consideration, I have decided to resign.”

Jay Coulter and others on this blog appear to be suggesting that Tuberville was really fired from his job prior to December 3rd and then conspired with the man who fired him to lie about it on 12/3/2008.

If that is not what you think, please give me your theory of what happened the first week of December 2008. The evidence can come later if you are able to find it..

Coulter can surely speak for himself if he decides to do so.

My opinion is that it dishonors Coach Tuberville and all the good he did for Auburn University not to take him at his word in this very personal and serious matter. You guys ever think of that? I’m just asking.

by xotus on Dec 7, 2009 2:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Does he need one?

You’ve got to be the first person I’ve heard to actually think Tubby retired. Seriously, I loved Tubby but I’m not naive. Why retire and want to coach the very next year?

by flemico on Dec 4, 2009 5:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

In my opinion...

I think Tubs would fit in nicely at Virginia. With his TRUE game, running and playing defense, being a perfect fit for Virginia, as well as his ability to recruit the south would, in my mind, give him a leg up. Get a few coaches familiar with recruiting that area and bang you have a recipe for winning. Plus having to rebuild the program may put the fire back in Tub’s belly. Going somewhere where the expectations are low right now but a place where they really want to win. Not to mention his style of play would work well in the ACC where defenses can be suspect. Viriginia isn’t exactly a step down either. They are a proud program with a history of pulling upsets.

Louisville doesn’t seem to fit Tub’s near as much to me. After the high powered offenses they’ve had in the recent past, i don’t think that Tub’s game style fits them really. The fans there have grown accustom to those offenses and i don’t think that Tub’s wants to go down that road again.

by Paratiger on Dec 4, 2009 9:33 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I disagree

Virginia is a snobby school. Tubs is a down home country boy. They’d mix like oil and water.

And, in a related story, this week marked the 5,000th performance of the Broadway musical "Cats." It also marked the 5,000th time a guy turned to his wife and said, "What the hell is this?"

by jd is legend on Dec 4, 2009 12:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Im thinkin

If he waits another year, he could slide in at Texas A&M, which I think would be a perfect fot for him.

Upon moving to AL, I let my wife decide who she would root for. After one day at a new job full of Bama fans, she met me at the door with a hearty cry of "WAR EAGLE"

by SandMountainTiger on Dec 5, 2009 12:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Probably, they're like the Auburn of Texas

And, in a related story, this week marked the 5,000th performance of the Broadway musical "Cats." It also marked the 5,000th time a guy turned to his wife and said, "What the hell is this?"

by jd is legend on Dec 5, 2009 3:00 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The real question i've got is....

What is Mark Richt going to do with Rodney Garner. He is the backbone of the recruiting there. Without him you have a tougher time stopping saban, Meyer and Auburn from picking that state dry. Lets face it Garner is the road block to that state. Garner desperately wants to be a head coach. In order to do that he will need to be a coordinator first. Otherwise he may be able to pick up a job at a lower-lower tier football team (Div.2). Going the route of Terry Bowden. I don’t think that he is willing to do that if it is at all avoidable. And i don’t think Richt is going to make him a coordinator considering the fire that is building under his seat. In my opinion (Damn i’m saying that alot) i don’t think that Garner is ready to be a coordinator. His Defensive line has been suspect over the years. His true bread and butter is recruiting. A Ga. Fan Friend put it to me best. “Garner is a salesman. Thats what he is best at.” So its used cars or another program thats on the table. Atleast thats what i think. And if thats truly the case, Well i’m very happy to know that the Ga. borders will get a lil more accessible. Hell i’m in a wheelchair….. accessbility is everything.

by Paratiger on Dec 4, 2009 9:48 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

LOL....

everybody wants to whisper that Trooper Tayler might be less than legal in his recruiting tactics and peoply have forgotten that Garner was a Lowder handshake coordinator and then proceeded to funnel UT funds to Tee Martin as soon as Garner got to Knoxville. Garner will continue to get passed over for a Head Coaching position at anything other than a hole in the wall mid major because of his known past.

I would have gone to bammer if my grades hadn't been good enough to go to AU

by Todd92 on Dec 5, 2009 11:06 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That could be great for us...

If Garner leaves UGA, we’ll start picking up the Georgia guys a whole lot. That would be wonderful!

by Sparkey on Dec 4, 2009 12:56 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I don't think that Tuberville is so desperate.....

to find a head coaching gig that he would take a job just to have it. And with that being said….other than Louisville, Notre Dame, or possibly Kansas….I don’t think there’s a job out there with the kind of appeal that he or Fulmer for that matter would take. The UVA job is a dead end and really so is the Kansas Job. Franchione and Gary Barnett will not get a BCS job. If Charlie Strong (who some of you may remember I touted as a possible candidate for AU in the past) would get hired before Tuberville or Fulmer because of economics or because neither Tubs or Phatty wanted the job or both. Especially when you consider the “Hot Seat” possibilities for next season…..UGA, Miami, South Carolina (someone will eventually win there), Clemson (don’t go crazy Dabo was the emotional hire and he backed into the ACC CG), WVU (could even happen this year if they get embarrassed by FSU), Colorado if Hawkins does actually survive this season (which last I heard to my amazement he is) to name just a few possibilities. Also, consider the Cincy job…..Brian Kelley has made it possible to recruit there much like Petrino gave respect to Louisville, and I still think Kelley is the next ND coach. But don’t count out Gary Patterson (TCU) or Jim Harbaugh (Stanford) for the ND job either.

I would have gone to bammer if my grades hadn't been good enough to go to AU

by Todd92 on Dec 5, 2009 11:22 AM CST reply actions 0 recs