Search begins for new coach Big buyouts could be LSU's first hurdle By CARL DUBOIS [email protected] Advocate sportswriter ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Sunday reported that a source close to Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville said Tuberville would listen if LSU wants to discuss the vacancy created Saturday when LSU coach Nick Saban agreed to coach the Miami Dolphins. Tuberville, who will arrive in New Orleans on Tuesday for Auburn's Nokia Sugar Bowl match-up with Virginia Tech, could not be reached for comment. Neither could his agent, Jimmy Sexton, also Saban's agent. The story said Sexton has been given the green light to listen to any overtures from LSU. LSU Athletic Director Skip Bertman did not return calls seeking comment. Stewart Slack, who chairs the LSU Board of Supervisors and is assisting Bertman in the search for a new coach, said he wasn't aware of the report but said Tuberville is as much a candidate as anyone else at this time. "I don't think anybody's off the list," Slack said. "We're just the first day into trying to organize what it takes to get this thing going. The search firm is putting together some names for us, and Skip is doing that." Tuberville, who was nearly fired late last season, survived the coup attempt and led Auburn to a 12-0 record during the 2004 regular season. Auburn is ranked No. 3 in the polls but was not selected to play for the BCS national championship. Tuberville, who left Ole Miss for Auburn before the 1998 Independence Bowl, has been quoted saying favorable things about LSU and the opportunity to work there. Most of those quotes came before LSU hired Saban in 1999. Last week Tuberville said he agreed in principle to a new contract at Auburn, one that Auburn President Ed Richardson said would give Tuberville job security and a major pay raise. Published reports estimate Tuberville would make about $2 million per year. He has yet to sign the new deal. The major sticking point for Tuberville leaving Auburn to coach LSU would be a buyout clause in his contract requiring him to pay $3 million if he leaves. Other potential candidates for the LSU coaching position just signed new contracts at their respective schools. They are Bobby Petrino of Louisville and Kirk Ferentz of Iowa, LSU's opponent in the Capital One Bowl. A point of intrigue in the case of Ferentz is his contract, signed last month, states that neither he nor Iowa can renegotiate the financial terms of his contract for the next three years. The new deal pays Ferentz $1.2 million plus various incentives. Chris Landry, an NFL scout and consultant to pro and college teams during searches such as LSU's, said buyout clauses will make it difficult for any school to lure Tuberville, Petrino and Ferentz away from their current jobs. "Ferentz is the only one worth making a run at and considering buying out his deal, in my opinion, but of the three he is the least interested," Landry said. "Tuberville and Petrino would likely take the job." Petrino could not be reached for comment. Last week when reporters asked about LSU, he said he wanted to talk about Louisville and its preparations for the Liberty Bowl. Landry, who said he recommended Saban to LSU in 1995 when LSU hired Gerry DiNardo to replace Curley Hallman, said he thinks the search to replace Saban starts with former University of Miami and Cleveland Browns coach Butch Davis. "The first direction is towards Butch Davis," Landry said, "and I think under ordinary circumstances he would want it, but he is adamant that he wants to sit out this year. The last few years, particularly this last season, took a real toll on him and his family personally. "In speaking with him, I think he will consider the job seriously because LSU is one of the places he holds in high regard, but the issue remains does he want to coach next year or sit out. Right now, and for some time, LSU has been preparing for all options, a must in coaching searches." Slack said everyone involved in the search wants to hire a coach soon. "We are coming up into the crisis sort of time of recruiting," Slack said. "Well, I don't know if I would call it a crisis, but it's a heated time of recruiting. We have to be responsive to that and try and move as quickly as possible." Landry, who was close to negotiations between Miami and Saban's representatives last week, said there are plenty of attractive candidates LSU should look at. Among them, he said, are: Gregg Williams, assistant head coach and defensive assistant for the Washington Redskins. Mike Nolan, defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens and a former LSU assistant under Bill Arnsparger for one year back in the early '80's -- and the son of Dick Nolan, former New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers coach. Mike Travac, defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens. NFL assistants can't interview for other positions until after the season ends Sunday. "It's best (for LSU) to interview all available candidates and college candidates this week, which will take them into week's end where they can hit the NFL candidates," Landry said.
Yet another reason to hate the Tubster: unnecessarily injecting a distraction into his team's bowl preparations of one of the most successful years in Auburn history. Jimmy Sexton would not speak out in public on Tubby's behalf unless he had Tommy's okay to do so. Why Tubby couldn't use the same "discreet back channels" as everyone else is a good question, the answer to which (as far as I can tell) is to stick it to the school's administration in a public forum. So, Tommy wants to get into a public pissing match with the same folks who tried to can him last year...and put Auburn's perfect season and all the hard work those players did to win 12 games at unecessary risk. Also, I was surprised to read about the no interview rule as far as assistants are concerned. Didn't Notre Dame interview Charlie Weiss?
Anyone get the impression Sexton is college footballs version of the Baseball AntiChrist Scott Boras....
So the rumor of Saban to Dolphins, Tuberville to LSU, and Patrino to Auburn might actually happen. I heard about this several weeks ago. I can't stand Tuberville to actually think he might be on our sidelines. I guess Tuberville is still pissed about last year. LSUDAN
Sexton is doing his job You guys are hilarious! Do you think Sexton operates on his own, without the explicit instructions of his clients, or at least their express approval of what he's doing? Sexton was sniffing around NFL jobs for Saban the past few years because Nick WANTED HIM TO AND TOLD HIM TO! He's sniffing around the LSU job for Tuberville b/c Tubes wants him to! If anyone has a problem with what is going down, don't blame Sexton. My initial reaction to LSU hiring Tuberville is negative. But, I'm willing to consider it. Who would he bring as assistants? If he would bring Borges, that would be a plus. I can get over the "LSU dissing" incidents, if I thought Tubes was the right guy. He would have to do one helluva selling job on many Tiger fans who simply can't stand him. The main reaction I have to all of this is thinking about the Auburn fans sweating this out :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
Dont worry Tubs is not coming here, if there is ANY truth to this he and his agent are going to use this to get more bread out of Auburn. He is not leaving Auburn, they love him there, and he loves it there. Why would he leave Auburn to come to place he has to know most of the fans dont want him here. I think this is Sexton telling him hey we can get a few more scheckles out of Auburn. I just dont see it happening. Plus there is a huge buyout... (Wow. Buyout, that is a novel idea...)
Good article in The Advocate Kudos to Carl Dubois for doing his homework and writing a very informative article. :thumb: I was particularly interested in the quotes from Chris Landry. He says that Petrino would likely take the LSU job if offered. The only thing I disagree w/ Landry about is that LSU should take its time. True, this is an important hire, but, the longer it plays out, the more recruits we lose. Crapping out on even one recruiting class could hurt the program down the line. So, I wouldn't wait until we can interview NFL guys. I would go after Davis, Petrino, Rodriguez, Ferentz, NOW, in that order. I just don't see Tuberville as a serious candidate; if we hire him, I will support him. I know I have expressed misgivings about Davis but if indicates he wants the job and his health is OK, then he's probably the safest pick. If Davis is not interested, then Petrino, Rodriguez or Ferentz would all be great hires, IMHO. Get it done NOW. If it doesn't work out with any of them, THEN I'd hit the NFL ranks. One caveat, if Del Rio is seriously interested, I might hold off for him. But I don't see him as a viable candidate either.:lsug:
No, he currently has a $3 million dollar buyout. That's kinda big. The new deal AU is putting together has a, get this, $7.5 million dollar buyout. That's huge. I know Sexton is just doing his job, but I imagine AU would call his bluff and not sweeten the proposed contract. The hatred so many here have for Tubby is immaterial in the grand scheme of things, the $3 mil is not. I still think it's crappy that Tuberville is instructing his agent to use threats of talking to LSU as leverage for his new deal, all while his players are getting ready to possibly play for half a national championship (very unlikely, sure, but if AU rolls and the OU/USC game is a real stinker, with OU winning...) How incredibly selfish. How...Tuberville-like of Tommy. :cuss:
I don't care for Tubby either but what comes around goes around. If the AU folks did to me what they did to him last year I would be pissed too. Who wouldn't? I thought I'd never take up for the man! :shock: Anyway I don't want him coming here, I like the other coaches mentioned here alot better but I think this whole thing with Tubby, Sexton and the Barners sweating this out is hilarious! :lol: :rofl: :thumb:
