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Falcons nab Louisville's Petrino for head coach slot

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 10:27 pm
by 1niksder
Falcons nab Louisville's Petrino for head coach slot

By Pat Forde
ESPN.com


Louisville coach Bobby Petrino has accepted a five-year, $24 million offer from the Atlanta Falcons to become their new coach, according to a Louisville source.

The Cardinals have a previously scheduled 9 p.m. ET team meeting at which Petrino will tell his players, the source said. ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reported that an NFL source also confirmed the hiring.

"I'm in shock right now," Louisville kicker Arthur Carmody told ESPN's Joe Schad Sunday night. "I'm about to walk into a team meeting right now. We're coming off a great Orange Bowl win and we were all thinking national championship. I didn't think this would happen. He said he enjoyed college football. He's a great coach and we're going to miss him."

An announcement from the Falcons could come Monday. ESPN's Chris Mortensen first reported earlier Sunday evening that the Falcons were in deep negotiations with Petrino.

Before the season, Petrino signed a 10-year, $25 million contract with Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich. Petrino had previously interviewed with Auburn, LSU, Notre Dame and the Oakland Raiders for other jobs, but announced in August that he would be at Louisville for the long haul.

"I can't tell you how happy I am with the commitment and the confidence that Tom Jurich has in me and the university has in me," Petrino said after signing the contract. "I also wanted to make sure that everyone understood, I know I've said it, that this is where my family wants to be. This is where I want to be. I want everyone to really believe it."

Louisville had just completed a 12-1 season climaxed by their first BCS bowl victory, over Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl. Petrino's record was 41-9 at Louisville, as he elevated the program into an annual national contender.

The leading candidate to replace Petrino figures to be Tulsa coach Steve Kragthorpe, who has taken the Golden Hurricane to three bowl games in four years after taking over one of the worst programs in the country.


Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:18 am
by jeremyroyce
I don't know about what anybody else thinks about this but what is it with NFL teams going to the college ball to get there coach.

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:33 pm
by Skins2daGrave
Vick will get you nowhere, Schaub will be the starter next year

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 11:30 pm
by SkinsJock
Hey 1niksder! I heard that Petrino may be calling on a guy called Jerry Gray for help? :shock:

Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 12:42 am
by 1niksder
SkinsJock wrote:Hey 1niksder! I heard that Petrino may be calling on a guy called Jerry Gray for help? :shock:

Would be nice :D

Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 2:42 am
by 1niksder
jeremyroyce wrote:I don't know about what anybody else thinks about this but what is it with NFL teams going to the college ball to get there coach.

Here's another one maybe...

Dolphins possibly courting Pete Carroll

NFL.com wire reports



MIAMI (Jan. 8, 2007) -- Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga's travel itinerary suggests he's trying to lure Southern California coach Pete Carroll back to the NFL.

Carroll has been on vacation in Costa Rica, and a Huizenga-owned plane flew there Jan. 7, then returned to Fort Lauderdale, according to flight records. The same plane was used to take Dolphins officials to Pittsburgh, Chicago and San Diego to interview candidates to replace Nick Saban.

A Dolphins spokesman declined to say whether Huizenga met with Carroll. USC spokesman Tim Tessalone said Carroll was expected to return from vacation Jan. 9.

"Pete hasn't gotten back, so I don't have any information to share with you," Tessalone said.

In the 1990s, Carroll coached the New York Jets for one season and the New England Patriots for three before being fired. As recently as last week, he denied rumors he wanted to return to the pros.

If the 55-year-old Carroll is interested in the Dolphins job, he would become the front-runner. He led the Trojans to a fifth consecutive Bowl Championship Series appearance this season and beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl. He's 65-12 with two national titles in six seasons at Southern California.

The Dolphins interviewed two candidates Jan. 8: their defensive coordinator, Dom Capers, and Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin.

Capers was interviewed in Jacksonville, where he was on vacation. He coached expansion teams in Carolina and Houston and has a career record of 48-80.

Since Saban left last week for Alabama, Miami has interviewed at least six candidates: former Atlanta Falcons coach Jim Mora, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey, San Diego offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, and two Chicago Bears assistants, defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and offensive coordinator Ron Turner.

Gailey, a former offensive coordinator for the Dolphins, said there was nothing new to report in the coaching search.

"I'm one of the guys in the running," he said. "We'll see where it goes."

The Dolphins' experience with Saban might make them less likely to hire a college coach. He came to Miami from Louisiana State and left after two seasons, deciding he preferred the SEC to the NFL.

Carroll is one of the highest-paid coaches in college, but Huizenga last week said: "I don't care what it takes, what it costs, what's involved. We're going to make this a winning franchise."

The Dolphins have failed to make the playoffs the past five seasons, a team record.

Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 10:05 am
by SkinsJock
jeremyroyce wrote:I don't know about what anybody else thinks about this but what is it with NFL teams going to the college ball to get there coach.


Just a fad, I mean, we especially know how much of an effect it can have on your team :shock:

I hear that Bellichick (and about 3 or 4 others) are constantly in touch with college counterparts and that may explain why Bellichick recently has been selecting so many players from certain SEC colleges in rounds 3-6 because he is aware of the raw talent that is available from there. When Saban was at LSU, NE regularly selected LSU players. Word up here in NE in that Bellichick is already planning on including Alabama on his spring tour this year and re-establishing that relationship. Now I wonder why Bellichick thinks he can learn anything from those good ole boys like SOS and co?

Not anything to pay any attention too though - look at how successful we were with college coaching - NE just got lucky with that SEC talent, we all know that those college coaches do not know what they are doing :twisted:



BTW - there are a lot of rumors going around right now - be interesting to see what happens at both USC and ND :P