Search is on for coveted Miami position
Barry Alvarez, Donna Shalala on Line 1.
The search to replace Larry Coker begins with Alvarez, the athletic director and former coach at Wisconsin.
While it is known that Alvarez misses coaching, does he miss it enough to take on the Miami job?
Alvarez told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he hasn't been contacted from anyone at Miami and that he's happy with his current job.
Shalala, Miami's president -- a position she held at Wisconsin -- is probably way ahead of all us. If she hasn't contacted Alvarez yet, she isn't doing her job.
After Alvarez, the list of big-name candidates is short. Miami supposedly wants to hire a head coach after elevating Coker from a coordinator position.
In addition, the program is diminished and it's unclear what Miami can pay. It will buy out Coker at a reported $3 million. It will have to pay the new coach as well.
In announcing Coker's firing, Shalala also announced a fund-raising campaign that will "finance competitive coaching contracts." The school began contacting candidates earlier this month.
Steve Spurrier denied reports he was going to Miami, but his hiring actually makes the most sense. He would be the sexy hire that Shalala craves and a name that would excite fans and alums.
If money is an issue, Miami might find itself priced out of the market. In that case, the best candidate might be defensive coordinator Randy Shannon.
