FWIW …
I would expect Oregon to give Mario an extension to lock him in for years. We’ll see.
If you add the buyout Miami paid Temple and the buyout it will pay Diaz upon firing him at the end of the season, we’re talking in the range of $8M to $10M in penalties to hire a mediocre coach that almost no other program would hire as HC. Insanity. Blake so deserved to be fired.
"Some notes and thoughts on the ongoing changes at the University of Miami, which include Monday’s dismissal of athletic director Blake James:
Timing becomes an important issue, and UM is sensitive to that.
The Canes ideally would have someone in place shortly after the regular season ends on Nov. 27, so the new AD could immediately replace Manny Diaz (his dismissal is likely) and begin pursuing a replacement.
Hiring a new coach by early in the second week of December could help salvage the 2022 recruiting class; players can sign with schools beginning Dec. 15. UM has only eight commitments and a class ranked 59th by Rivals.
So the timing here is tight and critical.
LSU, Southern Cal and Washington are at an advantage in their coaching pursuits because their jobs are already open and their athletic directors are in place.
But is it realistic to find an AD within two weeks? That has been achieved at two FBS schools this year. In January, when Phillip Fulmer retired, Tennessee hired UCF’s Danny White three days later.
When Jim Sterk stepped down as AD at Missouri on July 25, the Tigers hired UNLV’s Desiree Reid-Francois to replace him on Aug. 8 — two weeks later.
But some searches can take longer; Northwestern lost its AD on May 12 and hired a new one June 7.
So while UM foremost needs to get it right, it also needs to act expediently.
UM historically has hired a search firm to help fill AD job, and that’s the expectation again, according to a UM official.
UM officials Rudy Fernandez (president Julio Frenk’s chief of staff) and Joe Echevarria (Frenk’s senior advisor) are expected to be involved in the process, and South Florida businessman Jose Mas also has become a more powerful player in UM athletics, according to sources.
Frenk likely will speak to several finalists and make the decision.
Names who could be considered for the AD job, among others, include Washington State athletic director Pat Chung (the former AD at FAU and assistant at Ohio State), USF AD Michael Kelly, FAU AD Brian White and former Louisville AD Tom Jurich.
Though Clemson AD Dan Radakovich previously worked at UM and had interest in the UM job when he worked at Georgia Tech, it’s questionable if he would want this job. Same with Oregon’s well-regarded Rob Mullens.
Gino Torretta, the ex-Canes quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner, is the only prominent former player known to be interested. One key member of the UM administration loves Torretta, but his chances rest on Frenk’s willingness to do something outside the box.
One Board of Trustee member suggested pairing a former player with a career administrator in a combo AD role.
For example, Alonzo Highsmith (a longtime NFL personnel executive), Torretta or perhaps Carolina Panthers assistant GM Dan Morgan could run football and make key administrative football decisions and head up fundraising as the face of the program, but another skilled administrator could operate the department’s finances and other sports — someone such as former UM athletic department staffers Tony Hernandez (now deputy assistant AD at Texas Tech) and Jim Frevola (now a Las Vegas Golden Knights executive with considerable college and NFL experience).
Multiple prominent trustees said they were not consulted about James’ dismissal and believe that change was made by Frenk on the recommendation of Fernandez or Echevarria, the two UM officials who were appointed by Frenk to become more involved in athletics.
James had mixed support among trustees; some resented that he hired Diaz without a search and wanted him gone. Others still supported him because of his success as a fundraiser and because he’s not one to make enemies.
“The problem is the coach, not the AD,” one trustee said Tuesday. “The board should have input on the next hire, but I don’t think we will. You have to find a football guy for this [AD] job. This is a unique program; you need someone who knows Miami.”
Another person inside the program said UM needs someone more fiery and demonstrative than the previous ADs (James, Shawn Eichorst, Kirby Hocutt) — someone who will demand accountability and lay out a clear vision publicly and privately.
There is significant interest in Oregon’s Mario Cristobal — no surprise there — among key trustees, but the new AD will have autonomy to hire the coach.
I have spoken to several people who know Cristobal, and there are a range of views about whether he would seriously consider a pursuit by UM.
One associate said he believed he would if Cristobal has a favorable view of the athletic director and the money is right and UM gives him the resources to succeed. Another said he would be surprised if he left Oregon, where resources are never an issue.
Cristobal has a high buyout — $9 million until Jan. 14, 2022, after which it decreases to $6.5 million. He earns $4.5 million at Oregon.
But a UM official insists the school now has the money to hire a big-time coach.
The buyout for Diaz after this season — with two years left on his contract - would be in the $4 million to $5 million range, but less if he lands another job.
If Diaz is fired and remains unemployed through the end of the 2023 season, he would be owed more than half of what’s left on his contract. But if Diaz is fired and lands another job, the amount owed to him would be significantly offset by salary from his new job.
I asked an NFL personnel executive the names he would pursue for head coach if he ran the Canes’ athletic department. Besides Cristobal, he mentioned Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell (45-14 there), Baylor’s Dave Aranda (8-2 this year in second year at Baylor), Louisiana’s Billy Napier (37-12 there) and Mississippi’s Lane Kiffin (13-7 there and 74-41 as coach at Tennessee, USC, FAU and Ole Miss).
Aranda previously worked at LSU and has been linked to that opening.
Though a change in leadership eventually will spur donations, there were no commitments in the aftermath of James’ firing, according to a source with direct knowledge."
