A who’s-who of football coaches made the news as potential candidates for job openings this week, even though the season’s end is still weeks away — and many of them still have jobs.
“I’m really happy with the job I have at LSU, and I’m not interested in doing anything else,” head coach Nick Saban said in a Tuesday statement. The statement was issued in response to rumors that Saban was interested in coaching in the NFL, particularly for the Miami Dolphins, whose head coach, Dave Wannstedt, resigned Tuesday.
“I’m happy here, and my family is happy here,” he said. “I don’t know anything about any other jobs. We have lots of challenges ahead of us, and I’m looking forward to playing the final three games of the regular season, which starts this weekend against Alabama.”
Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan, a candidate for the Florida coaching job in 2002, denied rumors he was interested in the Gators’ head-coaching position. Shanahan is friends with Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley.
“I have four years left on my contract here, and when I signed that contract, I told them I was committed to staying here for the whole thing,” he said. “My name is not on Florida’s list.”
Utah’s Urban Meyer remains a leading candidate for the Gators job, which opened after Ron Zook was fired Oct. 25. But Meyer has denied interest, pointing to the Utes’ potential BCS bowl bid.
“I have a team to coach here, and we’re in the middle of a championship run,” he said shortly after Zook’s firing.
Meanwhile, former Florida coach Steve Spurrier, who last week said he would not return to Gainesville or to the NFL, faced speculation about another job. According to The State newspaper, South Carolina officials contacted Spurrier about the Gamecocks’ head coaching position.
“South Carolina? What happened to North Carolina?” Spurrier said, referring to rumors linking him to the North Carolina job. “South Carolina’s got a coach. North Carolina’s got a coach. Everybody’s got a coach. When those guys aren’t coaching anymore … maybe we can talk about it.”
Lou Holtz is coach of the Gamecocks, but the aging coach has said he is tired, leading to speculation of his retirement.
The Gamecocks are 6-3 this year and bowl-eligible for the first time in three years.
Orange feeling blue
Syracuse starting running back Walter Reyes will miss this week’s game at Temple, and possibly the Orange’s Nov. 27 game against Boston College as well.
“Walter’s out,” coach Paul Pasqualoni said Monday. “We would be cautiously optimistic for the BC game.”
The Orange’s leading rusher tore a muscle in his right shoulder Saturday during Syracuse’s double-overtime win over Pittsburgh.
Reyes has amassed 800 yards this season, leading Syracuse (5-4) into second place in the Big East. The Orange needs another win to become bowl eligible.
“In this game, you put the next guy in, and you move on,” Pasqualoni said. “You don’t dwell on injuries, nor do you use them as excuses.”
Reyes is 200 yards away from becoming Syracuse’s first player ever to register three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
Junior Damien Rhodes takes over at tailback. Rhodes ran for 103 yards on 23 carries, most of which came after Reyes left the game.
Reach Patrick Dorsey at [email protected].
