Chuck Amato is Out, Let the Speculation Begin

[dakuwan]

Just saw this scroll across the screen during football. He's out.

http://www.newsobserver.com/122/story/514946.html

Let the speculation on his replacement begin.

My friends were throwing out the Navy coach, Paul Johnson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Johnson_%28American_football_coach%29) as a candidate at the game yesterday. He apparently got a look before Chuck was hired so they think he'll get another one this time.

[goalie33]

Chow and Cowher first.

Everyone else after that.

[dakuwan]

I still dont buy that Cowher is coming, at least anytime soon. Ive heard everyone saying that since he bought his house. Maybe after he's had a few years off, but coming straight from the NFL to here seems like kind of a stretch. At least to me.

Dont know much about Chow.

[goalie33]

I agree that Cowher's a stretch, but you can't not give him the pitch (unless you're Lee Fowler, lol).

Chow was OC here for a little while and then went to USC for some national championships. He's said that the only programs he'd consider being HC for are USC and NC State.

[Esbee]

Cha'ching, again. Another alum, or group of alum, have stepped up with huge dollars to wack another coach and pay him and his staff. And they'll step up again with more major dollars to pay the new one. Always good to see them supporting higher education.

[puck_it]

rothlisberger got sacked 9 times today, face it, the steelers aint gonna win any super bowls in the near future. might as well bail now.

^chuck wasnt exactly great at graduating his players. no matter what you think about bobby knight, his players graduated. its a great philosphy to have and whoever the new coach is, i hope he stresses the academic part of being a football player.

[corylav]

Pecking order is .....

• Ask Cowher and hope he says yes.

• Gauge Chow's interest AND see if you can get someone to recruit for him (something he's never done)

• Go after Paul Johnson at Navy

Given NC State's last coaching search ... we may need two or three times as many names as give above ;)

[caneshockeychick]

It's sad to see Amato go and I hope he gets some chance elsewhere:( . I was high on him when he first arrived as I followed his career at FSU (I was an FSU fan before I was an NCSU fan having grown up in FL).

I'm hoping Chow gets the big time nod and that he comes here. He's really the only guy I have an interest in. He knows offense and that's where we are weak (well, after PR left anyway). Still, I hope State gets the right coach for the job.

[nccanes]

What about Jimbo Fisher.

[dakuwan]

Cowher came out today and said that he's flattered but he's not a candidate and he's got a job that he's focused on right here and is off the list.

Nothing unexpected there, but for some reason people thought it was a possibility.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Isn't John Bunting available? :evil:

[caneshockeychick]

^You so funny SHC :lol:

^^I never even thought Cowher would come (at least not any time soon) ;)

[dakuwan]

On Cold Pizza they just said that Chow has expressed interest in the ASU job but hasnt been contacted yet. No mention of State. So there's another one we may lose out on.

Looks like Fowler is doing another one of his outstanding coaching searches :fire:

Why couldnt we have shown him the door too.

[Captain Slack]

There's been surprisingly little news/rumormongering about this. Anyone hear anything?

[corylav]

Signs point to Johnson right now ... he's an NC native who has had success building from the ground up. Chow could be a possibility (at ASU and Stanford, too), and Fisher is campaigning hard for the job (think Frank Haith during the BKB coaching search).

If I had to guess, though, they want Johnson first and foremost (outside of Cowher).

ESPN reporting they hope to make a hire by the end of the week.

[dakuwan]

Supposedly Tom O'Brien is the new coach. Theres reports all over the web and even Wikipedia has him as accepting the job today.


Tom O'Brien (born October 5 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_5), 1948 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948)), is currently the head coach of the Boston College Eagles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_College_Eagles) football team. He became BC's 32nd head football coach in December of 1996. On December 6, 2006, O'Brien accepted the head coaching job at NC State (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NC_State_Wolfpack). [1] (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2689220)



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_O%27Brien_%28football_coach%29

O'Brien headed to Pack, report says

Has N.C. State found its new football coach?New England Cable News reported Wednesday night that Boston College coach Tom O'Brien is leaving the Eagles after 10 years to take over the Wolfpack program.
NECN based its report on unidentified sources. But there were strong indications earlier Wednesday that O'Brien, whose Eagles were 9-3 this year, was interested in the State job and might be willing to make the unusual move of leaving one ACC school for another.
One of BC's losses this season was to N.C. State, which topped the Eagles in the final seconds. But NCSU coach Chuck Amato was fired after the Pack lost its last seven games to finish 3-9.

http://www.newsobserver.com/100/story/518442.html


Here's his bio from the Boston College Page. http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/obrien_tom00.html

[puck_it]

I was seriously going to send a resume in on Friday. And post my rejection letter on my fridge. but looks like im too late :(

[Captain Slack]

Here's WRAL's write up:

Sources: BC's O'Brien To Become New Wolfpack Coach
O'Brien Winningest Coach In Boston College Football History

POSTED: 9:52 pm EST December 6, 2006
UPDATED: 6:13 am EST December 7, 2006

RALEIGH, N.C. -- WRAL has confirmed that Boston College coach Tom O'Brien will become the new head football coach at North Carolina State University.

A N.C. State official confirmed to WRAL late Wednesday that two Boston reports of O'Brien's imminent hire were correct. Wolfpack athletic director Lee Fowler was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

David Glenn's ACC Journal: O'Brien Headed To N.C. State
WRAL Sports Blog: N.C. State Gets Winner

ACC Sports Journal editor and WRAL.com blogger David Glenn also said late Wednesday that multiple sources at N.C. State and in the college football community have confirmed O'Brien's hire.

Also, the Associated Press reported early Thursday that San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, who played college ball at N.C. State, told the North County Times in Escondido, California, that O'Brien was the choice to replace fired coach Chuck Amato. Rivers told the paper that he learned about the decision in a phone call Tuesday morning.

Publically, O'Brien released a statement Tuesday night, saying he was "not a candidate for any job." But privately, the 10-year Eagle coach was very interested in the Wolfpack coaching position. One reason was frustration felt at Boston College over two years of 9-3 records, :crazy: resulting in bowl bids in Boise and Charlotte.

O'Brien, 58, was the winningest coach in the history of Boston College football, with a record of 75-45 in 10 seasons. The Eagles have won nine games in four of the last five seasons, eight or more games in seven of the last eight seasons, and a national-best six consecutive bowl games.

Under O'Brien, BC's program has been honored for its graduation rate eight times, including for a 100 percent rate in 2004.

O'Brien previously served as an assistant under George Welsh at Virginia for 15 years, the last six as offensive coordinator. He coached tackles and tight ends at Navy from 1975-81.

O'Brien is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and a graduate of Navy. He was a three-year starter at defensive end for the Midshipmen from 1968-70. Upon his graduation from the Naval Academy in 1971, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. He later attained the rank of major in the Marine Corps Reserve.

N.C. State's board has scheduled a meeting for Friday to approve O'Brien's contract.

HIRE THIS GUY!!!!

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Won't have to worry about that 100% graduation rate at State, huh? :lol: ;)

[puck_it]

TA isnt on the football team any more, SHC

[talkingcanes]

hiring a coach away from another conference team? that should make for interesting chatter.

[Fghtr4jc]

Alright, this guy seems great for our team, and of course, if we have the same luck that Amato had with Florida State, we'll never lose to BC again!

[Captain Slack]

Welcome, Coach O'Brien!! :spin:

O'Brien intrigued by N.C. State's potential
By JOEDY McCREARY, AP Sports Writer
December 9, 2006

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Tom O'Brien came away impressed by the scene at Carter-Finley Stadium three months ago when North Carolina State upset his Boston College team.

The Wolfpack's boisterous fan base, upgraded facilities and largely untapped potential helped convince him to switch sidelines.

"The excitement that fateful night I was here in September was as good as any place I've ever been," O'Brien said Saturday at a news conference introducing him as coach. "There's great people and great excitement at Boston College, but timing is everything. ... This is N.C. State or bust for me."

The 58-year-old O'Brien came to Tobacco Road after going 75-45 in 10 seasons at Boston College and leading the Eagles to eight consecutive bowl berths. He replaces Chuck Amato, a former N.C. State linebacker who was fired the day after the Wolfpack closed a 3-9 season with their seventh consecutive loss.

O'Brien received a seven-year contract worth $1.1 million annually, but that amount could jump to $1.8 million if several on-the-field and academic incentives are reached, athletic director Lee Fowler said. The contract also includes a buyout of $600,000 for each year remaining on the deal, Fowler said.

"I think he's coming here to finish his career," Fowler said.

Fowler said O'Brien first appeared on his radar when his name was mentioned as a possible candidate for the North Carolina job, which ultimately was filled by Butch Davis.

After Amato was dismissed, Fowler said he interviewed a few coaches -- including Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow, a former N.C. State assistant -- and later became aware of O'Brien's interest through headhunter Chuck Neinas.

Fowler requested and received permission from Boston College athletic director Gene DeFilippo to speak to O'Brien on Dec. 3, and he discussed the job with the coach that night. Talks increased Wednesday, Fowler and O'Brien reached an agreement that night and the school's board of trustees approved his contract two days later.

The rare in-conference coaching switch -- just the second in the Atlantic Coast Conference's history -- comes with a noteworthy increase over O'Brien's reported salary of about $734,000 at Boston College, and a jump from the $995,000 N.C. State paid Amato annually.

"There was never a question in my mind, when I talked to his representation, that he was really interested. It wasn't like this guy was going to ask for the moon, and if we didn't give it he was going to walk away," Fowler said. "It came together pretty quickly as far as that was concerned."

O'Brien, who was an assistant at Navy and later Virginia before going to Boston College in 1997, called the N.C. State program "a sleeping giant" because the school has spent millions recently on its facilities yet has remained a middle-of-the-pack team in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"Just the whole thing of a state university, the state of North Carolina, a great high school football state, the opportunity to recruit in this part of the country and get back down here, that's the thing that enticed me most," O'Brien said.

N.C. State hasn't finished higher than fourth in the ACC since the Wolfpack placed second in 1994. N.C. State finished in last place in the Atlantic Division this season, and Amato's tenure at his alma mater ended with consecutive losses to in-state rivals North Carolina and East Carolina.