Recently in class we have been discussing the fact that in college sports, especially college football there is a scarcity of African American Head Football Coaches. I believe there around around 120 Division 1-A teams and under 10 black head coaches. That number is astounding and unfair. If you look at the NFL many African American coaches have had success and Super Bowl appearances including Tony Dungy, Mike Tomlin, Lovey Smith, and Marvin Lewis as a coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens. You would think this would help translate more opportunities for head coaching jobs for African Americans in the college ranks but it hasn't. Today there was a segment on ESPN's Outside The Lines regarding the recent head coaching search of The University of Auburn Tigers. The Auburn Tigers hired Gene Chizik, a white male to be their new head coach. Despite having major success as a defensive coordinator with the Auburn Tigers in the past, and the Texas Longhorns, Gene has been a poor head coach. Chizik recently coached two seasons at the University of Iowa State, recording an overall record of 5-19, including ten losses in a row and no road wins. Chiziks competition for the Auburn job was Turner Gill. Gill was a coordinator at Nebraska for 13 seasons assisting them with three national championships. In 2005, Gill was hired at the University of Buffalo. When Gill was hired, Buffalo was considered one of the worst programs in all of Division 1-A football. Gill turned the team around and they won the MAC last year in football. Comparing the two resumes, the question of race comes into play. Clearly Turner Gill has a better coaching resume but he was turned down in favor of a white coach with a poor coaching resume. There is no proof of race being a factor but you have to think it may. According to the Outside The Lines episode sources from coaches within the SEC conference said because Turner Gill is in an interracial marriage he wouldn't get hired. The issue of race will always be brought up, and college football needs to institute a similar rule to the "Rooney Rule" in the NFL, where during a coaching search, colleges must interview at least one African American candidate.
I believe that Turner Gill should have been more looked at this past year for another coaching opportunity at another school. He showed that he can turn a program around and there was no reason for Auburn to hire an unexperienced and unproven candidate over Gill. Id like to see the episode because it would help me understand why this all happened, but Gill deserved a larger opportunity this past year.
ReplyDeleteI saw that episode as well, and it was really compelling. When I heard the speculation that he might not have been hired because he was in an inter-racial marriage, I was astounded. I am afraid there is a different atmosphere in southern schools, but still it is difficult to believe it in 2009! I may have dvr-ed the episode and may show it later in the semester if we have time.
ReplyDeleteI do did see the episode one Turner Gill. It seems kind of fishy that Nebraska, where he attended college did not even give him a chance. Turner Gill turned around one of the worst if not worst program in NCAA football. Both schools did not look at his body of work, rather they looked at his personal life. He is married to a white female and that for sure played a role. That being said, that is very sad that we people cannot grow up and deal with it. There are more things in life to worry about than that.
ReplyDeleteI agree totally with your assessment. Maybe something like the Rooney rule should be put in place in the NCAA like it is in the NFL. The NFL has a better ratio than that of the NCAA but still quite low, but at least they put something in place to compensate and hopefully close the gap a little. I do think it is tougher in the NCAA to hire the correct coach because you have a fan base, alumni, boosters and in all a larger group of people to satisfy with your hire and no one wants to offend the all mighty boosters who donate tons of money to the program.
ReplyDeleteThis is pretty crazy to me. I wouldn't think the race of your spouse would have anything to do with your career let alone being a college football coach. This could be a worthless point to make, but maybe the system they recently coached in could also be a factor as of who got hired. Regardless, to come out and say a factor in the decision process was the fact that he is in an interracial marriage is ridiculous. This makes me wonder if we will ever drop the issue of race.
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