Forget "First Pick In The Draft," We'll Be Lucky To Get Mr. Irrelevant

by Sean Keeley on Dec 11, 2008 11:29 AM EST

"Let’s calm down and [if needed] we’ll get the first pick of the draft [of coaching candidates] next year"

That was DOCTOR Gross back in September in his unsolicited call to ESPN to set the record straight about he was in control of the SU football program and it's future. Well, if Randy Edsall was the first pick in the draft AND if you believe reports out of North Carolina today that "second-round pick" Skip Holtz is turning down the Syracuse job AND if you believe that Auburn has the inside track on Turner Gill...well, we're gonna be left with some project guy out of Division 2 pretty soon...

Pirates Illustrated, which in no way has any invested interest in East Carolina University (coughcough) is the source reporting the Holtz has already turned down the job.

Pirates Illustrated, a subsidiary of Rivals.com devoted to East Carolina, is reporting that Skip Holtz, currently the head coach at ECU, has turned down the Syracuse job. The entire story is available only to paid subscribers, but here is the link. WNCN, an NBC affiliate in North Carolina, is reporting the same information.

This comes just a few days after the NFL Network reported Holtz would officially sign with the Orange as soon as Monday. Syracuse Director of Athletics Daryl Gross reportedly met with Holtz in Monday and/or Tuesday at the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony and dinner in New York.

Donnie Webb doesn't have a confirmation but he did mention that ECU plans to release a statement later today about Holtz' future. That ECU is the one decimminating the news and not Syracuse should tell you everything you need to know.

I don't know what to say other than....shit just got real.

On to the Sexy-O-Meter...

1. Turner Gill (HC - Buffalo) - By the fact that Holtz might be out, Gill returns to the sexiest spot. His attorney says he hasn't been offered any jobs but the Buffalo AD is on record saying Syracuse and Auburn seem to be in competition for him. (2)

2. Skip Holtz (HC - East Carolina) -Until it's official, he's still a better choice than anyone below. (1)

3. Al Golden (HC, Temple) - Feels like he's the "break glass in case of emergency candidate." (3)

4. Doug Marrone (OC, New Orleans Saints) (4)

5. Tim Murphy (HC, Harvard) - If Tom Dienhart says it, it must be true. (5)

6. Kevin Rogers (QB Coach, Minnesota Vikings) (6)

7. Steve Addazio (Asst., Florida) (7)

8. Paul Alexander (Asst. HC, Cincinnati Bengals) (8)

9. Randy Edsall (HC, UConn) (9)

10. Tommy Tuberville (Unemployed) (10)

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Comments

All the more reason

that Gross needs to go. This is pathetic.

by GrossSuperman on Dec 11, 2008 11:50 AM EST reply actions

So the longer this drags on

the more I like Marrone for the job. He seems to be the one candidate that really wants the job. And quite frankly, the more I read about him, the more I find to like. The NFL thing still scares me, but at least no one can argue the Saints offense isn’t good. If the incoming coach is reticent about the situation or to take the job, won’t the recruits sense that? As well as the team itself? I dunno. I’ve liked Gill the whole time and still do. It just seems we have heard so little from him or his staff about our job. Maybe he would love to come here, I just haven’t seen proof of that.

by NOLACuse on Dec 11, 2008 11:58 AM EST reply actions

I agree

Marrone may end up being the guy. I really don’t think it is Golden, and I think if Gill wanted to take this job he already would have. Now I think he is just trying to drive up Auburn’s effort and interest level. As long as it’s not Kevin Rogers though. Just my opnion

by smann on Dec 11, 2008 2:20 PM EST up reply actions

I thought

Gross had been working on setting up the next head coach since the beginning of the season. What the hell has he been doing?

by ryanwk628 on Dec 11, 2008 11:58 AM EST reply actions

Holding Press Conferences

by Cody K on Dec 11, 2008 12:31 PM EST up reply actions

Whatever he did when he found Quentin Hillsman

he should do now for the football team. Cause that’s workin out pretty well I would say.

by NOLACuse on Dec 11, 2008 12:52 PM EST reply actions

you want him to make another deal with Satan?

by ryanwk628 on Dec 11, 2008 1:09 PM EST up reply actions

as in satan, you clearly mean Cantor

has a university president or chancellor ever been fired over athletics? if not can we be the first to do it? It’s no secret that ever since the DOCTOR partnership of Gross/Cantor took over, out revenue sports have been floundering (including bball and lax for a time), but our non revenue sports have been doing fairly well (besides the swimming debacle). something needs to be done because this bottom-up approach isn’t going to work for long, as football needs to bring in the money to help support the entire athletics program. the ‘student activity fee’ or any other ‘fee’ that bursar likes to tack on won’t cut it.

Buzz Shaw and Crouthamel, that was a team that worked.

by chicagocuse on Dec 11, 2008 1:21 PM EST up reply actions

Settle the fuck down.

people, people, relax, we didn’t want Skip Holtz anyway. Seriously. this is a good thing. Now here is what Dr. Daryll needs to do. First, they need to offer Gill a contract right now. Second, they need to get Jim Brown on the phone, and they need to give Jim Brown Gill’s number. Jim Brown still cares deeply about Syracuse football, and Jim Brown is no fucking joke. The name Jim Brown still means something to people. Have you ever been in a room with Jim Brown? I have never been in a room with Yoda, Abraham Lincoln and Ernest Hemmingway at the same time, but that is what it is like to be in a room with Jim Brown. He commands instant respect. Jim Brown will get Turner Gill to Syracuse.

by The Dome Ranger on Dec 11, 2008 1:14 PM EST reply actions