O'Leary a match for Big East job?

Had this posted and then managed to overwrite it .. First, a few caveats: Greg Robinson still has a job at Syracuse, and arguably needs just one more big win like his Orange had against Louisville to keep it beyond this season. And what I'm passing along is just old-fashioned name-dropping, but given the timing leading up to Saturday's USF-UCF game, it's an interesting conversation piece.

The Sporting News' Tom Dienhart, writing about potential candidates for potential college openings, mentioned UCF coach George O'Leary as a good match for Syracuse, should the Orange make a change. Dienhart also mentions USF defensive line coach Dan McCarney, the longtime Iowa State coach, as a potential match at Northern Illinois.

Thoughts? I've got plenty of UCF fans posting here this week, so I want to hear from you as well. USF fans are used to their coach having his name dropped in relation to openings, even before they're openings. Are UCF fans worried about losing one of the strengths of their program?

Comments

[Dave]

I thought our goal was to keep the scum out of our conference? That's why we kicked Coker's Convicts and Beamer's Badboys out (I'm thinking mainly of the Vicks and every other CB they've had).

Actually, I think O'Leary has paid a price for his lie, but a proud school like the 'Cuse shouldn't reduce itself to hiring a criminal (as resume fraud is). I know he is repentent and probably a very nice guy, but his act was pretty grave, when you consider he's supposed to be the role model for 115 young men. O'Leary got his second chance and should be pretty darn grateful to UCF for sticking its neck out there. For him to leave before bringing UCF to the BCS-conference promised land is unacceptable, to me.

And I heard that Kyle Israel wrote "Competent QB" on his resume. Looks like O'Leary is rubbing off.

[USF Growler]

Why would Syracuse replace their bad coach with an even worse coach? What has O'Leary done to merit a promotion to a BCS job? Afterall, if you remove all the hype about UCF's facilitiesm there has been a lot more losing than winning at UCF. He is a terrible X's & O's coach and does a poor job in motivating his players to perform on gameday.

[Woot]

Dave,
Except for the Big East kicking Miami and V.T. out, your completely right.

[UCF Fan]

They can have him as we lost last week.

No wait, we won the week before -- we still want him!!!

But he lost to Texas....take him please!!!!

But he did win a few between Texas and ECU. Nooooo!!!! Please don't take him.

Where are my bipolar meds? Dang, I thought I left them in the medicine cabinet, but I did have a few other UCF fans over for the game the other day....hmmmm

[Miles Lamoureux]

Losing Coach Mac would be a big blow to our staff. He brings alot to our defense and I think the players really respond to his coaching.

[Michael Harding]

I think it would be great for O'Liar, as long as he doesn't have to have a truthful resume.

I KEED, I KEED!

Seriously though, I would love to play a team coached by GOL year in and year out, and not have to worry about how playing a basement C-USA team can bring out strength of schedule down.

[Ari]

How does Greg Robinson keep his job?

Cuse is awful... they have been awful the whole time he has been there.

A big win over Louisville? Who hasn't beaten them this year.

He is fired.

NO chance of keeping McCartney around for next year either. The guy had a 1000% pay cut. What is he making salary wise at USF. maybe 100K?

We need a bowl win so we can start paying our assistants some decent flow.

[Michael Harding]

I agree on the salary comment. All of our coaches (including CJL) are underpaid and if they go anywhere in the next 2-3 years, we'll have only the USF administration to blame.

GO BULLS!

[Dave]

I was just kidding about the kick-out. Revisionist history can be fun!

Anyways, should Leavitt leave for LSU or UT after this year (a longshot, but let's never say never), McCarney is a perfect replacement for him. He's proven himself a capable recruiter and has the same knack for maximizing talent that Leavitt does. Plus, they use similar systems and the players would be in place to remain successful. So for that reason, we should try to keep McCarney until the carousel stops spinning.

Plus he's the best D-Line coach on earth.

Ari is absolutely right about the salary problem. Each guy ought to get a 20% raise (except the special teams aspect of Leavitt- he gets 15%). I don't think Burnham is going anywhere and Greg Gregory won't be in high demand, but some positional guys, like Douglas, could be sought after. Continuity is key in college coaching.

[Ari]

20% raise.?

Jimbo Fisher is making 2.5 mil at FSU..

They need about a 500% pay raise.

Burnham should be making atleast 500K. Gregory should be making at least 400K..

SHouldn't have an assitant on the team making less than 300K..

USF has the lowest paid assistants in the country.

Got to pay them all more, starting with CJL. I doubt we can keep McCarney for long, but we ought to try, and not as an eventual replacement for CJL.

[Sean]

It must be nice to be able to let illiterate convicts enroll on your football team. All the coaches out there are pissed because they have academic standards and you will take anyone with a GED.

[Dave]

The illiterate lawsuit happened at UGA. The convicts play at UM and FSU.

Our academic standards are higher than FSU and most SEC schools. A GED is not a qualification for enrollment.

Posting a completely random dig at our school? Sounds like you must be a Gaytor. Thanks for stopping by and not letting the door hit you on the way out.

[Brian]

Here is to hoping that Coach McCarney likes being near his house in Sarasota enough to stick around another couple seasons...

[Woot]

tee hee...

[woot]

Crap! Still tee hee...
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-whitley1107oct11,0,4749637.column

[TANK]

Greg, as a UCF fan and alum, to answer your question, I like O'Leary, but he and his staff are horrible at making half time adjustments. His offense is also sometimes predictable and he is hesitant to make changes with asst coaches when it is clear they are not doing the job. (although he finally did it this off season and there is a notable difference)
As for the potential 'Cuse job, I last heard that O'Leary's contract had a $5MM buyout for both sides, so I think that would scare 'Cuse off. Here's to O'Leary learning how to make some half time adjustments and an upset win against the Bulls. GO KNIGHTS!