The firings began after the final Saturday of the season for most teams, with Arizona State dropping Dennis Erickson, Kansas Firing Turner Gill, Illinois ousting Ron Zook, Memphis dumping Larry Porter, and UAB canning Neil Callaway. Â UCLA announced this morning that Rick Newheisel will not return next year, as well.
Ohio State snapped up Urban Meyer in the third hire of the coaching-go-round, with more action likely to come in the next few weeks; Penn State, Mississipi and Tulane are already in the hunt for new top men, and the Penn State vacancy will probably be the one that causes the most ripples in the coaching pool...
Before their regular seasons were even over, two schools had fired/hired; Arizona went with Rich Rodriquez and New Mexico has already filled its vacancy with Bob Davie. Â At least we won't have to listen to Davie's condescending attitude in the booth for a few years. Also gone: Rob Ianello was let go at Akron after only two seasons. Oh, by the way, Akron, firiing your coach over the phone, while he's on the way to his mother's funeral, is not the way to score points with prospective candidates of a high caliber...