Don't overthink Saints suspensions... it's very simple

Today we finally got the news. We waited for the schedule to be released. We waited for Coach Sean Payton to say his goodbyes. We even waited for the Draft to finish up before the New Orleans Saints found out the fate of their players most heavily involved in the Bounty Gate scheme orchestrated by former defensive coordinator Greg Williams. And today we got answers...

Jonathon Vilma... done for the season without pay.

Anthony Hargrove... 8 games. He doesn't even play for the Saints anymore. Neither does Scott Fujita who is suspended for three games. And current Saint Will Smith is banned 4 games. I just called Will Smith a Saint. That's ironic.

Certain words come to mind immediately. Ouch. Damn. That sucks (ok phrases come to mind). But are you really surprised? I'm not. Are you ticked off? You shouldn't be. Do you think it's too much? It's not. And all of these suspensions including Head Coach Sean Payton, former defensive coordinator Greg Williams, and GM Mickey Loomis have very little to do with bounties.

What did Aaron just say? This has nothing to do with bounties and hurting players?

Yes that's correct. I even underlined it for you!

The players and coaches did not get the hammer laid down because they were trying to hurt guys. Everyone in the NFL is trying to hurt the other player. There is nothing better for a defensive player than a pancake lay the other guy flat out on the field kind of hit. And if that other guy doesn't get up? Even better. You did your job and then some. That was called an A+ in grade school.

Everyone who wants to whine about 'where's the proof?', and 'why did they get more than spygate?' doesn't get it. These suspensions are about obeying the law and respecting the request of an authoritative figure. Think about this for a moment...

You're driving down the interstate. The speed limit is 55 but you're doing 65. And so are the other 900 cars around you. You all blow past a state trooper. How many get pulled over? None. All is well and everyone is moving along evenly. But then that guy comes blasting through doing 70 weaving in and out of cars. On come the siren and lights and a court date is issued. Why did that guy get pulled? Because he took a little lead way that was offered and ran crazy with it. Get it?

That's the New Orleans Saints. Do guys on other teams try to hurt you and hit you as hard as possible? Yes! Were there cash kitties and small wagers going on around the league for guys who accomplished something first in a game or season? Absolutely. The NFL is full of the most ego driven athletes in the world. They are always trying to one up each other. But then the New Orleans Saints went and took this game that the front office was allowing everyone to play at an equal level and blew it up. They did 90 through a field of cars travelling 55 in a 45.

AND THE STATE TROOPER TRIED TO LET THEM OFF WITH A WARNING!

Roger Goodell knew this was going on. He told the Saints to stop. Not only did they not stop but they hid it from him. They did not disclose all the details when asked directly about it. So put yourself in Goodells shoes. You know someone is breaking the rules and you have given them a warning to stop. It's like you tell your kid to stop kicking the back of your seat while driving. It's funny the first few times. Then Dad is screaming at the top of his lungs and little Johnny is going to bed without dinner. Did Johnny deserve to not get fed just for kicking the back of Dad's seat? All kids kick the back of the seat. That doesn't seem right. But Dad told him to stop and it ended on a breaking point. The Saints (little Johnny) and Goodell (Dad) hit their breaking point. And not only will Jonathon Vilma not get dinner. He can't leave his room. For twelve months.

And Jonathon Vilma isn't little Johnny. Neither is Sean Payton, Mickey Loomis or anyone else involved. They are adults. They knew they shouldn't be doing this. They were told not to do this. And yet they still did it. So if Goodell feels like he has to treat everyone like children and throw some weight around, so be it! Maybe these guys will finally grow up now that they have been smacked down by the league.

So don't think these suspensions have anything to do with bounties or hurting players. They have everything to do with observing the status quo, listening to an authoritative figure and doing what your told. And not pissing off Dad.

NHL Playoffs are As Advertised

The NHL Playoffs is the greatest post season tournament in the world that very few in America seem to care about. We are in a sports society where 78,000 fans will show up to watch the University of Alabama football team practice, but on Sat. night when 3 of the 4 NHL playoff games involving major market teams from Chicago, NY,  and Boston all go into OT more people tune in to watch a struggling Mavs team take on a Kobe-less Lakes squad (and Lamar Odom was at home watching Say Yes to the Dress re-runs with Khloe).

And I can tell you exactly why. But before I do that let's just take a quick glance at what most sports fans have been missing so far this season.

1. Could we have two teams in the same season come back from down 0-3? The Pittsburgh Penguins (called the most talented team in the NHL when healthy by Barry Melrose on my show) seemed to have everything going right only to have it go completely wrong in the first 3 games against the Philadelphia Flyers. It hasn't been for a lack of putting the puck in the net (for those that are counting 50 goals have been registered in 5 games so far) but a lack of defense and solid goaltending AFTER the first period has been the issue.
Now they seem to have found their stride only giving up 5 goals in the last two games, and scoring 13. I love how these series in all of post-season sports can shift and change. The Flyers were up 3-0 at home and leading 3-2 in the 1st period of Game 4. This thing was over. Forty-Five mine of game clock time later it was a 10-3 embarrassment and the series was going back to Pittsburgh. The Penguins go home and win a defensive effort (who knew they play defense in PA?!) 3-2. NOW we go to Game 6 and Flyers fans may be getting a bit nervous. The last time they saw these two teams in their building the Penguins scored 8 consecutive goals to end the scoring for the game. A win for Pittsburgh on Sunday and we go BACK to the Penguins home ice for a decisive game 7. Funny how quickly 3-0 can turn into uh oh...
And that brings us to the Vancouver Canucks (can a guy drop a Russian Rocket Reference here!) who nearly became the first team ever to win the Presidents Trophy for most points in a regular season and go down in a 4-0 sweep in the first series. But the tides have changed there as well. Henrik and Daniel Sedin are Swedish twin brother who act as one unit. They even negotiate their contracts together to ensure they will play for the same team. Henrik, the leading scorer of the two, had missed 12 consecutive games with concussion symptoms. What happens when you take a pair of twins who have played hockey their entire life together and separate them in the playoffs? It's kind of like Lebron playing basketball without the use of his left arm. And your teams goes down 0-3 to the lowly 8 seed Kings. But in that decisive Game 4 sweep opportunity in L.A. Henrik came back. The Canucks got the win, and now we go back to Vancouver (which is known as one of the best home ice advantages in all of the NHL... that is when the twins are playing together and Lebron has both arms available). Could we be headed again for that all important final home game for the underdog in Game 6? We'll see...

2. Speaking of home ice advantage in the playoffs, where has it gone? Vancouver and Pittsburgh didn't help this stat by going down 0-3, two of those games being at home, but right now road teams hold a record of 21-13 so far in these playoffs. So maybe the Kings will be better off with 2 of the final 3 possible games being played in Vancouver. What gives? Extra confidence on the road? Shutting up the crowd? The joy of hearing boo-birds rain down on the home team? Whatever it is it is difficult to explain. The one round home ice tends to hold true is the 1st round with the more lopsided match ups. But either way it's going to be a lot of fun.

3. No Sweeps. How many Game 7's? So we've been at this thing for a week and a half. Over 8 series 34 games have been played and only one series is complete with last nights victory for the Nashville Predators (if Cary Underwood hung out near my locker room I'd be motivated to be the first to win the series as well).  All the Western Conference series are lopsided 3-1 affairs right now, but that includes the #1 seed Canucks gaining confidence as they head home for Game 5 and a ridiculously close series between Chicago and Pheonix. I think the St. Louis series against the Sharks will wrap up in the next game, maybe 2, but don't count the #6 Blackhawks out of anything (more on this in the next segment). In the east its a different story. Three series are knotted at 2-2 and have turned into a best of 3. And you already know about the drama unfolding in the 3-2 series that is Flyers vs. Pens. Could we see all 4 series go to Game 7 in the east? I think so.

4. And with tight series come tight games. Ten of the 34 games have gone to sudden death overtime. Remember how I said don't count the Blackhawks out about 2.7 seconds ago? All four games in that series that is at 3-1 have gone to OT. The Hawks are two kick saves, one timely body check and a sneeze of one fan away from having won this thing 4-0! And 23 of the 34 games have been decided by one goal. Bottom line... don't turn any of these off before they're over, unless the Penguins score five unanswered goals in the 2nd period. Then turn it off or flip over to the Hawks vs. Coyotes where you're guaranteed a sudden death OT.

Chanticleers, Panthers, and Pelicans Find New Home Over the Air Waves Beginning Monday, March 5th

Chanticleers, Panthers, and Pelicans Find New Home Over the Air Waves Beginning Monday, March 5th

Myrtle Beach, SC - On March 5, 2012 sports fans will have two options on the Grand Strand for receiving their sports news and increased coverage will allow for more play-by- play to be heard across a wider listening area from Brunswick to Georgetown Counties.

ESPN Radio, most recently known on the dial as 93.9 ‘The Team’ is moving from the 6,000 watt signal on WJXY to a 12,000 watt signal on WSEA 100.3 FM. Listeners will continue to hear ESPN Radio’s signature national shows in Mike & Mike in the Morning (6 a.m. - 10 a.m.) and The Herd with Colin Cowherd (10 a.m. - 1 p.m.). Local product, “The Drive” with Aaron Marks will continue from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, but listeners will notice a stark difference in the early afternoons and evenings.

From 1:00 until 4:00 p.m. Grand Strand sports radio fans have been used to hearing the Dan Patrick Show, a product distributed by Premier Radio Networks and FOX Sports Radio. The show has been aired on tape delay as it airs live from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. EST across the FOX Sports Radio network. The Dan Patrick Show will now fall in its rightful place as the headline show of the brand new, FOX Sports Radio 1050 owned and operated by Cumulus Media, the same radio group with ownership of ESPN 100.3 ‘The Team’.

In addition to The Dan Patrick Show, FOX Sports Radio 1050 will also air Jim Rome from 12:00 until 3:00 p.m. daily, and will pick up local play by play all around the area.

The “Scott Van Pelt Show” will take its place in the live time slot from 1:00 until 4:00 p.m. every afternoon on ESPN Radio 100.3.

Cumulus Media Sports Director, Aaron Marks, will take on the role of programming both ESPN Radio 100.3 and FOX Sports 1050 to bring all of the nation’s top sports talk programs to the Grand Strand and provide more local sports coverage than ever before.

“We are thrilled with the addition of FOX Sports Radio to our cluster of stations. If there has been one complaint about our station I have heard since I started here last July, it is that Dan Patrick is a great show but doesn’t sound good unless it runs live”, says Marks.

Marks goes on to comment, “…the additional station will also allow us to provide the proper coverage to all of our local and regional colleges and professional teams. Every team can have a place to call home for all of their games and we’ll be able to add even more play-by-play than ever before at the high school, college, and pro level.”

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans, an Advanced “A” Affiliate of the Texas Rangers, will now call FOX Sports 1050 their home for every home, road, and post-season game. Games will also be streamed through a new website being developed for FOX Sports 1050.

The Carolina Panthers, a long standing partner of ESPN the Team, have renewed their agreement for an additional two years and all games; preseason, regular and post-season will be heard on the new ESPN Radio 100.3.

Coastal Carolina Football, Basketball, and Baseball will continue to air across the flagship station for the Chanticleer Sports Network. The Chanticleers will continue its relationship with Cumulus with all games airing on ESPN Radio 100.3.

South Carolina Gamecock baseball can also be heard on the stations. The two time defending national champions will air 70% of their games on FOX Sports Radio 1050.

Cumulus will now have the opportunity to increase play-by-play coverage on a local level, as well.

“With the additional station and stronger signal, we hope to take advantage and bring more local sports to the air. We want to increase our high school and college coverage along the Grand Strand and this new set up will allow us to do that,” says Marks.

Currently there is one daily sports talk show in “The Drive” along with two weekly shows on ESPN Radio 100.3. “The Inside Pitch” airs on Saturday mornings from March - November and “Grand Strand Golf Weekly” airs on Sunday mornings year round. Adding more local and regional talk shows is another goal that will likely become a reality very soon.

“It’s in the works,” says Marks, “we will not change anything in our daily national line up between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. on ESPN or FOX… but on evenings and weekends anything can happen now. Stay tuned.”

For comments or questions contact:

Aaron Marks

Sports Director

ESPN Radio 100.3

FOX Sports 1050

Office: 843-357-8647

CCU Football Announces 2012 Football Schedule

Coastal Carolina University Chanticleers

2012 Football Schedule

(as of Feb. 8, 2012)

OPPONENTS and/or DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Date Day Opponent Site Time/Series

Sept. 1 Sat. NORTH CAROLINA A&T Conway, S.C. TBA

Brooks Stadium Coastal Leads 3-0

Sept. 8 Sat. at Furman Greenville, S.C. TBA

Paladin Stadium Coastal Leads 2-1

Sept. 15 Sat. EASTERN KENTUCKY Conway, S.C. TBA

— Family Weekend — Brooks Stadium First Meeting

Sept. 22 Sat. at Toledo Toledo, Ohio TBA

Glass Bowl First Meeting

Sept. 29 Sat. at Appalachian State Boone, N.C. TBA

Kidd Brewer Stadium ASU Leads 2-0

Oct. 6 Sat. — O P E N —

Oct. 13 Sat. STONY BROOK * Conway, S.C. TBA

— Hall of Fame Weekend — Brooks Stadium SBU leads 4-0

Oct. 20 Sat. at VMI * Lexington, Va. TBA

Alunmi Memorial Field Coastal leads 7-2

Oct. 27 Sat. LIBERTY * Conway, S.C. TBA

—Homecoming — Brooks Stadium Liberty leads 5-4

Nov. 3 Sat. at Gardner-Webb * Boiling Springs, N.C. TBA

Spangler Stadium Coastal leads 7-2

Nov. 10 Sat. at Presbyterian * Clinton, S.C. TBA

Bailey Memorial Stadium Coastal leads 4-1

Nov. 17 Sat. CHARLESTON SOUTHERN * Conway, S.C. TBA

—Senior Day — Brooks Stadium Coastal leads 6-3

Nov. 24 Sat. NCAA Division I Football Championship 1st Round Campus Site TBA

Dec. 1 Sat. NCAA Division I Football Championship Round of 16 Campus Site TBA

Dec. 8 Sat. NCAA Division I Football Championship Quarterfinals Campus Site TBA

Dec. 14-15 Fri.-Sat. NCAA Division I Football Championship Semifinals Campus Site TBA

TBA NCAA Division I Football Championship Frisco, Texas TBA

Pizza Hut Park

BOLD — Home Games

* — Big South Conference Game

Nebraska AD and former Head Coach Tom Osborne on The Drive at 5:30 today

Nebraska AD and former Head Coach Dr. Tom Osborne joins Aaron Marks on The Drive at 5:30 today to discuss new CCU Head Coaching hire, Joe Moglia, and the match up between the Gamecocks and Cornhuskers in the Capital One Bowl

Press Release

ESPN Radio 93.9 The Team

Earlier this week Coastal Carolina University made an unexpected move by hiring former CEO of TD Ameritrade, Joe Moglia, to be its 2^nd head coach in the history of the program. The move has sent a variety of emotions through the local community as Moglia has not been a college football coach since 1983.

In 2008, Moglia made the decision to leave his position as CEO of TD Ameritrade and called up University of Nebraska Athletic Director Dr. Tom Osborne about his desire to be a head football coach. Dr. Osborne invited Moglia out to a practice to sit in and see if this was something he was serious about pursuing.

When Moglia made the decision that this was in fact where he wanted the next step in his life to go Dr. Osborne introduced Moglia to head coach Bo Pelini. The two hit it off and an agreement was made for Moglia, just like Osborne did in his first two years at Nebraska, became an unpaid assistant and assumed the role of Executive Advisor to the Head Coach.

In this role he would assist Coach Pelini with teaching players the life skills necessary to be successful in life outside of football. In addition, Moglia would have the opportunity to reconnect with today's football schemes and how to run a successful college football program. According to Osborne over the next 18 months Moglia attended every practice and every meeting held by the University of Nebraska coaching staff.

In 2010 Moglia received Nebraska's prestigious U.S. Grant Sharp Admirals Trophy for Leadership and Service present by the student athletes. In that same year he made the move to his first head coaching position with the Omaha Nighthawks in the United Football League.

Dr. Osborne, Coach Pelini and the rest of the Nebraska staff feel fortunate to have had Moglia as part of their staff for a year and a half and feel he brings the skills necessary to be a successful college football head coach.

Earlier this week Coastal Carolina University made that a reality. Today on The Drive with Aaron Marks on ESPN Radio 93.9 The Team, in Myrtle Beach, SC Nebraska Athletic Director Dr. Tom Osborne will join Aaron for about 12 minutes at 5:30 to talk about this move made by CCU. Osborne will give his thoughts and opinions as an AD and former coach at the Division I level on the qualifications Moglia brings and why he feels he brings a positive outlook and a pedigree of success to the program.

Tune in today on 93.9 The Team (the flagship station for Coastal Carolina University) to hear Dr. Tom Osborne give his thoughts and insight. He will also discuss the match up between the South Carolina Gamecocks and his Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Capital One Bowl next month.

Aaron Marks is the host of The Drive which airs 4-6 p.m. Daily on ESPN Radio 93.9 The Team. He also serves as the Sports Director for the station handling all programming decisions and works closely with Coastal Carolina University, and the University of South Carolina.

CCU Hires New Head Football Coach, Joe Moglia

Coastal Carolina Names Joe Moglia Head Football Coach

 

CONWAY – Joe Moglia, former head coach of the United Football League’s Omaha Nighthawks, has been hired as the head football coach at Coastal Carolina University, President David DeCenzo and Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek announced Tuesday in a press conference held at Adkins Field House.

 

“I am excited to have a man like Joe Moglia lead our football team,” DeCenzo said. “His proven success on and off the football field will be a great asset to Coastal Carolina University, its football program and our community. His passion for the game and its players, his knowledge of the game, and his strong desire to succeed are perfectly aligned with the mission of our athletics program. He has all the ingredients that will take our football program to waters uncharted.”

 

“There are consistent words of praise from those whom I have talked to about Joe such as ‘successful,’ ‘leadership,’ ‘detail-oriented’ and ‘organized,’” Yurachek said. “Most importantly, it was made clear he has the skill set to be a great head coach with a passion for molding student-athletes into men. I am excited for each of our student-athletes who will learn from the life and professional experiences that Joe will share with them as our head football coach.”

 

Moglia, who will begin his 20th year as a coach in the 2012 season, is also Chairman of the Board for TD Ameritrade, a position he has held since 2008.

 

“I cannot imagine anything more rewarding in helping 18-22 year olds become men through football,” Moglia said. “To have that opportunity at Coastal Carolina University is truly an honor. I am grateful to Dr. DeCenzo and Hunter for this opportunity.”

 

Moglia, who coached the “Stars Team” at the 2011 Eastham Energy College All-Star Game, spent this past fall coaching the Nighthawks in the third year of the UFL’s existence. Moglia’s team led the UFL in passing offense, sacks, tackles-for-loss, punt returns and blocked kicks. Also, the Nighthawks produced the 2011 UFL Defensive Player of the Year, Stuart Schweigert. Moglia joined an elite roster of UFL head coaches including Dennis Green, Jim Fassel, Marty Schottenheimer and Jerry Glanville.

 

From 2009-10 Moglia served as Executive Advisor to the Head Football Coach at the University of Nebraska in preparation for achieving his original lifelong pursuit, being a collegiate head football coach. In his two seasons at Nebraska, the Cornhuskers won two Big 12 North championships and played in the Holiday Bowl each season. In 2010, Cornhusker football student-athletes elected Moglia to receive Nebraska’s prestigious U.S. Grant Sharp Admiral’s Trophy for Leadership and Service.

 

Moglia has been inducted into two high school halls of fame and the Omaha Business Hall of Fame while receiving the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, Columbus Citizens Foundation Leadership Award, National Italian American Foundation Special Achievement Award in Business, American Institute for Stuttering Lifetime Achievement Award and National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame’s Man of the Year.

 

Moglia is the only person to publish books on both football and investing, including “The Key to Winning Football: The Perimeter Attack Offense” (1981) and “Coach Yourself to Financial Success: Winning the Investment Game” (2005), while contributing to numerous national football coaching journals. He has also been a keynote speaker at the 2011 American Football Coaches Association (“It’s About Being a Leader”) and 2010 National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (“Leadership in a 24/7 Stress Filled Environment”).

 

Moglia served as TD Ameritrade’s Chief Executive Officer for seven years (2001-08). Under his leadership, the company had a 500 percent return on investment, and the firm’s market cap increased from $700 million to $10 billion. Prior to joining TD Ameritrade, Moglia spent 17 years working with Merrill Lynch (1984-2001).

 

Before entering the business world, Moglia was a football coach for 16 years. He won two Ivy League championships as defensive coordinator at Dartmouth (1982-83), set defensive and special teams records at Lafayette (1978-80) and turned around two high school programs.

 

He has served on the board of several not-for-profit and educational organizations, including STRATCOM Consultation Committee, Creighton University, Fordham Preparatory School, National Italian American Foundation, Omaha Chamber of Commerce and Boy Scouts of America.

 

Moglia graduated from Fordham University with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1971, earning Dean’s List recognition and acceptance into Omicron Delta Epsilon (National Economic Honor Society). He went on to receive his Master of Science degree in education from the University of Delaware in 1974 and holds honorary doctorate degrees from Fordham University (Humane Letters) and Bellevue University (Commerce).

 

Moglia is married to the former Amy Harvey. He has six children: Kelly, Kim, Kara, Kevin, Johnny and Jeff.

 

 

What they are saying:

 

“Joe came to me a couple of years ago and spoke to me of his passion for coaching. He obviously was very successful, but expressed to me that the most meaningful time of his life was when he was a college coach. Joe wanted to be a part of our program and really used that time to get up to speed on the collegiate game. Joe is a great leader, a great communicator and has great work ethic. He also is very organized and detail oriented. He spoke several times to our student-athletes and was a great influence on them while being an excellent motivator as well. Most importantly, Joe Moglia knows football and will put together a great staff.”

- Tom Osborne, University of Nebraska Director of Athletics

 

“Joe Moglia can coach. He is 100 percent dedicated to the game, his players and coaches. He really wants to succeed and his biggest asset is his leadership ability. Joe can coach football at any level, any place.”

- Tom Olivadotti, 21-year NFL coach

 

“Joe was a fantastic head coach of the Nighthawks. I have no doubt he will be incredibly successful leading the Coastal Carolina program to new heights. We are excited for him and the University.

-Rick Mueller, Omaha Nighthawks General Manager

Head Coach David Bennett "Reassigned" by University President and Athletic Director today

Coastal Carolina’s David Bennett Relieved of Head Football Coaching Duties

CONWAY – Coastal Carolina University President David DeCenzo and Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek announced today that David Bennett has been relieved of his head coaching duties, effective immediately, and he will be reassigned to another position within the University.

“This was, to date, the hardest decision I have had to make as President of this institution,” DeCenzo said. “However, following an exhaustive review and assessment of our football program, I have concluded that new leadership is necessary to direct our program toward its goals. We will be forever grateful to David for shepherding our program from its beginning and developing our student-athletes into responsible members of our community”   

Bennett is the only head coach Coastal’s football program has known, coming to Conway in 2002 and laying the foundation for the 2003 season, the Chanticleers’ first year of competition. Bennett compiled a nine-year record of 63-39. However, the Chanticleers were just 29-28 over his last five seasons, including a 15-12 mark in Big South Conference games.

“I was asked to complete a thorough evaluation of our football program that included a review of all on and off the field areas associated with the program,” Yurachek said. “Upon finalizing this evaluation, it was decided that a change of leadership was necessary for our football program to continue to grow and achieve the level of success that is reflective of the investment the University has made in the program.

“A search for our new head coach will begin immediately with an aggressive timetable. I anticipate a significant level of interest from candidates across the country,” Yurachek said.

Bennett owns a 16-year career head coaching record of 126-56, including a 63-17 mark in seven years at Catawba College prior to starting the Coastal Carolina program.

Bennett led CCU to four Big South championships (2004, 2005, 2006 and 2010) and was named the league’s Coach of the Year twice (2004 and 2010). He led Coastal to the Big South’s first and only NCAA at-large playoff berth in 2006, while earning the league’s first NCAA automatic playoff berth in 2010.

President David DeCenzo’s Comments at Press Conference
December 9, 2011
Members of the press, thank you for being here this evening. With me are Hunter Yurachek, Athletic
Director of CCU, and Wyatt Henderson, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Let me get straight to the
point. After many conversations and much deliberation, I have decided that it is time to make a change in
the leadership of our football program. Earlier today, I informed David Bennett that he is no longer the
Head Coach of Chanticleer Football, effective immediately. I am reassigning David to a position in the
university to be determined.
It is a fact that this University could not have hired a better coach or a better person – and I emphasize
“person” – to begin our football program than David Bennett. We may not have won a national
championship on the football field but there is not a head coach of any sport at any university in the
nation that does a better job of shepherding and developing his players into responsible members of the
community than David Bennett.
While his accolades are well earned, as president I am held accountable by a variety of constituencies to
answer these questions: Is our football program headed in the right direction? Is it helping the university
in its long term strategic direction? Is the University getting a good return on the significant investment
we have made in the facilities and the operations of the football program? I have spoken at length with a
sizeable number of students, faculty, staff, trustees, supporters, donors, alumni, former football players,
and members of the community. Additionally the Director of Athletics has provided a thorough
evaluation of our football program. It was made quite clear to me that the energy and vitality appear to be
gone from our football program and that a change is needed.
It is true that we had a winning record this season but the record shows that the competitive stature of our
program has diminished significantly against peer FCS opponents. Our expenditures in football, quite
frankly are not resulting in a return on our investment. Of the 125 FCS schools, our spending on football
operations is easily in the top 20. With that investment, we expect to annually place in the top 20
programs, with sights set on competing consistently for the FCS playoffs and national championships.
That is simply not happening.
In addition, when you look at our record over the past five years, we have beaten only 3 teams that had
winning records. Our attendance at games has fallen sharply; we sell about 50 percent of our available
tickets. It is imperative that we find a way to create excitement around our program, attract more fans to
Brooks Stadium, and increase our revenues to offset our expenditures.
This was, to date, the hardest decision I have had to make as President of this institution. Upon reviewing
all the information I had gathered about the current state of our football program, I could do something or
I could do nothing. I have chosen to do something. The status quo is unacceptable. I want to be
accountable to the University community and to our supporters. I also want to be fiscally responsible for
the funds we invest in that program.
I have, therefore, decided to make this change in the leadership of Chanticleer football. Ultimately this is
about what is in the best interest of Coastal Carolina University.
Our Director of Athletics will shortly commence a search for our Head Coach and Director of Football
Operations.
Thank you.