Coaching 101: A Great Program Produces Great Coaches
Dec. 23, 2003
By Tracy Gale
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – Since the Hurricanes’ success of the early 1980s the University of Miami has produced five national championships, four starting NFL QBs and two Heisman trophy winners. The reputation of ‘Quarterback U’ is well known and well earned. But a longer legacy, one that is less talked about, is UM’s role in developing prominent coaching talent.
There are currently over 20 University of Miami graduates and graduate assistants who coach in the pros or major college programs. Many legends of the coaching ranks also mastered their football X’s and O’s at UM. Among the notables:
Harold Allen Coming down on the freshman train in 1949, Harold ‘Hal’ Allen couldn’t have known he would spend the next 35 years with UM football. But that’s exactly what happened. Coach Allen is a legend for his work with UM’s defensive line. More than a dozen first and second-team All-Americans and 15 NFL draft picks developed under his tutelage. The Hurricanes’ recent success brings to mind Heisman trophy winners and great running backs, but the NFL has known for a lot longer where to look when they needed quality defensive linemen who were ready for the riggers of pro football. They turned to Coach Allen’s boys at UM. Allen retired from coaching after the 1983 season.
Mike Archer Archer, a 1976 Miami graduate, was a star at defensive back, punter and in the classroom for the Hurricanes. He spent seven years on the UM football staff, first as a graduate assistant, then as the defensive secondary coach under Howard Schnellenberger. Archer left UM in 1984 to become the defensive coordinator at LSU, and was named head coach in 1987. At the time Archer was 31 years old and the youngest head coach in Division I-A football. After collegiate stops in Virginia and Kentucky, Archer spent seven years as the Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers coach. He resigned from the Steelers earlier this year to return to the college game. Archer is now the defensive coordinator at the University of Kentucky.
Rob Chudzinski, Clint Hurtt, Art Kehoe, Greg Mark, Randy Shannon The ‘Canes current coaching ranks include five UM graduates. They all earned bachelors degrees, and in Chudzinski’s case his academic resume includes an M.B.A. All enjoy national coaching reputations and a slew of championship rings. Kehoe leads the distinguished list with five rings, while Chudzinski, Mark and Shannon each have three rings (so far!) to show for their playing and coaching days.
Fran Curci Truly Miami’s first great QB and the start of the ‘Quarterback U’ tradition, Fran Curci was UM’s first quarterback to earn All-American honors. The handsome Pittsburgh native had a rifle arm and speed to go with that arm: he led the team in punt returns as well. Curci played for the Dallas Texans before starting his coaching career. He was the Hurricanes head coach in the early 1970s before moving on to the University of Kentucky. While at UK he won the SEC title, the only time the Wildcats have accomplished this feat.
Jim Dooley Jim Dooley was the first great star of the Miami Hurricanes, earning three UM letters for the powerhouse teams of the early 1950s. A two-way starter at halfback and defensive back, in 1951 Dooley was at or near the top in several national statistical categories including rushing yards, TDs and interception returns. His distinctions as a UM football player include being the first Hurricane to have his jersey number retired, and being the first, NFL first-round draft pick. After playing for the Chicago Bears, Dooley returned as their head coach, following the legendary ‘Papa Bear’, George Halas. He coached the Bears for four seasons. While his record wasn’t outstanding, many people remember Dooley as head coach during the time of Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo’s days together: Sayers and Piccolo were the athletes whose story, “Brian’s Song”, is one of the all-time best loved television movies.
Don James Don James starred for the ‘Canes in the early 1950s, earning three letters and playing a decisive role in big Orange and Gator Bowl victories. Graduating in 1953, James began a long and successful collegiate coaching career, capped off with an 18-year reign as the head coach of the University of Washington Huskies. Ironically, James’ lone national title as head coach came in 1991-when he shared the title with his alma mater in a split vote between the AP and Coaches poll.
Darren Krein A star on UM’s defensive line in the early 1990s, Krein earned four letters as a member of the ‘Canes. Recruited to Miami as a linebacker, he moved to defensive end and finished his career with 17.5 sacks and 190 tackles. Krein graduated with a degree in business management. After being drafted in the fifth round by San Diego in 1994, Krein spent two seasons in the NFL and one season with the Barcelona Dragons of the World League. Krein chose to remain in the football ranks when, in 1997, he signed on as an assistant strength coach with the Seattle Seahawks. After a short break from football, Krein is once again an assistant with the Seahwaks.
Winston Moss One of the stars of the feared mid-1980s Hurricanes defenses, speedy and hard-hitting linebacker Winston Moss is now teaching his skills in the NFL. A four-year letter winner, Moss graduated in 1987 and was drafted in the second round that year by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Moss retired from pro football after a 10-year NFL career that included time in Raiders and Seahawks uniforms. Moss’s first coaching job was as an assistant coach with the Seahawks. He is now the linebackers coach for the New Orleans Saints.
Ed Orgeron One of Jimmy Johnson’s graduate assistants in 1988, Orgeron impressed J.J. enough to be named defensive line coach in 1989. He went on to coach Cortez Kennedy, Russell Maryland and Warren Sapp to first-round draft pick status. Orgeron is now the Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Line Coach for the #3 ranked and Rose Bowl bound USC Trojans.
Mark Richt Best known in his UM days as Jim Kelly’s backup, Mark Richt had his chance to shine as the starting QB when Kelly went down with a separated shoulder. In 1983 he became a graduate assistant at Florida State University. Richt became the offensive coordinator at ECU in 1989, before Bobby Bowden brought him back to FSU a year later, where he remained for the next seven years. After many successful seasons as the offensive coordinator for the powerhouse ‘Nole teams, Richt was offered the head coaching position at the University of Georgia. Under his leadership the Bulldogs finished third in both national polls last year and made it to the SEC championship game this season.
Mike Sullivan A great example of a scholar-athlete, Mike Sullivan earned both bachelor and Master’s degrees from UM to go along with two national championship rings. Sullivan was a four-year letterman and honor roll student during the late-1980s and early 1990s. Drafted in the sixth round by Dallas in 1991, Sullivan spent six years on NFL rosters, playing for the Cowboys, Bucs and his hometown Bears. After spending the 2000 season as a graduate assistant for the Hurricanes, Sullivan joined Butch Davis’s staff with the Cleveland Browns as an offensive assistant coach.
Marc Trestman Not many law students find time to put in full days and nights watching film and doing the grunt work associated with being a graduate assistant football coach. Marc Trestman might be the only one with that distinction. Trestman was a quarterback at the University of Minnesota, then spent two seasons as a backup QB with the Minnesota Vikings. In 1982 he enrolled in the University of Miami School of Law, and worked with the quarterbacks as a GA on Schnellenberger’s staff. The following year he was named the quarterbacks coach, helping Bernie Kosar to make the right adjustments and win 11 straight games as the ‘Canes won their first title. After earning his law degree and spending two seasons as a full-time coach Trestman was hired by the Vikings; this time as their offensive backs coach. He has been an NFL coach ever since, with stays in Cleveland, San Francisco, Arizona and back with Minnesota. Trestman is currently the offensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders.
Tommy Tuberville Another of J.J.’s graduate assistants in the mid-1980s, Tuberville has been the head coach at Auburn since 1999. Joining the Hurricane family in 1986, Tuberville progressed from graduate assistant to position coach, then to defensive coordinator. He left UM in 1994 to become the defensive coordinator at Texas A&M. Prior to being named the head coach of the Auburn Tigers, Tuberville spent four seasons as the head coach at Ole Miss. He is credited with returning that program from NCAA sanctions and into bowl contention after many years of being SEC cellar dwellers.
