`Canes All-Access: Recap of Sunday's Press Conference
Nov. 28, 2010
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt held a press conference this afternoon in the Edgerrin James Team Meeting Room to discuss the dismissal of head football coach Randy Shannon and the beginnings of a national search for a new head coach.
HurricaneSports.com has a full transcript of Hocutt’s session below, as well as a video of the press conference and a recap of a fan chat discussing the head coaching vacancy at UM.
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COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT OF SUNDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE
Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt
Miami Football Press Conference
Edgerrin James Team Meeting Room
Sunday, Nov. 28, 2010
Opening Comments
Good afternoon. The University of Miami has the one of the nation’s most successful winning traditions in all of college football, illustrated by our five national championships since 1983. This tradition has been built and established by those who came before us and they have established the expectations that we continue to embrace today. At the U, we expect to compete for championships and nothing less.
We have a group of talented young men in this program and our future is promising. To once again sit at the top of the college football world, Miami must be relevant in college football.
Make no mistake – we expect to be successful in everything that we do. We are proud of our success in the classroom, highlighted by our recent Top 10 ranking in the Graduation Success Rate scores. We are very proud of this group of young men and how they represent on campus and in the community and we expect to compete for championships. We will not compromise on winning. Because of these expectations, a decision was made last night to change the leadership of the football program. I made the decision last night after consulting with President [Donna] Shalala and the chair of the athletic advisory committee for the Board of Trustees. They supported my decision.
I do wish to thank Randy Shannon for his many contributions to this great program. Family is a word that is important around here and family is a word that means a lot. Randy Shannon is and always will be a part of this family and will always be a Miami Hurricane. However, we must move forward with new leadership at this time.
A national search will begin immediately. I have retained the services of Chuck Neinas and we will focus on bringing in an individual who can lead this program back to national relevance. As we enter the search process, I ask for your understanding in the process. I will not be in a position to comment on the search until its completion. And please understand one thing about our process and this search – we have a commitment to this program and we will be relevant and we will do what it takes to get there.
As we prepare for the month of December and the bowl game, I have asked [offensive line coach] Jeff Stoutland to accept the interim heading coaching title for this program and continue to see its day-to-day operations. Coach Stoutland has agreed to accept that role and I am also very appreciative of this group of assistant coaches, who this morning each and every one of them made a commitment to this program and its day-to-day operations as we lead and prepare for the month of December and our upcoming bowl invitation. Better days are ahead. Great days are ahead for this program.
I am happy to answer any questions you may have.
On loss to USF contributing to the decision…
Yesterday’s outcome did not determine this decision. It was not made on 60 minutes. It was made with the total body of work in mind. I don’t care to speculate, but it was not made on one football game.
On the timing of the decision…
The ultimate decision was made last night. We looked at the entire body of work. We looked at the last four years of our program, we looked at this season, and we looked at the future to determine the decision we made last night.
On why he made the decision…
It was a decision that I made last night looking a number of scenarios and facets around the team and the program that I made alone last night.
On Randy Shannon’s reaction…
Randy is a good man. Disappointed. Disappointed. And that is all I care to share about our conversation.
On the state of recruiting…
I don’t think any of us honestly know. I think that best thing we can do for recruiting is to move through this process as expeditiously as can. However, we cannot set a timeline. We are going to take as much time as we need. We have seven commitments right now. We anticipate that we will have 14-15 scholarships to offer and it’s our hope that all seven commitments stay with us. They will know that the invitation for them to be a part of this program will be there and we hope that they will wear the U on their chest.
On reasons for making a change…
It wasn’t one thing. It wasn’t one thing. We’ve got to get better as a football team. We have to win games. As the season went along, we were not doing that. Simply stated, winning is important at the University of Miami. It always has been and always will be. We have to find a way to get on the winning side of that scoreboard more.
On whether money will be an issue regarding the coaching search…
It will not. We will do whatever it takes to get back to the top of the college football world. And we are going to find the best individual in this country to come in and lead this talented group of young men and lead this program back to where it belongs.
On whether Coach Shannon’s contract extension in May was a mistake…
No, it was not a mistake. We are always going to make decisions at a given point in time that are in the best interest of the program at that time. And when we signed Randy to a three-year contract extension, that was the best decision for the program at that time as this is the best decision for the program at this time.
On why he was given a contract extension in May…
It was based on what was needed for this program to continue to move forward. We were at a critical recruiting time. We were coming off a nine-win season. We were very excited about the future of this program at that time. Randy Shannon had deserved the expression of confidence with that extension.
On the team’s current recruiting process…
That is something that we are working through at the current time. Our current coaches will not be on the road recruiting. We have a weekend for recruiting setup from December 10-12 and we are currently deciding what is in the best interest of our program at that time… but our coaches will not be going on the road recruiting.
On what is important regarding the coaching search…
We need a leader. We need somebody that can come in and offer all the leadership elements for this program to be successful. We need someone that can come in and lead us back to relevance in college football and lead us back to the top.
On whether a timetable has been set for hiring a new coach…
No, I will not set a timetable. We will take as much time as we need to find the right individual.
On whether the new head coach should have prior head coaching experience…
It’s something that we will consider. Ultimately, it’s something that is important but not essential.
On this being a tough decision…
I have dealt with a number of issues in my career. I have had to discontinue four varsity sports programs at my previous school. We faced the death of a student-athlete at my previous school. I would say outside of the death of a young person, this has been one of the most challenging professional times. I say that because I care about Randy Shannon. He means a lot to this program and he means a lot to me. It was very, very challenging last night to visit with him.
On President Shalala’s reaction…
There is no greater President in all of higher education than Donna Shalala. As an athletics director, as a head coach, you couldn’t ask for somebody that is more committed and passionate about intercollegiate athletics. She believes in intercollegiate athletics’ role within higher education. She believes in the lessons that it teaches to young people and she wants intercollegiate athletics to be front and center at this great university and great college. Randy Shannon means a lot to her as he does to all of us. But at the end of the day, we have a commitment to this program and doing what is in the best interest of this program today. And make no mistake; nobody expects to win more than Donna Shalala. She is a winner and she is a competitor. That has not changed.
On whether fan reaction played into the decision…
It was not a factor. We are very fortunate to have the support that we have from all of our constituents at the University of Miami. But this is about the program and doing what is best for the program. As the leader of this athletics program, I had to block out the noise, per se, happening around this building and ultimately make the best decision that will position us for success in the future. Ultimately, it was a challenging, difficult decision but I believe it is the right decision.
On balancing winning and off the field behavior…
We expect to be the best in everything that we do. We are one of the best programs in the country in the classroom, we are the best program in the country in the community and off the playing field and we expect to be the best program in the country competitively.
On what his conversation was like with the players Sunday morning…
Difficult. We’ve got a group of outstanding young men and it was very difficult. I couldn’t be prouder to be associated with this group of 100 young men and what they represent and what’s in their heart. It was very difficult, but we are very proud of these young men and everything they stand for and what they represent.
On whether any other coaches were dismissed…
No. None of the other coaches were fired. My expectations of our assistant coaches were that they will stay on in a day-to-day capacity and continue with operations of this program and coach this team in a bowl game. I shared that with them this morning and they all accepted that role. They wanted to be here for each other as a group of assistant coaches and they wanted to be here for this team. I believe we are fortunate that they will remain on board and lead us during this challenging time.
On the search process…
I gave Chuck [Neinas] a list of potential candidates late last night. He will help us throughout that process, managing the list that I provided.
On whether he sees a potential issue with Mark Whipple coaching under Jeff Stoutland…
Not at all. Coach Whipple expressed his support for Coach Stoutland this morning. There will be no issue as we go in the month of December with that.
On whether the players have underperformed…
I think the players gave everything that they could. There was not a lack of effort. The talent – we are close. We are very close. It’s just all got to come together. Change is difficult and change is hard, but change sometimes is necessary. And this time, this change was necessary. This group of young men… they have given everything they had and will continue to do so.
On what went wrong from last year to this year…
I don’t think there is one specific thing that you can point your finger to. Ultimately, we have to be better on the football field.
On whether there is certain number of games that the new coach will have to win next year…
We want to be relevant in the sport of college football and we expect to compete for championships. We have to make progress towards that. I can’t set a timeline and say this is what we expect after two years or three years. I’ll just say that the University of Miami must be relevant in the sport of college football.
On timing of dismissal with so few head coaching vacancies currently in football…
My thought was to do what’s right at the University of Miami. This is a great job and this is a great program that has been set by so many men. I see Lamar [Thomas] here this morning and I appreciate him being here. And those that have come before us have set the bar high. Those around the country know that this is a great program and that you can win at the University of Miami. The time frame is what is best for this program.
On whether the decision was all about winning…
No. The other stuff is not secondary and we expect to win in everything that we do. We expect to win in the classroom, we expect to win in the community and we expect to win on the field. They are all equally important and all will continue to be emphasized for us as we move forward with this football program.
On whether Randy Shannon will have any connection to the University…
Not at this time. You never know in the future what the future may hold, but at this time he will not.
On whether the next coach will have a prior relationship with the University of Miami…
You know, that’s not a prerequisite. If the right candidate emerges and they have been associated with this program, great. If not, great. We will find the best person to come in and lead this program.
On when the list of candidates was put together…
It was a list that I put together over the last couple of days. I would not be doing my job if I did not watch the landscape of college football, watch those coaches who have had and are having success. At the same time, it was a list that I provided to Chuck [Neinas] late last night and one I compiled over the past couple of days.
On donor reaction over the last 12 hours…
We all share the same common purpose and that is at the University of Miami we want to compete and win championships. From the donor constituents that you mentioned [and] to the former players that I have talked to. To everybody… we want to win and be successful on the field.
On whether there is a common thread or mold in the list of candidates…
Just finding the right fit. There is not a particular set of criteria that is essential or that we have outlined. It’s the right fit and the right person at this time.
On whether all of the candidates are head coaches…
I don’t want to say at this point in time.
On whether the crowd at the USF game on Saturday was a factor in the decision…
Sixty minutes of football – one event – did not influence this decision. It did not make this decision. Was I pleased with the crowd at the game yesterday? No. These young men deserve better than that and we are going to move forward. There are brighter days ahead and the U will be back where it belongs at the pinnacle of the college football world.
On whether Stoutland will be available today…
We are working with Coach Stoutland. I would expect tomorrow or Tuesday that Coach Stoutland will be available to visit.
On whether winning an ACC title would have made a difference in the decision…
No, it didn’t take an ACC title. It took continuing to take steps to move this program towards national relevance. That in some ways could involve an ACC title, but it’s not mandated by an ACC title. You can be relevant nationally and not win your conference. But at the end of the day, you must be relevant nationally here at the University of Miami.
On whether he is looking to bring in a coach that will feature an exciting brand of football…
A winning brand of football… winning is exciting. Our fans will show up to watch a winning team. We have to be relevant and we have to win.
On whether there was a minimum number of games the team needed to win this year for Shannon to remain head coach…
No.
