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12-11-2007, 08:25 AM
Gundy: Fedora is probably leaving
By BILL HAISTEN (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/football/article.aspx?subjectID=231&articleID=071211_2_B1_spanc76356)
World Sports Writer
12/11/2007
Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy says he believes there is a
"95 percent chance" that his offensive coordinator, Larry Fedora, will become
the new head coach at Southern Mississippi.
The Hattiesburg (Miss.) American newspaper reported in its Monday edition
that Fedora "appears to have an edge on the field of candidates." The
newspaper reported that Fedora was on the Southern Miss campus on
Friday.
Reportedly, Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson also was contacted
by Southern Miss athletic director Richard Giannini.
"I think (Fedora) is going to get the job," Gundy said by telephone on
Monday. "They haven't offered it to him yet, but I think there's about a 95
percent chance that he'll get the job.
"My personal opinion is that they're going to pay him a million dollars a year.
That's just kind of what I've heard. I don't know how you could turn it
down."
"Nothing is ever 100 percent, you know. You saw what happened at Arkansas
with Grobe," added Gundy, referring to Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe, who
last week reportedly agreed to terms to become Arkansas' new coach but
decided to stay with the Demon Deacons.
With a five-year OSU contract worth $393,000 annually, Fedora is among the
better-paid assistants in college football. Each OSU assistant has at least a
three-year contract. Gundy said Fedora is attempting to persuade Giannini
to provide multi-year contracts for all Southern Miss assistants.
If Fedora leaves, Gundy says he hopes offensive line coach Joe Wickline
won't also go to Southern Miss. Fedora and Wickline have coached together
for seven seasons (in 2001 at Middle Tennessee State, in 2002-04 at Florida
and for three years in Stillwater). At OSU, Wickline has a five-year contract
worth $213,000 annually. Most college assistants have no more than
one-year deals.
This season, Fedora's OSU offense ranks seventh nationally in rushing yards
per game and ninth in total yards per game.
Southern Miss, a member of Conference USA, is expected to hire a coach this
week. Last month, Jeff Bower resigned after 17 seasons with the Golden Eagles. He posted a winning record in 14 of the 17 seasons at Southern Miss,
his alma mater. Bower was Oklahoma State's offensive coordinator in 1990.
If Fedora is hired at Southern Miss, Gundy is uncertain whether Fedora would
coordinate the Cowboy offense in advance of and during OSU's Insight Bowl
meeting with Indiana, set for Dec. 31 in Tempe, Ariz.
After the 2005 season, Gundy became more involved in learning Fedora's
no- huddle spread offense and coaching the quarterbacks.
"This is not a conventional offense," Gundy said. "There aren't a lot of people
who do what we do. I know the system now. I don't claim to know it like
Larry knows it, but I do have a pretty good feel for how it works."
If Fedora were to leave, it is possible that Gundy himself could coordinate the
offense and call plays at the Insight Bowl. After the bowl, he would hire a
coordinator or promote a current staff member to the position.
"There are a lot of different options," Gundy said. "The first thing we would
do is gather the offensive staff and discuss what everybody thinks is best.
The first thing we've got to concern ourselves with is the bowl game, and
you also have to think about the future.
"Until I know that Larry has taken the Southern Miss job, you can't make
plans. I don't want to do anything until I have to do it. Now, do I think I'm
going to have to do something? Yeah, because I think he's going to get the
job."
By BILL HAISTEN (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/football/article.aspx?subjectID=231&articleID=071211_2_B1_spanc76356)
World Sports Writer
12/11/2007
Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy says he believes there is a
"95 percent chance" that his offensive coordinator, Larry Fedora, will become
the new head coach at Southern Mississippi.
The Hattiesburg (Miss.) American newspaper reported in its Monday edition
that Fedora "appears to have an edge on the field of candidates." The
newspaper reported that Fedora was on the Southern Miss campus on
Friday.
Reportedly, Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson also was contacted
by Southern Miss athletic director Richard Giannini.
"I think (Fedora) is going to get the job," Gundy said by telephone on
Monday. "They haven't offered it to him yet, but I think there's about a 95
percent chance that he'll get the job.
"My personal opinion is that they're going to pay him a million dollars a year.
That's just kind of what I've heard. I don't know how you could turn it
down."
"Nothing is ever 100 percent, you know. You saw what happened at Arkansas
with Grobe," added Gundy, referring to Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe, who
last week reportedly agreed to terms to become Arkansas' new coach but
decided to stay with the Demon Deacons.
With a five-year OSU contract worth $393,000 annually, Fedora is among the
better-paid assistants in college football. Each OSU assistant has at least a
three-year contract. Gundy said Fedora is attempting to persuade Giannini
to provide multi-year contracts for all Southern Miss assistants.
If Fedora leaves, Gundy says he hopes offensive line coach Joe Wickline
won't also go to Southern Miss. Fedora and Wickline have coached together
for seven seasons (in 2001 at Middle Tennessee State, in 2002-04 at Florida
and for three years in Stillwater). At OSU, Wickline has a five-year contract
worth $213,000 annually. Most college assistants have no more than
one-year deals.
This season, Fedora's OSU offense ranks seventh nationally in rushing yards
per game and ninth in total yards per game.
Southern Miss, a member of Conference USA, is expected to hire a coach this
week. Last month, Jeff Bower resigned after 17 seasons with the Golden Eagles. He posted a winning record in 14 of the 17 seasons at Southern Miss,
his alma mater. Bower was Oklahoma State's offensive coordinator in 1990.
If Fedora is hired at Southern Miss, Gundy is uncertain whether Fedora would
coordinate the Cowboy offense in advance of and during OSU's Insight Bowl
meeting with Indiana, set for Dec. 31 in Tempe, Ariz.
After the 2005 season, Gundy became more involved in learning Fedora's
no- huddle spread offense and coaching the quarterbacks.
"This is not a conventional offense," Gundy said. "There aren't a lot of people
who do what we do. I know the system now. I don't claim to know it like
Larry knows it, but I do have a pretty good feel for how it works."
If Fedora were to leave, it is possible that Gundy himself could coordinate the
offense and call plays at the Insight Bowl. After the bowl, he would hire a
coordinator or promote a current staff member to the position.
"There are a lot of different options," Gundy said. "The first thing we would
do is gather the offensive staff and discuss what everybody thinks is best.
The first thing we've got to concern ourselves with is the bowl game, and
you also have to think about the future.
"Until I know that Larry has taken the Southern Miss job, you can't make
plans. I don't want to do anything until I have to do it. Now, do I think I'm
going to have to do something? Yeah, because I think he's going to get the
job."