It didn’t take the University of Miami more than 15 hours after finishing the 2006 season 6-6 to fire head coach Larry Coker. Even after the Hurricanes topped Boston College 17-14 Thursday night, the writing was obviously on the wall for Coker, who will finish with a 59-15 mark at Miami. Coker won more games in his six years than any other Hurricane coach other than Dennis Erickson.
A Miami official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Coker’s firing would be announced later today. Coker was informed of the decision by athletics director Paul Dee early Friday. Coker has three years remaining on a contract that pays him nearly $2 million annually, and the school will owe him between $2.4 million and $3 million in a buyout.
It’s high time “The U” gets a disciplinarian in its program and cleans up all of the off the field crap that goes hand in hand with Miami football. Although, it should be noted that Coker’s athletes had a higher graduating percentage under him than in year’s past. However, shootings, deaths, on-field fights and robberies have haunted this program over the past decade and while Coker can hardly take the brunt of all the problems, he was obviously never part of the solution either. Hopefully Coker’s firing will signify much more than just a win-loss record or I’m afraid we might not be seeing the last of Miami’s issues.
