Ok, so normally I'd laugh at anyone that suggests that FAU's next HC after Howard retires should be a big name from a big program, I really don't think we have the cash to compete for someone like that right now however there is a local guy, who just lost his position, after doing a pretty good job for a fan base that expects National Championships. He ran a VERY clean program (something most U fans aren't used to nor do they care about), the graduation rates were tops in the nation after he took over, brought on good character kids, and they improved from where they were.

Why would Randy Shannon want to come to FAU as the D Cord or HC in waiting next season? Granted it doesn't pay a lot (but he just walked with a 1.5 mil check from Miami) but what it does do is give Randy Shannon a chance to create his masterpiece. HS has laid the foundation, now we need someone to come in and take it to the next level. Someone that can out recruit ANYONE in NCAA Football in the "State of Miami"=Randy Shannon. Someone that can run a clean program and get our grades up=Randy Shannon. Someone that brings the same style of play so that our reputation stays consistent with recruits=Shannon. Someone with a chip on their shoulder and something to prove to the big boys down the street=Shannon. Someone that will shine in a place where the expectations are "get us to a bigger conference, please" vs "National Champs in 3 years"=Shannon.

I know we can't pay you what you were making at Miami Randy, but if you put us on the map, I promise you'll be compensated as such!

Thankfully, the sports writer at the TC Palm agrees with me!

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/dec/02/jim-saturday-fau-needs-to-target-ex-miami-coach/?partner=RSS

Personally I'd LOVE to see him here. Seems like a great
guy and i love that he makes it a point to run a clean program and graduate kids.  You make some good arguments, so I'll throw in some of my own.
Yes, UM got better while he was thers, however he could basically recruit anyone, load the team with the best talent around, UM never came seriously close to competing for a conference championship. What makes you think he work wonders here while having access to such less talented players?

Chances are he'll get picked up as DC someplace, however reading your post makes it seem logical he could end up here. I honestly hope FAU goes after him, it'd be a big name guy who I believe could have us competing for the SBC title every year. I've been a die hard UM fan since for years(my dad was going to games BEFORE Schnellenberger was there) and I always felt like UM was so close to becoming a GREAT team but for some reason they could never climb over that hump

I was actually thinking this the minute he was fired. He would be a great catch for FAU and maybe, just maybe, he would see the value in staying in South Florida and putting his imprint on a developing program like FAU.

GO OWLS!!!

It would be terrific it it could be pulled off and the timing is perfect. We gotta fill those seats of that new stadium and next years 3-9 team (just following the trend folks, and we may be lucky to get to that) ain't gonna do it. yes agodd coach costs money but so do empty seats, unfortunately the very reason UM fired him. That last UM-USF game was not only a loss but barely beat our FAU-USF attendence at Lockhart!

So the argument is that Randy Shannon was fired because he couldn't put people in the stands at UM and we want to hire him to put people in the stands at FAU?

Well, UM fans are a pretty fickle bunch. They have as many die hard fans as FAU does to be honest. Those that didn't go to the school, they bail pretty quick when the weather gets rough (which is about 80% of their fan base) You don't have that luxury when it's your Alma mater. Yesterday was like going to get your kid out of jail; you want to just walk away from the whole situation but you can't, Bc it's your freaking kid, you're invested. That's how I feel about FAU football right now, I'm disappointed, and I don't know where we went wrong, but I can't quit on em.

Whoever we get to coach next, they're not going to increase attendance…unless it's Bono!

TeamBeer said

Well, UM fans are a pretty fickle bunch. They have as many die hard fans as FAU does to be honest. Those that didn't go to the school, they bail pretty quick when the weather gets rough (which is about 80% of their fan base) You don't have that luxury when it's your Alma mater. Yesterday was like going to get your kid out of jail; you want to just walk away from the whole situation but you can't, Bc it's your freaking kid, you're invested. That's how I feel about FAU football right now, I'm disappointed, and I don't know where we went wrong, but I can't quit on em.

Whoever we get to coach next, they're not going to increase attendance…unless it's Bono!

;D  Classic!  That may be the most sensible thing I have read on here in a while!…and so true.

Ans Shannon was brought in to clean up the program and bring it discipline, graduate a few and win some games…he did all the above, just not good enough. Remember this was also after the UM-FIU riot which really cost both coaches their jobs.

Now they want the big wins too! He has wins, a winning record, bowl games but still not good enough.

Some at UM want the OLD UM thugs back to win and put the butts in the seats. But they also forget the new competition on the block in state with USF, UCF, FAU and FIU all drawing players away from them!

He would recuit 10x better at FAU than we do now AND run a clean program! We could dominate at our level, unless that sound like a foolish idea to you. By the way how did we like being down 0-30 at home on Sat.?

GeorgiaOwl said

Ans Shannon was brought in to clean up the program and bring it discipline, graduate a few and win some games…he did all the above, just not good enough.
But they also forget the new competition on the block in state with USF, UCF, FAU and FIU all drawing players away from them!

He would recuit 10x better at FAU than we do now AND run a clean program! We could dominate at our level

First, you are correct which is very good and shouldn't be overlooked. Again, they are STUDENT-athletes, not just athletes.
Second, c'mon, let's be serious, how many kids do you know get drawn away from any of those schools? Especially the last three.
Third, I think you are totally right in saying that he could recruit better, but most importantly, I think he could bring us to a place where we are competing year and and year out for the SBC title.

GO Owls!

"Randy Shannon interested in gophers job…"

ESPN Article Here: http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/20625/randy-shannon-interested-in-gophers-job