BCA Upset A&M Did Not Interview Minority Candidate For Opening

Texas A&M (TAMU) hired former Packers coach Mike Sherman as its new football coach yesterday, replacing Dennis Franchione, but the move “did not meet with approval” from Black Coaches & Administrators Exec Dir Floyd Keith, according to Carey & Wieberg of USA TODAY. TAMU AD Bill Byrne noted during Sherman’s introduction that he “was the only candidate interviewed.” Keith said, “I’m disappointed in that process. I’m disappointed in [Byrne] because it’s not like he doesn’t know. It’s just a blatant disregard for … doing it the right way” (USA TODAY, 11/27). Meanwhile, Keith said that Nebraska Univ. (NU) hiring Univ. at Buffalo coach Turner Gill to fill their coaching vacancy "would be a sign of progress." Keith: "It's a key job because it's visible." Keith said that he would send NU interim AD Tom Osborne a letter "discussing the BCA's interest in the search and the organization's willingness to assist." Gill is considered one of the frontrunners for the job (AP, 11/26).

Georgia Tech's Firing Of Gailey To Cost School At Least $4M Over Next Four Years

JACKET AND TIES: Georgia Tech fired coach Chan Gailey yesterday, and in Atlanta, Mike Knobler notes it will cost the school at least $4.05M over the next four years to pay off Gailey, including his salary, TV and radio contracts and personal appearance fees. GT AD Dan Radakovich during the press conference “mentioned the need for ‘excitement,’ ‘attracting new fans,’ ‘fighting for our share of attention’ and finding a way to ‘inspire the market on and off the field to buy tickets.” There were almost 10,000 empty seats at the 55,000-seat Bobby Dodd Stadium for GT’s game against North Carolina on November 17 (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 11/27).