It appears Buffalo football coach Turner Gill is playing the waiting game.
According to Bulls senior defensive lineman Dane Robinson, who spoke with the Journal-World on Wednesday, Gill, the fourth-year coach who interviewed Sunday for the Kansas University football coach vacancy, is carrying on as usual as KU athletic director Lew Perkins continues his search to replace Mark Mangino.
“He’s done all he can do on his part as far as putting his name in the hat,” said Robinson, who met with the coach earlier in the week and discussed the coach’s interest in the KU job. “And anything that’s going to happen is going to happen from Kansas’ side.”
In the past two days, Buffalo’s players have spoken highly of Gill, who has emerged as a notable candidate to replace the recently resigned Mangino. Mangino left the program amidst allegations that he physically and verbally abused players.
Two current players reached by e-mail Tuesday wished Gill the best wherever he ended up, and Robinson reiterated that sentiment, insisting he’ll take away nothing but pleasant memories from his time under Gill.
“He’s always told us he’s just like us — he’s learning too,” Robinson said. “He’s told us, ‘If I make a mistake or you think I’m not doing something right, let me know. It’s not one-sided, where other coaches are giving you all the feedback. Let me know how I’m doing.’”
Robinson, who described Gill as a “players’ coach,” praised Gill’s approach to the program, including his handling of a controversial incident last year that shone a national spotlight on the Bulls’ program.
Gill, who had led Buffalo to an 8-5 regular-season record and MAC championship, was reportedly a finalist for the Auburn opening that eventually went to Iowa State’s Gene Chizik, and the school’s decision to go with Chizik — who had a 5-19 record in two seasons at Iowa State — rubbed some the wrong way.
That included outspoken former NBA standout Charles Barkley, an Auburn alumnus who contended that his alma mater’s decision was race-related. Gill is African-American; Chizik is white.
“I think race was the No. 1 factor,” Barkley said at the time. “You can say it’s not about race, but you can’t compare the two résumés and say (Chizik) deserved the job. Out of all the coaches they interviewed, Chizik probably had the worst résumé.”
The comments sparked a small maelstrom — and players discussed the incident — but Robinson said Bulls players were impressed with how Gill failed to let the situation affect the team’s preparation for its first bowl game in school history, an International Bowl berth against Connecticut.
“It definitely brought some interesting attention to Buffalo,” Robinson said. “I think the players took it as kind of flattering toward coach Gill, that there was all this commotion over him, and we knew we truly had something valuable here in a head football coach.”
As Perkins’ coaching search drags into its seventh day, meanwhile, little new information has surfaced in regard to the athletic director’s plan of action.
The only two coaches known to have spoken with Kansas officials are Gill and Ole Miss’ Houston Nutt.
Nutt pulled himself from contention Tuesday, and Minnesota’s Tim Brewster — who was touted as a potential candidate — on Wednesday professed his fondness for Minnesota and declared himself not a candidate. With Houston’s Kevin Sumlin reportedly close to signing a contract extension with his current school, the list of possible candidates appears to be shrinking.
This may or may not explain why Perkins spent Wednesday night taking in the Connecticut-Kentucky men’s basketball game at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
It has been rumored that UCONN football coach Randy Edsall is a potential candidate for the Kansas job, though the 11th-year Huskies coach has also been linked to the Notre Dame opening — arguably the top available coaching job at the moment.
Akron passes on KU’s Warinner: KU offensive coordinator Ed Warinner, who Monday interviewed for the University of Akron head-coaching vacancy, did not get the job, a school official confirmed Wednesday.
Akron, which last month fired coach J.D. Brookhart and his staff following a 3-9 season, is expected to announce Notre Dame assistant head coach Rob Ianello as the program’s new coach during a news conference today.
Warinner began his career at Akron in 1984, when he served one season as the running backs coach before moving to Michigan State. He served two seasons there before moving on to Army, Air Force and Illinois.
Akron would have been Warinner’s first head-coaching job.
In the past three seasons under Warinner, who was recently named a finalist for the American Football Coaches Association’s National Assistant Coach of the Year award, the Kansas offense thrived, finishing the 2009 season ranked seventh in the NCAA in passing offense (310.3 yards per game) and 25th in total offense (422.42).
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acornwebworks (Kendall Simmons) says…
What's with this "As Perkins' coaching search drags into its seventh day..." silliness?
Drags??? Not hiring a new KU football coach within a week is dragging?
Surely we can do better than Turner Gill and his 2-10; 5-7; 8-6; 5-7 head coaching resume.
And surely Perkins *believes* we can do better and is spending his time on doing just that, unlike a certain sportswriter who thinks a week is "dragging".
rtwngr (anonymous) says…
Does anyone remember Terry "what's his name" that we hired from Northern Iowa? We need someone worth 2 million.
gogoplata (anonymous) says…
I like the guy from Houston, at least he has proven he can beat Texas Tech.
truman1902 (anonymous) says…
Hmmmmm. Hey Coach Pelini, Leach, Stoops, & Brown, Uh, we of the offensive line, have a suggestion for you coaches regarding the next game!! what?? you're the COACH?? We can place our ideas where WHAT doesn't shine??
Oh, that's right, YOU are the head coach!! YOU take the heat for losses AND wins!! The learning curve for a successful coach in the BIG 12 is short and if one can't get his team off the dime--then his tenure is short-lived!!
I wish Turner Gill well and hope that he can take the Jayhawk program into a consistent winner..I hope that this "players coach" concept leans more towards the Mangino pool and as far away from the Terry Allen end as possible!!
hesshawk (anonymous) says…
The Houston coach is using this interest to get an extension and more money to stay, just like many others have already done (see Houston Nutt) and others will as their names come up.
Now that Edsall has been linked to Notre Dame, it makes you wonder if they have cooled on Brian Kelly.
Uncle Fester had better do better than Turner Gill. No no nooooo
rgh (anonymous) says…
Just out of curiosity for those who have kept up with this better, what happened with Nolan Cromwell being considered?
Maybe he isn't being considered for some reason, but I haven't heard anything one way or the other on him since Mangino first resigned. He seems to be a logical candidate but maybe there's something we're not aware of right now.
rtpayton (anonymous) says…
Any chance of getting Brian Schottenheimer offensive coordinator for New York Jets? Played at Stilwell Kansas in high school and as quarterback for the Jayhawks. He probably wants an NFL head coaching job but at least call!
Ricky_Vaughn (anonymous) says…
The new buzz I'm hearing is Skip Holtz.
KUFAN1518 (anonymous) says…
I have said this before in another post, If Lew Perkins get's rid of coach Mangino, yes I said gets rid of, than he needs to get a coach in here that can surpass what Mangino has done for this University, which will be hard to do. Turner Gill is not that person. He is not bringing the hype that we need at Kansas, the energy level is low right now about Kansas Football, there is no buzz like when Mangino was the coach, we need somebody that is gonna bring the excitment back. I can see it now, the Boooooo's at the inroduction of Turner Gill. I will no longer be a Kansas Football fan if Gill is the head coach, we are going back to the old KU football style not the new like we brought in when Mangino came to town. More days of Terry Allen lie ahead if Gill is the new coach. what is perkins thinking?
Ricky_Vaughn (anonymous) says…
For all we know, Turner GIll was just a token interview candidate. Face it, KU is in a tough spot. They ran off the best coach in their history...it's a tough act to follow no matter who they hire.
KUFAN1518 (anonymous) says…
I think if Turner Gill is in the running, I think Lew should interview Dirk Wedd next.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
Well, for what it's worth, I have yet to receive any response at all from Perkins about my application for head football coach. Not one word. Zip. Nada.
I'm beginning to think he doesn't take me seriously.
I guess Turner and I are both hurrying up and waiting. But why no JW article about me?
Oh the humanity.
Graczyk (anonymous) says…
Kufan1518, why would you say that you aren't going to be a KU fan anymore if Gill get's the job? You would take that step without even seeing what he can do here? C'mon man, that's lame.
Even though Perkins is heading up the search, he isn't making the decision in a vacuum. I'm sure that everyone from the boosters to the Chancellor have tugged on his ear. He knows that a bad hire will be a disaster for both him and the program. I am by no means a Perkins fan. But there is one thing that I trust him to do - act in his best self-interest. If that means hiring Gill then that is what Perkins will do.
Finally, Gill does have a buzz factor about him. Did you see how often UB was on the midweek college football broadcasts this year? I think it was at least 3 of not 4 times. Yes, it was midweek, but it was also the only college game on. They didn't have to show UB, it could have been another mid-major. I think the difference was Gill. He does generate some buzz.