Shula/Ross Connection

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

Randy Ross
Director of Football Operations

* 17th Year at Alabama (Started in March 19, 1990)

A veteran of the Tide football staff, Randy Ross is in his 17th season at the Capstone and his fourth as the Tide’s Director of Football operations.

After serving as the Tide’s Director of High School Relations since 2000, Ross now assumes the role of Director of Football Operations, a broad range of responsibilities, but primarily one that coordinates recruiting, office management and administration, game-day responsibilities, liaison with athletics and university departments and team travel.

On the surface, those responsibilities seem like a daunting task for the 52-year old, but for this energetic 20-year veteran of the college ranks, it is routine.

Following his collegiate career at St. Bernard College, where he played baseball and earned All-Southern States Conference honors in 1975, Ross began his coaching career at Gaston High School before moving to Gadsden’s Southside High School in 1976. He served as Southside’s head coach for nine seasons and then moved as head coach at Scottsboro High from 1985-86. He coached 15 players who later played college football, including former Tide quarterback David Smith. Ross was selected his area’s Coach of the Year in 1980 and 1983. His 1980 squad finished 12-1 and was ranked third in the state.

He then moved to Vanderbilt to tutor the quarterbacks for coach Watson Brown.

Ross was lured to Tuscaloosa by the Tide’s new coach, Gene Stallings, in 1990. He was Alabama's recruiting coordinator from 1990-98. He then spent one season in Bama’s new development office before moving back in 2000 as Director of High School Relations.

There he functioned as the department’s liaison with high school coaches in the state and coordinated all clinics and camps for the athletics department.

Ross is married to the former Ann Lowe.

THE ROSS LEDGER

Born:
October 6, 1953

Education:

1975
St. Bernard College

Coaching Experience:

2003-Present
Alabama, Director of Football Operations

2000-02
Alabama, Athletics High School Relations

1999
Alabama, Athletics Development

1990-98
Alabama, Recruiting Coordinator

1987-89
Vanderbilt, Quarterbacks

1985-86
Scottsboro High School

1976-84
Southside High School

1975
Gaston High School

Bowl Participation

As a coach: 2006 Cotton Bowl, 2004 Music City Bowl, 2001 Independence Bowl, 2000 Orange Bowl, 1998 Music City Bowl, 1997 Outback Bowl, 1995 Citrus Bowl, 1993 Gator Bowl, 1993 Sugar Bowl, 1991 Blockbuster Bowl, 1991 Fiesta Bowl

http://smumustangs.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ross_randy00.html

[huskerpony]

Is Ross able to engage recruits in the same manner as a coach? If so, why did Orsini have to get special permission, which supposedly expired back in early November?

Initial reports said that a number of assistants were staying on to help with recruiting--don't know how many did.

Schools rarely dismiss their recruiting coordinator during a coaching change. (Do not want to rock the boat too much with your commits and maintains some continuity of staff for current players.)

Yes, the recruiting coordinator can recruit in the same manner that any assistant coach can, per NCAA rules.

Orsini, I imagine, used the waiver to go out and reassure the committed recruits and those on the fence. Just acting as the head honcho for the time being--difficult to stop the bleeding if recruits haven't heard from anyone in charge after a coach is dismissed followed by a long period with a vacancy.

On the other hand, he could have pulled a Tom Osborne and named himself coach and gone out and recruited! Well done, T.O. Well done.

[mustang1108]

HIRE SHULA

[davidsmu94]

Someone posted on Mustang Maniacs?

[Hoop Fan]

Someone posted on Mustang Maniacs?

funny as hell. ya know, the ponyfans vs mustangmaniacs is a true internet and consumer case study. Ponyfans used to be a shadow of Maniacs until Maniacs stumbled and created a crack in the door for the competition. And the customers converted and brand loyalty changed on a dime. Maybe there is hope that SMU will someday overtake TCU and return to our rightful place in the brand universe. Anything can happen.

[Dwan]

Wait, Ross was the recruiting coordinator at Alabama when they got busted for paying recruits......we hired him and he has a past

[SMUMan02]

by the way, I'll take Shula, just get him in here and start recruiting. why does being in the nfl mean a delay? Mike Sherman?

Because Shula's team is not going in the toilet.

[SMU Football Blog]

I find it interesting that people would accept Shula who was a head coach for two years and is now the quarterbacks coach at Jacksonville. Yet nobody mentions the guy that is, in effect, his boss, Dirk Koeter who is the Jacksonville offensive coordinator and basically built Boise State. The power of a last name, I suppose.

[SMUMan02]

Don't count me amongst the group that would accept Shula. I don't know that we could make a worse choice - up to and including someone on this board.