Shula Staff

[PonyPatrol]

I mentioned in an earlier post that Shula also struggled mightily as OC in Tampa Bay. He was fired after the '99 season after 3 years in which his offense never finished above 22nd in the league...

I'm just on the fence with Shula. He's got the lineage, which obviously catapulted him in the coaching ranks, but where has he really shown a track record of any real success?

He recruited well at Bama, which is one of the highest profile schools in the country. Will that translate to SMU?

Just curious if anyone with real knowledge of his past/qualifications can address why he'd be a good fit here aside from the fact that he gets an "incomplete" rating for his time at Alabama? He had a reputation there for blowing big games and poor discipline with players (unfair expectations?)...can the guy REALLY coach?

[SMUMan02]

I mentioned in an earlier post that Shula also struggled mightily as OC in Tampa Bay. He was fired after the '99 season after 3 years in which his offense never finished above 22nd in the league...

I'm just on the fence with Shula. He's got the lineage, which obviously catapulted him in the coaching ranks, but where has he really shown a track record of any real success?

He recruited well at Bama, which is one of the highest profile schools in the country. Will that translate to SMU?

Just curious if anyone with real knowledge of his past/qualifications can address why he'd be a good fit here aside from the fact that he gets an "incomplete" rating for his time at Alabama? He had a reputation there for blowing big games and poor discipline with players (unfair expectations?)...can the guy REALLY coach?

I can only say what I witnessed with my own eyes at Alabama. I do not like Shula - I have been very vocal about that, but I do think that in some sense the jury is still out on him. He is young. He is still pretty inexperienced in terms of head coaching. He's got a good coaching heritage. But he has not been successful in any sense of the word thus far. At Alabama, his offense was abysmal.

Here are Alabama point totals in 2006:
25 in a W against Hawaii;
13 in a W against Vandy;
41 in a W against ULaMon;
23 in an OT L to Arkansas;
13 in a L to Florida;
30 in a W against Duke;
26 in an OT W against Ole Miss;
13 in a L to Tenn;
38 in a W against FIU;
16 in an L to Miss. St;
14 in a L to LSU;
15 in an L to Auburn.

To make matters worse, after he was fired, they scored 31 in a Bowl Game loss, but the 31 was by far their best offensive output against a decent team - and it was AFTER he was fired.

[PonySnob]

To make matters worse, after he was fired, they scored 31 in a Bowl Game loss, but the 31 was by far their best offensive output against a decent team - and it was AFTER he was fired.

Didn't we play some of our best football this year after PB was fired?

[smupony94]

To make matters worse, after he was fired, they scored 31 in a Bowl Game loss, but the 31 was by far their best offensive output against a decent team - and it was AFTER he was fired.

Didn't we play some of our best football this year after PB was fired?

Just keep saying he is a fired coach, and let him be the interim coach next year too

[SMUMan02]

To make matters worse, after he was fired, they scored 31 in a Bowl Game loss, but the 31 was by far their best offensive output against a decent team - and it was AFTER he was fired.

Didn't we play some of our best football this year after PB was fired?

Well PB was still coaching. Shula was fired and was not coaching the Bowl Game.