Post by ATrain on Dec 2, 2005 13:46:34 GMT -5
Ok, here is the story about the whole athletic thing that will appear in the LU Fishwrap:
Two weeks ago, the Liberty University Athletics Department was shaken by the release of head football coach Ken Karcher, and the resignations of athletic director Dr. Thom Park, and associate athletic directors Kim Grahm and Larry Hubbard. Hubbard was also the head men’s and women’s tennis coach.
The decision to replace Karcher was one that people began expecting after a scoreless streak in which Liberty was outscored 157-0 over three games. “It had been thought about for the past year” said Falwell. Karcher’s overall record in six seasons at Liberty was 21-46, including a 1-10 record this past season.
Dr. Park resigned after the athletics department lost $7.4 million during the 2004 season. Mickey Guridy has been named as the interim head coach, and a permanent replacement for Dr. Park is expected to be announced later this week.
Grahm has been involved with Liberty athletics for 26 years. He was hired as an assistant football coach in 1978 before becoming an administrator in the athletic department in 1989. Grahm was made athletic director in 1998 and served in that role until 2005, when Park took over.
Hubbard was the associate athletic director for academic affairs. He has also been the head men’s tennis coach for the past six seasons, as well as the head women’s tennis coach since the program’s inception in 2001. Last season, the men’s team went 9-12 and the women’s team was 12-8. Overall, Hubbard has a combined record of 62-106. The search for a replacement coach is still in process.
With the departures, several questions have been raised about the athletic program’s future, especially in football. Liberty currently competes in Division I-AA, which is the second highest level of collegiate football. The highest level of football is Division I-A, which is where Falwell wants the program to be in the next decade.
In order to turn this dream into a reality, Falwell announced on Friday that University of Virginia assistant coach Danny Rocco had been hired as the new head coach.
“He’s the kind of guy, I believe, who can take us where we want to go” said Falwell.
“Dr. Falwell has a vision. He explained to me what that vision was and I saw it. There is a commitment from the top. I wanted to be a head football coach at the I-A or I-AA school with the resources and desire to compete and win. The recruiting budge is comparative to IA programs and I do not believe there is one like it in I-AA” said Rocco.
The process of finding a new coach was not easy, as Liberty has a set of standards that a person must meet before being employed.
“We are different than most colleges and universities. We are NCAA, that’s not different. We are Division I, that’s not different. What is different is we are distinctly Christian, and not everyone is a fit” said Falwell. “We had 26 applicants indicate interest, and I called my football mentor Sam Rutigliano to come down here and help me figure out who would be a good fit.” Rutigliano was the head football coach before Karcher was hired.
Rocco was first thought of by Falwell as a candidate to talk to after hearing him being interviewed on the radio after Virginia lost 7-5 to North Carolina.
“What I was looking for was his LQ-or loyalty quotient. Is he going to be sticking by his coach? I listened, and he got an A plus” said Falwell.
Rocco also has an impressive coaching record, including a year with the NFL’s New York Jets as well as several tenures at multiple I-A institutions including Virginia, Maryland, and Texas. At Texas, he helped to coach the Longhorns to three consecutive conference championships as well as the BCS’ Fiesta and Sugar bowls.
Rocco firmly believes he can turn Liberty’s program back into a winner. He also believes the athletes that are on the team right now can be winners, despite the disappointment of a 1-10 season. “You got to spark some enthusiasm. There is a lot of young talent on this team. I want to get into rebuilding that winning spirit on campus. I love to teach and mentor. I have such a passion for the sport, for the game, and for the individuals. Sometimes, on the highest levels we lose touch of the importance of interpersonal relationships with those athletes” said Rocco.
The team is also looking forward to working with Rocco. “There had been speculation that it would be Rocco. Everybody seems to be real upbeat” said outgoing senior punter Noah Crouch.
With the hire of coach Rocco, the football program here at Liberty is beginning to take steps towards making Dr. Falwell’s vision a reality. The next few seasons promise very exciting things for Flames fans and players alike.
Two weeks ago, the Liberty University Athletics Department was shaken by the release of head football coach Ken Karcher, and the resignations of athletic director Dr. Thom Park, and associate athletic directors Kim Grahm and Larry Hubbard. Hubbard was also the head men’s and women’s tennis coach.
The decision to replace Karcher was one that people began expecting after a scoreless streak in which Liberty was outscored 157-0 over three games. “It had been thought about for the past year” said Falwell. Karcher’s overall record in six seasons at Liberty was 21-46, including a 1-10 record this past season.
Dr. Park resigned after the athletics department lost $7.4 million during the 2004 season. Mickey Guridy has been named as the interim head coach, and a permanent replacement for Dr. Park is expected to be announced later this week.
Grahm has been involved with Liberty athletics for 26 years. He was hired as an assistant football coach in 1978 before becoming an administrator in the athletic department in 1989. Grahm was made athletic director in 1998 and served in that role until 2005, when Park took over.
Hubbard was the associate athletic director for academic affairs. He has also been the head men’s tennis coach for the past six seasons, as well as the head women’s tennis coach since the program’s inception in 2001. Last season, the men’s team went 9-12 and the women’s team was 12-8. Overall, Hubbard has a combined record of 62-106. The search for a replacement coach is still in process.
With the departures, several questions have been raised about the athletic program’s future, especially in football. Liberty currently competes in Division I-AA, which is the second highest level of collegiate football. The highest level of football is Division I-A, which is where Falwell wants the program to be in the next decade.
In order to turn this dream into a reality, Falwell announced on Friday that University of Virginia assistant coach Danny Rocco had been hired as the new head coach.
“He’s the kind of guy, I believe, who can take us where we want to go” said Falwell.
“Dr. Falwell has a vision. He explained to me what that vision was and I saw it. There is a commitment from the top. I wanted to be a head football coach at the I-A or I-AA school with the resources and desire to compete and win. The recruiting budge is comparative to IA programs and I do not believe there is one like it in I-AA” said Rocco.
The process of finding a new coach was not easy, as Liberty has a set of standards that a person must meet before being employed.
“We are different than most colleges and universities. We are NCAA, that’s not different. We are Division I, that’s not different. What is different is we are distinctly Christian, and not everyone is a fit” said Falwell. “We had 26 applicants indicate interest, and I called my football mentor Sam Rutigliano to come down here and help me figure out who would be a good fit.” Rutigliano was the head football coach before Karcher was hired.
Rocco was first thought of by Falwell as a candidate to talk to after hearing him being interviewed on the radio after Virginia lost 7-5 to North Carolina.
“What I was looking for was his LQ-or loyalty quotient. Is he going to be sticking by his coach? I listened, and he got an A plus” said Falwell.
Rocco also has an impressive coaching record, including a year with the NFL’s New York Jets as well as several tenures at multiple I-A institutions including Virginia, Maryland, and Texas. At Texas, he helped to coach the Longhorns to three consecutive conference championships as well as the BCS’ Fiesta and Sugar bowls.
Rocco firmly believes he can turn Liberty’s program back into a winner. He also believes the athletes that are on the team right now can be winners, despite the disappointment of a 1-10 season. “You got to spark some enthusiasm. There is a lot of young talent on this team. I want to get into rebuilding that winning spirit on campus. I love to teach and mentor. I have such a passion for the sport, for the game, and for the individuals. Sometimes, on the highest levels we lose touch of the importance of interpersonal relationships with those athletes” said Rocco.
The team is also looking forward to working with Rocco. “There had been speculation that it would be Rocco. Everybody seems to be real upbeat” said outgoing senior punter Noah Crouch.
With the hire of coach Rocco, the football program here at Liberty is beginning to take steps towards making Dr. Falwell’s vision a reality. The next few seasons promise very exciting things for Flames fans and players alike.
