Arizona State's Koetter reportedly ousted; Amato's future in question

[Eric the Red]

Arizona State's Koetter reportedly ousted; Amato's future in question

 

The Associated Press

TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State football coach Dirk Koetter has been fired, according to a source close to the program.

Athletic director Lisa Love will make the announcement after the team's annual awards banquet Sunday night in Scottsdale, the source said. The source asked not to be identified because the announcement was pending.

 

Koetter, 47, went 40-33 in six seasons at ASU.

 

The Sun Devils completed a 7-5 regular season with a 28-14 victory over arch rival Arizona in Tucson Saturday, clinching their third consecutive bowl berth under Koetter. He went 4-2 against the Wildcats.

 

There was no word on whether Koetter would coach the team in a bowl game.

 

The firing was first reported by the East Valley Tribune on its website.

 

N.C. State to decide on Amato's future Sunday night

 

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina State coach Chuck Amato's future with the school was due to be revealed Sunday night, athletics director Lee Fowler told a Raleigh newspaper.

 

Fowler, reached at his office, wouldn't say whether Amato would be retained or fired and declined further comment, The News & Observer reported Sunday evening on its website.

 

Fowler did not return telephone messages left by The Associated Press.

 

N.C. State (3-9, 2-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) ended the season with seven consecutive losses, including a 21-16 loss to East Carolina on Saturday night.

 

Amato is 49-37 in seven seasons at his alma mater, is 25-31 in ACC play and has coached the Wolfpack to five bowl games.

 

But N.C. State has never finished higher than fourth in the league under Amato and has had two losing seasons in the three years since quarterback Philip Rivers left for the NFL.

 

Nutt not interested in Miami

 

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas football coach Houston Nutt says he is not seeking the open coaching position at Miami.

 

Nutt, whose eighth-ranked team is 10-2 and plays No. 4 Florida on Saturday in the Southeastern Conference championship game, says he is focused only on the Gators.

 

"When you experience the good times and then you've had a couple of rough years and come back like we have this year, it's a great feeling. You want to keep that going," said Nutt, whose team's winning streak ended at 10 with Friday's 31-26 loss to No. 5 Louisiana State at Little Rock.

 

Miami fired Larry Coker on Friday. His team went 6-6 this season and he has been retained to lead the Hurricanes in a bowl game. Coker was 59-15 in six seasons as head coach and won the 2001 national championship.

 

Nutt is 67-42 in nine seasons at Arkansas. His name appeared in a list in the Miami Herald of possible candidates for Coker's job.

 

"I'm not thinking about anything but Florida," Nutt said Saturday. "If anyone mentions my name (in connection with the) Miami job, that's just a rumor. I've got no interest in Miami."

 

Nutt's contract runs through the 2011 season and he said he intends to stay at Arkansas.

 

"I've given a lot here and invested a lot and (the Arkansas administration) has invested a lot in me, too," Nutt said. "I'm excited about how we're playing and how recruiting is going right now."

 

Friday's loss dropped the Razorbacks to 7-1 in the league but Arkansas still won the SEC West outright. Last season, Arkansas finished 5-6 and a year before went 4-7. Nutt led the Razorbacks to bowl games in his first six seasons.

 

With a victory Saturday, the Razorbacks would be assured a Bowl Championship Series berth, most likely the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

 

Nutt said he wants to stay at Arkansas and enjoy good times that he foresees.

 

"You see how close we came to playing for a national title this year, and that's with a lot of people getting hurt," Nutt said. "I think a year like this shows what were capable of doing in the future and that we're not that far away."

 

Arkansas athletic director Frank Broyles said he has not been contacted by anyone at Miami for permission to talk about the vacancy. He said he is "very happy" with Nutt.

 

Iowa State to name coach Monday

 

AMES, Iowa — Iowa State has called a news conference for Monday to introduce its new football coach.

 

School officials on Sunday would not say who was hired to replace Dan McCarney, who resigned this month after 12 seasons.

 

Iowa State has expressed interest in at least three candidates: Central Michigan head coach Brian Kelly, Nebraska offensive coordinator Jay Norvell and San Diego coach Jim Harbaugh.

 

Kelly's team faces Ohio for the Mid-American Conference title on Thursday. Central Michigan is 8-4 this season and 18-16 in three seasons under Kelly.

 

Norvell played for the Iowa Hawkeyes from 1982 to 1985 and was assistant head coach in charge of quarterbacks and receivers at Iowa State from 1995 to 1997.

 

He also has made coaching stops at Iowa, Northern Iowa, Wisconsin, the Indianapolis Colts and Oklahoma.

 

Harbaugh appears out of the running for the job. Jack Bechta, Harbaugh's agent, told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Wednesday that Harbaugh is not a candidate.

 

Iowa State finished 4-8 this season and was 56-84 overall under McCarney. The Cyclones snapped a 22-year postseason drought with five bowl appearances in McCarney's final seven seasons.

[chamrocck]

Amato is also out http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2676855

 

Interesting what happened to Koetter considering the Keller episode.

[DJR313]

Brian Kelly is being reported as the new ISU coach. Mark Dantoni from Cincinatti is reportedly going to be named Michigan St.'s new coach. Had to wonder if Koetter being ousted was a matter of time after how he handled the Keller/Carpenter situation. That showed a lack of control over the team.

[beamout2000]

Koetter was killing that program fast. Not only did Nebraska benefit but so did Texas State getting several players last year on transfers including the starting punter for AZ State last season who is a monster kicker. It seemed good players were leaving in droves from that place and finally someone woke up and figured out it was the coach that was chasing people off. The reason given was he couldn't win against the elite of the Pac 10 but considering who the elite is in that conference that's a pretty tall order.