Football coaches are often in the spotlight, but that light has shone harshly in some cases this season. A year after three coaches lost their jobs because of behavioral issues, coaching conduct is again in the news.
Nebraska coach
Bo Pelini was caught on television two weeks ago dressing down quarterback Taylor Martinez and disagreeing with officials in a game the
Cornhuskers lost at Texas A&M.
Arizona coach
Mike Stoops was seen to be visibly angry Friday over a penalty when safety
Adam Hall was called for a personal foul in the second quarter on a play that was called a helmet-to-helmet hit.
Both instances quickly made it to the Internet where thousands who didn't watch the games live had access to the outbursts.
Pelini's actions were followed the next day by news media reports, which turned out to be inaccurate, that Martinez had quit the team.
Pelini, whose outbursts drew the concern of Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman, soon apologized. Pelini said this week that when coaches are faced with controversial calls that go against their teams, "you've got to try to channel your emotions and channel things the right way. That's part of the deal."
PELINI APOLOGIZES: Nebraska coach says he gets 'too animated' Stoops said that can sometimes be difficult in the heat of the moment.
"I think we're all built in a different way," he said. "(With) the intensity that you put into it and the focus, I think a lot of different coaches see things a lot differently or see things that go on maybe more clearly. Sometimes that can hurt you more than it can help you because you see everything that's going on.
"You can tell when something's not right, whether it be offense, defense or sometimes even with the officiating."
Stoops was not penalized, leading Oregon State coach Mike Riley to jokingly say this week that he would "have to ask Mike what his secret is." Riley drew a penalty the week before for throwing his headphones.
But after Texas Tech's
Mike Leach, Kansas'
Mark Mangino and South Florida's
Jim Leavitt were fired during or after last season over issues involving treatment of players, it's obvious there can be serious consequences for stepping over the line, says
Grant Teaff, executive director of the
American Football Coaches Association.
"I think all of us have a concern about the image we project because … you have an opportunity to impact young people's lives," says Teaff.
He says coaches must be more mindful that very little is going to go unnoticed.
"The media, TV in particular, cover not only plays on the field but things on the sidelines, and there are many, many games a week that are on, so there's probably more exposure to the public about things on the sidelines.
"A lot of times it's not exactly what it looks like … Some coaches are very intense, some not so much but get their points across in other ways."
Harold Bryant, vice president of production for CBS Sports, whose network did not broadcast the Nebraska or Arizona games in question, says he doesn't believe there is any more attention paid by television to coaches on the sidelines than there was five years ago. But, he notes, coaches "have to be aware they could be on at any time."
"Covering coaches is part of our normal, everyday package, whether he's super-animated or not. We always look for a coach."
There have been other sideline incidents with coaches in 2010:
• During a timeout in overtime Oct. 30, Georgia defensive coordinator
Todd Grantham gave Florida kicker Chas Henry the choke sign. Georgia coach
Mark Richt later said the gesture was wrong. Grantham said he regretted it.
• Alabama coach
Nick Saban was shown during the Mississippi State game Nov. 13 yelling at backup quarterback A.J. McCarron and punctuating it with a hard slap to McCarron's backside.
• California assistant Tosh Lupoi was suspended by the school for last week's game against Washington after admitting he told a player to fake an injury in an attempt to slow Oregon's offense during a Nov. 13 game.
• TCU coach
Gary Patterson was seen on TV berating team physician Sam Haraldson for not allowing running back Ed Wesley to return to play against Southern Methodist on Sept. 24. Patterson and Haraldson later said there was a miscommunication, and Patterson said he was unaware Wesley failed a concussion test.
The AFCA's Teaff says he believes many coaches are "taking notes" after seeing what TV cameras can display.
"It's a great lesson for young coaches that there are guidelines for behavior that coaches have to abide by, or there are consequences," Teaff says. "And if it's not handled, the consequences
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