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Randy Shannon

Current position
Team	?
Biographical details
Born	(1966-02-24) February 24, 1966 (age 58) Miami, Florida
Playing career
Position(s)	Linebacker
Head coaching record
Overall	28–22
Bowls	0–2
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
Broyles Award (2001)

Randy Lennard Shannon (born February 24, 1966) He served as the head football coach at the University of Miami from 2007 to 2010. Shannon played football at Miami and then with the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL.

Early life

When Shannon was three years old, his father was murdered. At 10, his older twin brothers became addicted to crack cocaine. His brothers and older sister died of AIDS. Shannon attended Miami Norland High School and earned all-state and honorable mention All-America recognition from Street & Smith's as a senior linebacker at Norland. Shannon also competed in basketball, averaging 19 points a game, and competed in the triple jump on the track and field team.

He played college football for the University of Miami, starting at outside linebacker for the 1987 national championship team. After graduating in 1988, Shannon played briefly as a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys.

Coaching career

Early years

Shannon was first hired by Miami coach Dennis Erickson in 1991 to be a graduate assistant. He later became the team's defensive line coach and linebackers coach. Shannon worked as linebackers coach for the Miami Dolphins in 2000 and as a defensive assistant in 1998 and 1999.

In 2001, Miami coach Larry Coker hired Shannon to be the defensive coordinator. That year Shannon received the Broyles Award given annually to the best assistant coach in college football.

During Shannon's six years as UM's defensive coordinator, his defenses ranked as follows in total defense nationally:

• 2001 – 6th
• 2002 – 7th
• 2003 – 2nd
• 2004 – 28th
• 2005 – 4th
• 2006 – 7th

University of Miami head coach

Shannon was officially introduced as the head coach of Miami on December 8, 2006, replacing Larry Coker in the position. Shannon reportedly agreed to a four-year deal worth over $4 million. He was the sixth black head coach at the time in Division I-A NCAA football, the others being Sylvester Croom (Mississippi State), Karl Dorrell (UCLA), Tyrone Willingham (Washington), Ron Prince (KSU), and Turner Gill (Buffalo). Coker stayed on to coach the team to a 21–20 MPC Computers Bowl victory over the University of Nevada; Shannon assumed all other functions, including recruiting, immediately upon his hiring.

2007 season

Shannon's first decision as head coach was to remove the players' surnames from their jerseys. This led The Miami Herald to jokingly refer to the team as a "no name offense, no name defense." Fans found the decision made the game more difficult to follow.

The season opened with a victory over Marshall in his first game as head coach. The second game was a 51–13 loss to the University of Oklahoma.

Miami did defeat then-20th ranked Texas A&M in the third game, but then collapsed, losing to unranked North Carolina and, in the Orange Bowl, to unranked Georgia Tech and North Carolina State. One highlight was Miami's fourth quarter comeback against rival Florida State. However, this was offset by the team's embarrassing final appearance ever at the Orange Bowl in which Miami suffered a 48-0 loss against 21st University of Virginia, the worst loss for the program in the history of its play at the Orange Bowl and the worst overall loss since the 1998 'Canes loss at Syracuse (66–13).

Miami finished the season losing to Boston College 28–14. Under Shannon, the team lost 6 out of their 7 last games, finishing with a losing record and failing to qualify for a bowl game for the first time in over a decade.

Two days after the season ended, one of Miami's former players, Sean Taylor, was shot in his home in Miami. Shannon expressed frustration over the media's handling of such incidents, alleging that the coverage made it appear as though the University of Miami is a haven for crime.

2008 season

Prior to the start of the 2008 season, Shannon was ranked dead last in a Sporting News ranking of the 66 BCS head coaches.

Shannon's squad finished the 2008 season with a 7–6 record (–-4 ACC) and a loss to Cal in the Emerald Bowl. The regular season was highlighted by losses to in-state rivals Florida and Florida State, and a surprising victory over eventual-ACC Champion Virginia Tech. Miami's loss to Florida, was its first in the rivalry since 1985 and snapped a six-game winning streak over the Gators. After the game, Shannon garnered national media attention when he implicitly accused Florida head coach Urban Meyer of trying to run up the score late in the Gators' 26-3 win and suggested that it was an indictment of Meyer's character that should not go unnoticed by recruits. The 'Canes briefly returned to the Top 25 rankings for the first time since early in the 2006 season before surrendering 472 rushing yards—and 518 yards of total offense—to unranked Georgia Tech in a 41–23 late-November loss that eliminated Miami from ACC Championship contention. Tech's 472 yards on the ground were the second most ever allowed by Miami. The following week, the Hurricanes were defeated at North Carolina State, 38–28, in the final game of the regular season.

Miami then received an invitation to the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco, where the Hurricanes fell 24–17 to Cal. Shannon was widely criticized for the team's clock management in the game.

Off-season turmoil

In the immediate aftermath of the bowl game, Shannon fired his offensive coordinator, Patrick Nix, over philosophical differences. Nix wanted to employ more of a spread attack, whereas Shannon remained committed to Miami's traditional pro style offense. Shannon eventually hired former Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles assistant coach Mark Whipple for the position.

Nix's departure was followed by news that Robert Marve, a redshirt-freshman quarterback who started 11 of Miami's 13 games during the season, asked for a release to transfer to another school. Marve cited a strained relationship with Shannon as his reason for leaving. Shannon granted the request, but initially included broad restrictions blocking Marve from transferring to any school in the ACC, SEC, or state of Florida. After the conditions drew harsh criticism from Marve's father, his former high school coach, and members of the media, Shannon softened his stance somewhat by dropping the blanket SEC prohibition and barring Marve from three SEC schools in particular: Florida, LSU, and Tennessee. In defending the new restrictions, the athletic department alleged that Marve's camp initiated improper contact with the three schools during the season. After a hearing before the university's athletics appeals committee, Eugene Marve claimed that Shannon did not produce any evidence of the allegation and instead argued that allowing the banned transfers would hurt Miami in the "recruiting wars." Ultimately, the committee partially repealed the restrictions, permitting Marve to transfer in-state to either South Florida or Central Florida but upholding the prohibitions on a transfer to Florida, LSU, or Tennessee.

On the heels of the Marve saga, wide receiver Jermaine McKenzie announced that he was transferring to Memphis. McKenzie became the fourth member of Shannon's first recruiting class to transfer out of the program during the off-season, joining Marve, and running back Shawnbrey McNeal.

Shannon's staff suffered more upheaval when defensive coordinator Bill Young left to assume the same position at Oklahoma State, his alma mater, in late January. Young's departure made him the third offensive or defensive coordinator to leave the program during Shannon's two seasons as head coach, joining Nix and former defensive coordinator Tim Walton, both of whom were fired. North Carolina assistant John Lovett was hired to replace Young in February.

The off-season losses continued when freshmen backup quarterbacks Cannon Smith and Taylor Cook both asked to be released from their scholarships just before the start of the 2009 season.

2009 season

Randy Shannon's Hurricanes did show improvement in the 2009 season, in which the Canes finished with a record of 9–4. The Canes started out the season with an impressive 3–1 record against a tough group of four ranked opponents. The Hurricanes did go on to drop two regular season games following the impressive start, and ended with a disappointing loss in their bowl against Wisconsin. Even with the four tough losses, Shannon's teams have shown an improvement of at least two wins per season every year he's been the head coach. Following Miami's improved finish in 2009, several preseason polls have Miami in the top twenty five for the first time since Shannon has been the head coach.

Recruiting

Though Shannon's teams have gone through some struggles on the field, he has brought in recruiting classes ranked in the top 25. Three members of his second recruiting class—Marcus Forston, Marcus Robinson, and Sean Spence—were recognized by College Football News as freshman All-Americans.

2010 season

The Hurricanes started the year with high expectations, ranked 13th in the Associated Press and Coaches Poll. However, after winning three of their first four games, they were humiliated at home by Florida State, 45–17. Losses to Virginia, Virginia Tech and South Florida followed.

Firing

After the South Florida loss, the university announced its decision to terminate Shannon immediately. On December 13, 2010, the University of Miami announced the hiring of his replacement, former Temple University head coach Al Golden.

Head coaching record

References

1. Susan Maller Degnan; et al. (2006-12-07). "UM chooses Shannon as head football coach". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2006-12-07. {{cite web}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)
2. Hyde, David (September 23, 2009). "Miami coach Randy Shannon brings real life experience to Hurricanes". CNN. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
3. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
4. The Associated Press, Mark Schlabach & Joe Schad (2006-12-07). "Defensive coordinator Shannon new Miami Coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2006-12-07.
5. "A No Name Offense and Defense," The Miami Herald, July 24, 2007, page 3D.
6. "Shannon, 'Canes seeking quick turnaround".
7. "Shannon exclusive (part I)". Miami Herald. 2007-11-28. Retrieved 2007-11-28.
8. "Ranking the BCS coaches: USC's Carroll second to none". Sporting News. April 10, 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
9. Jones, David (2008-09-08). "Florida's Tebow defends Meyer, tees off on Miami's Shannon". USA Today. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
10. ^ "Georgia Tech racks up 473 rushing yards, dampers No. 23 Miami's ACC title hopes". ESPN.com. November 20, 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
11. "Five thoughts on Cal's Emerald Bowl win". FoxSports.com. December 28, 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
12. "Randy Shannon's Clock Management Skills Could Use a Little Improvement - NCAAFB FanHouse". Ncaafootball.fanhouse.com. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
13. Richardson, Shondell (December 28, 2008). "Emerald Bowl thoughts". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
14. Milian, Jorge (December 29, 2008). "Miami Hurricanes fire offensive coordinator Patrick Nix". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
15. Joey Johnston (Dec. 31, 2008). "Drama-Filled Marve Saga at UM Comes to End'". Tampa Tribune. Retrieved Dec. 31, 2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
16. Robert Marve leaving Miami; 'Canes set tight transfer restrictions
17. Wetzel, Dan (2010-11-24). "Block on Marve transfer out of bounds - College Football - Rivals.com". Rivals.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
18. "Gene Wojciechowski: Miami Hurricanes send warning signals with Robert Marve's treatment - ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. 2009-01-07. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
22. CNN http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/ncaa/02/09/miami.ap/index.html?eref=sircrc. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
23. "Highsmith likely to be backup". ESPN.com. 2009-08-25. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
25. "Miami claims top 2008 recruiting class - insider - ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. 2009-06-01. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
26. "Scout.com: Football Recruiting". Recruiting.scout.com. 2009-12-05. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
27. Cirminiello, Richard (December 11, 2008), "2008 CFN All-Freshman Defensive Team", College Football News
28. "Miami fires coach Randy Shannon", ESPN.com, November 27, 2010
29. "A Golden Moment for Miami Hurricanes' program," The Miami Herald, December 14, 2010

External links

• Miami profile

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• 1966 births
• Living people
• American football linebackers
• Dallas Cowboys players
• Miami Dolphins coaches
• Miami Hurricanes football coaches
• Miami Hurricanes football players
• People from Miami, Florida
• Players of American football from Florida
• African American coaches of American football