- 54 percent of FBS players are minorities (50 percent of those are African-American)
- 5.04 percent of FBS head coaches are minorities
- 92.5 percent of FBS university presidents, 87.5 percent of FBS athletic directors and 100 percent of conference commisioners are white.
So I know for all you football fans this sounds like a broken record. Everyone talks about the lack of opportunities for African-American head coaches, but nothing is ever done about it. So why keep talking?
Well here's the deal. College football will continue to have it's head up it's ass (like they do when it comes to getting a playoff system) when it comes to giving minorities a shot at being a head coach. So it is up to the people, the fans, to create a base for this to grow. We must care about this and start the uproar so the suits up top will make the necessary changes.
Now, I'm not saying that if a more qualified white candidate applies for the job he shouldn't receive it. He should. But more minorities should be given a shot at the job. More should be considered. The intangables it takes to be a great head coach doesn't depend on race.
The facts are simple. Minorities are not given the same opportunities to become head coaches as their white counterparts. Will this change? Probably not in my lifetime, but there is always hope.
To check out Gene's article, visit http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=3695007&sportCat=ncf.
Also, in Gene's article, watch the video with Desmond Howard discussing diversity in college football head coaches.
For another good story, check out http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/football/articles/2006/09/21/few_minorities_get_the_reins_in_college_football/.
Any ideas why there remain so few? Is it political, economical or social? Not in your lifetime, that says so little about that system is and the power of the people. How do we fix it? Can the media help or harm the process of change?
ReplyDeleteYour opening question left me feeling a bit stupid, but whe taking time to think about it I guess I couldnt name more than two or three black profession coaches. This was an interesting post to look at the statistics and see how the numbers play out. Why dont you think his will change in your lifetime? I feel like it can most certainly change and probably will very soon, I may not be as much of a sports guru such as yourself, but it does seem like it will change. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteHere’s my question to you…how many are Native American? Is it just awfully weird to think an Asian can coach a football team? Why is it that when the subject of race and opportunities come up, the focus is on African Americans? Like they are the only minority group lacking opportunities. I agree with you, though. I didn’t know it was that few minority coaches. That number seems ridiculous compared to the number of coaches in all. That’s worse than the nine percent example Joe Hight gave today. Another question…if you were president or CEO of the Football Bowl Subdivision programs, would that be ok with you? And if not, how would you go about changing it?
ReplyDeleteGriffin,
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. I can’t help but wonder if that is just the way the dice rolled though. I doubt that in a business as cutthroat as professional sports, where your job security is only as good as your last game, that they would hire someone who wasn’t perfectly qualified for the job. Maybe the reason that there aren’t as many minority coaches is that the ones who have tried for the jobs haven’t been as good as the people currently in place. I think they are given the same opportunities as anyone else. The ones who have proven themselves have jobs.
I've got to disagree with the previous post. There was a perfect example this last off-season when Auburn University, located in the deep south, hired Gene Chizik from Iowa State where he had a record of 5 wins and nineteen losses in the last two seasons. Meanwhile Turner Gill coached his Buffalo team to a conference title and their first ever bowl game and happens to be black, did not get the job. Granted the teams play in different conferences, but I agree with famous and infamous Auburn alum Charles Barkley who was livid about the decision.
ReplyDeleteThe NCAA should look into instituting a “Rooney Rule” like the National Football League currently uses with its teams. The “Rooney Rule” basically says that teams must at least interview a minority candidate. I think this is a great idea and might have been a good idea for that paper in up-state New York as well. At least this way if an ignorant owner has a preconceived notion about an entire race, a candidate has the chance to disprove the stereotype and maybe get hired or clear the way for the next candidate.
Tyrone Willingham, a black coach, was let go at the University of Washington, as he probably should have been after finishing the season without a win, bringing the number of black coaches down. However, before his time at Washington, he won at Stanford, and won at Notre Dame where he was also chased out of town. Ron Prince was also fired in the off-season after some dismal years at Kansas State. I have no problem with these firings of black coaches as long as they are given another chance down the line much like Gene Chizik was given at Auburn.
Ahhh.
ReplyDelete