Is Randy Shannon Hearing Tommy Tuberville Whispers?

Most schools might give a coach five years to build a program and get his feet under him.  Miami is not one of them.

Entering his third season and building on a 12-13 record, the whispers that Randy Shannon may not be the man to fix the program will turn into shouts by season's end if the 'Canes don't show very significant improvement.

What may make the hot seat even hotter is that Tommy Tuberville has shown some interest in the job at Miami.  In case you don't know your coaching history, Tuberville has three national championship rings in a drawer somewhere he earned as an assistant at Miami.

"I don't wish anybody bad will.  Something is going to happen somewhere.  There are some places I'd coach and some I wouldn't.  I want to go somewhere where they are committed.  You've got to get everybody on the same page.  If you can't get everybody on the same page, it's not going to work," said Tuberville recently.

Translated—I wouldn't consider going to Wyoming or some such place.  I want a big job at a big time school where I will be loved and revered and not have to worry about boosters or former coaches trying to stab me in the back.

Clearly the powers that be fondly remember Tuberville and are impressed by his resume, and why shouldn't they be?

After leaving Miami with three national championship rings, he took over Ole Miss and led them to three bowls in four years—a feat not since repeated.  Then his record at Auburn speaks for itself, including an undefeated season.

Boosters already lobbying for Tommy are pointing at Shannon and saying that promoting an assistant to this job just didn't work.  Yes, they got a decent coach for a cheap price, but they also are getting the results they paid for and that's just no bargain.

So the question is not so much would Miami want Tuberville—of course they would.  The question is, why would Tommy give up a job with ESPN and the easy lifestyle to dive back into coaching?

In a word: ego.

At Miami, Tuberville would have the national stage he desires, he would suddenly become a huge fish in a small pond of coaching talent in the ACC, and lastly he wouldn't have to work as hard in recruiting as he had to at Auburn. 

Let's face it, if you can't recruit in Florida you can't recruit anywhere.

Tuberville would like nothing better than to take over a program like Miami and lord his success over the same people that he felt never appreciated him at Auburn.

There are just two things that remain to be seen. 

Can Shannon turn Miami around enough this year to salvage his job?  Most think no.  And will Tuberville take a shot or two at Shannon should he get the chance with his television gig?

All these questions are what makes football season so much fun. 

There are so many "games" going on behind the scenes that are as interesting as the contests themselves—and it never ceases to be entertaining.