According to ESPN, and many other local sources, Skip Holtz has turned down the head coaching job at Cincinnati. Joe Schad (ESPN) and Tom Dienhart (Yahoo Sports) are among two of the reputable sources reporting that Cincinnati has already replaced former coach Brian Kelly. Butch Jones, the former head coach at Central Michigan, will be announced as the new Cincinnati head coach later today.
From what I am hearing, Skip was asking for around $2.5M and Cincinnati was only willing to pay $1.8M. Just like years past, teams have come for our coach. And just as in the past, Skip has stayed with the Pirates. I believe Skip has a great situation in Greenville. He gets paid well, has a great family and friends, and for crying out loud, he’s a rock star in and around Greenville.
I now hope he can move forward to the job at hand. Beating Arkansas is going to be a task unlike any we have faced all year. Our team and coaching stuff must be focused. Arkansas will bring over 40,000 fans to the Liberty Bowl on January 2nd. Although that may be the case, the Pirates will reign Purple on Beale St. and on the Liberty Bowl. We have a chance for a ten win season. Now is our time to step up to the challenge and show the nation what the Pirates are all about.
December 16th, 2009 at 5:06 PM
Central Michigan fan wants Cincinnati on the schedule pronto, that or Cincy’s AD in a back ally somewhere. That’s twice in as many years Cincinnati snatched a very good Central Michigan coach. Central Michigan is not a better job than Cincy but arrrrrhggguably the Pirate job is.
The players have got to be thrilled. Thursday the Pirate players begin the first of five consecutive practices before the Christmas break and more importantly the first of five led by their 2010 head football coach, Skip Holtz! Yo Ho-Ho-Ho, Merry Christmas Pirate fans!
December 16th, 2009 at 7:09 PM
Meet the new boss….
http://www.theesportsblog.com/2009/12/16/yo-ho-yo-ho-a-pirates-life-for-me-holtz-stays/
December 17th, 2009 at 9:43 AM
I didn’t think Skip was going to leave as soon as I saw him do that sick-ass fist pump to the Student Pirate Club section after the C-USA Championship win against Houston. It nearly brought tears to my eyes.
Beale Street to oblivion…GO PIRATES!!!
December 18th, 2009 at 11:26 AM
That fist-bump did sum it up pretty well ghost!
This is a HUGE moment for ECU…
Upgrade to the facilities- CHECK
Retaining Quality Staff- CHECK
Increasing BCS possibilities- CHECK
With the Big 10 + 1 talking expansion, the Big East looks to lose a team possibly. They will be eying us pretty hard, with more than enough seats, we will look very worthy of that BCS fraternity!
PS: I would like the end-zone section, or the entire facility to have an ominous name. DAVEY JONES LOCKER!
December 18th, 2009 at 3:44 PM
My vote is “Poop Deck”. I mean seriously, it is exactly where the poop deck would be on a ship. and it will even look like one.
http://www.hugohein.com/classic.sail/lew/poop.deck.a.450.JPG
(plus, it’s a Camp Sea Gull staff house where I stayed for 3 years)