11 have applied (Examiner exclusive)

[HoopInsider_Cooper]

www.theexaminer.com

LU football head coach position gathers 11 applications

By Chad Cooper, Sports Editor

The Examiner

With the overwhelming support of the students on the campus of Lamar University voting to pay an athletic fee each semester, the return of Cardinal football is in plain view.

The first snap could come as early as the 2009 season and Lamar posted the job opening for head football coach, which ended on March 21 and attracted just 11 names, then reposted the position on March 26.

The Examiner received the list of 11 names of coaches that applied for the position through a public information request form.

Randall Butler

-Was the tight ends coach at Southern Miss under Jeff Bowers, who was fired last season. Was also an assistant at SMU and Tulane.

Ronald Feldman

No information found.

Robert Hargrove

No information found.

James "Jim Bob" Helduser

-Former head coach at Southwest Texas State (Texas State) and also applied for head football coach at Class 5A Plano High School. Helduser was an assistant at Texas A&M under Dennis Franchione and also coached under Fran at TCU and Alabama. Has ties to Southeast Texas as he graduated from PN-G in 1975.

Larry Kennan

-Executive Director of the NFL Coaches Association.  Former Lamar head football coach and left in 1981 to become an assistant coach for the Oakland Raiders. Some Lamar enthusiasts say after Kennan left, the football program was never the same.

Les Koenning

-Current offensive coordinator at South Alabama, who just started their football program and will not begin play until 2009. Spent five seasons under Dennis Franchione at Texas A&M as quarterbacks coach. Also was an offensive coach at Louisiana-Lafayette, Rice, Duke, Houston, TCU and Alabama. Has ties to Southeast Texas.

Benson Norton

-Former assistant at Sam Houston State.

Kenith Pope

-Former assistant head coach at Texas A&M under Dennis Franchione. Also coached the offensive backs under Larry Kennan at Lamar University after coaching at Beaumont Hebert with Alex Durley. Pope was standout defensive back for the Oklahoma Sooners and played in the NFL.

Craig Stump

-Current head football coach at Beaumont West Brook. Also was the head coach for one year at Monsignor Kelly. Has college experience as an assistant at Mississippi State under Jackie Sherrill. He was also an assistant for three years at Tulane. Stump is a graduate of Port Arthur Thomas Jefferson.

Dennis Winston

-Former assistant at Kentucky State, Toledo and defensive line coach for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Winston also played linebacker in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders, where he won two Super Bowls, and New Orleans Saints. Winston was also a collegiate standout for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Raymond Woodard Jr.

-Head coach at Navarro Junior College in Corsicana. Was an assistant at Louisiana-Lafayette for 12 years and defensive coordinator in NFL-Europe. Was an All-American at Kilgore JC then transferred to the University of Texas. Drafted in the 8th round by the San Francisco 49ers and won a Super Bowl in 1986 with Denver.

[lu cards]

it may lack in quantity but it makes up for it quality.

[Guest mffl]

If they do hire Fran, i hope he brings Pope Jr. in.. great recruiter and he recruited SETX for A&M the past few years a believe.

[KFDM COOP]

We'll see.

[NorthoftheBorder]

it may lack in quantity but it makes up for it quality.

What?  We have a long ways to go if this is all we got so far.  A few good names but I suspect that like the Franchione sighting, there is a lot going on in the background we don't know about unless ABTR want to be forthcoming.

[KFDM COOP]

I'm sure there's others!

[fullcourtpress45]

Good read! Glad someone posted what Lamar had received.

I think we all agree that it's Fran's for the taking. Why dont you think he's applied? Fran was interested in the SMU job and dont know if he applied or not. Some say he did and some say he didnt.

He was in Beaumont yesterday, spent a good time at the Montagne looking at everything and BT is ready to pull the trigger, believe me. $200K-225K would be the figure for his salary, but that will be deducted from what TAMU ($4.4 mil) is giving him per year.

It's a nice hire because of the name, but how long do you think Fran the ego is going to stay in Beaumont? This is a guy that ran TCU, Alabama and TAMU. Now Lamar?

He's going to bring in his staff. This roster WILL NOT be loaded 100% from the Golden Triangle, LU football would not survive these days with a roster full of SETX kids. Look at how many SETX kids go off and play DI-AA football...Not too many.

If not Fran...

Larry Keenan is nearing 70...He was a good thing then for Lamar but too old now. Koenning may not be bad but I like the Navarro guy (Woodard). Names like Coker, Switzer, etc...Why would you want them? The only thing they are going to do is bring in quick fix $$$ then run. Switzer is a JOKE. He's had problems follow him everywhere he's been.

My 2-cents.

[lu cards]

it may lack in quantity but it makes up for it quality.

What?  We have a long ways to go if this is all we got so far.  A few good names but I suspect that like the Franchione sighting, there is a lot going on in the background we don't know about unless ABTR want to be forthcoming.

stump,pope,kennan,koenning,woodard and helduser are all quality candidate's.

[KFDM COOP]

Ole Fran!  He can Recruit. He's real familiar with WO-S.

[TexasTerror]

Can't say I am too impressed (though I know more will apply)...of the list, I'd say Koenning, Norton (who knows this conference and is currently in San Marcos as an assistant for the Bobcats) and Pope are the best candidates who have applied...

[Guest abovetherim]

Like HoopInsider_Cooper stated the job will be probably be offerred to someone not on the list.

[UNLV]

Can't say I am too impressed (though I know more will apply)...of the list, I'd say Koenning, Norton (who knows this conference and is currently in San Marcos as an assistant for the Bobcats) and Pope are the best candidates who have applied...

Must be a blue-moon, I agree with Terror. Not a list that makes me go wow, unless I was being sarcastic.

[Guest abovetherim]

I like Kenith Pope but I'd prefer not to start the program. Did BT apply for the AD job? Nope, Did he apply for the men's basketball HC job? Nope? Did Jimmy Johnson apply for the Dallas Cowboys job while at the University of Miami? Nope.

Just because you don't see a name on the list doesn't mean Lamar isn't talking to them. Think about Coach Tubbs statement to the PA News, "Hiring can be like recruiting," Tubbs said. "You might be recruiting some people for a job like this that don't apply for it. It's a long process. But right now our target date is May 1 (to hire a Lamar head football coach).

"Are we searching? Yes... Could we hire before May 1? Yes."

I think that about sums it up there.

[BearWolf]

I like Kenith Pope but I'd prefer not to start the program. Did BT apply for the AD job? Nope, Did he apply for the men's basketball HC job? Nope? Did Jimmy Johnson apply for the Dallas Cowboys job while at the University of Miami? Nope.

Just because you don't see a name on the list doesn't mean Lamar isn't talking to them. Think about Coach Tubbs statement to the PA News, "Hiring can be like recruiting," Tubbs said. "You might be recruiting some people for a job like this that don't apply for it. It's a long process. But right now our target date is May 1 (to hire a Lamar head football coach).

"Are we searching? Yes... Could we hire before May 1? Yes."

I think that about sums it up there.

great points

[UNLV]

Jimmy Johnson needs to stop playing, that ain't funny. He need to take the job and hire an assistant to do

the work.

[Guest abovetherim]

UNLV, would you give up the life JJ is living in South Florida? I love Lamar and I wouldn't. He has won a NC and  2 SB's and has the prefect gig with Fox. If he was ever coming back to coach college it would have been at Arkansas and I heard from reliable people he said, no thanks.

Think about how much Arkansas would have paid him. I heard something like $4 million a year.

[UNLV]

UNLV, would you give up the life JJ is living in South Florida? I love Lamar and I wouldn't. He has won a NC and  2 SB's and has the prefect gig with Fox. It he was ever coming back to coach college it would have been at Arkansas and I heard from reliable people he said, no thanks.

Think about how much Arkansas would have paid him. I heard something like $4 million a year.

I would do it for Lamar. Arkansas is not his home. He needs to give back. He can have the OC and DC do

all the work. He only needs to show up for the games. THATS IT. JIMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMY, C'MON JIMMY...

Do it for your home. 5 years Jimmy, then you can  go. Just give us 5 Jimmy, 5, 60 months, don't regret it when your 80 years old.

Do it for the challenge, for the fun of seeing if you can make a winner in Lamar. You will make your home extra proud of you. And

make Terror head explode, wouldn't that be fun to watch. Jimmy we need you.

[weslinder]

Unfortunately, Texas isn't Jimmy's home anymore, either.  He's living the Jimmy Buffett lifestyle.  Kinda hard to give that up.

[DP#1FAN]

UNLV, would you give up the life JJ is living in South Florida? I love Lamar and I wouldn't. He has won a NC and  2 SB's and has the prefect gig with Fox. It he was ever coming back to coach college it would have been at Arkansas and I heard from reliable people he said, no thanks.

Think about how much Arkansas would have paid him. I heard something like $4 million a year.

I would do it for Lamar. Arkansas is not his home. He needs to give back. He can have the OC and DC do

all the work. He only needs to show up for the games. THATS IT. JIMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMY, C'MON JIMMY...

Do it for your home. 5 years Jimmy, then you can  go. Just give us 5 Jimmy, 5, 60 months, don't regret it when your 80 years old.

Do it for the challenge, for the fun of seeing if you can make a winner in Lamar. You will make your home extra proud of you. And

make Terror head explode, wouldn't that be fun to watch. Jimmy we need you.

We could start a fundraiser right now if it will make Terror's head explode.

[move]Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy[/move]

[KFDM COOP]

Jimmy nor Fran will be the Coach!!!!!

[Guest mffl]

Jimmy nor Fran will be the Coach!!!!!

Do you know something we do not know?

Will it be one of the applicants listed or somebody that we have no idea about?

[KFDM COOP]

Just that Jimmy nor Fran will be Coach! I have no list though.

[Guest mffl]

Well thanx coop... we are better off without Fran!

[KFDM COOP]

Who do you want?

[Guest abovetherim]

Don't know myself but I like 3 on the list and I'm hoping someone else pops up. Les, Jr is in his late forties and is considered a great offensive coach but he does not have head coaching experience. Craig Stump, I've already stated everthing about him but will say the more I read about the man the more I like him. I've always liked Coach Pope but he doesn't have head coaching experience.

Really doesn't bother me about Coach Fran I'm not a big fan of his for reason I've stated on the forum before but I do think someone of his status would be interesting.

Like think BT will get Coach Coker to campus, he is a high profile coach who has won a NC at the BCS level but there are negatives about him too.

Hopefully, the search committee, Coach Tubbs and Dr. Simmons get this one right and please don't go for the coach just because he may be willing to coach for less.