South Alabama interviews JMU's Matthews

[BDKJMU]

Don't think Mickey would leave JMU for a start up program thats going to be playing in the Slum, I mean Sun Belt in a few years, not with the facilties and recruits JMU has coming on right now, probably for maybe around 60k more a year (Matthews made 190.5k last season. I assume South Alabama would pay about 250k unless they landed a big name coach) in a conference that talent wise is the weakest in I-A and is no better than the CAA. This will probably keep JMU honest and provide more pressure for a raise when Matthews contract is up after the 09' season.

http://www.al.com/sports/press-register/index.ssf?/base/sports/1202465734321030.xml&coll=3

"Another candidate who could get an interview is James Madison head coach Mickey Matthews. Matthews has been at James Madison for nine years, winning the NCAA Division I-AA national title in 2004.

Before taking over at James Madison, Matthews was an assistant coach under Jim Donnan at Georgia for three years and spent six years as the assistant head coach at Marshall under Donnan.

Gottfried would not comment on Matthews or his candidacy."

[TexasTerror]

I think USA is going to get the former USM coach, Bower...

USA has got to hire a former FBS coach or they are going to anger the publics they have there. They need someone they can continue the ride of momentum behind...

[Retro]

Joey Jones is likely to get the job.. He has some experience and has time to gain more as they build the program. Jones is fan favorite in southern alabama. I expect USA to quickly rise to the top of the sun belt like troy did because they have a lot going for them regardless of the history of the rest of the conference. Already have 40,000 nice stadium to play in, Huge metro area to draw fans and recruit from and no major college within a couple of hours.

[BDKJMU]

I remember up through the mid 90s it was just Bama and Auburn in Alabama. Now you have UAB, who started their program in 91 (Div III), and went I-A in 96', then Troy State went up in 00' (JMU lost to them in the 1st round of the playoffs in Troy's last year in I-AA), and in a few years you'll have USA (Imagine the school chant USA, USA, USA...:)

USA won't be playing in as empty of a stadium as UAB has. Last season UAB avg 23.1k fans in 71.6k Legion Field.

Alabama kind of reminds me of Fla. Fla went from 3 programs (Miami, FSU, and UF) up till the mid 90s to 7 a couple years ago (adding UCF, USF, Fla Atl and Fla Int).

[Eyes of Old Main]

Living in Mobile, I hear all the pro-USA stuff, but honestly, I hear just as much negative stuff. Most all their students are either internationals or started somewhere else and ended up at South. I've been here almost 13 years and I've never gotten the feeling that South Alabama is a place that anyone really chooses to go to. Maybe I'm wrong, but it's a second-choice, second-tier school in an area where everyone is either an Auburn or Alabama fan.

I expect them to gain a little momentum, but not much. I think they'll struggle for attendance and probably never consistently rival what UAB and Troy are doing. Time will tell, but I wouldn't touch this job for anything if I was a coach that had designs on making my way to a BCS job.

[Retro]

Living in Mobile, I hear all the pro-USA stuff, but honestly, I hear just as much negative stuff. Most all their students are either internationals or started somewhere else and ended up at South. I've been here almost 13 years and I've never gotten the feeling that South Alabama is a place that anyone really chooses to go to. Maybe I'm wrong, but it's a second-choice, second-tier school in an area where everyone is either an Auburn or Alabama fan.

I expect them to gain a little momentum, but not much. I think they'll struggle for attendance and probably never consistently rival what UAB and Troy are doing. Time will tell, but I wouldn't touch this job for anything if I was a coach that had designs on making my way to a BCS job.

Well, considering how well the area responds to the senior bowl and the GMAC bowl and the fact that bama and auburn are both at least 3-4 hours drive away, i think they will do pretty good attendance wise once they've had a few years to get established..

I grew up in baldwin county and have been to the senior bowl dozens of times and other events as well. That area is starved for weekly college football within a short drive and the economics are their to support it... I think they will do well if they get the right coach and initial financial support. There in a much better area than any other sun belt team as far economics, population, recruiting, distance from competing colleges, etc..

Another thing that helps USA, is that they have strong teams in the other sports over their history, especially Baseball.. Basketball team is always one of the better teams in the SBC as well.. That helps in that those sports aren't a financial drain to an upstart football program.

[Purple Pride]

Joey Jones is likely to get the job.. He has some experience and has time to gain more as they build the program. Jones is fan favorite in southern alabama. I expect USA to quickly rise to the top of the sun belt like troy did because they have a lot going for them regardless of the history of the rest of the conference. Already have 40,000 nice stadium to play in, Huge metro area to draw fans and recruit from and no major college within a couple of hours.We have a winner.xthumbsupx



Joey Jones is headed home as the University of South Alabama's first head football coach.

http://www.al.com/sports/press-register/index.ssf?/base/sports/1203070536306240.xml&coll=3

[Longhorn]

Good for USA. Jones was a better fit for them than Matthews, and I know that JMU fans are more than happy MM has decided his roots are now set deep in Virginia soil.