Mickey's Monkeys no more

[BDKJMU]

Still don't understand the potential move. First, they are not remotely dominant as this level. Secondly, the changing of leagues is a negative for all other sports. Third, most important if you will not get a seat at the big table(4 superconferences) then eventually you are right back here once that occurs. Marshall is probably the most successful school going to Fbs

Otherwise not that successful. I guess GA southern has the best shot but I think all of them are unlikely. I guess they hope to be UCF.

Nope, that would be Boise

[grizzaholic]

GOD I love it when people mention Boise as an exception to the rule. HAHA. If you move up you will become Marshall and Idaho. Good luck.

ASU: I am sad because you are great and your administration are drunk....

[Skjellyfetti]

Three former I-AA teams have made BCS bowls.

Not great odds or anything, but it's not like Boise is the only success story and the rest are Idahos.

[grizzaholic]

Three former I-AA teams have made BCS bowls.

Not great odds or anything, but it's not like Boise is the only success story and the rest are Idahos.

Ah...I see. You are one of the Move up fellas.

Jelly...you, sir, are an idiot.

[tribe_pride]

Go to their CSNbbs page for this past season and you will see that many were calling for his termination since the beginning of the season

Yes. But also check out the tribute thread (I put in my 2 cents near bottom of 1st page):
http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=663298" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think that popped up after my post but I have seen the tribute post and it is well deserved. I was actually more talking about the past few weeks when JMU has had their fans calling for his termination after each game.

Hope you guys get a good coach.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Three former I-AA teams have made BCS bowls.

There's Boise & UConn. Who's the third?

[BlackFalkin]

I would consider the University of Nevada as a successful transition FBS team.

[89Hen]

Three former I-AA teams have made BCS bowls.

There's Boise & UConn. Who's the third?

None that I see.

[TribePride]

Appreciate the information and position from jmu fans. It would probably be good for the state of Virginia to have a 2nd successful FBS program. It just seems as though the timing is wrong. I do wish ODU the best of luck. Perhaps JMU is less certain. They have been successful just not as successful as GSU and App St. Boise and Nevada are not reasonable comparisons in size or geographics. Marshall is though. I think Montana made the right decision. Would have a different opinion without the current FBS power shift currently going on. Just do not see a seat at the table for either JMU or ODU
But there must be a lot more money for beating Tulane or Temple than the occasional 1 ACc opponent and competing for a championship.

[mainejeff]

I hear that Maine is going to honor his memory by re-naming the locker rooms in Alfond Arena after him.............

[WyomingGrizFan]

There's Boise & UConn. Who's the third?

None that I see.

I think Troy, formerly Troy St., has been to five Bowl games from 2004 through 2010. They used to be I-AA (FCS).

[Grizalltheway]

None that I see.

I think Troy, formerly Troy St., has been to five Bowl games from 2004 through 2010. They used to be I-AA (FCS).

Not BCS bowls. Not that there's any real difference, though.

[Ivytalk]

Na na
Na na na na
Hey hey hey
Mickey sucks!

[grizzaholic]

None that I see.

I think Troy, formerly Troy St., has been to five Bowl games from 2004 through 2010. They used to be I-AA (FCS).

So..the Tampax, Summer's Eve, and Preparation H. bowls. Lots to look forward to.

[craneac27]

But there must be a lot more money for beating Tulane or Temple than the occasional 1 ACc opponent and competing for a championship.

don't pick on Tulane :-/

[BDKJMU]

‘I’m Not Bitter’
Former Football Coach Understands Why JMU Fired Him
Posted: December 19, 2013
By MATTHEW STOSS

PENN LAIRD — Mickey Matthews said the conversation was brief, about 10 minutes, and that he didn’t argue. He said he met with James Madison University athletic director Jeff Bourne and associate athletic director Kevin White at about 7:30 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 25 in Bourne’s Godwin Hall office, where they told him that he was being fired as JMU’s football coach after 15 seasons.

“They just said I didn’t win enough games. And they were making a change,” Matthews said Wednesday afternoon at his Penn Laird home in his first public comments since being dismissed.

Three weeks after his firing, which was made following a 6-6 season in which Madison missed the playoffs for the fourth time in five years, Matthews (109-71 all-time at JMU) said he’s frustrated but not bitter about the decision, and that he’s still mulling his next career move.

Matthews sat in the basement of his house, which he and his wife Kay had built in 2000. The 60-year-old Texan had just returned from the gym — Matthews, since being fired, said he’s lost about 10 pounds because of near-daily workouts and stress — and lounged in an arm chair, legs up on an Ottoman and backlit by the daylight beaming through French doors that overlooked 20 pastoral miles to the mountains.

It’s the house that Matthews said he planned to retire in after “three or four more years” coaching JMU. But before that could happen, he said, he had the “rug pulled out from under” him.

“We’ve been here longer than we’ve been anywhere in my career,” said Matthews, who also has been an assistant at, most recently, Georgia and Marshall. “Our best friends in the world are in Harrisonburg. Our family’s here.”

But Matthews said he doesn’t hold a grudge and referred to his firing as a “professional divorce.”

“A lot of people ask if I’m bitter, and I’ve always thought it was a conscious decision to be bitter,” Matthews said. “You have to wake up in the morning and decide to be bitter, and I’m not bitter in the least. I’ve had to fire coaches, I’ve had to fire players, and I know decisions have to be made. And I always heard Bum Phillips say it. … He had to cut players, and he always said when it came his time to be cut, he was going to take it like a man, and I think that’s exactly the path I want to go down.”

Matthews said his firing “stunned” him, but he also said that he understood it, especially after the Dukes finished 6-6 and missed the Division I-AA playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons. Matthews admitted to minor apprehension leading up to that Monday morning with Bourne and White, although meeting with Bourne wasn’t unusual. Matthews said he met with Bourne, the head of the I-AA-playoff selection committee this year, once a week as a postseason adviser.

“There were some concerns because we didn’t play well the last three games,” said Matthews, whose team went 0-3 during that stretch. “But when you get as much experience as I have, nothing surprises you.”

Still, Matthews said he believed he would be back in 2014, despite swelling administrative pressure following a 7-4 2012 that featured a late-season collapse. (Matthews said he never got a do-or-die ultimatum, though.) Matthews had one year remaining on his $222,000-a-year contract, which Bourne has said was bought out with private funds.

“We just lost those last three games. We went 6-6. The frustration I have was, if we had been 2-10, I’d have been prepared for the meeting,” Matthews said. “When you’re 6-6 — they were mad last year after I was 7-4, but I think that’s where coaching is right now. I think there’s a lot of guys getting fired now for 6-6 and 7-4, and that didn’t used to be the case.”

Hired in 1999, Matthews won 60 percent of his games at JMU, captured three conference titles, reached the playoffs six times and won the 2004 national championship. During his tenure, Madison spent $62.5 million to expand Bridgeforth Stadium to 25,000 seats. It also built an athletic center, which houses locker rooms, a gym, a training room, and Matthews’ spacious corner office that afforded a view of the football field.

Now, JMU is the final stages of shopping for a new head coach. Among the serious candidates are believed to be Vanderbilt defensive backs coach George Barlow, Oakland Raiders quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo and Virginia Tech tight ends coach Bryan Stinespring. An announcement on the new coach is forthcoming, perhaps as early as Friday.

Matthews said he doesn’t have any immediate plans and that he will take his time deciding what to do next. He said he’s flirted with some coaching jobs (no formal applications), including the vacancy at Stephen F. Austin, which announced a new hire last week.

Matthews said he’s had discussions with “TV people” about potentially becoming a color analyst. He wouldn’t say which TV people. He also said he considered starting some kind of business in Harrisonburg. He didn’t know what.

But the most important thing to Matthews was to move on, a task that includes finding a new wardrobe — and not just to accommodate his svelter figure.

“James Madison football was my passion; it was my life,” Matthews said. “And I think the worst thing you can do is to dwell on all the things that could have been. I think anyone who knows me, my day-to-day life was JMU football. I didn’t wear anything that didn’t have JMU football on it. I had to buy some clothes. I had to go buy some clothes that didn’t have JMU on it.”

Matthews’ impact on Madison football makes him an obvious candidate for JMU’s athletics hall of fame, at some point.

“I’m sure the wounds need to heal, probably on both sides,” Matthews said when asked about coming back. “I was raised to be loyal to people, not buildings, and certainly — I just refuse to be bitter. I’m just not going to be. I really, from the bottom of my heart, I understand that people have to make decisions, and all of us — Mickey Matthews, [senior vice president of finance] Charlie King, Jeff Bourne — all of us work at the pleasure of the president, you know? That’s the way the university operates. When they decide to make a change, regardless of what it is, you have to understand that they want to make a change.”
http://www.dnronline.com/article/i_m_not_bitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BDKJMU]

1/4 pg ad Mickey took out in Harrisonburg paper:


Mickey's actions since being canned have been pretty classy. Mickey will be like a president who leaves office with low approval ratings, only years later to have very high approval ratings.

[YoUDeeMan]

What the hell are you people waiting for...hire a new coach already!!!!

Jesus, UD showed that national searches for high profile FCS head coaching jobs shouldn't take that long to fill. Check your AD's recent visitor's list...have any football friends been stopping by before Mickey's announcement (just coincidence, or course)? Any poor OCs with zero head coaching experience or DIII DCs with a long history of losing hanging around?



BTW, Mickey as a TV person? Do they allow commentators to blow their stack and throw their visors?

[BDKJMU]

What the hell are you people waiting for...hire a new coach already!!!!

Jesus, UD showed that national searches for high profile FCS head coaching jobs shouldn't take that long to fill. Check your AD's recent visitor's list...have any football friends been stopping by before Mickey's announcement (just coincidence, or course)? Any poor OCs with zero head coaching experience or DIII DCs with a long history of losing hanging around?



BTW, Mickey as a TV person? Do they allow commentators to blow their stack and throw their visors?

Likely will know the new coach by the end of the week. As was pointed out on the JMU board, there is a state requirement to post job notices for state employees on a public website for a minimum period of time. JMU is a public university, the JMU football coach and his staff are state employees. MM was fired on 11/25, and posting was up till 12/11. So the ealriest JMU could have made an announcement was a week ago.

And MM on TV would be entertaining, just as he was in the CAA. The CAA just got a little more boring after MM was fired. After all, who is the "character" coach left in the CAA that other schools love to hate?

[LDopaPDX]

Besides this, of course...

There are sooooooo many chicks in this photo that I'd like to have intercourse with... and you were looking at THAT one?

[LDopaPDX]

Appreciate the information and position from jmu fans. It would probably be good for the state of Virginia to have a 2nd successful FBS program. It just seems as though the timing is wrong. I do wish ODU the best of luck. Perhaps JMU is less certain. They have been successful just not as successful as GSU and App St. Boise and Nevada are not reasonable comparisons in size or geographics. Marshall is though. I think Montana made the right decision. Would have a different opinion without the current FBS power shift currently going on. Just do not see a seat at the table for either JMU or ODU
But there must be a lot more money for beating Tulane or Temple than the occasional 1 ACc opponent and competing for a championship.

It's comical to me that some schools want to move up. If a school could make the jump straight to a BCS conference, sure, go for it. But moving up to join the Sun Belt? Not only do you miss out on the playoffs, you basically need to win your conference just to get in to the Whatever Bowl. 5 Sun Belt teams were bowl eligible this year and didn't get bowl invites. There were only 9 bowl eligible teams total not going to one of the roughly 16,000 bowl games, and 5 were from that garbage conference. Why be a part of that?

[Longhorn]

What the hell are you people waiting for...hire a new coach already!!!!

Jesus, UD showed that national searches for high profile FCS head coaching jobs shouldn't take that long to fill. Check your AD's recent visitor's list...have any football friends been stopping by before Mickey's announcement (just coincidence, or course)? Any poor OCs with zero head coaching experience or DIII DCs with a long history of losing hanging around?



BTW, Mickey as a TV person? Do they allow commentators to blow their stack and throw their visors?

Stick this hire in your crack pipe and smoke it.



JMU Hires Everett Withers As New Head Football Coach

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison University has named Everett Withers as its new head football coach, Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne announced today. The sixth head coach in JMU history, Withers appointment is effective immediately, though he will remain with his current position through the bowl season.

“We are so thrilled to welcome Coach Withers and his family to James Madison,” Bourne said. “Everett is a proven winner and has shown his ability to lead, having spent time as a head coach. The entire committee was incredibly impressed when we met with him, and I have no doubt that he will be a great leader for our football program and mentor to our student-athletes for many years to come.”

“Coach Withers impressed us greatly not only with his experience on the field, but also with his strong commitment to the student-athlete,” JMU President Jonathan Alger said. “Coach Withers is dedicated to JMU's educational mission and believes that his team's success begins in the classroom. He and his wife Kara have also emphasized the importance of being active participants in the community. I am confident that Coach Withers, his wife Kara, and their two children Tia and Pierce will be valuable additions to the JMU family and the community at large."

A 26-year coaching veteran, Withers comes to the Shenandoah Valley from Ohio State University, where he served as assistant head coach, co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach for the past two years. During his time with the Buckeyes, he has been a part of a school-record 24-game win streak and a 24-1 mark heading into the upcoming Discover Orange Bowl against No. 12 Clemson. In 2012, OSU compiled a perfect 12-0 record and finished No. 3 in the national rankings. The undefeated 2012 slate was only the sixth unbeaten/untied season in school history, as Ohio State ranked second in the Big Ten with 14 interceptions and all four starting defensive backs earned All-Big Ten Conference recognition.

During his career, Withers has split time between the collegiate and professional coaching ranks, having worked in the NCAA Division I level for 19 years and in the National Football League for seven seasons. Withers' collegiate coaching resume includes 11 years as a defensive coordinator with a vast majority of his time - 17 seasons - spent also coaching the defensive backfield.

Prior to accepting his position with Ohio State in December 2012, Withers spent four years at the University of North Carolina. He was promoted to interim head coach at the school in July 2011 and he led the Tar Heels to a 7-6 overall record and to a berth in the Independence Bowl against Missouri. His Tar Heel defenses were top notch. His first unit - 2008 - ranked eighth in the country with 20 interceptions, a number that was just one off the UNC single-season record. His 2009 defense was among the nation's elite, ranking sixth in total defense, 10th against the run, 13th in scoring and 14th in pass defense. His 2010 unit ranked fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference and 30th nationally. Five players off that unit were taken in the NFL draft, including first-round pick Robert Quinn. In his final season in 2011, the Tar Heels ranked 14th nationally against the run. Additionally, Withers' UNC defenses picked off 71 passes in four seasons.

Withers spent one year as defensive coordinator at the University of Minnesota prior to his North Carolina position. He also has been an assistant coach at the University of Texas (1998-2000; defensive backs), Louisville (1995-97; defensive coordinator/assistant head coach/defensive backs), Southern Mississippi (1992-93; defensive backs/assistant special teams), Tulane (1991; outside linebackers) and Austin Peay (1988-90; defensive coordinator/defensive backs; tight ends/special teams).

In the NFL, Withers spent six years (2001-06) as a defensive backs coach with the Tennessee Titans and then-head coach Jeff Fisher, who is now the leader of the St. Louis Rams. In his tenure in Nashville, Withers was a part of an AFC South championship in 2002 and two playoff berths in 2002 and 2003. He coached All-AFC selections in Lance Schulters (2002) and Adam “Pacman” Jones (2005), as three times the Titans’ defense ranked in the top five in the NFL in rushing yards against. While he was the defensive backs coach of the Titans, the squad ranked among the top-10 defenses in 2002, his first season with the Titans. From 2002 to 2004, the Titans grabbed 57 interceptions, the best ever for a three-year span for the franchise, fourth best in the AFC and eighth best in the NFL. The Titans tallied 21 picks in 2004, with 16 coming from the Withers’ coached secondary. Withers also spent the 1994 season with the New Orleans Saints as a defensive quality control coach.

A native of Charlotte, N.C., Withers attended Appalachian State University and was a four-year letter-winner as a defensive back. He served as team captain in 1984.

Withers and his wife, Kara, have a daughter, Tia, and a son, Pierce.

Everett Withers' Personal File

Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
High School: Charlotte Senior
Alma Mater: Appalachian State University, 1986
Years in Coaching: 26 (19 in NCAA Division I, seven in NFL)
Wife: Kara
Children: Daughter, Tia, and son, Pierce

[ODUsmitty]

JMU's streamers never seemed to be an issue when facing ODU - for some reason JMU did not need them much.

WIth a 2-0 record vs a team with a fanbase that ridiculed our startup program the most, I was hoping Mickey would retire at the nicest truckstop in America. Regardless, JMU has a great stadium, and were gracious hosts when ODU came in and knocked them out of the playoffs in 2012. It sure was nice closing out our 7-1 CAA season and FCS playoff seeding on the field of the team that disrespected us the most. Hope your groundskeepers fully washed our boys' piss off your midfield logo after the game was completed. MIckey coached a whale of a game, and made great adjustments at halftime in the season-ending defeat..........NOT.

Suck it, Barneys.

[Longhorn]

JMU's streamers never seemed to be an issue when facing ODU - for some reason JMU did not need them much.

Say, when are the Mighty Monarch Midgets of ODU going back to finish the last 5 minutes of regulation play against UNC? Or has your coach petitioned the NCAA to permanently include the mercy rule for not-ready for prime-time FBS wannabes?

[ODUsmitty]

Say, when are the Mighty Monarch Midgets of ODU going back to finish the last 5 minutes of regulation play against UNC? Or has your coach petitioned the NCAA to permanently include the mercy rule for not-ready for prime-time FBS wannabes?

Tell you what, ShortStick, why don't we combine that petition with Thorpe's petition to legalize pot in Harrisonburg?

Enjoy your big game with Albany or Stony Brook next year.