IU fires coach - is CJL on their list again?

[hightechbull]

They tried to get Leavitt two years ago, but he turned them down.  Do you think they will try again?

IU losing to Purdue is worse than the UF-FSU rivalry.  The kicker is that Purdue has dominated IU for many years, and IU alumni tired of it.  IU has deeper pockets than USF.

Time to worry or time to celebrate (pending on your view of CJL)?

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/7949426

INDIANAPOLIS -- Gerry DiNardo was fired as Indiana's  football coach after a 3-8 season that ended with a 63-24 loss to Purdue, the Hoosiers' seventh defeat in eight years to their state rival.

DiNardo, who has two years left on his contract, had an 8-27 record in three seasons that were marked by declining attendance.

Fred Eichhorn, president of the school's Board of Trustees, said Wednesday that DiNardo was dismissed during a meeting Tuesday. An afternoon news conference was scheduled.

DiNardo replaced Cam Cameron after the 2001 season. After the rout by Purdue, he said "this was just about the worst day we've had as a team."

The firing is the first major coaching change by athletic director Rick Greenspan since he was hired in September as the school's fourth athletic director in a little more than three years. Greenspan said he recommended the dismissal to university president Adam Herbert.

"We are determined to restore a winning tradition in IU football," Herbert said.

DiNardo signed a five-year contract in early 2002 that guaranteed him at least $530,000 a year -- a base salary of $225,000 plus outside income.

The firing comes with the athletic department facing a debt of about $5 million. The team also will start next season with its third head coach in five seasons.

"I think continuity is desirable," Eichhorn said. "But if you've got a problem, you don't continue the problem."

Crowds kept on the decline at Memorial Stadium during DiNardo's stay, with the Hoosiers ranked near the bottom of the Big Ten in football attendance.

Attendance averaged about 28,400 this season in Indiana's 52,000-seat stadium -- down from about 35,000 the year before and the 12th straight year attendance averaged less than 40,000. The Big Ten average for the 2003 season was 72,000.

This season started with promise for the Hoosiers, who opened 2-0 for the first time since 1996 after a road upset of then-No. 24 Oregon. The season quickly soured as the Hoosiers lost their next five games by an average of 16 points before upsetting then-No. 24 Minnesota for their only Big Ten victory of the year.

DiNardo is the 10th Indiana coach since Bo McMillan left in 1947 to fail to produce an overall winning record. DiNardo inherited a team that was weakened by the departure of record-setting quarterback Antwaan Randle El. This past season was the first time in his three years the Hoosiers started the season with a full allotment of 85 scholarship players.

DiNardo played at Notre Dame and was a member of the Irish's 1973 national championship team. He was 32-24-1 at LSU, where he led the Tigers to three straight bowl appearances during 1995-97 but was fired 10 games into the 1999 season. He went 19-25 at Vanderbilt, its best four-year span in 25 years.

AP NEWS

The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2004, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

[Apis Bull]

Deep pockets?  They have $5,000,000.00 worth of debt.

[ChiTownBull]

he has been mentioned for the other UI job....Illinois and Mizzou

[smazza]

purdue will get all of the indiana recruits this year

[Apis Bull]

Between Notre Dame and Indiana, you might be right.

[Bull Matrix]

We said it before and we will say it again. Indiana football is coaching career killer. Leavitt would not take a step down and leave this area behind now that USF will be in a BCS conference. The BIG EAST invite was huge because it will help USF keep their coaches.

[bulls96go]

meyer goes to IU

[The Sheriff]

Meyer to South Bend

[Omniscientbull]

Leavitt only interviewed at IU to help justify reworking his USF contract.

[smazza]

no  A list coach would go to IU

no coach worth his salt would go to IU