Tomey leaves big shoes to fill: Who will fill them?
Tommy Wright
Issue date: 11/18/09 Section: Sports
On Monday, SJSU football head coach Dick Tomey announced that he was leaving his position at the end of this season.
In 2005, Tomey took control of a team that had four straight losing seasons. In his second season he led the Spartans to a 9-4 record, including a victory in the New Mexico Bowl.
The team was lucky to snag a coach with as much previous success as Tomey. According to SJSU Athletics, he produced five NCAA teams that ended their seasons in the top 25. He had been named conference coach of the year twice.
Tomey was the first head coach at SJSU since Terry Shea (1990-1991) to coach more than one season at .500 or better. Before Tomey arrived, the football program was in danger of being eliminated.
The team had a losing record in 11 of its past 12 seasons and was in danger of losing Division-I status because of inadequate attendance at the games. If the Spartans lost D-I (now Football Bowl Subdivision) status, representatives from SJSU Athletics told the Spartan Daily in 2003 that there would be little interest in continuing the football program.
NCAA rules state that a team must average 15,000 in actual or paid attendance throughout a two year period. Last year, the Spartans averaged almost 21,000 in attendance, but this year's average is just above the threshold at 15,905. Excluding the home opener against Utah, which drew a crowd of 23,684, the season average is only 13,311.
If attendance continues to drop, the next head coach could end up in the same predicament as Tomey did when he started at SJSU.
The team could receive a boost in attendance if athletics director Tom Bowen hired a big-name coach.
Tyrone Willingham could be a possibility. He was successful at Stanford, his first head coaching job. But he was fired from his next two head coaching jobs, Notre Dame and Washington.
His winning percentage (.583) at Notre Dame was equal to his predecessor (Bob Davie) and current Fighting Irish head coach Charlie Weis. But he didn't live up to expectations.
In 2005, Tomey took control of a team that had four straight losing seasons. In his second season he led the Spartans to a 9-4 record, including a victory in the New Mexico Bowl.
The team was lucky to snag a coach with as much previous success as Tomey. According to SJSU Athletics, he produced five NCAA teams that ended their seasons in the top 25. He had been named conference coach of the year twice.
Tomey was the first head coach at SJSU since Terry Shea (1990-1991) to coach more than one season at .500 or better. Before Tomey arrived, the football program was in danger of being eliminated.
The team had a losing record in 11 of its past 12 seasons and was in danger of losing Division-I status because of inadequate attendance at the games. If the Spartans lost D-I (now Football Bowl Subdivision) status, representatives from SJSU Athletics told the Spartan Daily in 2003 that there would be little interest in continuing the football program.
NCAA rules state that a team must average 15,000 in actual or paid attendance throughout a two year period. Last year, the Spartans averaged almost 21,000 in attendance, but this year's average is just above the threshold at 15,905. Excluding the home opener against Utah, which drew a crowd of 23,684, the season average is only 13,311.
If attendance continues to drop, the next head coach could end up in the same predicament as Tomey did when he started at SJSU.
The team could receive a boost in attendance if athletics director Tom Bowen hired a big-name coach.
Tyrone Willingham could be a possibility. He was successful at Stanford, his first head coaching job. But he was fired from his next two head coaching jobs, Notre Dame and Washington.
His winning percentage (.583) at Notre Dame was equal to his predecessor (Bob Davie) and current Fighting Irish head coach Charlie Weis. But he didn't live up to expectations.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 10
Chris Mackey
posted 11/18/09 @ 9:12 AM PST
Please not Ty. 0-12 at UW speaks for itself.
Joe schmoe
posted 11/18/09 @ 10:29 AM PST
Oh yeah Ty will put fans in the seats, They will be sitting at home Wondering how bad SJS Football can become. If you want to become a D2 school Ty would be a great hire
Brian Cook
posted 11/18/09 @ 11:58 AM PST
If you hire Tyrone Willingham, you might as well kiss your football program away.
Guy is disinterested in coaching. All he wants to do is golf now. (Continued…)
the censors
posted 11/18/09 @ 2:30 PM PST
FRee Speech no censorship
Joe
posted 11/19/09 @ 10:02 AM PST
SJSU is awful at football anyway, so Ty won't hurt too much.
FORMER FOOTBALL PLAYER
posted 11/19/09 @ 9:50 PM PST
SJSU football team needs to learn how to tackle.
Get Rid of Football
posted 11/20/09 @ 9:06 AM PST
how can a University go out and do a search for a football coach that would cost a large sum of money when there are budget cuts in the CSU and projected reduced classes for years to come? The football program is not financially stable and with less students, there will be less football tickets sold. (Continued…)
wyattburp
wyatt.burp
posted 11/20/09 @ 10:39 AM PST
I don't understand all the praise for Tomey. I'm sure he's a fine coach but his only sucessfull season came with few starters he actually recruited. Since his recruiting classes have taken the field SJSU has gotten progressively worse. (Continued…)
DpS5what
posted 11/23/09 @ 12:24 PM PST
The only coach in this story that appeals to me is Terry Shea. I mean, he has had success at SJSU in the past and probably could reconnect with a few of his young assistants that he has mentored throughout his career. (Continued…)
marcos blanco
posted 11/23/09 @ 1:28 PM PST
my pecker will be the new coach
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