Post by trues on Dec 29, 2004 0:07:14 GMT -5
Seem like we will be keeping our Denfinsive C.. I surely hope so.
Although our defense was not that good this year. I still saw a lot of potential. I could not say that about our offense.
Let keep our fingers cross.
Former NFL linebacker Dennis ''Dirt'' Winston has emerged as one of five finalists for the Tennessee State football coaching vacancy.
Winston, in his fourth season as an assistant at the University of Toledo, is scheduled to interview the first week of January, following the Rockets' Dec. 27 appearance in the Motor City Bowl against Connecticut.
The other finalists are TSU letterman and longtime collegiate and NFL assistant Hubbard Alexander, North Carolina A&T defensive coordinator Alonzo Lee, Bacone (Okla.) College defensive coordinator Mike Vite and North Carolina assistant head coach James Webster.
Alexander opened the on-campus interviews, as the Memphis native was in town Tuesday. Lee followed yesterday, and Webster is scheduled to be on campus this week as well. Vite will come in after New Year's Day, as will Winston.
''We had a good meeting with Coach Alexander,'' Athletics Director Teresa Phillips said. ''He was well received by everyone he came in contact with.
''I'm pleased with who we're bringing in. I think we'll have a lot of ways we can go and get a really good head coach out of that pool.''
More than 70 people applied for the job following the firing of James Reese.
''We had a good pool of candidates,'' Phillips said. ''We rated them, made some determinations of what our needs were, and we think these five can fill those needs. I think we could have chosen another five and gotten a darned good head coach out of that five.
''You need to hire somebody that fits with you, that's going to feel comfortable in Nashville, in the (Ohio Valley Conference), at Tennessee State, with the resources we have, that will be a good sell to recruits, players, fans, that will open other doors. We looked at all of that.''
Alexander is back in Memphis after spending the previous four seasons as receivers coach with the New Orleans Saints. He has previously coached with the Vikings and Cowboys and was on collegiate staffs at Miami, Vanderbilt and TSU.
''I think it's got the potential to be a great situation, and like anybody else, you believe you can go in and do a great job,'' the 64-year-old said. ''I want to bring the confidence, the swagger back, and I know I can do it. I think it can be a big part of Nashville.''
Regarding his age, Alexander said: ''I don't have any eligibility left. I'm not coming to play. I'm coming to teach football, coach and win games. You don't have to worry about me going out there and playing.''
Lee, a former defensive standout at Eastern Illinois, is in his second season at North Carolina A&T after previous stints at Hampton, Florida A&M, Howard and his alma mater.
''I thought everything went well,'' the 46-year-old said before flying back to Greensboro, N.C. ''I was impressed with everything, and hopefully the interview went well. It's a good atmosphere, seems like a big family. They've definitely got some plusses. I think with the right leadership, they can go in the direction they want to go. I'm looking forward to the opportunity.''
After playing collegiately at Arkansas and earning a spot on the Razorbacks' All-Century Team in 1994, Winston spent 11 years in the NFL, eight with the Steelers — including the Super Bowl championship seasons of 1978 and '79 — and three with the Saints. He's coached collegiately for the past 17 years, including stints at his alma mater, Arkansas State, Norfolk State, Grambling and Kentucky State prior to joining the Toledo staff in 2001.
Although our defense was not that good this year. I still saw a lot of potential. I could not say that about our offense.
Let keep our fingers cross.
Former NFL linebacker Dennis ''Dirt'' Winston has emerged as one of five finalists for the Tennessee State football coaching vacancy.
Winston, in his fourth season as an assistant at the University of Toledo, is scheduled to interview the first week of January, following the Rockets' Dec. 27 appearance in the Motor City Bowl against Connecticut.
The other finalists are TSU letterman and longtime collegiate and NFL assistant Hubbard Alexander, North Carolina A&T defensive coordinator Alonzo Lee, Bacone (Okla.) College defensive coordinator Mike Vite and North Carolina assistant head coach James Webster.
Alexander opened the on-campus interviews, as the Memphis native was in town Tuesday. Lee followed yesterday, and Webster is scheduled to be on campus this week as well. Vite will come in after New Year's Day, as will Winston.
''We had a good meeting with Coach Alexander,'' Athletics Director Teresa Phillips said. ''He was well received by everyone he came in contact with.
''I'm pleased with who we're bringing in. I think we'll have a lot of ways we can go and get a really good head coach out of that pool.''
More than 70 people applied for the job following the firing of James Reese.
''We had a good pool of candidates,'' Phillips said. ''We rated them, made some determinations of what our needs were, and we think these five can fill those needs. I think we could have chosen another five and gotten a darned good head coach out of that five.
''You need to hire somebody that fits with you, that's going to feel comfortable in Nashville, in the (Ohio Valley Conference), at Tennessee State, with the resources we have, that will be a good sell to recruits, players, fans, that will open other doors. We looked at all of that.''
Alexander is back in Memphis after spending the previous four seasons as receivers coach with the New Orleans Saints. He has previously coached with the Vikings and Cowboys and was on collegiate staffs at Miami, Vanderbilt and TSU.
''I think it's got the potential to be a great situation, and like anybody else, you believe you can go in and do a great job,'' the 64-year-old said. ''I want to bring the confidence, the swagger back, and I know I can do it. I think it can be a big part of Nashville.''
Regarding his age, Alexander said: ''I don't have any eligibility left. I'm not coming to play. I'm coming to teach football, coach and win games. You don't have to worry about me going out there and playing.''
Lee, a former defensive standout at Eastern Illinois, is in his second season at North Carolina A&T after previous stints at Hampton, Florida A&M, Howard and his alma mater.
''I thought everything went well,'' the 46-year-old said before flying back to Greensboro, N.C. ''I was impressed with everything, and hopefully the interview went well. It's a good atmosphere, seems like a big family. They've definitely got some plusses. I think with the right leadership, they can go in the direction they want to go. I'm looking forward to the opportunity.''
After playing collegiately at Arkansas and earning a spot on the Razorbacks' All-Century Team in 1994, Winston spent 11 years in the NFL, eight with the Steelers — including the Super Bowl championship seasons of 1978 and '79 — and three with the Saints. He's coached collegiately for the past 17 years, including stints at his alma mater, Arkansas State, Norfolk State, Grambling and Kentucky State prior to joining the Toledo staff in 2001.
