Post by exterminator on Nov 1, 2005 12:14:57 GMT -5
N.C. A&T AD's support for football coach is tepid
By Rob Daniels
Staff WGREENSBORO -- N.C. A&T athletics director Dee Todd expressed "support" for George Small on Monday, but she declined to guarantee the football coach's return for the fourth year of a five-year contract in 2006.
Small, who led his alma mater to the MEAC title and was named the league's Coach of the Year just two seasons ago, has gone 6-14 since. The Aggies (2-4 MEAC, 3-6) will suffer consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 1988 and 1989 -- well before the rise of an Internet-driven culture and the public phase of an ongoing $100 million capital campaign at the university.
"We want to see how the rest of the season plays out," said Todd, who assumed her job June 15. "We've got two games to go. He's our coach right now, and we stand behind him.
"You can't walk around here without your ear being bent by one thing or another. I believe we need to support our coach throughout this season and evaluate the status after the season is over with."
The Aggies play at Florida A&M on Saturday, and they finish the season against South Carolina State in Charlotte on Nov. 19.
Small, who revived a decaying program as head coach at Division II Kentucky State and had a successful tenure as Hampton University's defensive coordinator, returned to A&T in January of 2003 and signed a five-year contract worth $107,000 a year. He said Monday he can return his program to prominence if given sufficient opportunity.
Asked Monday if he has the requisite patience from his superiors, he said, "I hope so. You want to see the program grow and improve so (success) is not an every-four-of-five-year situation.
"Do you have time to build the program the way many coaches would like to build it, which is a freshman-based approach? Doing that takes a lot of patience from a lot of people. Or, do you go for so-called immediate success by bringing in junior-college players and (transfers) from Division I-A schools?"
Small has officially presided over three recruiting classes, but the first of them was assembled hastily because he was not hired until one month before the 2003 signing date. He has fully administered two groups of signees, one of which has been on campus for three months.
Todd said Chancellor James C. Renick has given her "free rein over athletics" and has not expressed an opinion on Small's future.
Todd acknowledged that the football program's operating budget lags behind that of several MEAC competitors. Specifically, she said the recruiting budget is less than half the size of the third-largest figure in the league.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act, A&T's football expenses for the 2004-05 fiscal year totaled $1,805,061. That ranks fifth out of the nine football members of the MEAC.
Asked if Small should excel while being outspent, Todd said, "You probably have a valid point, but you have to be a little more creative in how you address recruiting. I'm not going to say expectations should be less because the recruiting budget is less. That would be saying the kids we have can't get it done. And I don't think that's (entirely) the case."
The Aggies went 3-8 last season and have had another difficult campaign in 2005. Offensive coordinator Kent Schoolfield was fired last month after his fifth game on the job. This past Saturday, A&T absorbed a nationally televised 54-17 loss to Bethune-Cookman, its most lopsided home defeat in 21 years.
Michael Christen, a freshman fullback from Cary, said the players accept the responsibility for their substandard results.
"I see a lot of potential here," he said. "What made me want to come here was the fact that the coaches told me they were going to make me better. The coaches don't just put you down; they tell you how to get better. If we listen to the coaches, we'll be all right."
riter
By Rob Daniels
Staff WGREENSBORO -- N.C. A&T athletics director Dee Todd expressed "support" for George Small on Monday, but she declined to guarantee the football coach's return for the fourth year of a five-year contract in 2006.
Small, who led his alma mater to the MEAC title and was named the league's Coach of the Year just two seasons ago, has gone 6-14 since. The Aggies (2-4 MEAC, 3-6) will suffer consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 1988 and 1989 -- well before the rise of an Internet-driven culture and the public phase of an ongoing $100 million capital campaign at the university.
"We want to see how the rest of the season plays out," said Todd, who assumed her job June 15. "We've got two games to go. He's our coach right now, and we stand behind him.
"You can't walk around here without your ear being bent by one thing or another. I believe we need to support our coach throughout this season and evaluate the status after the season is over with."
The Aggies play at Florida A&M on Saturday, and they finish the season against South Carolina State in Charlotte on Nov. 19.
Small, who revived a decaying program as head coach at Division II Kentucky State and had a successful tenure as Hampton University's defensive coordinator, returned to A&T in January of 2003 and signed a five-year contract worth $107,000 a year. He said Monday he can return his program to prominence if given sufficient opportunity.
Asked Monday if he has the requisite patience from his superiors, he said, "I hope so. You want to see the program grow and improve so (success) is not an every-four-of-five-year situation.
"Do you have time to build the program the way many coaches would like to build it, which is a freshman-based approach? Doing that takes a lot of patience from a lot of people. Or, do you go for so-called immediate success by bringing in junior-college players and (transfers) from Division I-A schools?"
Small has officially presided over three recruiting classes, but the first of them was assembled hastily because he was not hired until one month before the 2003 signing date. He has fully administered two groups of signees, one of which has been on campus for three months.
Todd said Chancellor James C. Renick has given her "free rein over athletics" and has not expressed an opinion on Small's future.
Todd acknowledged that the football program's operating budget lags behind that of several MEAC competitors. Specifically, she said the recruiting budget is less than half the size of the third-largest figure in the league.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act, A&T's football expenses for the 2004-05 fiscal year totaled $1,805,061. That ranks fifth out of the nine football members of the MEAC.
Asked if Small should excel while being outspent, Todd said, "You probably have a valid point, but you have to be a little more creative in how you address recruiting. I'm not going to say expectations should be less because the recruiting budget is less. That would be saying the kids we have can't get it done. And I don't think that's (entirely) the case."
The Aggies went 3-8 last season and have had another difficult campaign in 2005. Offensive coordinator Kent Schoolfield was fired last month after his fifth game on the job. This past Saturday, A&T absorbed a nationally televised 54-17 loss to Bethune-Cookman, its most lopsided home defeat in 21 years.
Michael Christen, a freshman fullback from Cary, said the players accept the responsibility for their substandard results.
"I see a lot of potential here," he said. "What made me want to come here was the fact that the coaches told me they were going to make me better. The coaches don't just put you down; they tell you how to get better. If we listen to the coaches, we'll be all right."
riter
