CFL team still interested in Kent Austin

Saskatchewan Roughriders general manager Brendan Taman coaching search:

Taman has not disguised his intent to contact Austin - now the head football coach at Cornell University - after the Ivy League team concludes its season Saturday against the University of Pennsylvania.

[www.edmontonjournal.com]

Ken711
Saskatchewan Roughriders general manager Brendan Taman coaching search:

Taman has not disguised his intent to contact Austin - now the head football coach at Cornell University - after the Ivy League team concludes its season Saturday against the University of Pennsylvania.

[www.edmontonjournal.com]

I hope not.

I could see him going back to Toronto if anywhere in the CFL next year, Saskatchewan isn't the same team as when he left. Most likely if and when he leaves it is back to Ole Miss at some stage.

That same story refers to Austin going back as an "unlikely event" and a "miraculous comeback." Doesn't seem like the article's author was giving it much of a possibility.

This. The fact that the Roughriders are interested in him doesn't mean he has any interest in leaving. Austin left a CFL head coaching position by choice to take a SEC assistant coaching position, then left Mississippi by choice to take the Cornell job. I think you have to say that the football program has made progress in his two seasons at Cornell and it seems like we have some really interesting recruits on the way. Why would he take a step back by going back to the CFL?

They never end their pursuit, yet another article.

[www.calgaryherald.com]

The interestng tidbit to me is the claim that Coach Austin interviewed with Hamilton. Who knows if that's even true -- the interview could have been a polite phone call where Coach Austin said "thanks but no thanks." Still, this story has more legs than I was expecting.

And still more talk. CFL team granted permission to talk to Austin. I hope he finally tells them no, if not ugh...

[www.montrealgazette.com]

Speculation continues (Montreal Gazette).

George64
Speculation continues (Montreal Gazette).

>>> "'(Austin) is also busy recruiting student-athletes for next season, but as of now he has said he’s not interested in addressing any rumours,’ [Jeremy] Hartigan said."

Could our sports information director have just said "players" or "students" and left the other part presumed? The NCAA on its own is wearing out the term's welcome. It has the same feel as the Buckeyes who announce themselve on NFL games, "Antoine Winfield, The Ohio State University." (Tim Tebow in comparison is keeping his thing mostly under wraps.)

This would be proper usage by Bob Costas, who can say a lot with the slightest inflection and a glance up at the camera to let you know he's not buying it either:
"Jim Tressel, The Ohio State University"
"Maurice Clarette, The Ohio State University"
"Art Schlicter, The Ohio State University"

Today's Montreal Gazette has a story that Kent Austin will remain at Cornell. Which is obviously great news!

CAS
Today's Montreal Gazette has a story that Kent Austin will remain at Cornell. Which is obviously great news!

Great news indeed.

Note that the URL of the Gazette story contains the parsing:

"Austin+stays+quiet+Riders+Ticats+coaching+speculation+mounts"

But the headline under that url now reads:

"No CFL return for Austin, sources say"

The latest story on that site is: "Kent Austin return to Roughriders appears unlikely"

I'd feel better if Austin just released a statement saying "No." But we'll take what we can get.

We're looking for hidden meanings after we convinced ourselves that Steve Donahue was staying put in Ithaca?

billhoward
We're looking for hidden meanings after we convinced ourselves that Steve Donahue was staying put in Ithaca?

Who convinced themselves of this? Is it legal to buy the drugs they were on?

If he is staying he's probably just leveraging this interest into a raise.

Coach Austin has confirmed, via an email to a Canadian newspaper, that he is remaining at Cornell. LGR!

For his part, Austin insisted that money had nothing to do with his decision, dispelling reports he was seeking a lucrative deal with a CFL team.

“Contrary to reports in the media, money was not a factor at all in this decision,” Austin said. “In fact, I have turned down several offers since my arrival at Cornell that would have paid substantially more than I am making here (most recently an offensive co-ordinator position at a BCS school). Since entering the coaching profession, my wife and I have never made a decision based on money alone.”



Read more: [www.leaderpost.com]

Ken711
For his part, Austin insisted that money had nothing to do with his decision, dispelling reports he was seeking a lucrative deal with a CFL team. “Contrary to reports in the media, money was not a factor at all in this decision,” Austin said. “In fact, I have turned down several offers since my arrival at Cornell that would have paid substantially more than I am making here (most recently an offensive co-ordinator position at a BCS school). Since entering the coaching profession, my wife and I have never made a decision based on money alone.”

Hear, hear. It's easier to stand on principle as a college coach making $200,000 than a high school teacher who is also the football coach and makes, combined, $55,000. Still, that's good news. Cornell needs its own Pete Carril.

Ithaca Journal has much the same news, including:

The Leader-Post reported that Austin would command a salary of around $600,000 a year, which would have made him the highest-paid coach in the CFL and is reportedly more than double his Cornell salary.

billhoward

Ken711
For his part, Austin insisted that money had nothing to do with his decision, dispelling reports he was seeking a lucrative deal with a CFL team. “Contrary to reports in the media, money was not a factor at all in this decision,” Austin said. “In fact, I have turned down several offers since my arrival at Cornell that would have paid substantially more than I am making here (most recently an offensive co-ordinator position at a BCS school). Since entering the coaching profession, my wife and I have never made a decision based on money alone.”

Hear, hear. It's easier to stand on principle as a college coach making $200,000 than a high school teacher who is also the football coach and makes, combined, $55,000. Still, that's good news. Cornell needs its own Pete Carril.

I'm not holding my breath on Austin staying in Ithaca long-term (none of us could blame him if he were to fill an eventual opening as the head coach at Mississippi, for example; it's pretty obviously a big step up in the football world, and a guy moving back to his alma mater), I just hope the takes the football team in a good direction while he's here.

Another nice article about Austin (Canada.com).

Josh '99

billhoward

Ken711
For his part, Austin insisted that money had nothing to do with his decision, dispelling reports he was seeking a lucrative deal with a CFL team. “Contrary to reports in the media, money was not a factor at all in this decision,” Austin said. “In fact, I have turned down several offers since my arrival at Cornell that would have paid substantially more than I am making here (most recently an offensive co-ordinator position at a BCS school). Since entering the coaching profession, my wife and I have never made a decision based on money alone.”

Hear, hear. It's easier to stand on principle as a college coach making $200,000 than a high school teacher who is also the football coach and makes, combined, $55,000. Still, that's good news. Cornell needs its own Pete Carril.

I'm not holding my breath on Austin staying in Ithaca long-term (none of us could blame him if he were to fill an eventual opening as the head coach at Mississippi, for example; it's pretty obviously a big step up in the football world, and a guy moving back to his alma mater), I just hope the takes the football team in a good direction while he's here.

I too doubt that Austin retires as the Cornell Head Coach in say 2031, but when you read the stories about him he clearly has a plan in mind that is not driven by the largest paycheck. I plan on enjoying the ride as long as possible.

mountainred
I too doubt that Austin retires as the Cornell Head Coach in say 2031, but when you read the stories about him he clearly has a plan in mind that is not driven by the largest paycheck. I plan on enjoying the ride as long as possible.

Good thought. Nothing wrong with Cornell being the Ivy Cradle of Coaches.

billhoward

mountainred
I too doubt that Austin retires as the Cornell Head Coach in say 2031, but when you read the stories about him he clearly has a plan in mind that is not driven by the largest paycheck. I plan on enjoying the ride as long as possible.

Good thought. Nothing wrong with Cornell being the Ivy Cradle of Coaches.

Between George Seifert and the legacy of Pop Warner, I'm sure that's something we can spin.