Randy Shannon
Encyclopedia
Randy Lennard Shannon is a former American football
player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Miami
from 2007 to 2010. Shannon played football at Miami and then with the Dallas Cowboys
of the NFL
.
. His brothers and older sister died of AIDS
. Shannon attended Miami Norland High School and earned all-state and honorable mention All-America recognition from Street & Smith's as a senior linebacker at Norland. Shannon also competed in basketball, averaging 19 points a game, and competed in the triple jump on the track and field team.
He played college football
for the University of Miami
, starting at outside linebacker for the 1987 national championship team
. After graduating in 1988, Shannon played briefly as a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys
.
in 1991 to be a graduate assistant
. He later became the team's defensive line coach and linebackers coach. Shannon worked as linebackers coach for the Miami Dolphins
in 2000 and as a defensive assistant in 1998 and 1999.
In 2001, Miami coach Larry Coker
hired Shannon to be the defensive coordinator. That year Shannon received the Broyles Award
given annually to the best assistant coach in college football.
During Shannon's six years as UM's defensive coordinator, his defenses ranked as follows in total defense nationally:
in the position. Shannon reportedly agreed to a four-year deal worth over $4 million. He was the sixth black head coach at the time in Division I-A NCAA football, the others being Sylvester Croom
(Mississippi State
), Karl Dorrell
(UCLA), Tyrone Willingham
(Washington
), Ron Prince
(KSU
), and Turner Gill
(Buffalo
). Coker stayed on to coach the team to a 21–20 MPC Computers Bowl
victory over the University of Nevada; Shannon assumed all other functions, including recruiting, immediately upon his hiring.
to jokingly refer to the team as a "no name offense, no name defense." Fans found the decision made the game more difficult to follow.
The season opened with a victory over Marshall in his first game as head coach. The second game was a 51–13 loss to the University of Oklahoma
.
Miami did defeat then-20th ranked Texas A&M
in the third game, but then collapsed, losing to unranked North Carolina
and, in the Orange Bowl, to unranked Georgia Tech
and North Carolina State
. One highlight was Miami's fourth quarter comeback against rival Florida State
. However, this was offset by the team's embarrassing final appearance ever at the Orange Bowl in which Miami suffered a 48-0 loss against 21st University of Virginia
, the worst loss for the program in the history of its play at the Orange Bowl and the worst overall loss since the 1998 'Canes loss at Syracuse (66–13).
Miami finished the season losing to Boston College
28–14. Under Shannon, the team lost 6 out of their 7 last games, finishing with a losing record and failing to qualify for a bowl game for the first time in over a decade.
Two days after the season ended, one of Miami's former players, Sean Taylor
, was shot in his home in Miami. Shannon expressed frustration over the media's handling of such incidents, alleging that the coverage made it appear as though the University of Miami is a haven for crime.
.
Shannon's squad finished the 2008 season with a 7–6 record (–-4 ACC
) and a loss to Cal
in the Emerald Bowl
. The regular season was highlighted by losses to in-state rivals Florida
and Florida State
, and a surprising victory over eventual-ACC Champion Virginia Tech
. Miami's loss to Florida, was its first in the rivalry since 1985 and snapped a six-game winning streak over the Gators. After the game, Shannon garnered national media attention when he implicitly accused Florida head coach Urban Meyer
of trying to run up the score late in the Gators' 26-3 win and suggested that it was an indictment of Meyer's character that should not go unnoticed by recruits. The 'Canes briefly returned to the Top 25 rankings
for the first time since early in the 2006 season
before surrendering 472 rushing yards—and 518 yards of total offense—to unranked Georgia Tech
in a 41–23 late-November loss that eliminated Miami from ACC Championship contention. Tech's 472 yards on the ground were the second most ever allowed by Miami. The following week, the Hurricanes were defeated at North Carolina State, 38–28, in the final game of the regular season.
Miami then received an invitation to the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco
, where the Hurricanes fell 24–17 to Cal. Shannon was widely criticized for the team's clock management in the game.
, over philosophical differences. Nix wanted to employ more of a spread attack, whereas Shannon remained committed to Miami's traditional pro style offense. Shannon eventually hired former Pittsburgh Steelers
and Philadelphia Eagles
assistant coach Mark Whipple
for the position.
Nix's departure was followed by news that Robert Marve
, a redshirt-freshman quarterback who started 11 of Miami's 13 games during the season, asked for a release to transfer to another school. Marve cited a strained relationship with Shannon as his reason for leaving. Shannon granted the request, but initially included broad restrictions blocking Marve from transferring to any school in the ACC, SEC
, or state of Florida
. After the conditions drew harsh criticism from Marve's father, his former high school coach
, and members of the media, Shannon softened his stance somewhat by dropping the blanket SEC prohibition and barring Marve from three SEC schools in particular: Florida
, LSU
, and Tennessee
. In defending the new restrictions, the athletic department alleged that Marve's camp initiated improper contact with the three schools during the season. After a hearing before the university's athletics appeals committee, Eugene Marve claimed that Shannon did not produce any evidence of the allegation and instead argued that allowing the banned transfers would hurt Miami in the "recruiting wars." Ultimately, the committee partially repealed the restrictions, permitting Marve to transfer in-state to either South Florida
or Central Florida but upholding the prohibitions on a transfer to Florida, LSU, or Tennessee.
On the heels of the Marve saga, wide receiver Jermaine McKenzie announced that he was transferring to Memphis
. McKenzie became the fourth member of Shannon's first recruiting class to transfer out of the program during the off-season, joining Marve, and running back Shawnbrey McNeal.
Shannon's staff suffered more upheaval when defensive coordinator
Bill Young left to assume the same position at Oklahoma State
, his alma mater, in late January. Young's departure made him the third offensive or defensive coordinator to leave the program during Shannon's two seasons as head coach, joining Nix and former defensive coordinator Tim Walton, both of whom were fired. North Carolina assistant John Lovett was hired to replace Young in February.
The off-season losses continued when freshmen backup quarterbacks Cannon Smith and Taylor Cook both asked to be released from their scholarships just before the start of the 2009 season.
, Marcus Robinson, and Sean Spence
—were recognized by College Football News
as freshman All-Americans.
and Coaches Poll
. However, after winning three of their first four games, they were humiliated at home by Florida State
, 45–17. Losses to Virginia
, Virginia Tech
and South Florida
followed.
head coach Al Golden.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
from 2007 to 2010. Shannon played football at Miami and then with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
of the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
Early life
When Shannon was three years old, his father was murdered. At 10, his older twin brothers became addicted to crack cocaineCrack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
. His brothers and older sister died of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. Shannon attended Miami Norland High School and earned all-state and honorable mention All-America recognition from Street & Smith's as a senior linebacker at Norland. Shannon also competed in basketball, averaging 19 points a game, and competed in the triple jump on the track and field team.
He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, starting at outside linebacker for the 1987 national championship team
1987 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 1987 Miami Hurricanes were the national champions of the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. The national championship was the second of five won by the University of Miami in football.-Pre-Season:...
. After graduating in 1988, Shannon played briefly as a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
.
Early years
Shannon was first hired by Miami coach Dennis EricksonDennis Erickson
Dennis Erickson is an American football coach and former player. He was the head football coach at Arizona State University until November 28, 2011, a position he had held since the 2007 season. In 2008 the Arizona Board of Regents had approved a contract extension to keep Erickson at Arizona...
in 1991 to be a graduate assistant
Graduate assistant
A graduate assistant is a position who serves in a support role at a university, usually while completing post-graduate education. The individual typically assists professors or with instructional responsibilities as teaching assistants, coaches with an athletic team, or university department...
. He later became the team's defensive line coach and linebackers coach. Shannon worked as linebackers coach for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 2000 and as a defensive assistant in 1998 and 1999.
In 2001, Miami coach Larry Coker
Larry Coker
Larry Edward Coker is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio, whose Roadrunners football team begins play in 2011. From 2001 to 2006, Coker served as the head coach at the University of Miami...
hired Shannon to be the defensive coordinator. That year Shannon received the Broyles Award
Broyles Award
The Broyles Award is an annual award given to honor the best assistant coach in college football. First awarded in 1996, it was named after former University of Arkansas men's athletic director Frank Broyles...
given annually to the best assistant coach in college football.
During Shannon's six years as UM's defensive coordinator, his defenses ranked as follows in total defense nationally:
- 20012001 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the University of Miami winning the national title for the fifth time.The Hurricanes were led by Larry Coker, who was in his first year as head coach after five years as Miami's offensive coordinator under Butch Davis...
– 6th - 20022002 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season ended the season with what most consider an exciting double overtime national championship game. Ohio State and Miami both came into the Fiesta Bowl undefeated. The underdog Buckeyes defeated the Hurricanes 31–24, ending Miami's 34 game winning...
– 7th - 20032003 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with an abundance of controversy, resulting in a split national championship. This was the first split title since the inception of the BCS, something the BCS intended to eliminate....
– 2nd - 20042004 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for a spot in the national title game, triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unbeaten, and five teams finished the season with one loss...
– 28th - 20052005 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the least amount of controversy surrounding the Bowl Championship Series title game in many years.To an extent it was a return to classic football...
– 4th - 2006 – 7th
University of Miami head coach
Shannon was officially introduced as the head coach of Miami on December 8, 2006, replacing Larry CokerLarry Coker
Larry Edward Coker is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio, whose Roadrunners football team begins play in 2011. From 2001 to 2006, Coker served as the head coach at the University of Miami...
in the position. Shannon reportedly agreed to a four-year deal worth over $4 million. He was the sixth black head coach at the time in Division I-A NCAA football, the others being Sylvester Croom
Sylvester Croom
Sylvester Croom, Jr. is the former football head coach at Mississippi State University and current running backs coach of the St. Louis Rams. He was the first African American head football coach in the Southeastern Conference...
(Mississippi State
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
), Karl Dorrell
Karl Dorrell
Karl Dorrell is a football coach, currently an assistant coach with the Miami Dolphins of the NFL. He was previously the head coach of the UCLA Bruins, the first African American head football coach in the school's history...
(UCLA), Tyrone Willingham
Tyrone Willingham
Lionel Tyrone "Ty" Willingham is a former American football player and coach. He was the head coach at Stanford University , the University of Notre Dame , and the University of Washington , compiling a career college football record of 76–88–1.-Early career:Willingham attended...
(Washington
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
), Ron Prince
Ron Prince
Ron Prince is an American football coach who currently is the assistant offensive line coach with the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. From 2006 through 2008, Prince was the head football coach at Kansas State University. He was one of six African-American head coaches in the NCAA Division I-Bowl...
(KSU
Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State University's athletic teams are called the Wildcats. The official color of the teams is Royal Purple, making Kansas State one of very few schools that have only one official color; white and silver are generally used as complementary colors.Kansas State participates in...
), and Turner Gill
Turner Gill
Turner Hillery Gill is an American football coach who most recently served as the head coach at Kansas from 2010-2011, and was one of 11 African-American head coaches in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision at the time of his hiring.-College:Gill graduated from Arlington Heights High...
(Buffalo
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, also commonly known as the University at Buffalo or UB, is a public research university and a "University Center" in the State University of New York system. The university was founded by Millard Fillmore in 1846. UB has multiple campuses...
). Coker stayed on to coach the team to a 21–20 MPC Computers Bowl
MPC Computers Bowl
The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I FBS college football bowl game that has been played annually at 33,500-seat Bronco Stadium on the campus of Boise State University in Boise, Idaho, since 1997...
victory over the University of Nevada; Shannon assumed all other functions, including recruiting, immediately upon his hiring.
2007 season
Shannon's first decision as head coach was to remove the players' surnames from their jerseys. This led The Miami HeraldThe Miami Herald
The Miami Herald is a daily newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company headquartered on Biscayne Bay in the Omni district of Downtown Miami, Florida, United States...
to jokingly refer to the team as a "no name offense, no name defense." Fans found the decision made the game more difficult to follow.
The season opened with a victory over Marshall in his first game as head coach. The second game was a 51–13 loss to the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
.
Miami did defeat then-20th ranked Texas A&M
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in the third game, but then collapsed, losing to unranked North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
and, in the Orange Bowl, to unranked Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
and North Carolina State
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
. One highlight was Miami's fourth quarter comeback against rival Florida State
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. However, this was offset by the team's embarrassing final appearance ever at the Orange Bowl in which Miami suffered a 48-0 loss against 21st University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, the worst loss for the program in the history of its play at the Orange Bowl and the worst overall loss since the 1998 'Canes loss at Syracuse (66–13).
Miami finished the season losing to Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
28–14. Under Shannon, the team lost 6 out of their 7 last games, finishing with a losing record and failing to qualify for a bowl game for the first time in over a decade.
Two days after the season ended, one of Miami's former players, Sean Taylor
Sean Taylor
Sean Michael Maurice Taylor was an American football free safety who played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Taylor was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Redskins...
, was shot in his home in Miami. Shannon expressed frustration over the media's handling of such incidents, alleging that the coverage made it appear as though the University of Miami is a haven for crime.
2008 season
Prior to the start of the 2008 season, Shannon was ranked dead last in a Sporting News ranking of the 66 BCS head coachesBCS conference
An Automatic Qualifying conference is an athletic conference in NCAA Division I FBS whose champion receives an automatic berth in one of the five Bowl Championship Series bowl games...
.
Shannon's squad finished the 2008 season with a 7–6 record (–-4 ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
) and a loss to Cal
2008 California Golden Bears football team
The 2008 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in the college football 2008-2009 season. They played their home games at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California and are coached by Jeff Tedford...
in the Emerald Bowl
Emerald Bowl
The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually at 40,800-seat AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, in San Francisco, California, since 2002...
. The regular season was highlighted by losses to in-state rivals Florida
2008 Florida Gators football team
The 2008 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2008 college football season...
and Florida State
2008 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2008 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was Florida State's 17th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference .The previous...
, and a surprising victory over eventual-ACC Champion Virginia Tech
2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represents Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach is Frank Beamer. Prior to the season, the Hokies were expected to be in a rebuilding mode, recovering after the...
. Miami's loss to Florida, was its first in the rivalry since 1985 and snapped a six-game winning streak over the Gators. After the game, Shannon garnered national media attention when he implicitly accused Florida head coach Urban Meyer
Urban Meyer
Urban Frank Meyer, III is an American football coach and former player. He is head football coach at Ohio State University, having been hired for the position in November 2011...
of trying to run up the score late in the Gators' 26-3 win and suggested that it was an indictment of Meyer's character that should not go unnoticed by recruits. The 'Canes briefly returned to the Top 25 rankings
2008 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings
Three human polls and one formulaic ranking make up the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a National Championship title. That title is bestowed by one or...
for the first time since early in the 2006 season
2006 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 31, 2006 and, aside from all-star exhibition games that followed, concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game on January 8, 2007 in Glendale, Arizona, where the #2 Florida...
before surrendering 472 rushing yards—and 518 yards of total offense—to unranked Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
in a 41–23 late-November loss that eliminated Miami from ACC Championship contention. Tech's 472 yards on the ground were the second most ever allowed by Miami. The following week, the Hurricanes were defeated at North Carolina State, 38–28, in the final game of the regular season.
Miami then received an invitation to the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, where the Hurricanes fell 24–17 to Cal. Shannon was widely criticized for the team's clock management in the game.
Off-season turmoil
In the immediate aftermath of the bowl game, Shannon fired his offensive coordinator, Patrick NixPatrick Nix
Patrick Nix is a college football coach and former player in the United States.-Player:Patrick Nix began his career at Etowah High School in Attalla, Alabama. Nix was a standout quarterback at Auburn University, where he came in for an injured Stan White vs. Alabama to help lead the Tigers to a...
, over philosophical differences. Nix wanted to employ more of a spread attack, whereas Shannon remained committed to Miami's traditional pro style offense. Shannon eventually hired former Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
and Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
assistant coach Mark Whipple
Mark Whipple
Mark Whipple is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the quarterbacks coach for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League . Whipple served as the head football coach at University of New Haven , Brown University , and the University of Massachusetts Amherst...
for the position.
Nix's departure was followed by news that Robert Marve
Robert Marve
Robert Edward Marve is a quarterback for the Purdue Boilermakers. He was previously a member of the Miami Hurricanes football team from 2007 to 2008.-Early years:...
, a redshirt-freshman quarterback who started 11 of Miami's 13 games during the season, asked for a release to transfer to another school. Marve cited a strained relationship with Shannon as his reason for leaving. Shannon granted the request, but initially included broad restrictions blocking Marve from transferring to any school in the ACC, SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
, or state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. After the conditions drew harsh criticism from Marve's father, his former high school coach
Henry B. Plant High School
H.B. Plant High School was opened in 1927 on South Himes Avenue in Tampa, Florida, United States. The school is named in honor of railroad and hotel tycoon Henry B. Plant. The school mascot is the Panther. The school motto is "Strength Through Unity." Plant High School currently has enrolled more...
, and members of the media, Shannon softened his stance somewhat by dropping the blanket SEC prohibition and barring Marve from three SEC schools in particular: Florida
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
, LSU
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
, and Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
. In defending the new restrictions, the athletic department alleged that Marve's camp initiated improper contact with the three schools during the season. After a hearing before the university's athletics appeals committee, Eugene Marve claimed that Shannon did not produce any evidence of the allegation and instead argued that allowing the banned transfers would hurt Miami in the "recruiting wars." Ultimately, the committee partially repealed the restrictions, permitting Marve to transfer in-state to either South Florida
South Florida Bulls football
The South Florida Bulls are a Division I FBS college football program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus...
or Central Florida but upholding the prohibitions on a transfer to Florida, LSU, or Tennessee.
On the heels of the Marve saga, wide receiver Jermaine McKenzie announced that he was transferring to Memphis
Memphis Tigers football
The Memphis Tigers football team represents the University of Memphis in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Tigers compete in Conference USA...
. McKenzie became the fourth member of Shannon's first recruiting class to transfer out of the program during the off-season, joining Marve, and running back Shawnbrey McNeal.
Shannon's staff suffered more upheaval when defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Bill Young left to assume the same position at Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State Cowboys football
The Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as...
, his alma mater, in late January. Young's departure made him the third offensive or defensive coordinator to leave the program during Shannon's two seasons as head coach, joining Nix and former defensive coordinator Tim Walton, both of whom were fired. North Carolina assistant John Lovett was hired to replace Young in February.
The off-season losses continued when freshmen backup quarterbacks Cannon Smith and Taylor Cook both asked to be released from their scholarships just before the start of the 2009 season.
2009 season
Randy Shannon's Hurricanes did show improvement in the 2009 season, in which the Canes finished with a record of 9–4. The Canes started out the season with an impressive 3–1 record against a tough group of four ranked opponents. The Hurricanes did go on to drop two regular season games following the impressive start, and ended with a disappointing loss in their bowl against Wisconsin. Even with the four tough losses, Shannon's teams have shown an improvement of at least two wins per season every year he's been the head coach. Following Miami's improved finish in 2009, several preseason polls have Miami in the top twenty five for the first time since Shannon has been the head coach.Recruiting
Though Shannon's teams have gone through some struggles on the field, he has brought in recruiting classes ranked in the top 25. Three members of his second recruiting class—Marcus ForstonMarcus Forston
Marcus Forston is an American football defensive tackle. He currently attends the University of Miami in his junior year. Forston was considered one of the best defensive tackles coming out of high school in 2008, and has been compared to Warren Sapp...
, Marcus Robinson, and Sean Spence
Sean Spence
Sean Spence is an American football linebacker at the University of Miami. He is in his senior year. Spence was named 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Rookie of the Year.-High school career:...
—were recognized by College Football News
College Football News
College Football News is a magazine and website published by College Football News, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. News coverage includes scores, statistics, rankings, and reports on college football games. Analysis includes comparisons between teams, predictions of game outcomes and...
as freshman All-Americans.
2010 season
The Hurricanes started the year with high expectations, ranked 13th in the Associated PressAssociated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and Coaches Poll
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
. However, after winning three of their first four games, they were humiliated at home by Florida State
2010 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2010 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Seminoles were led by 1st year head coach Jimbo Fisher and played their home games at Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium. They were members of...
, 45–17. Losses to Virginia
2010 Virginia Cavaliers football team
The 2010 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia in the 2010 season as a member of the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cavaliers, led by first year head coach Mike London, played their home games at Scott Stadium and are members of the Coastal...
, Virginia Tech
2010 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2010 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Hokies were led by 24th-year head coach Frank Beamer and played their home games at Lane Stadium...
and South Florida
2010 South Florida Bulls football team
The 2010 South Florida Bulls football team represented the University of South Florida in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The USF Bulls played their home games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. The 2010 college football season was only the 14th season overall for the Bulls, and...
followed.
Firing
After the South Florida loss, the university announced its decision to terminate Shannon immediately. On December 13, 2010, the University of Miami announced the hiring of his replacement, former Temple UniversityTemple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
head coach Al Golden.