In college football their is a travesty of epic proportions going on has needs to be addressed immediately. The problem is the lack of minority head coaches in college football. Of the 119 division 1A programs around the country only 7 have minority head coaches, this is very disheartening and abhorrently wrong. What is going on? It’s not for the lack of eligible and qualified minority coaches. Anyone with knowledge of the accomplished and deserving pool of coaches would attest that in fact their are numerous minority coaches ready to run a college program and be very successful. Yet of the 13 available jobs so far, only 2 minority candidates where even interviewed. While two of the positions have already been filled without interviewing anyone else. This is a very disturbing trend, it goes back to the ‘good ol boy network’ being in full effect. I fully understand that having a person in place quickly is paramount in keeping current recruits and players already on the team from transferring. Having played college sports when coaches that recruited me left, I felt a bit of uncertainty as to if I wanted to leave as well. I also understand many universities like to pursue coaches with ties to the institution. The people running the universities and athletic programs with power to call the shots may feel more comfortable with someone with previous experience/knowlegde of the university and its standards and procedures. The problem with this is that several candidates not only minorities are continually passed over and overlooked.
The problem lies both with the universities and with the NCAA. Their needs to be in place guidelines at the very least of interviewing minority candidates for each of the available vacancies. I don’t believe this is the end all but it is a beginning. What I’m talking about is already is in place in the NFL it’s called the Rooney Rule. Even with that rule in place minority hires haven’t increased in the NFL. At least minority candidates are being given a chance to display their knowledge, theories and plan to run the program. That is where the NCAA needs to come in and step up and do what is right and fair. The universities already have to adhere to equal employment laws with the teachers, professors and staff around the campus. So why not in the case of hiring coaches? The NCAA needs to institute a form of the Rooney Rule where minorities are at the very least considered and interviewed in person. Now with that said universities know if they are going to fire a coach or a coach is going to leave for another job in most cases well ahead of time. So this shouldn’t really be an issue. Now to those who say well if they have their man already in line and they are going after that person because that was their target hire, then what’s the harm then at least hearing and seeing others. If the candidate they want is feeling the same and wants to be their guy, their is no harm done. If the universities doesn’t adhere to the rule you penalize the university with scholarship loss or a monetary fine. This would help to insure that the universities are operating above board. This is not too much to ask or even demand out of universities and the NCAA.
I'm Olympia Scott, author of this website, 2-time WNBA Champion, mother, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, mentor, author and coach. To know more read my full bio.
I'm Olympia Scott, author of this website, 2-time WNBA Champion, mother, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, mentor, author and coach. To know more read my full bio.
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