TicketsDec. 1, 2006
Dear UC Alumni, Students and Friends,
I thank you for your support of Cincinnati Bearcat football this year. I am so proud of what our 2006 team has accomplished on the field and look forward to joining them along with our fans at our fifth bowl game in the last seven years. An announcement concerning the exact bowl, date and time that our team will be competing in will be made later this weekend. As with all the latest news and information, please check GoBEARCATS.com.
As our search for a new head football coach moves forward, I have a strong sense as to the type of coach we need to realize the potential of Bearcat Football. I intend to contact a trusted group of friends who are well respected in college and pro football circles. A successful football coach at UC or any top-tier college program must have talents beyond the knowledge of the game, particularly for a program intent on establishing itself consistently among the Top 25 BCS programs in the country and at the top of the BIG EAST. We will find this person for UC!
Unlike the recruitment of a top-tier member of our faculty or the majority of prospective student-athletes, coaching candidates who reach finalist level for BCS coaching jobs are often known to the mainstream media, talk shows and message boards which are such a big part of today's media landscape. During our search for our men's basketball coach and the early stages of this search process, we have heard of the popularity of certain candidates in the eyes of the public and have read reports of what we allegedly have or have not done. Many seem to know what we should be looking for in our next head coach. We appreciate the letters and e-mails and the passion which fuels them.
As the Director of Athletics at the , my charge is to be clear about what attributes are needed in a new head coach and how each candidate can fit in within the best interests of UC Athletics. As with all of our searches, we have a trusted process with the appropriate checks and balances that toe the line between short-term expectations and long-term success of the coach and of the University.
Our successful candidate will have a desire to be at the and will have a plan to build on our assets. You can rest assured that the subject of a longer-term commitment to our student-athletes, alumni and friends will be discussed with all candidates. Our goal is a long-term partnership that will keep UC moving forward. We don't intend to back off our stated objective of winning a BIG EAST Championship by 2011 and sustaining competitiveness at the highest level.
Since college coaches are educators, top-flight recruiting and teaching skills must be inherent to the potential pool of coaches for our program's continued development. Our successful candidate must be able to recruit in and the , and also have the network to reach out to other national recruiting hotbeds and bring in high-caliber prospective student-athletes.
Our new coach must establish an environment of personal, team and institutional accountability and discipline which will build the necessary foundation for sustainable excellence and pride. These qualities are essential in recruiting and to lead a strong and diverse coaching staff.
It is very important to me that our new head coach be a man with whom you would entrust your son's continued development into a successful person long after the playing days are over. My wife and I have three sons (along with a great daughter) and this is a very important factor for me as I would want the same care to be associated with individuals entrusted to develop the potential of my own kids. That's always a good barometer when hiring any head coach at the college level - would I turn my son or daughter over to them?
How do we get all of these qualities in our next head coach? The most obvious starting point is to work from a list of outstanding candidates, which we are doing right now. UC will offer competitive compensation for the new coach and assistants, the opportunity to compete in one of the most competitive conferences in the country, a top-flight strength and conditioning program, state-of-the-art facilities in , and the continued development of one of the best academic support programs in the nation. Perhaps the biggest draw is that the successful candidate will inherit a talent-laden group of young men that have captivated Bearcats from coast to coast with their boundless energy and enthusiasm. I think our head coaching job is one of the best in the country!
We are now actively evaluating individuals and are fully aware of timelines and mandates associated with recruiting, building a coaching staff, and for dealing with current head coaches. I have no doubt our process will yield an outstanding leader for Bearcat Football.
In the end, our community must - and most certainly will - work to be a place where a great football coach wants to stay because he can find success and know that we are committed to being the best in the BIG EAST and the nation.
Thanks for your passion for the program. We will have a new coach very soon and will be in touch as quickly as possible once this process is complete.
Sincerely,
Director of Athletics
PS: Later this weekend UC will receive its fifth bowl invitation in the last seven years. From 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. this coming Sunday afternoon the UC Athletics Ticket Office will be open and will be taking ticket orders for this game. Over the last few days the level of commitment from Bearcat Fans has been called into question. Buying bowl tickets and traveling to the game is a great way to show your support for our 2006 team and Cincinnati Football moving forward. If you cannot attend the game, your purchased tickets can be donated to deserving children in the city where the bowl will be played. Help UC make a statement about how much cares about UC Football. For more information on ticket prices, travel packages, etc... please log on to www.GoBEARCATS.com or call the UC Athletics Ticket Office at 1-877-CATS-TIX