Cranking Up the Coaching Carousel

He's rested, he's ready and he's available. Butch Davis wants back into coaching, and hiring the former Cleveland Brown and Miami Hurricane coach should be a snap. There is no athletic director to approach for interview approval. No bowl game or playoff game to end. No buyout clause to sort through. All of these factors put North Carolina in a unique position. The school has already announced it will part ways with John Bunting at season's end, so right now the Tar Heels can make a move before other jobs become available. If North Carolina waits, then the negotiating power likely would shift to Davis, who should be a contender for any vacancy. As for other potential coaching moves, the site Football Scoop lays out some possibilities. If Larry Coker and Miami part ways, Georgia's Mark Richt and Auburn's Tommy Tuberville would be on the wish list. If Michigan were to win it all and Lloyd Carr decided to step down, look for San Diego's Jim Harbaugh to be the No. 1 candidate. And it's getting ugly at Florida State, where boosters are taking sides in the Bobby Bowden debate. Who might replace Bowden? Try Louisville's Bob Petrino (some registration).