All systems go for LU football

By Tom Halliburton
The Port Arthur News

March 26, 2008 10:21 pm

— BEAUMONT -- Red, White and Hut-One... Hut-Two... B--I--G.. R--E--D, Big Red.
All systems appear on 'go' for a return of Lamar football to conduct an exhibition season in 2009 and a regular Southland Conference season in 2010.
LU-Beaumont president Dr. Jimmy Simmons confirmed Wednesday a job posting for a head football coach was announced earlier this month and re-posted on Wednesday to enhance greater public awareness and cognizance that LU football
definitely looks to have a future after lying dormant for nearly 20 years.
Simmons also verified to The Port Arthur News that Lamar was in the process of consummating an agreement with Leo A. Daly in regard to architectural cost analysis for upgrades and renovations to Cardinal Stadium and other LU football-related facilities.
One of the nation's 10 largest architecture, engineering, planning, and interior design firms in the United States, Leo A. Daly is the parent company for the West Houston office of Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam, Inc. This same national engineering firm was involved in the process to design Houston's Reliant Stadium.
Simmons and LU-Beaumont athletic director Billy Tubbs recently agreed to speed up the coaching search process, rather than wait to begin that matter after the completion of a cost analysis and its approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Rather than intending to have a coach in place no later than August, Lamar officials at this point have changed the target date to May 1, if not sooner.
"We made the decision that we can probably accomplish our goals better if we can put a face to the Lamar football program," Dr. Simmons said Wednesday. "If we find the one we like, we're going to try to get that person on board as
soon as possible.
"There are still some hurdles to clear, but we decided they would be easier to clear if we have a coach on board."
Lamar originally announced that it intended to accept applications for the head coaching position on Mar. 11. The application period ended Mar. 21 and a very limited number of coaches in the Southeast Texas area realized the
University had posted the job. Tubbs informed The News on Wednesday that LU had posted the job once again on Wednesday.
When asked to comment on the likelihood of football's return to Lamar, Simmons summed up his assessment in one word, "great."
"I guarantee you that we could not have a better person with more national contacts than Billy Tubbs to be involved in this process," Simmons said.
According to the posted qualifications for the LU coaching position, a bachelor's degree is required, a master's degree is preferred and college coaching experience is required.
Tubbs stressed, though, that the hiring process did not always go hand and hand with the official job posting. The Lamar athletic director compared the matter of searching for a coach with the recruiting game in college athletics.
"Hiring can be like recruiting," Tubbs said. "You might be recruiting some people for a job like this that don't apply for it. It's a long process. But right now our target date is May 1 (to hire a Lamar head football coach).
"Are we searching? Yes... Could we hire before May 1? Yes."
Any interested applicants should send a letter, resume, and three references to Lamar University; Human Resouces; P.O. Box 11127; Beaumont, TX. 77710.
One of the first men to express interest in the job was former Lamar head coach Larry Kennan, who currently is the executive director of the NFL Coaches Association. Kennan left Lamar after the 1981 season to take an assistant coaching position with the Oakland Raiders and was on the staff of a Super Bowl champion with the Raiders.
Kennan also coached in the NFL at New England, Seattle and Indianapolis and did a second stint with the Raiders in the mids 1990s. He was head coach of the London Monarchs and led them to the first championship of the World League of American Football.
Several other big name former coaches have been thrown out in speculation for the Lamar job. Included are former Texas A&M head coaches R.C. Slocum and Dennis Franchione and Larry Coker, who won a national championship at Miami. Les Koenning Jr., Franchione's offensive coordinator at A&M, has told friends in Southeast Texas he's interested.
Another possibility might be former Oklahoma State coach Pat Jones.
One successful area high school coach thought to have some interest is West Brook's Craig Stump. Stump meets the criteria of having college coaching experience. He was an assistant for Jackie Sherrill at Mississippi State.