Kansas is in the market for a new head football coach today.
Mike Gottfried, who guided the Jayhawks during the last three seasons, was named head coach at Pittsburgh University this morning.
“We hope to move as swiftly as possible to name a successor,” Monte Johnson, KU’s athletic director, said in a statement issued through the sports information office.
“Our program is on solid ground, and it will be our intention to identify an individual who will continue to enhance what has been achieved in the last three years.”
Johnson was busy today establishing a timetable and criteria for the selection process. The normal procedure is to go through affirmative action, but that process isn’t necessary if a promotion is made from within.
The executive committee of the KU Athletic Corp. began meeting just before noon today to begin the early work of forming a search committee to find Gottfried’s replacement.
The members of the search committee must be approved by the chancellor before they can begin weeding out prospective candidates.
ONE NAME that surfaced early today as a possible candidate for the coaching job was that of Bob Valesente, who served as Gottfried’s assistant head coach. Johnson, however, said he did not want to be specific about possibilities.
“We want to look at all the options,” Johnson said.
Valesente was on the road recruiting today and unavailable for comment.
Johnson, in his statement, expressed sorrow that Gottfried, a man he hired in December 1982 to replace Don Fambrough, decided to move on.
“We’re certainly disappointed to see Mike leave,” Johnson said. “There’s no question he’s a credit to college football, and I’m confident he’ll be an outstanding coach at the University of Pittsburgh. Under his leadership, we made significant strides forward.”
GOTTFRIED had a five-year contract at Kansas and was being paid $69,750 this year. It is believed that KU will release Gottfried form his contract.
KU Chancellor Gene Budig said Wesley Posvar, president of Pittsburgh University, called early this morning and officially told Budig of the hiring. However, the chancellor said he was not surprised by the news that Gottfried had taken the job.
Gottfried told Budig and other KU officials on Monday that he was a candidate for the Pitt job. Budig said they encouraged Gottfried to remain with the Jayhawks.
Today the chancellor, in a prepared statement, said KU will move rapidly to find a new coach.
“We will expedite the process in an effort to ensure a successful recruiting year,” he said. “It is important that we build upon the gains of the past. We have an excellent opportunity to have one of our finest recruiting cycles
“We are optimistic. We thank coach Gottfried for his contributions and wish him continued success at the University of Pittsburgh. He has been a credit to our program.”
DEL BRINKMAN, dean of KU’s School of Journalism and the KU’s faculty representative to the Big Eight Conference, said he didn’t expect that KU would be looking for a new football coach.
“There will be discussions today, I’m sure, about what we need to look for in a new coach,” Brinkman said. “Frankly, I didn’t think we’d be needing to think about that, especially during the last few weeks.”
Brinkman said Gottfried created an exciting football team at KU, but will miss the fruits of his labor.
“He did a rebuilding job, but he won’t be around for the culmination and, in that respect, he didn’t finish his job here,” Brinkman said. “But in the world of big time football, coaches tend to take the best offer. He apparently feels this is a good opportunity. He’s a good football coach. I wish him well.”
Asked about Gottfried’s departure, Tony Redwood, KU business professor and chairman of the athletic board, said, “I’m disappointed. We’re very disappointed that he’s leaving.”
Redwood, who called today’s meeting of the KUAC executive committee, said it’s too early to say when a new coach will be hired.
“WE’LL BE moving as fast as we can,” he said.
Norman Yetman, KU professor of sociology and a member of the athletic board, wouldn’t comment when asked about his reaction to Gottfried’s resignation.
“It seems to me an essential qualification of any coach we seek is an understanding, a comprehension of what makes a great university,” Yetman said. “That is its academic mission. The soul and essence of a great university is its academic mission, and any coach we hire must understand that and be committed to upholding and enforcing that mission.”
