If Not The Rooney Rule Then What?

This looks like a case of the good-old boys trying not to
change things. But the way I see it there needs to be
some kind of a program in place so that minority coaches
can get an even shot at coaching in the college ranks.
For too long now minority coaches have been denied access
to the college ranks and a change has to come.


Mississippi State Coach Sylvester Croom said he doubted that diversity could be mandated in college football.
The Black Coaches Association has suggested Division I college football, possibly through the N.C.A.A., needs to implement guidelines similar to the Rooney Rule in the N.F.L., which requires teams to interview minority candidates when hiring a head coach.

“I don’t think that’s feasible, because every institution is so different,” Croom said during a recent teleconference. “You have so many parties to satisfy in college football.
“The N.F.L. is an organization. It’s a lot easier to have missions and address issues. I don’t see how that would work at this level.”

The Rooney Rule has resulted in a gradual increase in black coaches around the N.F.L. The N.C.A.A. has said it does not have the authority to control the way its members hire coaches.
Croom is one of only six black coaches among 119 Football Bowl Subdivision teams, along with U.C.L.A.’s Karl Dorrell, Buffalo’s Turner Gill, Washington’s Tyrone Willingham, Kansas State’s Ron Prince and Miami’s Randy Shannon.

Shannon was one of two minorities hired to fill 23 coaching vacancies for bowl subdivision (formerly I-A) teams after last season. The other was Florida International’s Mario Cristobal, who is Hispanic.
Shannon said minority candidates had been getting more interviews. “You just have to make sure you’re not interviewing somebody just to interview them,” he said. “That’s what kills you about the Rooney Rule.”





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