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Coker to be named UTSA football coach
By David Flores - Express-News

Former University of Miami football coach Larry Coker, who guided the Hurricanes to the 2001 BCS national championship, will be introduced as UTSA's first coach Friday, a source said Wednesday night.

UTSA athletic director Lynn Hickey and her staff recommended Coker, who was fired from Miami in 2006, for the job earlier Wednesday in a meeting with school President Ricardo Romo. Neither Hickey or Romo could be reached for comment.

Coker, who has been a college football TV analyst for ESPN the past two seasons, did not return messages left on his phone Wednesday at his home in Fort Myers, Fla.

But the UTSA source familiar with the coaching search confirmed Coker, 60, would be named the Roadrunners' coach at a news conference Friday on campus. He's expected to fly into San Antonio tonight with his wife, Dianna.

Tulsa associate head coach Paul Randolph and Northwest Missouri head coach Mel Tjeerdsma were the other finalists for the job.

“This is absolutely a great hire for UTSA,” said former Oklahoma State football coach Pat Jones, who promoted Coker to offensive coordinator after succeeding Jimmy Johnson in 1984. “Larry is maybe not quite as sexy as some — and by that I mean he's not flashy and flamboyant — but day in and day out, this guy brings immense credibility to the program.”

Coker was upbeat after meeting with Romo, Hickey and other UTSA officials in San Antonio last week. Besides touring the campus, Coker got his first look at the Alamodome, where the Roadrunners plan to play their home games.

“I was more impressed than I thought I would be, hoped to be,” Coker said after returning home. “I met some really outstanding people, and saw so many positives about everything.”

Miami was 60-15 and won three Big East titles in six seasons under Coker, who led Miami to the national championship in his first season as head coach.

The Hurricanes advanced to the BCS title game again after the 2002 season, but lost to Ohio State in double overtime. Miami went 24-1 in Coker's first two seasons and was 53-9 five years into his tenure. But the Hurricanes finished 7-6 in their final season under Coker.

Coker was an assistant under Johnson at OSU for one season before serving as Jones' offensive coordinator for six. Coker left OSU in 1990 and was an assistant at Oklahoma for three seasons before moving to Ohio State in 1993.

He was an assistant under John Cooper until 1995, when he went to Miami as offensive coordinator. Coker succeeded Butch Davis as the Hurricanes' head coach in 2001.

“Larry is probably as steady a guy as you'll ever know,” Jones said. “What you see is what you get with Larry. He'll have great credibility with the Texas high school coaches.”

Jones said he called Coker last week while Coker was in San Antonio.

“I know he was very excited,” Jones said. “It's a challenge any time you start a program, but Larry is not a silver-spoon guy. He worked hard to get up the ladder. He has no illusions about the challenge he faces.”

Merv Johnson, who coached with Coker at Oklahoma, also spoke highly of Coker.

“I think players will really enjoy being around Larry,” said Johnson, who is director of football operations at OU. “They will respect him because they'll know he cares about them. Larry is not a phony. He's as genuine as they get. He's a guy you really like right away. UTSA has got itself a very good coach.”

Coker was born in Okemah, Okla., located halfway between Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and played college football at Northeastern State (Okla.). He was a high school coach in Oklahoma for eight years and went into the college ranks at Tulsa in 1979.