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Nehlen made it look easy

By BOB HARIG

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 11, 2000

It isn't easy to win games at West Virginia. Ask Bobby Bowden, who was once hung in effigy at the school, hastening his move to Florida State a quarter-century ago.

Don Nehlen came along later and won 146 games in 21 seasons, making him the winningest coach in school history. That is pretty remarkable in a state not known for an abundance of football talent.

"In my last report on recruits, the only state in America that had less high school football players sign Division I contracts was Maine," Nehlen said. "And we don't play them."

After his team's 31-27 loss to Syracuse on Saturday, Nehlen told shocked players he would retire after the season.

"I talked to (athletic director) Eddie Pastilong about two weeks ago and told him I was going to retire," Nehlen said. "Basically, I'm 65 now. I've been in this for 41 years and I just think it is time to step aside and let someone else who's younger do it. Three more games like this, and I might not make it to 66."

Nehlen's overall record at Bowling Green and West Virginia is 199-127-8. He said there were no regrets, that he is looking forward to spending time with his family and pursuing hobbies.

"This is an 80-85-hour-per-week job," said Nehlen, who had undefeated regular seasons in 1988 and 1993 only to lose in bowl games. "It is seven days every week for eight or nine months a year. There is not a whole lot of time for anything else. I'm not going to sit around and play bingo, that's for sure, but I'd like find out if there is something else to do out there. Hell, I don't even know how to keep score at bowling."

Talk of Nehlen's successor began quickly. Rich Rodriguez, Clemson's offensive coordinator, is considered a leading candidate to replace Nehlen. He played for him from 1982-84. Another possibility is current assistant Steve Dunlap, who has been by Nehlen's side for 17 seasons, or former assistant Doc Holliday, who is at N.C. State. Nehlen will participate in the process to hire his successor.

"There is no way anybody can fill his shoes," senior offensive tackle Tanner Russell said. "He is West Virginia football. He always will be the symbol of this university. When he told us, we were all stunned."

BCS MADNESS: Do the computers that help make up the Bowl Championship Series make coaches want to run up the score? That appears to be the case. Winning is not good enough. Winning impressively is important.

"I'd like to tell you no, but the fact is, as we all know, it (does)," Baylor coach Kevin Steele said. "You see the head coach's wife at Florida State (Ann Bowden) and her son is on the other sideline (Clemson coach Tommy Bowden) and she says, "We need to score as many points as we can to help us in the polls.' That says it all."

NO D: Former Michigan coach Bo Schembechler had to be fuming last week as he watched Northwestern destroy the Wolverines defense in a 54-51 victory. Schembechler could think back to stingier days, when his 1972 team went 10-1 and allowed opponents a total of 57 points in 11 games. Michigan's 1948 national championship team gave up 44 points for the season.

TIDE TALK: Mississippi State's Jackie Sherrill says he is too old to return to his alma mater, Alabama, as coach, but that hasn't stopped the speculation. Sherrill, a 1966 Alabama grad, received a contract extension through the 2004 season.

Nonetheless, he was the top pick to coach the Crimson Tide, according to a Mobile Press Register poll. He finished ahead of Clemson's Bowden, Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer, Miami coach Butch Davis and Ole Miss coach David Cutcliffe.

"My pedigree is Alabama and Coach (Bear) Bryant," Sherrill said. "You can't change that. Do I have feelings for Alabama? Yes, I shed a lot of blood, sweat and tears there. But my loyalty (to State) is something that's very important to me."

- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

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