UH's Pope, Texas State's Franchione Share
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
B4THE DAILY NEWS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2015 GALVESTON COUNTY, TEXAS COLLEGE FOOTBALL HOUSTON COUGARS TEXAS STATE PUPILS OF POPE 7 P.M. SEPT. 26, TDECU STADIUM TV/RADIO: ESPN3, 950 AM Kenith Pope on his former players: Jerry Ball FB/DL SMU 1983-1986 Courtesy photo SMU Athletics Quotable said, ‘You “Ican go get a lot of Courtesy photo/ UH Athletics via @UHCougarFB Mark Wallheiser /AP ile photo snaps playing UH running backs coach Kenith Pope, left, and Texas State head coach Dennis Franchione worked together for 10 years. defense, mak- ing plays, getting your name called. Now, playing fullback, UH’s Pope, Texas State’s Franchione share you’ll be blocking for (Eric Dickerson and Craig James) and no- decadelong coaching history together body is going to know who Jerry Ball is.’ By ANTHONY OPPERMANN TCU. tion. he team’s best season came Jerry said, ‘Coach, whatever you want me to do, that’s The Daily News Coming of a 1-10 season the in 2006 when they went 9-4 and what I’m going to do, but I’ve got one problem.’ year before, the Horned Frogs inished third in the Big 12 South I said, ‘What’s that, Jerry?’ » HOUSTON experienced an incredible turn- standings. ‘Can I keep No. 34?’ Jerry asked. All anyone needs to know about around in 1998, which ended with So he played with No. 34 at SMU.” how Kenith Pope feels about Den- a 7-5 record and an upset of the End of an era nis Franchione is this: Pope turned USC Trojans in the Sun Bowl. Pope’s 10-year run with Fran- down a job to work for Nick Saban he following season, LaDai- chione came to an end in 2007. Jorvorskie Lane RB A&M 2005-2008 at LSU and chose instead to stay nian Tomlinson led the nation in he season started with a con- with Franchione at TCU. rushing, and TCU won the irst troversy surrounding a paid news- Quotable “A friend of mine who’s now at of back-to-back Western Athletic letter service operated by Fran- e started eating the proper food and he lost that Conference championships. Florida State had called me, he was chione’s personal assistant which “H weight and got down to 250 (pounds). LSU at the time,” Pope, now the Ater Pope rebufed Saban and would’ve resulted in the coach Coach (Mike) Sherman gave him running backs coach at the Uni- LSU, TCU rode Tomlinson’s Heis- being dismissed before the end of a tryout with the Miami Dolphins, versity of Houston, recalled. “He man Trophy campaign in 2000 to the season if he and the university and he made the Miami Dolphins said ‘Look, coach Saban just got a 7-0 record and a No. 9 AP poll could have agreed on a buyout. football team. the job at LSU, would you be inter- ranking before a November loss Before the Aggies met the No. I talked to him and I asked, ested?’ I said ‘Ah, let me just think at San Jose State. It was the lone 13-ranked Texas Longhorns on ‘How did you do it?’ about it.’ So I thought about it, and blemish for Franchione’s squad, Nov. 23, 2007, Franchione had He said, ‘Coach, I wanted to play I said ‘Nah, I’m going to stay with which inished the regular season already informed his staf that he in the National Football League.’ coach Fran.’” 10-1 and WAC co-champions. would be resigning following the I said, ‘Well, I told you that!’” hat didn’t stop Saban from Franchione’s quick rebuilding of game. reaching out to Pope. the TCU program didn’t go unno- “he night before, we went up to “I thought somebody was pull- ticed. (Franchione’s) room ater we had ing a prank on me,” Pope said. On Nov. 30, 2000, Franchione all of our meetings,” Pope said. “He “When I heard coach Saban on the accepted the head coaching job at didn’t want there to be any surpris- other end, I thought it was a guy by the University of Alabama. es ater the game about what was AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE the name of Jon Tenuta. I worked going to happen, so we knew. he with Jon Tenuta at the University Rolling with Coach Fran players didn’t know, but we knew EAST of Oklahoma, and he sounded just Defensive coordinator Gary ater the game that was going to be AMERICAN OVERALL like (Saban). Patterson was picked to succeed our last game that we coached at W L W L “I said ‘I’m going to play along Franchione as head coach at TCU. Texas A&M.” Temple 1 0 2 0 with it,’ but when I kept on talk- Schultz took a promotion as ofen- Rallying behind Franchione and UConn 0 0 2 0 ing, I realized that I was talking to sive coordinator and stayed with the coaching staf, the Aggies built East Carolina 0 0 1 1 coach Saban,” Pope said. Patterson in Fort Worth. a 38-17 fourth-quarter lead and USF 0 0 1 1 Saban’s advances didn’t stop Meanwhile, Pope’s loyalty was held on for a 38-30 win at Kyle UCF 0 0 0 2 there. As the Horned Frogs were rewarded as he went with Fran- Field. Cincinnati 0 1 1 1 getting prepared to play East Caro- chione to Alabama. Pope was “Ater the game, ater we beat the WEST lina in the 1999 Mobile Alabama named an assistant head coach in University of Texas, in the locker AMERICAN OVERALL Bowl, Pope’s wife received an un- addition to his role working with room I can tell you everybody was W L W L expected phone call at the team the receivers. like 10 feet of the ground,” Pope Houston 0 0 2 0 While the inancial component hotel. recalled. “Ater all of the celebra- Memphis 0 0 2 0 “We had just arrived in town,” was signiicant — Pope estimated tion goes on, then all of a sudden Tulsa 0 0 2 0 Pope said. “My wife was up in the he was paid three times more at it’s like having a balloon, and the Navy 0 0 1 0 room, and I’m going downstairs Alabama than TCU — so too was head coach saying lets settle down SMU 0 0 1 1 to get all of the luggage from the the history and tradition associ- for a minute, it’s like popping that Tulane 0 0 0 2 truck and all of that. Obviously ated with the Crimson Tide. balloon and everything just gets (Saban) knew where we were stay- “When you go out recruiting, completely quiet.” SATURDAY’S GAMES ing, so he called my wife. they ask ‘Where are you from?’” Ater 120 games, which included » UConn at Missouri, 11 a.m. (ESPN) “He’s talking to my wife on the Pope said. “hat was never the case » 74 victories, three bowl game wins USF at Maryland, 11 a.m. (ESPNU) phone, and he said ‘I don’t know when you walked into a school be- » and two conference champion- Tulsa at Oklahoma, 11 a.m. (Fox Sports 1) what you’ve heard about me ing at the University of Alabama. » Memphis at Bowling Green, 2 p.m. (ESPN3) ma’am, but I work with my guys When you walked into a school, ships, Pope’s time with Franchione » was over. Temple at Massachusetts, 2 p.m. (ESPN3) this way, I give them this much they said ‘roll Tide roll.’” » Cincinnati at Miami (Ohio), 2:30 p.m. (ESPN3) time of.’ He’s going through the Even though he inherited a pro- “hat part of my career, separat- » ing with (Franchione), that was a East Carolina at Navy 2:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network) whole thing. So, I get back upstairs gram that was being penalized for » Furman at UCF, 5 p.m. (ESPN3) very emotional time for not only and my wife said ‘Well, he sounds violations by previous head coach » SMU at TCU, 7 p.m. (FSN) me, but my wife,” Pope said. “In like a really good guy.’” Mike DuBose, Alabama went 7-5 » Maine at Tulane, 7 p.m. (ESPN3) Even though Pope had only giv- in Franchione’s irst season in 2001 this business you build relation- en Franchione a two-year commit- and followed that up with a 10-3 ships with people and families. ment, the Galveston native decid- mark in 2002. When we use the word family ed to remain on Francione’s staf. Faced with lingering NCAA in football it really is because we Editor’s Pick: Game to Watch What followed was a decadelong sanctions which included a loss of spend so much time together as coaches and your families spend No. 14 Georgia Tech professional relationship which scholarships and probation, Fran- at No. 8 Notre Dame together with each other.” John Amis included stops at the University of chione resigned as head coach 2:30 p.m. Saturday AP photo Alabama and Texas A&M. at Alabama to return to Texas as TV: NBC The reunion head coach at Texas A&M. Georgia Tech QB Justin Turning around TCU “I think one of the things with Even though their career paths Thomas, right, leads Following a shake-up on the (Franchione), just looking at why have gone in separate directions, the Yellow Jackets’ triple coaching staf ater a 4-8 campaign would you leave Alabama to go to Pope and Franchione have kept in option attack into South at Oklahoma, Pope found himself A&M, it was, I think, because of the close contact since 2007.