Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Bethune-Cookman makes quick, boneheaded decision on Coach Wyatt
























Coach Alvin "Shine" Wyatt, Sr., winningest coach in B-CU history, ends 13 year run with a 90-54 football record, two MEAC Championships, and two NCAA FCS Playoff appearances. Wyatt also served for 18 years as the Wildcats women basketball coach finishing with a 260-200 record and two MEAC championships.

B-CU fires coach

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Alvin Wyatt era came to an end Monday when Bethune-Cookman University fired the Wildcats' all-time wins leader, the only head football coach to take B-CU to consecutive playoff appearances and the school's only coach to defeat archrival Florida A&M three straight seasons. Wyatt's 13-year run -- the longest tenure in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference -- ended about 4:30 p.m. Monday.

B-CU athletics director Lynn Thompson summoned Wyatt and told him the news in a face-to-face meeting. "It was one of the toughest situations I've ever been in professionally, having to have that conversation with Alvin Wyatt," Thompson said. "It's been a 13-year career that's included some great accomplishments. But after meeting with the administration, looking at the future, it was decided we needed to begin moving in another direction immediately."

B-CU has big shoes to fill after firing Wyatt

Gotta admit, when Alvin Wyatt was first promoted to Bethune-Cookman head coach 13 years ago, I considered it a punt. But staying in-house with that hire seemed to make sense at the time -- go with familiarity, save a little money in the process, and learn to be happy with four or six wins each year until further notice. The first two assumptions might've been correct, but Wyatt proved to be anything but a caretaker or babysitter for a program that, at that time, was in awkward shape (to put it nicely).

Wyatt hit the ground running -- literally. He employed an option-style offense and, when the blocking was decent and the quarterback sharp and athletic, the Wildcats could run an opposing defense into the ground. But a turnaround in a program, while always welcomed, also breeds expectations, and for a variety of reasons (speculation on the message boards runs the gamut) those expectations haven't been met the past four years.

Wyatt Won't Return as B-CU's Coach

DAYTONA BEACH Bethune-Cookman University will not renew head football coach Alvin Wyatt's contract. The school announced its decision Monday, two days after a 42-6 loss to Florida A&M. Bethune-Cookman Athletics Director Lynn W. Thompson says a national search for Wyatt's replacement will begin immediately. The assistant coaching staff will remain intact until the new coach is named. Bethune-Cookman finished this season with a 5-6 record, the third losing season in the past four years. The team went 8-3 in 2008. Wyatt coached 13 seasons at Bethune-Cookman with an overall record of 90-54.

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Bethune-Cookman releases football coach Wyatt
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Wyatt Won't Return as B-CU's Coach

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