Mike Shula

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Mike Shula
Date of birth June 3, 1965
Place of birth Baltimore, Maryland
Sport Football
Overall Record 26-23
Coaching Stats College Football DataWarehouse
School as a player
1983-86 University of Alabama
Position Quarterback
Schools as a coach
2003-2006 University of Alabama

Mike Shula (born June 3, 1965 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American football coach. Most recently, he served as head coach of the University of Alabama football team.

Contents

Biography

Mike Shula was born on June 3rd, 1965. He is the son of Don Shula, the NFL's all-time winningest coach. Shula attended high school at Miami's Christopher Columbus High School, where he won All-State honors and led his team to the state championship game. He graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in labor relations in 1987. He is a Roman Catholic and is married to Shari Shula. They have three daughters: Samantha, Brooke, and Ryan Lucy.

Playing career

Mike Shula's football career started with the Crimson Tide, where he was the starting quarterback in the 1984, 1985 and 1986 seasons. The team's record during his tenure was 24 wins, 11 losses and one tie, with wins in the Aloha Bowl and the Sun Bowl, plus key victories over the University of Southern California, Ohio State University and University of Notre Dame. Despite a lack of overwhelming athletic ability or a particularly strong arm, Shula was known for his gutsy performances in big games. He engineered last minute comebacks against Georgia and Auburn in 1985, both of which are seared into the memory of all Alabama fans. After graduating from Alabama, Shula was drafted by the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but saw little playing time in 1987, his only season.

NFL Coaching Career

Shula has served in assistant coaching positions in the NFL, twice with the Miami Dolphins (his father's former team) plus stints with the Chicago Bears and the Buccaneers, where he was offensive coordinator from 1996 to 1999. His last NFL position was quarterbacks coach with the Dolphins. As offensive coordinator under Tony Dungy with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team enjoyed great success and narrowly missed the Super Bowl after losing a fierce contest with the eventual Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams. Following that 1999 NFC Championship Game, Shula was fired as offensive coordinator after the Bucs finished no higher than 22nd in total offense during his tenure. [1]

College Coaching Career

Hiring by Alabama

Mike Shula was hired as head coach at The University of Alabama in May of 2003 after the abrupt termination of Mike Price. At the time of his arrival, the program was in great turmoil. In the previous year, the program had been hammered by NCAA sanctions, lost Dennis Franchione to Texas A&M and subsequently fired Mike Price due to his off-field actions. At the time, he was the second-youngest coach in all of Division I-A football, at age 38.

2003 Season

With the loss of several players from the 2002 team, and an offense that was not fully installed due to time constraints, Alabama suffered through a 4-9 season in 2003. The season was marked by close losses and fourth quarter collapses. In games decided by one score or less, Alabama was 0-6 on the season. Alabama lost overtime heartbreakers to Arkansas and Tennessee, and generally seemed to be close but not close enough to breaking through virtually all season.

2004 Season

The 2004 season got off to a quick start with Alabama quickly moving to 3-0 with blowout wins over Middle Tennessee, Mississippi, and Western Carolina. However, against Western Carolina, star quarterback Brodie Croyle tore his right ACL on a pass attempt. The injury effectively marked the beginning of the end for the 2004 season. The offense sputtered the rest of the way while suffering even more injuries to several other key players. Starting tailback Ray Hudson suffered a season ending knee injury three weeks later against Kentucky, and starting fullback Tim Castille also suffered a season ending knee injury the following week in the fourth quarter against Tennessee. Backup quarterback Marc Guillon and backup tailback Kenneth Darby were also sidelined due to injuries. Alabama hobbled down the stretch to finish the year 6-6. The season was, like the year before, marred by close losses. Shula did, however, lead Alabama to its first bowl game since the 2001 season, with a berth in the Music City Bowl against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Alabama lost the game after the third-string quarterback Spencer Pennington sailed a pass over the head of Tyrone Prothro, who was open in the back of the endzone.

2005 Season

The 2005 season would see fortunes turn around for Shula and his Alabama team. Despite poor play along the offensive line and a catastrophic leg injury suffered by star wide receiver Tyrone Prothro, Alabama went 10-2 with a victory in the Cotton Bowl over the Mike Leach-led Texas Tech Red Raiders. The season included blowout wins over Florida and South Carolina, and also included a 6-3 win in an epic defensive classic over the Tennessee Volunteers. Alabama was ranked third in the nation and in the national championship chase before late-season losses to LSU and Auburn. The success gave Shula his first ten win season in just his third year as head coach and also extended Alabama's lead in respect to having the most ten wins seasons of any program in the nation. Furthermore, the Cotton Bowl appearance and victory extended Alabama's lead in playing in, and winning, more bowl games than any other major school. The Tide finished the season ranked eighth in the nation.

2006 Season

Shula's 2006 squad has amassed a record of 6-6 with losses at Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee, and LSU and home losses to Mississippi State and Auburn. With the loss to Auburn, Shula became the first Crimson Tide coach to lose four consecutive games to their cross-state rival. During the course of the year, Shula has come under criticism for his lack of offensive creativity[citation needed], especially after close wins over heavy underdogs Duke, Hawaii, and Vanderbilt.

Firing

On November 26, 2006, Alabama Athletic Director Mal Moore notified Mike Shula that he would not be retained as the University of Alabama's head football coach for the 2007 season. [2] Alabama will have to pay Shula some $4 million to buy out the remainder of the six-year contract the school signed with him in May. [3]

All of the assistants on the road recruiting were notified to return to Tuscaloosa. Sources report that Shula refused to make staff changes despite pressure to do so after a lackluster season.[citation needed] In a Monday-morning statement, the University said that Defensive Coordinator Joe Kines would serve as the interim head coach for the team's Independence Bowl game against Oklahoma State.[4]

Head Coaching Record

School Year W L Pct. Notes
Alabama 2003 4 9 .308
Alabama 2004 6 6 .500 Music City Bowl (Loss)
Alabama 2005 10 2 .833 Cotton Bowl (Win)
Alabama 2006 6 6 .500 Independence Bowl
Total 4 26 23 .531

External links

Alabama Crimson Tide Head Football Coaches
Beaumont • Abbott • Otto Wagonhurst • McCants • Martin • Griffin • Harvey • Blount • Leavenworth • Pollard • Lowman • Graves • Kelly • Scott • Wade • Thomas • Drew • Whitworth • Bryant • Perkins • Curry • Stallings • DuBose • Franchione • Price • Shula
Preceded by
Mike Price (fired before coaching a game)		 University of Alabama Head Football Coaches
2003–2006		 Succeeded by
Joe Kines (interim)
Persondata
NAME Shula, Mike
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION American football coach
DATE OF BIRTH June 3, 1965
PLACE OF BIRTH Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
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