Scarbinsky: NCAA program preps Auburn's Luper to be a head coachPublished: Wednesday, August 04, 2010, 5:30 AMKevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham NewsAuburn assistant coach Curtis Luper at work in the office. (AU photo / Todd Van Emst)Kansas AD Lew Perkins thinks the world of Auburn assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Curtis Luper."He's a next-generation head coach," Perkins said Tuesday. "He has head coach written on his forehead. I see a lot of Turner (Gill) in Curtis."Quite a compliment from the man who hired Gill to be the head coach at Kansas. How did Perkins get to know Luper so well to form such a high opinion of him?They spent two days together in late June. As part of that get-acquainted process, Perkins interviewed Luper for a head coaching job.Confused? Don't be.It was a mock interview, part of the NCAA Champions Forum, which is the final phase of the NCAA's Coaches Academy. The entire program is designed to increase opportunities for minorities to become head coaches.The program "started off as kind of a small, noble adventure and developed into what was for me an unbelievable experience," Luper said.He's been involved since 2007 and has undergone training at different times in different disciplines, from academic issues to fiscal responsibilities to media relations, in which he had to go through a simulation of a head coach's introductory press conference.The Champions Forum, which Luper completed this summer, is the ultimate networking tool. The latest edition brought together 15 assistant coaches and an equal number of athletics directors during the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics convention in Anaheim.The coaches who attended included Luper and Ole Miss defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix. Each of them was partnered with an AD.Luper drew Perkins. Talk about a lucky draw.Perkins worked with Gill in a similar program years ago and became one of his mentors. And then became his employer. Which is the whole idea. lew-perkins.jpgKansas athletics director Lew Perkins. (AP photo)"People say the program is good for the coaches," Perkins said. "I think it's great for the athletics directors. You get to meet people, and you get to help people."The program recognizes that, when it comes to getting hired as a head coach, who you know matters along with what you know. See Jay Jacobs hiring Gene Chizik. It was easier for Perkins to hire Gill at Kansas because he'd known him for years."It creates a comfort level between us and administrators," Luper said. "I deal with college athletes and high school athletes. That's my comfort zone. I'm not as comfortable in a setting with athletics directors and presidents because I don't deal with them on a daily basis."Ultimately, there are relationships formed that lead to head coaching positions."Does it really work? Past participants include Kevin Sumlin, coming off a big second season as the Houston head coach, and Larry Porter, heading into his first year as head coach at Memphis. In all, according to the NCAA, 18 assistants who've gone through the program have become head coaches.It was Sumlin who first encouraged Luper, who was then at Oklahoma State, to apply to the program four years ago.Another Auburn assistant, Trooper Taylor, has participated in this NCAA program, Luper said. They and the rest of the staff are also getting help closer to home to reach their goal of becoming head coaches.In May, Luper said, five or six Auburn assistants chose to participate in a day of similar training on campus, including two-hour mock head coaching interviews with a group of administrators. The interviews were recorded and critiqued.Luper said Jacobs and Chizik "have been instrumental in pushing us to do these types of things.""One of the reasons I'm talking to you is because Coach wants us to get media savvy and have interaction with the media so that, when our time comes, we'll be somewhat polished," Luper said."It's obvious we've got numerous guys on this staff who'll be head coaches some day."Talk to him for any amount of time, and it's easy to picture Luper in that position. It'll be easier for him to take that step with a heavy hitter like Perkins in his corner. They continue to talk on a regular basis."I consider Curtis a friend now," said Perkins, who's set to retire next year. "I'll do everything I can to help his career. That's what this is all about."
I, for one, want coaches that want to move up. That prevents the type of attitude displayed by the BBQ Boys who became very content in their jobs thinking they were bulletproof as long as Tubs was the HC.
They were
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