 |
| Winston-Salem State’s Connell Maynor could be headed to North Carolina Central. (WSSU/Garrett Garms photo) |
As is usual in January, there are several HBCU coaching jobs waiting to be filled. Withought a doubt, though, the opening drawing the most attention right now is the one at North Carolina Central University. Although the job didn’t officially open up until the end of the season, it’s been assumed since the drama with ex-coach Henry Frazier that NCCU would be looking for a new coach. Earlier this week reports about potential candidates surfaced, headlined by Southern’s Dawson Odoms and Winston-Salem State’s Connell Maynor.
Odums is a NCCU alum that just led Southern to a 9-4 season, culminating in the school’s first SWAC championship in 10 years. While that’s a great accomplishment in one season as full-time head coach, it’s clear that Maynor is the potential big prize for NCCU.
Connell Maynor, Dawson Odums Rumored Among NCCU Finalists http://t.co/ACyPeZAUgD
– HBCU Digest (@HBCUDigest) December 12, 2013
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Maynor’s list of accomplishments is long for a head coaching career that is just four years old. He’s gone 45-6 in those four years, making the Division II playoffs in each of the last three. He guided WSSU to back-to-back CIAA titles and undefeated regular seasons. He has won six playoff games in his career, taking WSSU to the D2 national title game in 2012.
Open season on Connell Maynor at WSSU. He interviews today at N.C. Central…. http://t.co/ifPj9vsAuT
– John Dell (@johndellWSJ) December 10, 2013
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Maynor to North Carolina Central is a combination that could quickly switch the balance of power of the MEAC, and HBCU sports in general. In contrast to the conservative style of most MEAC teams, Maynor is an aggressive offensive coach that plays an exciting brand of football. He’s also youthful and vibrant, something that is important when recruiting today’s prep stars. He also
NCCU has quite a few talented young players in kick returner Adrian Wilkins, defensive back Mike Jones and others. It also has one of the better marketing and public relations staffs in HBCU sports as well. And it’s also home to home to one rising coaching star, basketball coach LeVelle Mouton.
Make no mistake about it, it’s harder to win at the FCS level, especially at HBCUs. The disparity between the haves and have-nots are greater at that level, and APR measurements mean that Maynor would not be able to secure many of the transfer players that filled his WSSU squads. Still, everything that I know about Maynor and NCCU tells me that it could be the start of something big.