Conference Call

Sporting News, The, Oct 30, 2000

THIS WEEK'S SPOTLIGHT: Coaches of the rise

Every couple of years the offers are thrown his way, but Jeff Bower politely declines.

Maybe "coach on the rise" is a misnomer. Bower has carried that label for years at Southern Miss, but his address hasn't changed.

"The quality of life here is very good, and you have the opportunity to win here-which we've done," Bower says.

He insists that coaching at Southern Miss is a dream job, but you have to wonder just how much longer he can hold out at his alma mater.

His name is annually in the coaching hopper, and the offers likely will come stronger after this season. The Eagles (5-1) have been in the national rankings all year, and have a big road victory over Alabama.

Bower is 64-44-1 since taking over in 1990, and his teams have beaten Alabama (twice), Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Illinois, Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech.

But if he doesn't leave soon, he might not ever go. Southern Miss is upgrading its facilities, and the administration will do whatever it can to keep him.

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