Bill Doba Fired by Washington State

Winning the Apple Cup over arch-rival Washington is always regarded as a good year at Washington State. But even with Saturday's win, it wasn't enough to save Bill Doba. Washington State has fired Doba, according to several media outlets, and the press conference is scheduled for 4:30 pm today. Doba's assistants were also let go, so this is a full house-cleaning of the football program.


Doba has had a difficult time in his last few years at WSU. He did compile a 30-29 record in his five seasons as the Cougar head coach, including a 3-2 record against Washington. But in Pac-10 play Doba was just 17-25, and that includes a coach-of-the-year season in 2003 when WSU went 10-3 and won the Holiday Bowl. After that Holiday Bowl season, Doba went 20-26 overall, and in the end it wasn't good enough. These last four years are also the longest bowl-less seasons at Washington State since the mid-80's.


There is no word as to who the successor will be, although the rumor mill is already churning out the names of UTEP's Mike Price, Cal defensive coordinator Bob Gregory, and even UW offensive coordinator Tim Lappano have been mentioned in unsubstantiated rumors. However AD Jim Sterk did acknowledge over the weekend that if a change were to happen, that Mike Price would be a name that's on the list.

There's bound to be a whole list of names and rumors, but one thing is crystal clear - WSU will have to move fast to find a replacement. Coaches around the country are dropping like flies, and there will be several openings for the top coaching prospects to choose from. WSU is smack-dab in the middle of a massive stadium renovation, and many millions are still yet to be raised to complete the job. A new hire to generate excitement among the donors is extremely important. Plus, this is a vital time in recruiting, and WSU has traditionally held off on offering kids too early. The current (now former) staff liked to take their time and get kids to play out their senior seasons, and then make their move with visits and offers. That strategy leaves them with three known verbal commitments right now for this year's class, a distant last in the Pac-10. No matter who is next, they are going to have a ton of ground to make up in recruiting circles.

Change is never easy, and Bill Doba is a class act in every sense of the word. He's dealt with personal tragedy, losing his wife to cancer in 2006. Yet through it all, he's been regarded as a great man by literally everyone who's crossed paths with him. WSU fans everywhere will always be thankful for what Bill Doba gave the football program. A Midwest guy from Indiana, here's hoping he enjoys his settlement and retires back home to be with family while enjoying his golden years.