UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, August 28,1996
5B
Coach returns to Baltimore
Marchibroda leaves Colts then agrees to coach new Ravens
The Associated Press
BALTIMORE — Ted Marchibroda is proof that things are not always what they seem.
This gray-haired, soft-spoken man looks more like a guy who would take tickets at an NFL game than shout instructions from the sidelines. He doesn't have the distinctive jaw of Bill Cowher, the furrowed brow of Bill Parcells or even the fine coiffure of Jimmy Johnson.
Yet this unassuming, mild-mannered man has a reputation for coaching success.
Twice during his NFL coaching career, Marchibroda improved a team by eight victories in his first season. He converted a 2-12 Baltimore Colts team into a 10-4 squad in
1975, and in his second stint with the franchise he led Indianapolis to a 9-7 record in 1992 after inheriting a 1-15 team.
As an assistant coach he helped in the development of renowned quarterbacks Roman Gabriel, Sonny Jurgensen, Billy Kilmer and Jim Kelly. With Marchibroda as a head coach, quarterbacks Bert Jones and Jim Harbaugh became stars.
Marchibroda led the Baltimore Colts to three AFC East titles in the 1970s, and last season he took Indianapolis within one play of the Super Bowl. When the Colts balked at giving him a raise after the 1995 season, Marchibroda walked.
He figured his 25-year association with the NFL might be finished.
"I didn't have much time to think about what might happen, but that's the way you want to go out," he said. "You'd like to win the Super Bowl, but if you come that close you have no regrets."
Marchibroda had heard that Art Modell was talking with former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula about the coaching job for his newly named Baltimore Ravens.
"That's why I didn't give Baltimore much thought," Marchibroda said. "I wasn't comparing myself to Shula."
But Modell was. When Shula
"Ted Marchibroda is the most underrated coach in the history of the NFL."
owner,BaltimoreRavens
Art Modell
turned down the opportunity to coach the team, Modell acted quickly. Marchibroda hadn't finished clearing out his office when Modell called and set up a meeting.
"It didn't take more than 24 hours for me to hire Ted Marchibroda," Modell said. "Ted Marchibroda is the most underrated coach in the history of the NFL."
And so, at age 65, Marchibroda again has been put in charge of turning around a franchise following a disappointing year. This time it's the Baltimore Ravens, who went 5-11 as the Cleveland Browns last season under Bill Belichick.
The Browns had a mediocre defense, a harmful quarterback controversy and an inept running game. The players had a hard time coping with the pending move from Cleveland, winning only two of the final 12 games.
Marchibrochda looked beyond that and saw a team that made the playoffs in 1994. "I expect us to win right away," he said.
Ravens running back Earnest Byner likened Marchibroda to former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, who gained entry to the NHL Hall of Fame this year. Byner played under Gibbs from 1989 to 1992.
Marchibroda would enjoy hearing that. He has no desire to grab the media acclaim heaped upon many of his more eye-catching peers.
"Coach Marchibroda doesn't mind putting the hammer down if he has to, just like Gibbs," Byner said. "I think some of the fire comes out when things aren't going right. But he's always trying to build us up, make us better and help us grow."
"The respect you care about comes from your players," Marchibroda said. "What the others think about you is wonderful, but the important thing is what your players think."
Tigers to open season with Big 12 foe
The Associated Press
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri coach Larry Smith would have preferred to open the season against North Texas, like the Tigers did in 1995, instead of against eighthranked Texas.
That's the price of life in the Big 12.
"Every coach would like to not start off with one of the toughest opponents in the conference." Smith said yesterday. "You always like to start off with the non-conference opponents.
"But this season doesn't afford us that opportunity, so we take that and go with it."
Missouri, which plays at Texas Saturday, has endured 12 consecutive losing seasons. Last year the Tigers tried jump-starting the schedule with early season games against North Texas, Bowling Green and Northeast Louisiana, winning two of the three.
"You always like to start off with the non conference opponents."
Larry Smith
Missouri football coach
This season it's going to be tougher to make a quick start. Texas was 10-2-1 and played in the Sugar Bowl. Clemson, the team's third opponent. Sept. 21, was 8-4 and played in the Gator Bowl.
"It makes it tougher, no question," Smith said. "It also gives you something to shoot for."
On the positive side, Smith said the new conference has spurred Missouri to upgrade its facilities and also should help in recruiting.
"It's really
going to help in the state of Texas,
Smith said. "That is a real hotbed
of recruiting talent. It gives us a
shot at some of those people."
Larry Smith
He is far from conceding a 0-1 start, and he said that the game, the opener for both teams, might help Missouri.
"I don't care which side you're on, you've got new chemistry, and I think that can be an advantage," Smith said. "I don't care if you're the favorite or the underdog, anything can happen."
Smith also said Missouri, which
"We know what we're doing," Smith said. "It comes down to what we do each game. If we get some momentum and they get to feeling confident about themselves, I think this is the kind of team that can have a winning season."
has had five consecutive three-win seasons, had a shot at ending the program's long slide.
Jones started five games last year and rushed for 368 yards with a 4.7-yard average and four touchdowns. But he completed only one-third of his passes with four interceptions and no touchdowns.
Smith will start sophomore Corby Jones at quarterback, but he said junior Kent Skornia also would play.
"I don't think you can expect him to execute the offense flawlessly, because he won't," Smith said. "But he's a guy who's going to make plays. His passing has improved tremendously."
Student Legislative Awareness Board
...working to provide to the students of the University of Kansas the means to be active participants in the political life of their community.
Applications are now being accepted for the following coordinator positions:
Education/Forums Publications Voter Participation Issue Research Jayhawk Network Treasurer Lobby Coordinator
- Applications are available in the Student Senate Office, 410 Kansas Union.
- Application deadline:
5:00 PM, Friday,
August 30, 1996.
- For more information call 864-7337/864-3710
-SLAB is a division of the University of Kansas Student Senate
Can you draw better than this?
The Hill, a monthly magazine published by The University Daily Kansan, is dedicating a section of each issue to KU's artistically inclined. All students interested in publishing artwork, photographs, poetry or comic strips on the pages of one of the country's best college newspapers should submit an entry. Chosen entries will appear in the Fall 1996 issues of The Hill.
Entries due by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3. First issue is Thursday, Sept. 12. For more information contact Amy McVey, Special Sections Editor at 864-4810.
The Hill
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN