Lest we forget: (note the timestamps)
November 26, 2000, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Coach Fran must decide: renew vows or jilt TCU
JIM REEVES
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
POSTCARDS FORM THE LEDGE...
The contract is on the table. The numbers are definitely up to snuff. Now it's up to Dennis Franchione to decide whether he wants TCU and Fort Worth or not.
Inside sources say a new seven-year deal for Franchione, averaging $1 million a year or more, was presented to the TCU coach a week ago last Friday, the day before the Frogs destroyed UT-El Paso at Amon Carter Stadium.
Built into the deal were raises for his assistant coaches and a commitment to the new facilities Franchione has indicated he wants.
Everything, in other words, that should make him happy.
Now it's a matter of ego.
November 27, 2000, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Franchione: Top priority is TCU deal
ARTHUR GARCIA
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Well, the regular season's over and the clock is ticking.
But this isn't a countdown to the GMAC Mobile Alabama Bowl on Dec. 20 against Southern Mississippi. It's to contract talks between Dennis Franchione and TCU, which are set to officially reach the negotiation stage.
TCU officials presented Franchione with certain parameters on a new contract Nov. 17 but said Franchione wouldn't begin to seriously address the deal until after the regular season, which ended with Friday's 62-7 thumping of rival SMU.
Franchione said Sunday that a new TCU contract is his "first priority," but he's not setting a timetable on coming to an agreement. The new contract offer is for seven years with a base salary of approximately $1 million annually. TCU has also promised improvements to Amon Carter Stadium, such as luxury suites and a new press box, and the construction of an indoor practice facility. Franchione's current deal runs through 2005.
"It's not like I feel like I have to get something done by Wednesday," he said. "It might take some time. The last negotiation took three weeks. I'm sure there will be a little give and take, and both sides aren't very far apart.
"I just need to sit back and look at [the proposed contract] and talk to my attorney to see just exactly which direction we're going to go in," Franchione said. "It's now up to me to counter, but they have made a nice offer. There are a couple things not quite where I want them, but everything is negotiable."
November 29, 2000, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Franchione nixes move to Missouri
Arthur Garcia
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Scratch Missouri off the rumor list.
TCU football coach Dennis Franchione said he's not interested in the Missouri job and reaffirmed his commitment to come to terms on a new contract with TCU.
Franchione, citing his friendship with Alden, said "if [Alden] called, I would pick up the phone," but the third-year TCU coach finished the thought by denying any interest in the Missouri post.
TCU officials, with the aid of prominent boosters, presented Franchione a contract offer on Nov. 17 that would make Franchione one of the highest-paid coaches in college football.
Franchione, 25-10 at TCU, is set to take the Horned Frogs to their third consecutive bowl, a first in school history, on Dec. 20 against Southern Miss in the GMAC Mobile Alabama Bowl.
The seven-year contract proposal, which would replace his current deal, would guarantee Franchione at least $1 million per year. Only 14 college football coaches earn at least $1 million annually.
The proposed deal also includes incentive clauses for Franchione, raises for his assistants, improvements to Amon Carter Stadium, such as luxury suites and a new press box, and the construction of an indoor practice facility.
Franchione told the Star-Telegram on Sunday that coming to terms with TCU was his "top priority" and that both sides were relatively close to an agreement. Franchione reiterated as much Tuesday.
November 30, 2000, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Franchione finds rumors distracting
ARTHUR GARCIA
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
TCU fans aren't the only ones tired of the rumors swirling around their football coach. Dennis Franchione, 20 days away from coaching the Horned Frogs' biggest game of the season, wishes some of the craziness would just go away, too.
Sure, there's a measure of flattery when Franchione hears his name mentioned with every opening from College Park to Los Angeles. But when the pesky reporters (this one not included, of course) call day and night with pesky questions, Franchione's patience gets tested.
"It's a nuisance some days," Franchione said Tuesday while holding a mininews conference concerning his future.
In the past two weeks, Franchione has been linked to openings at Missouri, Arizona State, Southern California, Maryland and Alabama. Maryland filled its opening Wednesday with Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen.
And while Franchione acknowledges that rumors are a part of the business, he finds the energy devoted to talking about other schools draining. Especially when there is so much to do in his present job.
"It's hard to get work done," Franchione admitted.
November 30, 2000, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Bama has eyes on Fran
Tide AD to meet with Franchione
Gil LeBreton
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
With one strong feeler from Arizona State already tugging at him, TCU's Dennis Franchione will be offered the Alabama head coaching job at a meeting today with the Crimson Tide athletic director, an Alabama source confirmed Wednesday night.
Contacted Wednesday night, Franchione said he "couldn't confirm" the report.
December 1, 2000, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Franchione considering Alabama
TCU football coach to spend day or two thinking over $6-$7 million, 5-year offer from Crimson Tide
Arthur Garcia
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
TCU football coach Dennis Franchione said Thursday that he will spend a day or two considering an offer to become the next coach at Alabama, which has one of the most successful programs in college football history.
Alabama athletic director Mal Moore flew into Dallas/Fort Worth Airport with hopes of returning to Tuscaloosa with Franchione, but Moore left about 9 p.m. without Texas Christian University's coach.
"We just talked," Franchione said Thursday night. "I hope to have all of this stuff over with before the weekend."
Moore, who returned to Tuscaloosa about 11 p.m. Thursday, said he expects to hear from Franchione today.
Franchione and his wife, Kim, met with Moore at an undisclosed location. Franchione said he currently has no plans to travel to Tuscaloosa and visit the Alabama campus.
December 1, 2000, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Ambition will drive Fran to take ultimate challenge
RANDY GALLOWAY
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
There are those asking, why would he leave? Better question - why wouldn't he?
Yet a mere 48 hours ago, Coach Fran was publicly counting his local blessings.
He talked Wednesday morning about living in the best town anywhere. About working with and for the greatest of people. About having the full support of a university administration, including the high priests of academics.
And his family? Well, they'd seen a few towns along the football road, and they loved this one. A coach can't be happy unless the family is happy, and the family had found a home.
He was asked about the money. Sooner or later, it's always about the money. Coach Fran was blunt. "There is a current market value in coaching, and I didn't set that market value," he said. "But TCU has met it, and there is now no amount of money that will become a factor in my decision."
That made sense. TCU had ponied up. The school had talked it over, passed the hat, and delivered the big bucks. One million a season will make a man feel appreciated.
"I'm like a kid in a candy store," Fran said. "I get in the car, drive 15 miles in any direction and see 20 great high school players. What I'd been used to was flying for days and being gone for weeks to see 20 decent players. I said the day I got here, if we could just recruit North Texas we'd do extremely well. And that's why we've done well."
Why, Fran, are you going to leave this? Your next recruiting class is shaping up as your strongest ever. This is something that wasn't supposed to happen. And now you're leaving a recruiting mecca, Fran?
"Who said I was leaving?" he answered.
Everybody. Me included.
But Fran never blinked. "TCU, to me, had always been a diamond in the rough," he said.
December 2, 2000, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
TCU coach accepts Alabama job
Franchione will lead Horned Frogs in third bowl game
Arthur Garcia
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
TCU's Dennis Franchione accepted an offer Friday to become the Crimson Tide's 24th head coach.