When a study released Tuesday found that ethnic minorities are
sorely underrepresented in college coaching positions, we have to
admit, we weren’t exactly surprised. Now if only the NCAA
would act on the data, that would be a surprise.
The numbers of the study are lopsided, to say the least. Among
the 119 schools that compete in Division I-A athletics, the study
found that of 241 offensive and defensive coordinators for college
football, 212 are white. And during the 2005 season, there were a
total of four black football coaches, including UCLA’s Karl
Dorrell. This, in spite of the fact that black student-athletes
continue to make up an overwhelming majority of college football
and basketball teams.
The findings of the report ““ published by the University
of Central Florida’s Institute for Diversity and Ethics in
Sports ““ have pushed some to suggest the NCAA mandate that
for every coaching vacancy a school seeks to fill, it has to
interview at least one minority applicant. Both the NFL and Major
League Baseball already have a similar policy in place.
The Daily Bruin Editorial Board opposes any sort of affirmative
action that gives preference to race over merit. But, that said, no
one here is suggesting that schools hire a minority applicant when
a coaching vacancy arises. Schools are merely asked that they be
considered. And that, surely, is not a bad thing.
Athletic programs tend to draw from a fairly select pool of
applicants when they have a coaching vacancy. You can usually bet
that whoever is hired to fill a spot has coached somewhere before,
either at another college or a professional team.
Want proof? Look no further than UCLA’s football team,
which hired the wide receiver coach from the University of Central
Florida to coach receivers here. Or pre-Dorrell football coach Bob
Toledo, who was just picked up as an assistant coach by the
University of New Mexico.
It makes sense that coaches and athletic directors would want to
hire people who have been coaches before. But it also means that
the system can be tough for a relative outsider to crack, and when
your system is made up of a vast majority of white coaches,
“outsider” includes ethnic minorities.
But if schools had to interview one minority applicant for every
vacancy, it would give minorities an “in.” Obviously, a
minority applicant who isn’t qualified shouldn’t be
hired. But if the applicant makes a good impression, he or she
might get called back when another vacancy arises, and even
eventually land a job.
Really, everyone wins if the NCAA requires schools to change
their interview practices. Schools increase their chances of
finding a good coach by interviewing one more applicant. The NCAA
gets to brag that it has finally implemented a policy that could
bring about real change. And, most importantly, coaching candidates
who are going unnoticed because they’re outside the system
are given a shot at cracking it.
To be sure, even if the NCAA implements a change in policy,
there’s no guarantee of change in practice. And until
there’s pressure from within ““ athletic departments,
boosters and fans ““ we aren’t likely to see drastic
shifts in the makeup of collegiate coaches anytime soon.
But at least this policy would give things a nudge in the right
direction. And who knows? Maybe colleges will get some surprise
coaches coming out of left field.