When he first jumped into the coaching profession, Mike Hankwitz had long-term aspirations of becoming a head coach.

But he never thought it would take this long.

After 33 years making his way across the country as an assistant, Hankwitz is finally getting his shot, even if it may be only a brief one.

In a press conference yesterday, athletic director Jim Livengood introduced new interim head coach Hankwitz to about 50 members of the press, while at the same time announcing that a nationwide search for a permanent head coach had already begun. [Read article]

Well, everybody got their wish. Mackovic's gone. The only question now is, what took so long? Why didn't Jim Livengood listen to all the people calling for Mackovic's head sooner?

The truth is, it's nobody's turn to play high and mighty now, or to say, "I told you so." Believe it or not, Livengood didn't fire Mackovic because he felt pressure from all the people who have been calling his ability as an athletic director into question. He didn't read any of the angry letters to the editor in the Wildcat (not even the one from my brother) and all of a sudden have a reader-caused epiphany. I'm sure he didn't need to log on to www.firemackovic.com or see the "Mackovic sucks" T-shirts that are popping up around town. [Read article]

Farmer leads attempt to reunite teammates

The Wildcat football program seems divided about Sunday's firing of head coach John Mackovic, but Clarence Farmer decided that instead of taking sides, he'd take control.

The senior running back ÷ who regularly feuded with Mackovic ÷ was the first to stand up on Sunday after the hour-long meeting with athletic Director Jim Livengood. Farmer delivered a motivational speech that seems to have sparked something in the Wildcats. [Read article]

Interim coach plans to make few changes

Although the Arizona athletics department made a midseason change in replacing former head coach John Mackovic with interim head coach Mike Hankwitz, Hankwitz said no one should expect any big changes out on the field.

"I don't feel at this point it is possible to make any major changes, just some minor things that we are going to try to do to help morale," Hankwitz said. [Read article]