Ye olde notebook:
Yesterday was known as Black Monday for coaches within NFL circles.
Yet there was some spillage into the college ranks.
Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez cut loose of two assistants with serious West Virginia ties. Paden City native and former WVU defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel was axed. Ditto Salem College alum and former Mountaineers defensive line coach Bill Kirelawich, a longtime assistant to Don Nehlen.
Perhaps moves were to be expected because the Wildcats allowed an average of 35.8 points a game and are No. 114 of 127 teams in total defense (467.9).
Maybe it's tough to hear when good men like Kirelawich get turned loose. But word from the desert is there were simply philosophical differences - not hard feelings. Rodriguez, after all, was once a graduate assistant for Kirelawich. Also, the line coach's son, Billy, is Arizona's director of football operations.
And perhaps what you don't know is Rodriguez has a slew (up to now anyway) with Mountain State ties on his staff. Casteel and the elder Kirelawich are gone, but I count at least 11 others on the staff with at least one tie to West Virginia: Rodriguez, Billy Kirelawich, Calvin Magee, Tony Dews, Jahmile Addae, Rod Smith, Mike Parrish, Parker Whiteman, Mike DiAngelo, Chris Allen and the infamous Dusty Rutledge. The latter, by the way, is a "football analyst" for UA.
nnn
In case you haven't noticed, coaches with WVU ties haven't exactly fared well lately. Former Dana Holgorsen assistants Shannon Dawson and Jake Spavital were both released. Dawson was the offensive coordinator at Kentucky and Spavital the OC at Texas A&M.
nnn
While on the subject of college assistants, news will soon be trickling out about those at WVU. The name of defensive line coach Damon Cogdell has been the center of some speculation.
Overall, though, word I'm getting is WVU athletic director Shane Lyons is allowing Holgorsen to make moves within his staff. Lyons has the power to veto potential new candidates, but the head coach is in charge of the staff makeup.
Lyons and Holgorsen have met about the pool of money available. That fluctuates from year to year.
Maybe Spavital or Dawson will return. But be wary of coaching rumors. Gibson parlayed reports of a possible head coaching gig at Georgia Southern into a nice raise. (Word from down south were he wasn't in the picture.) And lately there have been rumors linking JaJuan Seider to Kirby Smart's staff at Georgia. Smart, however, recently hired Dell McGee as his running backs coach. Seider was also linked in the past with Florida.
Oh, and yes talk is ongoing in Morgantown over Holgorsen's contract. Will it lead to anything? Maybe. Maybe not. But know this: If WVU goes 11-1 and USC comes calling for Holgorsen, he'll be gone. If WVU goes 1-11 and the wolves begin howling, he'll be gone.
In short, the contract talk is much ado about nothing.
nnn
And finally...
A few basketball scheduling notes.
Some have criticized at least part of WVU's nonconference basketball schedule. But coming soon is a brutal back-to-back stretch. On Jan. 12, the Mountaineers host No. 1 Kansas. On Jan. 16, they visit No. 2 Oklahoma. And if you're like me you keep forgetting West Virginia will be playing a nonconference game at Florida on the 30th.
Also, we've been seeing some life from Dan D'Antoni's Marshall team. Well, the Thundering Herd will host a couple nice games on Jan. 28 and 30 against Middle Tennessee and UAB, respectively.
In high school hoops, Brandon Knapper and South Charleston visit Ripley's Chase Johnson on Jan. 15. Statewide, Wheeling Central's Chase Harler and Notre Dame's Jarrod West meet Jan. 20.
And if you're seeking some heated Mountain East Conference hoops action, well, I'll see you Wednesday night at Charleston's Civic Center. That's when No. 1 West Liberty visits the University of Charleston.
Should be fun.