If we want black coaches to stick, bring out the carrot

What can be done to promote the hiring of African-American coaches in major college football?

As I mentioned last week, there are only six head coaches in Division 1 and 22 in the history of major college football. That's a pathetic record considering there are at least 50 qualified African Americans, in college and the pros, who could step up and do the job.

Florida coordinator Charlie Strong deserves a head coaching job. (Getty Images)

Here are three among the college ranks who leave me scratching my head when I try to figure out why a head coaching opportunity has eluded them:

•  Charlie Strong, defensive architect of the defending national champion Florida Gators.

•  Joker Phillips, Kentucky's offensive coordinator.

•  Ron English, Michigan's highly respected defensive coordinator.

The better mousetrap theory hasn't applied in their cases and the path to action is two-fold.

You're not going to get traction on any issue without wide publicity. We see this all the time in the business world. When Enron went down in flames, all of a sudden ethics became front and center. Congress is now involved and companies are busy putting into effect ethical standards. Now when white-collar execs end up in jail the issue gets new life.

But here we are a few short years from the passage of Sarbanes-Oxley -- the act that put reforms in place -- and now there's a movement afoot to water down or create loopholes.

So there's a lesson to be learned about human nature. Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr wrote in his book, Moral Man and Immoral Society that "privileged groups rarely give up or share privileges without great and strong resistance." When it comes to hiring black coaches the resistance is silent yet formidable. It's obvious to all but the blind in spirit and soul.

Secondly, in every case, someone or some organization is out front, blazing the trail. I played for Bill Walsh in the 49ers organization. He was more than a coaching wizard and organizational genius. Walsh had a big heart and a deep sense of fairness and commitment.

Most folks likely have never heard of the Minority Coaching Fellowship, a program Walsh created in 1987, when there wasn't a single black head coach. Walsh knew their day was coming and wanted to help pave the way. Current Washington Huskies coach Tyrone Willingham was on board. So was Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, former NFL coach Dennis Green and the Colts' Tony Dungy. Walsh leveraged his success as a coach to push a personal agenda and eventually the program was applied league wide.

There's also the Rooney Rule in the NFL. It requires teams to include minority candidates when coaching jobs become open. I still have reservations about codifying the hearts of people, but by most standards the rule has paid off. This isn't some wishy-washy bleeding heart deal, simply, humans don't do anything without an incentive, whether it's personal satisfaction, economic gain or to prevent getting in trouble.

Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh helped get the ball rolling in the 1980s. (Getty Images)

Before we go off on some tangent about keeping governments' hands out of athletics, we've had Title IX since 1972 and since 1974 the law has prevented gender discrimination in intercollegiate athletics. The incentive to get on board -- to keep federal funding flowing -- has resulted in revenue-producing college football funding other women and men sports.

To its credit, the NCAA is speaking out on behalf of black coaches. President Myles Brand recently testified before Congress, reminding lawmakers that hiring decisions are intimately tied to the huge dollars and publicity created by college football players. He went on to say, "those who make recommendations must be as comfortable with African-American football coaching candidates as they are with African-American basketball coaches."

So this isn't just about fairness. It's about dollars and cents. Charlotte Westerhaus the NCAA's Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion is blunter, saying there's no excuse there's only a handful of black head coaches given the large number of African-Americans who participate in college football and their high talent level. She's exactly right. But I would add that the numbers alone don't necessarily warrant inclusion. It is the number of qualified candidates available that make the current under-representation untenable.

Let's not kid ourselves. Unless this issue is addressed, politicians, advocacy organizations and lawyers aren't going to sit idly by. Congressman Bobby Rush of Chicago has held hearings. The Black Coaches and Administrators executive director Floyd Keith is airing the idea of lawsuits using Title XI of the Civil Rights Act. It prohibits discrimination in hiring.

Earlier this year former Louisiana-Lafayette coach Jerry Bailey won a $2 million suit against the university when he was fired. His lawyer, Karl Bernard, offered proof Bailey inherited a bankrupt program and wasn't accorded the resources and the time to turn it around. The jury thought his race was involved in the decision.

Like most, I get a little tired seeing every disagreement turned into a legal fight. On the other hand, inaction breeds alternatives.

When it comes to assuring black coaches get before selection committees, remember, the NCAA is an association. It's governed by its members. Its president can't step in and mandate action. Decisions are in the hands of university presidents and athletic directors. And while there is work behind the scenes -- like annual workshops for new coaches to meet with reps from various football organizations (including the NFL) -- there are no teeth in this sort of exercise. We need a trigger beyond the best of intentions.

Here's a thought. The NCAA needs some out-of-the box thinking on this issue. Sanctions are often counterproductive. We need incentives to take steps.

Why not consider awarding additional scholarships to universities that hire black coaches? I'm not naïve and this won't be easy, but the Black Coaches Association already has a measuring stick that puts emphasis on including black coaches in interviewing, not just hiring them.

Scholarships are the mother lode of college football. I would hate to see this potential solution bottled up in red tape and devoid of any public exposure.

Sports manufacturers and other companies that have a large financial stake in college football can also make a significant contribution to fairness and the game. Some of them are already out front on political and social issues. These issues often are unrelated to sports, but there's no downside I can see to getting in on this fight.

Taking a stand helps build the brand. What's more, they have the resources for advertising and other outreach to raise awareness in every corner. It's also the right thing to do.