Mike Shula

Mike Shula (born June 3, 1965) is an American college football coach. He is currently the head coach at the University of Alabama, one of the sport's most storied programs, where he was also a standout quarterback. He is the son of Don Shula, the winningest coach in the history of the National Football League.

Related Topics:
June 3 - 1965 - American - College football - Coach - University of Alabama - Quarterback - Don Shula - National Football League

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Mike Shula's football career started with the Crimson Tide, where he was the starting quarterback in the 1984, 1985 and 1986 seasons. The team's record during his tenure was 35 wins, 12 losses and one tie, with wins in the Aloha Bowl and the Sun Bowl, plus key victories over the University of Southern California, Ohio State University and Notre Dame University (the only time that Alabama has prevailed in meetings between the two legendary teams). Shula was drafted by the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but saw little playing time in 1987, his only season.

Related Topics:
Crimson Tide - 1984 - 1985 - 1986 - Aloha Bowl - Sun Bowl - University of Southern California - Ohio State University - Notre Dame University - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 1987

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Shula served in assistant coaching positions in the NFL, twice with the Miami Dolphins (his father's former team) plus stints with the the Chicago Bears and the Buccaneers, where he was offensive coordinator from 1996 to 1999. His last NFL position was quarterbacks coach with the Dolphins.

Related Topics:
Miami Dolphins - Chicago Bears - Offensive coordinator - 1996 - 1999

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Shula took the Crimson Tide football program over during a time of turmoil. The university had just hired Mike Price as its new coach in the spring of 2003, replacing Dennis Franchione, who had left to become coach at Texas A&M University. But before he coached his first game, Price was fired for an incident in a strip club and hotel in Pensacola, Florida. Shula was hastily hired only three months before the first game of the coming season. At the time, he was the second-youngest coach in all of Division I-A football, at age 38.

Related Topics:
Mike Price - 2003 - Dennis Franchione - Texas A&M University - Strip club - Pensacola, Florida - Division I-A

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Shula's first team had a record of only four wins and nine losses, only the second losing record since 1957 for the school. In 2004, Shula's team finished 6-6 and earned a trip to the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee, Alabama's first bowl appearance in four seasons.

Related Topics:
1957 - 2004 - Music City Bowl - Nashville, Tennessee

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Thus far in the 2005 season, Shula has led the Crimson Tide to a 5-0 start, the team's first since 1996. This stretch includes a 31-3 victory in Tuscaloosa over the heralded, then-No. 5 Florida Gators.

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