University of Virginia Library

Sonny Randle Might Want To Come Back

By DOUG DOUGHTY

Reasserting the
unquestionable, East Carolina
coach and Virginia graduate
Sonny Randle stated
yesterday, "What you want up
there in the worst sort of way
is a winning football program."

Opening up an unannounced
campaign toward the Virginia
head coaching job which has given
no indications of being
vacated, Mr. Randle has given
impressions to members of the
press that, should the Cavalier
post be opened, he would be
interested in talking to
Charlottesville officials.

"My personal feeling right
now is that Don Lawrence has
done a good job. I greatly
respect him. Gene Corrigan has
done a great job and in the
short period of two years he
has done as good a job as
anyone in America".

Underneath this supposed
agreement with Cavalier
football progress, there appears
that soft spot in Mr. Randle's
heart. Probably one of the
most celebrated receivers in
Virginia football history,
Randle graduated from the
University in 1958. He played
for over ten years in the
National Football League,
starring for the Chicago and
then St.Louis Cardinals and
finally for the San Francisco
Forty-Niners.

Mr. Randle accepted the
head coaching job at East
Carolina in 1971, replacing
Mike McGee who,
coincidentally, left Greenville
to coach at his alma mater
Duke. He led the Pirates to a
so-so 4-6 record last year but
this year his charges have done
a complete turn-around.

Despite having only 65
players on grant (the ACC
schools are allowed 120), he
has fused an outstanding group
of sophomores and JC transfers
to lead ECU to an 8-1 record
and the Southern Conference
Championship.

Sonny Randle would not
like to jeopardize his status at
East Carolina, where he claims
much happiness. "We've spent
two years building a strong
relationship with our players; it
wouldn't be right for them to
think I just want to up and
leave them."

Although Mr. Randle would
not be adverse to remaining at
East Carolina, whose
President's goal is to "become
the eighth member of the
ACC", he does see distinct
advantages in the bigger
program at Virginia. "We give
out only 65 scholarships here
and we only have six coaches.
Five of us have to teach class."

If he were to come to
Virginia, Mr. Randle suggests
that things would have to be
done "the Randle way". Only
in that case would he be
interested in the post. Changes
would have to be made but Mr.
Randle "is not at liberty to
discuss what's wrong with the
Cavalier program."

Questioned as to recruiting,
especially that inside Virginia,
Mr. Randle was adamant in his
conviction that he is suited for
the job. "Being a graduate of
the University, I can sell it
different than anybody else. If
I can't sell the University no
one else can."