Just when it appeared that the coaching carousel might be slowing, "Black Monday" came with the end of the NFL season. With at least five head coaching positions to be filled, the trickle-down effects are sure to be felt throughout Division I.

In I-AA, there are still three schools that have not yet selected their new head football coaches, but the number could grow as additional I-A slots become available. Also, much activity at the coordinator and position-coaching levels can be expected when the AFCA convention begins later this week.

In the meantime, of the eight bowl games being played Jan. 2-4, all but one feature at least one head coach with I-AA experience. The outlier was last night's Sugar Bowl, although West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez did a stint at Div. II Glenville State.

Here are the I-AA coaching connections to the other big bowl games:

Capital One
Wisconsin-AUBURN
Barry Alvarez - TOMMY TUBERVILLE (ARK. STATE)

Outback
IOWA-FLORIDA
KIRK FERENTZ (UCONN, MAINE) - URBAN MEYER (ILLINOIS STATE)

Cotton
Alabama-TEXAS TECH
Mike Shula - MIKE LEACH (CAL POLY)

Gator
LOUISVILLE-VA TECH
BOBBY PETRINO (IDAHO, WEBER STATE) - FRANK BEAMER (THE CITADEL, MURRAY STATE)

Fiesta
NotreDame-OHIO STATE
Charlie Weis - JIM TRESSEL (YSU)

TUE: Orange
PennState-FLORIDA STATE
Joe Paterno - BOBBY BOWDEN (SAMFORD, nee HOWARD COLLEGE)

WED: Rose
Usc-TEXAS
Pete Carroll - MACK BROWN (APP STATE)

One St. Louis writer this morning offered a tongue-in-cheek suggestion for the St. Louis Rams. He presented SIU's Jerry Kill as a possible head coach, suggesting that the leap from I-AA to the current Ram team was not too great. Sure, he meant it derisively, but the Rams should be so lucky as to land someone of Kill caliber.

So, enjoy the bowl games tonight and tomorrow, and hug your I-AA coach!