Not going to give up
Despite increased scrutiny from Vanderbilt Athletic Director Todd Turner and growing unrest among the fan base, Woody Widenhofer remains confident in his head coaching abilities.

Widenhofer said yesterday that he simply needs more time to do what he was hired to do five years ago, turn the Commodores' into winners.

''Coaches are evaluated on wins and losses, but I feel very strongly that I'm head coaching material and that I am a very good head coach,'' Widenhofer said. ''And given enough time, I'll get it done.''

Widenhofer is struggling to accomplish what the previous three coaches before him failed to do — post a winning record.

Turner said last week that he would not judge Widenhofer on the number of wins and losses his team has at the end of this season, but rather on the enthusiasm and excitement supporters have concerning the direction in which the program is headed.

But it is the number of wins and losses that directly impacts the hope for the future, and at this point the Commodores have just one win and appear headed for another losing season with just six games left to play.

Widenhofer said a story in last Wednesday's Tennessean, which had Turner saying he is closely monitoring the progress of the program, may have had an effect on the way his team played Saturday in a 46-14 loss at South Carolina.

''Well, I read the clock is ticking,'' Widenhofer said. ''With adversity, I think you just work through it and you try to become better — a better man, a better coach. And hopefully you lead your players through it also.

''I'm not sure that [story] didn't affect our players. We addressed it and thought we handled it well, but you don't know. They're young guys and they're very fragile. They need to show what kind of character they have through this type of adversity. It's time to grow up.''

Turner stressed in the story and still insists that no decision has been made at this point concerning Widenhofer's future.

Widenhofer is a proven defensive coordinator who helped create the famed Steel Curtain with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s.

But his record as a college head coach currently stands at 26-67-1. He was 12-31-1 at Missouri from 1985-88.

Widenhofer defends that record, pointing out he took over programs that were in dire straits. Missouri was 3-7-1 in 1984 and Vanderbilt was 2-9 the year before Turner promoted Widenhofer from defensive coordinator to head coach.

''Both jobs I've been in have been rebuilding jobs,'' Widenhofer said. ''And that has a lot to do with wins and losses.''