Can Skip Holtz dodge ECU’s football version of Blackbeard’s famous ship the Queen Anne’s Revenge?

When Holtz left for South Florida after the 2009 season, he became the
latest in a list of successful Pirate head football coaches to leave
the job for seemingly greener pastures.

It turns out that the decision by Skip Holtz to leave ECU for South
Florida probably will not make a huge impact on his bank account by his
standards.

According to The St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times, Holtz got a
5-year contract worth an eventual $9.1 million. Over the same period at
ECU, he would have made at least $8.3 million. His South Florida
package for 2010 will be $1.7 million, compared to what would have been $1.5 million
with the Pirates.

According to media reports out of Greenville Thursday, an emotional Skip Holtz held a private meeting with the Pirates football team to share his decision to accept the South Florida coaching job.

The Daily Reflector also reported that Holtz had tears in his eye as he contended that his decision had nothing to do with what Greenville and ECU either had or didn't have to offer him and his family. But those tears apparently had dried up by the time the private jet carrying him and his family down to Tampa touched down Thursday night.

Click below for video of Holtz's arrival in Tampa, courtesy of The St. Petersburg Times.

After five seasons with East Carolina, and almost as many chances to
leave, Skip Holtz finally said goodbye to the Pirates on Thursday and
accepted the coaching job at South Florida.

Holtz leaves ECU with two consecutive Conference USA titles,
four straight bowl appearances and a 38-27 record. He inherited a
program in 2005 that was coming off 3-20 two-year stretch.

Although other coaches have been approached, ECU's Skip Holtz remains the primary target for the South Florida football post and the Tampa school wants an answer today.

The 45-year-old Holtz, 38-27 in five seasons with the Pirates, has met twice this week with South Florida athletic director Doug Woolard but returned from Orlando, Fla. to meet with ECU AD Terry Holland Wednesday night.

East Carolina football coach Skip Holtz is staying, Pirates athletics director Terry Holland told the Raleigh Sports Club at Highland Methodist Church Wednesday.

"We kept our coach," Holland said. "Thank goodness. And what a terrific guy he is."

Cincinnati, which Holtz turned down in 2007, apparently will hire Central Michigan coach Butch Jones.

Cincinnati will go back to the Central Michigan pipeline for its new football coach, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Butch Jones will replace Brian Kelly as the Bearcats' new coach, just as he did at Central Michigan three seasons ago.

East Carolina coach Skip Holtz turned down Cincinnati in 2007 and Pirate fans hope history repeats itself.

Cincinnati is the latest school to eye Holtz, it was Kansas last week, and the ECU football coach could have another list of pros and cons to weigh.

ECU’s Skip Holtz said no to one basketball school, Syracuse in 2008, but the football coaching job at Kansas is a more appealing offer is extended.

After leading the Pirates to a second straight Conference USA championship, Holtz clearly is in the Kansas mix. He and Jayhawk athletic director Lew Perkins are tight.

East Carolina coach Skip Holtz felt a sense of déjà vu as he looked at the Arkansas helmet displayed at the Liberty Bowl news conference Thursday afternoon in Memphis, Tenn.

Holtz felt like he should be an observer at the conference rather than a speaker.