Baylor coach Art Briles is no longer a candidate to become Texas Tech’s next head coach. But the search might be getting ready to widen rather than narrow in scope.
Texas Tech interim head coach Ruffin McNeill and former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville have interviewed for the job, but Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said Wednesday night he is likely to contact one or more additional coaches.
“We’ve got a couple of more candidates that we have some interest in,’’ he said.
Myers declined to identify them, but a source familiar with the search said former Tulane and Clemson coach Tommy Bowden is the next candidate in whom there is interest and, after Bowden, Houston coach Kevin Sumlin. The source said Bowden had conveyed his interest “through third parties.’’
Asked if Tech could name a head coach by Thursday, Myers said, “I would say probably not.’’
Briles has been on Tech’s list since Mike Leach was fired last week, but the prospect of his returning to the school where he was an assistant for three years is dead, mostly because of the buyout in Briles’ contract at Baylor.
“It was a big factor,’’ a source said. “It’s $4 million. It was just way too high.’’
The source said Briles was “talked to,’’ but a arranging a formal interview became a moot point because of the money needed to buy out Briles’ contract.
“If there hadn’t been a buyout, he would have been a very serious candidate,’’ the source said. “But he was not as serious as the media was making him out to be, because the $4 million was the stumbling block. So I don’t think anyone in the administration considered him that seriously because of the buyout.’’
Tech Chancellor Kent Hance said he still sees a new Red Raiders coach being named by Sunday or early next week.
“Things are going well, and we plan to have a recommendation from Gerald and Dr. (Guy) Bailey in the next few days,’’ Hance said. “I think the Texas Tech supporters will be enthused when we come up with a new coach.’’
McNeill interviewed for the job Monday, and Tuberville followed him on Tuesday. Neither has been offered the job, but the source familiar with the search said that should not be taken as a lack of confidence in either.
“Absolutely not,’’ the source said. “They both have pluses and minuses. Tuberville’s been a head coach and is a proven commodity. I think a lot of people wonder if he’d stay. On the other hand, Ruffin is very loyal, very dedicated and a very popular person and has a great advantage there. Plus, he’s very familiar with the recruiting class.’’
Myers said there’s not a leader at the moment.
“I think the two we’ve talked to are both still very much in the picture,’’ he said. “They both did a good job.’’
As Tech continues to work through its original list of targets, Bowden could be next to get closer scrutiny, though there’s not been a decision made to bring in either him or Sumlin for an interview.
Bowden, 55, a son of former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, is 90-49 in 11-plus seasons as a college head coach at Tulane and Clemson.
He was forced to step down at Clemson six games into the 2008 season. However, he was 18-4 at Tulane (1997 through 1998) and 72-45 at Clemson (1999 to 2008).
“He had a winning record at Tulane and also at Clemson, and that would be looked at,’’ the source said.
Story courtesy of www.redraider.com
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