I'm glad the administration is meeting with qualified candidates, but the number of coaches seems to be getting a little long - like the length of the search itself. With so many candidates in the mix, could their top choice(s) slip through their fingers as the list of new interviews and second interviews expands?


Pitt meets with Tulsa's Graham again
Saturday, January 08, 2011
By Paul Zeise, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Pitt officials met with Tulsa coach Todd Graham for a second time yesterday, according to sources, meaning he has emerged as a serious candidate to become Pitt's next head coach.

That meeting apparently marked the first time any candidate in the second round of the search for Dave Wannstedt's replacement as football coach has met with Pitt Chancellor Mark Nordenberg. Graham and Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley appear to be the top two candidates at this point, but the search is scheduled to continue for at least one more day.

Pitt has at least two more interviews scheduled Sunday with former Pitt defensive back Teryl Austin, most recently the defensive coordinator at Florida, and Greg Roman, the assistant head coach at Stanford.

Pitt also interviewed Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster Friday night at an undisclosed location in Pittsburgh. The Hokies' Foster, 51, is one of the most well-respected defensive minds in college football but has never been a head coach and has turned down several jobs in recent years.

Meanwhile, Pitt assistant head coach and defensive line coach Greg Gattuso has landed a similar job on Randy Edsall's staff at Maryland, and Baylor officially announced the hiring of Pitt interim head coach Phil Bennett, who will serve as the Bears' defensive coordinator.

Austin, a Sharon native, is an intriguing candidate because of his mix of NFL and college experience and success as a recruiter.

He was an assistant coach at Michigan from 1999- 2002 and was a big reason the Wolverines recruited such local high school players as Woodland Hills stars Steve Breaston and Ryan Mundy.

Roman, a native of New Jersey and 1993 graduate of John Carroll University, was not the offensive coordinator at Stanford but had his role increased in the game-planning and play-calling this season and is considered one of the hot young assistant coaches.

He has spent the past two seasons at Stanford after working in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers.

Pitt athletic director Steve Pederson prefers an offensive-minded coach and has told several people around him he is intrigued by Stanford's offense. Roman also fits the profile -- a young, up-and-comer with a bright football mind -- of the coach he would like to hire.

Graham was one of the original candidates in Pitt's first search and one of five coaches who met with Pederson in December. Pederson settled on Miami (Ohio) coach Michael Haywood, who was fired less than three weeks after he was hired because he was arrested for domestic battery.

Graham got back in the mix after Haywood was fired and has had three meetings with Pitt in the past five weeks.

The major sticking point with Graham likely would be salary. His total compensation is $1.3 million at Tulsa, which means Pitt likely would have to pay him at least $1.6 million to make it worth his while to leave. The price tag may have increased Friday -- for both Graham and Roman -- when Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh was named coach of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, leaving the Cardinal with a coaching vacancy.

Graham and Roman likely will be candidates for the Stanford job, at least according to published reports, and, if that happens, Pitt would have to act fast to avoid a bidding war.

Meanwhile, they could soon find themselves in a bidding war for Bradley, as he is scheduled to meet with Connecticut officials tomorrow at an undisclosed location.

Bradley has been considered the leading candidate since he interviewed Tuesday with Pitt, but there appears to be some disagreement among the key members of the search committee about his viability. He still is considered the leading candidate, but, as of late afternoon, no one had been offered the job.

"I'm kind of disappointed with some members of your profession," Bradley told the Philadelphia Daily News when he was asked about the erroneous television report of his hiring Wednesday night. "Nothing is happening right now, OK? I've lost respect for people who were in such a hurry to get something first, rather than to get it right. It's done more harm than good."

Bradley was in State College yesterday and did some recruiting for the Nittany Lions as signing day is less than a month away.

Wow, it hasn't been long ago that Graham left Tulsa to go to Rice then back to Tulsa as HC after only one year in the same position at Rice. Kinda makes you wonder if he will stay anywhere for very long.

Another BE hire from Tulsa after the first one went so swimmingly?

I would support the Graham hire if I were a Pitt fan. We learned very early in our experiment with a Tulsa coach that Graham was in fact the guy behind the success at Tulsa....it was apparent to with him going to Rice and then coming back.

I think Pitt and Graham are a good match, but they will have to pay more now that Stanford has him in their crosshairs.

These interviews make me wonder if Pitt is going to pull some bucks out of their @ss. Or are they going to half step?

Bud Foster from Va Tech would be a great hire but idk if anyone can lure him away from Hokieville

(01-08-2011 06:00 AM)Lonestar Lizard Wrote:  Wow, it hasn't been long ago that Graham left Tulsa to go to Rice then back to Tulsa as HC after only one year in the same position at Rice. Kinda makes you wonder if he will stay anywhere for very long.

The guy is a winner.

Not feeling the vibe with Graham but it's not my call.

I really hoped they would have hired someone by today. There are so many reasons:

#1 - The new coach can be in B'ham or call into the FB and/or BB game and turn it into a small 'infomercial'
#2 - Start assembling a staff and potentially keep some of the Pitt assistants if they are wanted
#3 - This is the last weekend before another recruiting dead period to try and salvage something


Oh and ummm.... Fire Steve P!

(01-08-2011 09:38 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Another BE hire from Tulsa after the first one went so swimmingly?

You can't blame Tulsa for Kragthorpe's failure, it was obvious that Graham was the brains behind the operation similar to Dan Monson leaving Gonzaga and failing at Minnesota while Mark Few continues to flourish.

I don't think I like Graham. I don't know what it is, but I just don't have a good feeling about him. Probably due to the fact that his coaching resume includes too many postings highlighting high school positions. I need to learn more about him before confirming like/dislike. Of the 50 coaches Pitt has interviewed: ) thus far, he is the lowest on my list.

I don't see why Malzan is not bing considered...

Pitt would have to pay more than they want to get Malzhan to consider any job offer...

(01-08-2011 01:43 PM)dgrace4cards Wrote:  I don't see why Malzan is not bing considered...

$$$$$$$ and the fact that Malzahn could wait for better jobs in the SEC next year

(01-08-2011 12:07 PM)Guyasuta Genac Wrote:  I don't think I like Graham. I don't know what it is, but I just don't have a good feeling about him. Probably due to the fact that his coaching resume includes too many postings highlighting high school positions. I need to learn more about him before confirming like/dislike. Of the 50 coaches Pitt has interviewed: ) thus far, he is the lowest on my list.

My name is Tallgrass and I approved this message.