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Butch Davis and Bob Petrino head LSU wish list
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Maize Offline
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Search begins for Saban's replacement

Davis, Petrino thought to be front-runners

Monday, December 27, 2004

By Mike Triplett
Staff writer

ORLANDO, FLA.
-- The LSU head coaching vacancy was a hot topic across the country Sunday, a day after Nick Saban announced he was leaving Baton Rouge to coach the Miami Dolphins.

From Bobby Petrino to Houston Nutt to Les Miles and Dennis Erickson, coaches were asked by local media if they had any interest in the job or had been contacted by LSU.

Meanwhile, LSU athletic director Skip Bertman was diving into the school's coaching search. Bertman, who did not join the Tigers in Orlando this week, did not return calls seeking comment Sunday.

But LSU spokesman Herb Vincent said Bertman was "actively working on the next phase to find a head coach. He's now activating the search and starting to contact the appropriate people."

Bertman said Saturday that the school had already hired a search firm and started compiling a contingency list of possible replacements when Saban began talking with the Dolphins on Dec. 14.

The purpose of the search firm is to help coaches keep their interest in the job under wraps. As a result, information is expected to be hard to come by as this process continues.

But some candidates seem more likely than others:

-- Bobby Petrino, Louisville: The 43-year-old coach signed a contract extension earlier this month after his name came up in the search processes at Notre Dame, among other schools. But LSU is still expected to place Petrino atop its wish list, and there is no buyout clause in his new deal.

Louisville officials had no comment Sunday when asked if Petrino had spoken with LSU about the job, and Athletic Director Tom Jurich could not be reached. The seventh-ranked Cardinals arrived in Memphis, Tenn., on Sunday night in preparation for their Liberty Bowl matchup with Boise State.

Petrino is in his second year at Louisville after stints as the offensive coordinator at Auburn and for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars. But he has led the high-scoring Cardinals to a 10-1 record this season.

Last year, Petrino infamously met with Auburn officials to discuss the possibility of replacing Tommy Tuberville, who still holds that job today.


-- Houston Nutt, Arkansas: Nutt, 47, was offered the Nebraska job after last season before deciding to stay with the Razorbacks. But the LSU job is regarded as a step up from Nebraska these days. Plus, Nutt might want to strike while the iron is hot after a 5-6 season in Fayetteville.

"I've had no contact with LSU," Nutt told the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas on Sunday. "I think it's all just talk. I think it's all just rumors."

Nutt, however, should know plenty about LSU's appeal. Like Saban, Nutt is represented by agent Jimmy Sexton.

-- Les Miles, Oklahoma State: The 51-year-old, fourth-year coach is reminiscent of Saban five years ago, when LSU plucked Saban from Michigan State. Miles has done great things with the Cowboys, but his team will always be No. 2 in the state. Miles, who signed a seven-year, $10 million contract extension last year, said Sunday, "I'm focused only on preparing for Ohio State in this (Alamo) bowl game."

Miles is an offensive-minded coach who played on the offensive line at Michigan, where he served as a longtime assistant coach. He was also an offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State and a tight ends coach with the Dallas Cowboys.

-- Butch Davis, recently resigned from Cleveland Browns: Davis is widely seen as the most natural fit to fill the vacancy. LSU expressed an interest in him five years ago, when he was coaching at the University of Miami. But he had NFL aspirations, and he took the Browns job a year later. Earlier this month, Davis resigned from that job and said he was planning to take a year off from coaching to deal with his health. But this job might be too good to pass up. Neither Davis nor his agent, Marvin Demoff, could be reached for comment.

-- Terry Robiskie, interim Browns coach: Davis' replacement, Robiskie, is the only person who has openly expressed his interest in the job. The 50-year-old Louisiana native and former LSU player said earlier this week that he is "absolutely" interested, though his top choice is to be re-hired by the Browns. "My house, my dad, my family, they're probably 32 miles from Baton Rouge," said Robiskie, who grew up in Edgard. "My uncle lives about five miles from campus. It would be intriguing to me. I'd be more than willing to listen."

-- Dennis Erickson, San Francisco 49ers: Erickson has been mentioned by some national media but doesn't seem like a front-runner. The 57-year-old coach gave an agitated "no" to reporters after Sunday's 41-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills when asked if the school had contacted him. Erickson, who earlier this year interviewed for the Ole Miss job, has said that LSU contacted him five years ago while he was coaching at Oregon State. He also coached the Seattle Seahawks and the University of Miami. After the Ole Miss interview, Erickson said he was "done" listening this season to college offers, but he added, "I don't know that you can ever rule out anything in this goofy business."

-- Kirk Ferentz, Iowa: Ferentz, 49, would surely wind up on LSU's wish list as one of the nation's top coaches. And his name will certainly come up as his Hawkeyes prepare to face the Tigers this week. But he has remained adamant that he is not interested in leaving Iowa. And if he does, the NFL seems a more likely possibility.

Other hot names that seem likely to stay in their current jobs include Auburn's Tuberville, California's Jeff Tedford and Boise State's Dan Hawkins.

<a href='http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-15/1104130742315160.xm' target='_blank'>http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ssf?/...130742315160.xm</a>
12-27-2004 08:52 AM
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Butch Davis is a perfect fit for LSU.
12-27-2004 06:26 PM
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