snp
12/15/2006, 04:38 PM
Tech still bringing in coaching candidates
By Scott Beder
sbeder@ thenewsstar.com
Even as a self-imposed goal to hire a new football coach by Friday loomed, Louisiana Tech continued bringing in candidates.
Tech interviewed Oklahoma assistant coach Kevin Sumlin and Miami Dolphins assistant Derek Dooley on Wednesday, a day after after the school played host to LSU assistant Todd Monken and Valdosta State head coach Chris Hatcher.
Tech athletics director Jim Oakes said the search to replace Jack Bicknell, who was fired after eight seasons, is still open and the four candidates don't represent a list of finalists.
"More interviews may be forthcoming," Oakes said.
Tech initially set a goal of making the hire by week's end, but Oakes said it's possible the search could continue past Friday.
"We may not be able to complete the process by the end of the week," he said. "We'd certainly like to. That was always a target and not a drop-dead date."
Sumlin is the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach and has been with the Sooners sine 2003. His resume also includes stops at Texas A&M, Purdue, Minnesota, Wyoming and Washington State.
At A&M Sumlin was the assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and receivers coach. Oddly enough, Sumlin was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2002 in the week leading up to the Aggies game against Tech after then coach R.C. Slocum fired his offensive coordinator.
Prior to the switch, the Aggies had scored just 48 points in three games (16.0 per), but afterwards, A&M put 297 points on the board, or 33.0 per contest. The offense averaged 419 yards per game after just netting 286 in the first three contests.
Sumlin played collegiately at Purdue where he was a linebacker from 1983-86 and earned All-Big 10 honors in 1984.
Dooley, the son of legendary Georgia coach Vince Dooley, begins his second season as the tight ends coach at Miami under Nick Saban after spending five seasons at LSU, including the 2004 season when he served as assistant head coach/special teams coordinator/running backs coach.
Prior to joining LSU, Dooley spent the 1997-99 seasons as wide receivers coach at Southern Methodist, while also holding the duties of assistant recruiting coordinator for his final two years. That followed a one-year stint (1996) as a graduate assistant at Georgia.
Before embarking on his coaching career, Dooley practiced law at a private firm in Atlanta for almost two years.
Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, who Tech initially pursued, told The Huntsville Times he was contacted by the school, but has no interest in the job.
"I don't have any interest at all," Muschamp said. "I'm not going anywhere. This is where I want to be. Auburn is stuck with me."
This kinda surprised me. I thought by all accounts Venerables and Wilson were going to be the next two to move on to HC gigs.
By Scott Beder
sbeder@ thenewsstar.com
Even as a self-imposed goal to hire a new football coach by Friday loomed, Louisiana Tech continued bringing in candidates.
Tech interviewed Oklahoma assistant coach Kevin Sumlin and Miami Dolphins assistant Derek Dooley on Wednesday, a day after after the school played host to LSU assistant Todd Monken and Valdosta State head coach Chris Hatcher.
Tech athletics director Jim Oakes said the search to replace Jack Bicknell, who was fired after eight seasons, is still open and the four candidates don't represent a list of finalists.
"More interviews may be forthcoming," Oakes said.
Tech initially set a goal of making the hire by week's end, but Oakes said it's possible the search could continue past Friday.
"We may not be able to complete the process by the end of the week," he said. "We'd certainly like to. That was always a target and not a drop-dead date."
Sumlin is the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach and has been with the Sooners sine 2003. His resume also includes stops at Texas A&M, Purdue, Minnesota, Wyoming and Washington State.
At A&M Sumlin was the assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and receivers coach. Oddly enough, Sumlin was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2002 in the week leading up to the Aggies game against Tech after then coach R.C. Slocum fired his offensive coordinator.
Prior to the switch, the Aggies had scored just 48 points in three games (16.0 per), but afterwards, A&M put 297 points on the board, or 33.0 per contest. The offense averaged 419 yards per game after just netting 286 in the first three contests.
Sumlin played collegiately at Purdue where he was a linebacker from 1983-86 and earned All-Big 10 honors in 1984.
Dooley, the son of legendary Georgia coach Vince Dooley, begins his second season as the tight ends coach at Miami under Nick Saban after spending five seasons at LSU, including the 2004 season when he served as assistant head coach/special teams coordinator/running backs coach.
Prior to joining LSU, Dooley spent the 1997-99 seasons as wide receivers coach at Southern Methodist, while also holding the duties of assistant recruiting coordinator for his final two years. That followed a one-year stint (1996) as a graduate assistant at Georgia.
Before embarking on his coaching career, Dooley practiced law at a private firm in Atlanta for almost two years.
Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, who Tech initially pursued, told The Huntsville Times he was contacted by the school, but has no interest in the job.
"I don't have any interest at all," Muschamp said. "I'm not going anywhere. This is where I want to be. Auburn is stuck with me."
This kinda surprised me. I thought by all accounts Venerables and Wilson were going to be the next two to move on to HC gigs.