A quick Wednesday update on the Purdue football coaching search and this is on behalf of our entire staff:
Everything we've gathered today gives us more confidence in what we wrote yesterday and convinces us that yesterday's Les-a-palooza was all just smoke with no fire. That's not to say that Les Miles can't still end up being the guy, but as of this moment he is not and there is no hard evidence of anything with him other than the fact that he is in the mix and is obviously promoting himself for the position, either because he really wants the job or he wants headlines as being wanted.
Something to note: Should Miles get the job, it is unlikely Alabama quality control guy and former Washington and USC coach Steve Sarkisian would come with him as OC. It's also unlikely, we're told, that his former LSU OC, Cam Cameron, would come with him. Cameron was fired along with Miles this season.
But anyway, this is no resolution in sight here, nothing imminent, but when something does happen, expect it to break quickly and a press conference to be called in short order. That will not happen until after the weekend, we're quite certain.
There was a report from 247 Sports that said Purdue has "interviewed" upwards of 15 candidates already, a number that seems really high considering the season's not even over, but we're told that that number is probably close to reality, so Mike Bobinski has clearly been busy.
I do want to add that "interview" can be construed a number of different ways, so take for what it's worth.
We did hear Kevin Sumlin's name come up today from a source, but without context so take that with extreme skepticism. But like we said yesterday, prospective candidates have been taken aback by the money Purdue is talking about, so we'd rule nothing out here in terms of that Dan Mullen-Kevin Sumlin-Dana Halgorsen- Mike Leach strata of coaches, guys who are winning coaches who might be interested in a change of scenery for one reason or another.
Otherwise, a reminder that known candidates are Brock Spack, Les Miles, Skip Holtz, Rich Bisaacia and Greg Olson. Presumed candidates are P.J. Fleck, Craig Bohl and others. We're interested to know whether Philip Montgomery at Tulsa has been contacted, or Jeff Brohm at Western Kentucky, though he might be on Petrino Watch at Louisville and/or Tuberville Watch at Cincinnati.
(Watch Larry Fedora: If UNC opens, it immediately becomes a player for P.J. Fleck if it doesn't turn right around and hire Skip Holtz, which it could.)
Purdue would like to get this wrapped up before the game of musical chairs starts after the season, though presumably not at the expense of conducting the broadest, most thorough search it possibly can. The end of the season can bring with it a whole new batch of prospective candidates, including firings - might Charlie Strong at least be vetted - or those coaches who wouldn't speak 'til after the season, like P.J. Fleck, though we do have at least one source that has said he may not be interested.
Logic says Purdue has favorites here, probably a small group of them, and again, when one's offered and accepts, don't expect a lot of lag time before an announcement is made.
Everything we've gathered today gives us more confidence in what we wrote yesterday and convinces us that yesterday's Les-a-palooza was all just smoke with no fire. That's not to say that Les Miles can't still end up being the guy, but as of this moment he is not and there is no hard evidence of anything with him other than the fact that he is in the mix and is obviously promoting himself for the position, either because he really wants the job or he wants headlines as being wanted.
Something to note: Should Miles get the job, it is unlikely Alabama quality control guy and former Washington and USC coach Steve Sarkisian would come with him as OC. It's also unlikely, we're told, that his former LSU OC, Cam Cameron, would come with him. Cameron was fired along with Miles this season.
But anyway, this is no resolution in sight here, nothing imminent, but when something does happen, expect it to break quickly and a press conference to be called in short order. That will not happen until after the weekend, we're quite certain.
There was a report from 247 Sports that said Purdue has "interviewed" upwards of 15 candidates already, a number that seems really high considering the season's not even over, but we're told that that number is probably close to reality, so Mike Bobinski has clearly been busy.
I do want to add that "interview" can be construed a number of different ways, so take for what it's worth.
We did hear Kevin Sumlin's name come up today from a source, but without context so take that with extreme skepticism. But like we said yesterday, prospective candidates have been taken aback by the money Purdue is talking about, so we'd rule nothing out here in terms of that Dan Mullen-Kevin Sumlin-Dana Halgorsen- Mike Leach strata of coaches, guys who are winning coaches who might be interested in a change of scenery for one reason or another.
Otherwise, a reminder that known candidates are Brock Spack, Les Miles, Skip Holtz, Rich Bisaacia and Greg Olson. Presumed candidates are P.J. Fleck, Craig Bohl and others. We're interested to know whether Philip Montgomery at Tulsa has been contacted, or Jeff Brohm at Western Kentucky, though he might be on Petrino Watch at Louisville and/or Tuberville Watch at Cincinnati.
(Watch Larry Fedora: If UNC opens, it immediately becomes a player for P.J. Fleck if it doesn't turn right around and hire Skip Holtz, which it could.)
Purdue would like to get this wrapped up before the game of musical chairs starts after the season, though presumably not at the expense of conducting the broadest, most thorough search it possibly can. The end of the season can bring with it a whole new batch of prospective candidates, including firings - might Charlie Strong at least be vetted - or those coaches who wouldn't speak 'til after the season, like P.J. Fleck, though we do have at least one source that has said he may not be interested.
Logic says Purdue has favorites here, probably a small group of them, and again, when one's offered and accepts, don't expect a lot of lag time before an announcement is made.
