December 3, 2008
Albuquerque Journal
'We Have a Lot of Interest Nationally'
By Greg Archuleta, Journal Staff WriterUniversity of New Mexico athletics director Paul Krebs remains confident a new football coach will be in place before the winter holiday.
Krebs seemed unfazed by the relatively quick actions of Mountain West Conference rival Wyoming, which announced the hiring of Missouri offensive coordinator Dave Christensen as its football head coach Monday, just eight days after firing Joe Glenn.
The Lobos, meanwhile, enter their third week in their search to replace 11th-year coach Rocky Long. Christensen's name was mentioned early in connection with the UNM vacancy.
“I don't want to comment on what's going on at other schools,” Krebs says. “What I will say is that we're making good progress, we have a lot of interest nationally and this, in my opinion, is the best non-(Bowl Championship Series) job out there. The interest reflects that, and we continue to move on as thoroughly and expeditiously as we can.”
Asked whether the Wyoming hire put any pressure on UNM to move more quickly or whether he was worried about the perception that UNM's search was too deliberate, Krebs, said, “No, none whatsoever.”
Prevailing sentiment on local Lobo fan Web sites is that the school could have an announcement after the completion of the final college football weekend of the season Saturday.
As to whom that coach will be is almost anyone's guess.
Rivals.com is reporting that Illinois offensive coordinator Mike Locksley has interviewed for the job and that Buffalo head coach Turner Gill and UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker are on the school's radar.
Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen has not responded to reporters' inquiries in Florida, and his name is being mentioned in connection with the Mississippi State vacancy. Same for Gator defensive coordinator Charlie Strong.
While Oklahoma State special teams coordinator Joe DeForest remains a candidate for the UNM post, according to some sites, FootballScoop.com reported Monday he is not a finalist. Speculation about OSU running backs coach Curtis Luper and Arizona offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes has waned considerably in recent days.
The name of New York Jets wide receivers coach and ex-Lobo QB Noel Mazzone surfaced Monday, but he has not responded to an interview request through Jets media relations.
NOTES: The All-MWC team will be released today. While UNM has enjoyed great representation the past few years, thanks largely to assistant media relations director Alfredo Moreno's work in providing information on Lobo candidates, the team will be hard-pressed to get more than two this season. RB Rodney Ferguson and PR Ian Clark are the strongest options.
… UNM and TCU reportedly have reach an agreement to play in both teams' season finale on an annual basis. Both teams are trying to reduce the possibility of opening the season with a league game in the future.
Also, senior LB Zach Arnett was named to ESPN The Magazine's Academic All-America first team last week.