Coker a Finalist at UTSA

Larry Coker wanted to like what he saw when he visited UTSA this week during another round of interviews for the Roadrunners’ football coaching job. Coker, who led Miami to the 2001 BCS national championship in his first season as head coach, was not disappointed after meeting with UTSA athletic director Lynn Hickey, president Ricardo Romo and others Monday through Wednesday. “I was more impressed than I thought I would be, hoped to be,” Coker said Thursday from his home in Fort Myers, Fla. “I met some really outstanding people, and saw so many positives about everything.” Coker, 60, is one of three finalists for the UTSA job. Tulsa associate head coach Paul Randolph, 42, arrived in San Antonio on Wednesday and wraps up his interviews and tour of the UTSA campus and city today. Randolph, who is also the Golden Hurricane’s defensive coordinator, was unavailable for comment. Northwest Missouri head coach Mel Tjeerdsma, 62, arrives Sunday and will stay until Tuesday. – Express-News

Trickett, FSU Agree on New Deal

The Rick Trickett contract saga is finally over. Florida State’s well-respected offensive line coach has agreed to a one-year contract extension according to his agent, Buddy Brown. Trickett’s agreement means he’ll be under contract through the 2010 season. The agreement does not include a financial penalty if Trickett leaves early but does include a significant bonus if he stays until the contract expires. Trickett informed FSU officials last season that he did not want to enter the final year of his contract without an extension in place. The two sides started negotiating seriously earlier this month and an agreement was finally struck on Thursday. FSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, who previously worked with Trickett at Auburn and LSU, let FSU administrators know how important it was to get Trickett an extension. Terms will be released when Trickett officially signs the deal. – NoleInsider.com

SEC’s Slive Favors Plus-One Model for College Football

Mike Silve, the commissioner of the SEC since 2002, asked about the possible addition of a plus-one plan to the BCS: “We thought it was worth moving ahead on and having more serious discussion about it. And it didn’t happen. We’re all set for the next four-year cycle, (and) we have one more year in the current cycle. Whether or not after that there’ll be any discussion, we will see. The idea may have come from here, but it’s in the public domain now, the idea. So now every year you can take a look at what happened, apply the plus-one model to the actual results in a given year, and over time see how it might have been helpful or not.” – The State

Kiffin is Nation’s Highest Paid Assistant

The highest-paid Vols assistant is defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin at $1.2 million annually, making him the highest-paid assistant in the nation and the first million-dollar coordinator. Defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron - who also has the title of assistant head coach - gets $650,000. Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney ($380,000) and linebackers coach Lance Thompson ($350,000) give the Vols four assistants who make at least $350,000. Factor in Lane Kiffin’s $2 million deal, and Tennessee is spending $5.3 million on football coaches this year. Amazingly, that aggregate figure ranks just fourth in the SEC, behind LSU, Alabama and Florida, largely because the head coaches of those schools are paid more than Kiffin. – Rivals.com

North Texas Tweaks Coaching Staff

North Texas head coach Todd Dodge has added a veteran to his staff and switched the assignments for three assistants, moves that completed the Mean Green’s coaching lineup heading into spring practice next week. David Rausch, who coached UNT’s defensive ends the last two seasons, will take over as outside linebackers coach. Defensive coordinator Gary DeLoach coached UNT’s linebackers last season and will continue to coach the Mean Green’s middle linebackers. Mike Nelson joined the Mean Green’s staff as defensive tackles coach in early February, but will now coach UNT’s entire defensive front. Dodge also hired former Texas A&M-Commerce head coach Scotty Conley as his director of football operations. Conley will replace Mark Barrow, who left the school to join his family in California. – Denton Record-Chronicle

Ex-Raven Joins Hawaii Staff as GA

Mike Smith shares the nation’s most common surname. But, to be sure, the University of Hawai’i football team’s newest graduate assistant is unique. “He was one of the toughest linebackers I’ve ever coached,” Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach said of Smith. “He did it the hard way. He became a player through great determination, which, I think, says a lot about him. He’ll be a good teacher. I can’t say enough good things about him.” Smith comes to the Warriors with a decorated resume. He was a four-year starter — two as team captain — at Texas Tech. He played four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, serving as All-Pro Ray Lewis’ backup, before negotiating a medical buyout last summer. He officially retired two months ago. – Honolulu Advertiser

Disch Spurns USF; Will Stay at Illinois

Illinois co-defensive coordinator Dan Disch has turned down an offer to become the defensive coordinator at South Florida. The former Jacksonville, Fla., high school coach, who has deep recruiting ties in that area, told Illinois coach Ron Zook on Wednesday morning that he is staying with the program. “I’m glad that Dan Disch has decided to stay at Illinois,” Zook said. “He’s been with this staff from the beginning and has been a huge part of the success we’ve been able to build here. This was a great opportunity for him, but he felt loyal to this university, the program and the players.” – Journal-Standard

UNLV Hires Two Assistants

UNLV coach Mike Sanford says he has filled his 2009 coaching staff by hiring coaches for the team’s running backs and linebackers. The team said Tuesday that Sanford has hired running backs coach DeAndre Smith and linebackers coach Jed Stugart (STEW’-gurt). Smith spent last season as the running backs coach for New Mexico after three seasons at Miami of Ohio. Stugart was previously head coach of NAIA school Nazarene University in Olathe, Kan., for three seasons. His team was 26-7 during those three years. – San Francisco Chronicle

USF Targets Disch as DC

South Florida coach Jim Leavitt has offered his defensive coordinator position to Illinois co-defensive coordinator Dan Disch, a source close to the program told The News-Gazette tonight. Disch is expected to make a decision sometime in the next 24 hours. South Florida is looking to replace Wally Burnham, who left for a job at Iowa State. Disch just completed his fourth year on the Illinois staff and second, with secondary coach Curt Mallory, as co-defensive coordinator. Though the team allowed more points in 2008 than in 2007, the defense gave up fewer yards against a schedule that included BCS teams Ohio State and Penn State. – News-Gazette

Schiano Gives Up DC Duties

Rutgers coach Greg Schiano explains his decision to relinquish his duties as defensive coordinator: “I feel very comfortable with our entire defensive staff, and as time went on I was delegating more and more and I just felt like this was the time to officially name Bob and Ed. It’s going to allow me to be involved in all areas, defense included. But (also) be more involved in the kicking game and on offense. You guys know I’m pretty involved as it is. This will give me more time to do some other things as a head coach that I’ve wanted to do and I found myself stretched to be able to do.” – Newark Star-Ledger

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