Ruffin McNeill interviews for Texas Tech job

What started as an informal interview Monday for Texas Tech interim coach Ruffin McNeill quickly turned into three separate formal interviews. McNeill met for an hour each with Tech president Guy Bailey, chancellor Kent Hance and athletic director Gerald Myers in his bid to become the next Red Raiders head coach. Because the interview process was sped up, Myers said there’s no need to bring McNeill back for another interview. “It was pretty thorough today, and I would say it was more than informal,” Myers said. “He had a chance to talk about his program and his plan and what he wants to do, and he did a good job of that.” McNeill, 51, hopes to succeed Mike Leach, who was fired Wednesday. Others who are expected to get a shot at the job include TCU coach Gary Patterson, Houston coach Kevin Sumlin, and former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville. Myers said he has no timetable in mind. – Dallas Morning News

Notre Dame job intrigues Gary Patterson

Several high-profile coaches have said that they are not interested in the Notre Dame job. The leading remaining candidates include Cincinnati’s Brian Kelly, Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh, Texas Christian’s Gary Patterson, Georgia Tech’s Paul Johnson and Temple’s Al Golden. Patterson said in a telephone interview that neither he nor his agent had been contacted by Notre Dame, but he called the university’s rich football history –intriguing.” “I’d have to know the ins and outs,” Patterson said. “Just like anywhere, I’ve always listened.” – New York Times

REPORT: K-STATE HIRES PATTERSON

PowerCat.com now reports that the Kansas State Wildcats have hired TCU Coach Gary Patterson to replace the fired Ron Prince…

Texas Christian University coach Gary Patterson has been hired as Kansas State’s 34th football coach, multiple sources have confirmed to GoPowercat.com. Patterson replaces Ron Prince, who was fired Wednesday. GoPowercat.com has confirmed that K-State has offered Patterson a five-year contract in the range of $2 million per season. Talks between K-State athletic director Bob Krause and Patterson’s representatives began in the past two weeks. Initial discussions centered on the K-State graduate’s interest in the job and demands to be lured to K-State. Those issues were apparently the coach’s ability to have complete control over the hiring of his coaching and support staffs, and when he would leave TCU to take over at K-State. A sticking point of coaching his team through a bowl may have been lifted with Thursday’s 13-10 loss to Utah. That defeat certainly dropped the Horned Frogs out of contention for a BCS bid, and possibly as low as playing in the Armed Forces Bowl on TCU’s home field in Fort Worth, Texas, on New Year’s Eve. – PowerCat.com