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Stoops says Pelini is ready
He sat down with Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator Bo Pelini in the afternoon and with Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh last night.
Both interviews took place in Indianapolis, where the Ravens play tonight.
A source close to Pelini said the interview went well.
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, who's lost three coordinators since the end of the '99 season, would not be surprised if Pelini lands the job. Pelini is considered a front-runner.
"I think he would be excellent," said Stoops, who was hired at Oklahoma after being a defensive coordinator/assistant head coach at Florida. "He has all the qualities it takes to be a great one. He's very bright. He's got a track record of success. A lot of people have a lot of experience, but he's got
experience and success. He's been with a lot of excellent people. On top of that, he's got the intensity and all that it takes.
"And, when you understand defense as well as he does, you naturally understand offense."
Pelini, a Youngstown native, has solid NFL experience (Packers, 49ers, Patriots) and was credited with a massive turnaround of the Nebraska defense in 2003.
Pelini and Cavanaugh are not the only candidates to meet with Long. On Friday, the Pitt AD flew to New Jersey for a three-hour interview with New York Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis, a former Pitt star and Steelers defensive coordinator.
That meeting was preceded by an interview with Pitt defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads on Thursday.
Long has a Monday meeting scheduled with Carolina Panthers defensive line coach Sal Sunseri, who, along with Lewis and Cavanaugh, is a former Pitt player.
Long will then meet with Chancellor Mark Nordenberg and likely emerge with his new coach sometime this week. Pitt would like to have Walt Harris' successor in place before leaving for the Fiesta Bowl the day after Christmas. Harris will take over at Stanford after coaching the 19th-ranked Panthers (8-3) against unbeaten Utah in a lucrative BCS game on Jan. 1 in Tempe, Ariz.
Harris has a 51-43 record in eight seasons at Pitt, including five consecutive bowl games.
Long is faced with the task of selecting a candidate who can improve upon Harris' relative success, which includes a 39-22 mark since 2000. The next Pitt coach will inherit a team that returns 15 starters, including star sophomore quarterback Tyler Palko, and both specialists. The Panthers won six of their final seven games this fall, with victories over Boston College, Notre Dame and West Virginia, and could enter the 2005 preseason in the top 15.
Pelini, 37, served as Nebraska's interim coach in the Alamo Bowl last year and led the Huskers to a 17-3 victory over Michigan State. The game went a long way in capturing the essence of Pelini -- a fiery and emotional man who is embraced by his players.
Cavanaugh, also a Youngstown native, had a chance to take over the Pitt program in 1996 after the departure of Johnny Majors, but pulled his name from consideration. Eight years later, he believes he can come back to his alma mater and build on the program's current achievements.
The 48-year-old Cavanaugh quarterbacked Pitt to its most recent national title in 1976 and was named the MVP of the Sugar Bowl. In addition, he owns three Super Bowl rings as a player and NFL assistant with the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Ravens.
He began his coaching odyssey at Pitt in 1993 as a tight ends coach, then moved to Arizona University a year later. The remainder of his career has been forged in the NFL, with the 49ers (quarterbacks), Bears (offensive coordinator) and Ravens. The Ravens led the NFL in rushing last season and scored a franchise-high 391 points.
Lewis, 43, recently showed interest in the Pitt position and has carved a reputation in the NFL as a sharp defensive mind. His Steelers defenses ranked seventh, first, seventh and ninth before Bill Cowher fired him after last year's non-playoff season.
Rhoads, 37, is the choice of many of the Pitt players. He is an intelligent, enthusiastic coach who's gained familiarity with Western Pennsylvania recruiting in his five years here. Long said it is imperative to hire a coach who recruits the area well.
Sunseri, 45, is the favorite among many boosters and was known as a high-level recruiter during a college career that featured stops at Pitt (1985-92), Iowa Wesleyan, Louisville, Alabama A&M, LSU and Michigan State before he launched into the NFL with the Panthers in 2002. Sunseri, a Central Catholic grad, wants the job and already has a staff assembled in the event he is hired.
