LSU set to interview Del Rio Glenn Guilbeau Louisiana Gannett News Service ORLANDO, Fla. - The LSU football coaching search was about to step up a notch on Friday night with a scheduled interview of Jacksonville Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio, but Del Rio postponed the interview at the last minute. He remains a top candidate and is expected to interview soon, LSU athletic officials said. Del Rio, 42, is the first NFL coach with which LSU has had contact. He has Louisiana ties as he played for the New Orleans Saints from 1985-86 and coached with the Saints from 1997-98. Also, his wife Linda is from Lafayette and one of his daughters, Lauren, is a recent graduate of LSU. The Jaguars are 8-7 going into Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders. LSU athletic director Skip Bertman, LSU Board of Supervisors' athletic committee chairman Charles Weems and Richard Gill of the Tiger Athletic Foundation left the team hotel Friday afternoon for the interview, but returned without meeting Del Rio. LSU officials have confirmed they did interview former Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum on Monday, but said that was considered a courtesy meeting. Louisville coach Bobby Petrino was the first LSU interview on Sunday in Memphis, followed by a phone conversation on Tuesday with Arkansas coach Houston Nutt and an interview of LSU wide receivers coach Bobby Williams on Wednesday in Orlando. "LSU is intrigued by a sitting NFL coach showing an interest in them," said NFL-college consultant Chris Landry, who evaluates players and coaches. "But LSU has got to be prepared for him possibly backing out at the last minute." Landry was talking about the job, not the interview. Del Rio is among the lowest paid NFL head coaches at $1.3 million a year. Minnesota's Mike Tice is the lowest at $1 million. "If Wayne Weaver (Jacksonville's owner) counters the offer, he (Del Rio) is not leaving," Landry said. "But he has showed enough of a sincere interest for an interview." Del Rio has been asked about LSU for the last several days but has deflected the questions. LSU coach Nick Saban, meanwhile, expressed some disappointment with LSU's search for his replacement because it has not included interviews with LSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher or defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. "Some of our assistants are qualified and ready but may not have been given the consideration that I would've liked for them to get," Saban said Friday. Saban intimated what others have said that one man - Bertman - is handling the majority of the search. "I mean it's up to them, but I certainly think the decision is bigger than any one person," Saban said. "And if the politics of this institution come into play in making a decision about who the next coach is going to be, I would not think that would be in the best interest of the future.'' Landry added that many in the coaching community would recommend Fisher over Petrino, who has only been a head coach for two years and has won with his predecessor's talent at mid-major Louisville. Reporters who cover Petrino describe him as less than honest, and Petrino did allow Auburn to interview him when his former boss at Auburn, Tommy Tuberville, still had games to coach last season. "Hey, there's a lot of work that's been done in five years around here now, and I gave my heart and soul to this place," Saban said. "And it's difficult and a hard decision to leave it.'' Fisher was asked on Friday if he thought he was going to be interviewed. "I don't want to answer that one right now,'' he said. "Maybe after the game. I'm focused on that now.'' Del Rio got the Jaguars job mainly because of the what Landry called "a tremendous interview" with Weaver. "He's very intense and bright,'' Landry said. Weaver hired Del Rio after Del Rio served only one year as a coordinator. Del Rio's defense at the Carolina Panthers did finish second in the NFL that 2002 season. Del Rio coached the Ravens' linebackers from 1999-2001 and was there when Baltimore won the 2000 Super Bowl. "Not a lot of experience as a head coach," Landry said. "But he did do a really good job as the defensive coordinator at Carolina. The implementation of his staff would be very important. He would need really good coordinators. He's never recruited, but his look and presence would make him a good one. He's very well liked by his players." Originally published January 1, 2005
