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Contra Costa Times

49ers get rejected -- again

February 11, 2003

By Cam Inman
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
The latest college coach to take himself out of the running for the 49ers' vacant coaching job is the one of the most prominently mentioned potential candidates -- Washington's Rick Neuheisel.
Neuheisel returned from a ski vacation Monday and issued a five-paragraph statement regarding speculation he might fill the 49ers' 27-day-old opening.
"I am the football coach at the University of Washington, and I am very happy with my position, and I am not interested in coaching anywhere else," Neuheisel stated. "I have been out of town the past three days on a family vacation and had hoped when I returned that the position at the 49ers would have been filled and this speculation that I was involved would be proven pointless. Since that has not happened, I feel it is in the best interest of all parties to go on the record with this statement.
"I understand that my name has been linked to this opening because I have a relationship with (49ers general manager) Terry Donahue that dates back to my playing career at UCLA. We talk occasionally about a number of subjects. I consider him both a mentor and a friend, but we have never discussed the opening with the 49ers."
Of the three Rose Bowls Donahue won during his 20 years as UCLA's coach, one came with Neuheisel as his quarterback in 1984.
Donahue stated last Tuesday that he planned to look at a "limited number" of college coaches as the 49ers continued their search for Steve Mariucci's replacement. The 49ers haven't announced the names of any potential college candidates.
A 49ers spokesman disputed a report Monday by Seattle radio station KJR-950 that Neuheisel was in the Bay Area on Sunday interviewing with the 49ers.
Donahue and 49ers owner representative John York last week interviewed three apparent finalists, defensive coordinators Jim Mora of the 49ers, Ted Cottrell of the New York Jets and Greg Blache of the Chicago Bears.
York did not return a call Monday seeking comment about the 49ers' coaching search.
Neuheisel isn't the first college coach to shun the 49ers' job.
The Daily Oklahoman reported Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has rejected the 49ers' overtures, quoting Stoops as saying: "I love my job."
Iowa's Kirk Ferentz rebuffed an invitation last week to interview with the 49ers, according to ESPN.com. Oregon State's Dennis Erickson, Ohio State's Jim Tressel and Southern Cal's Pete Carroll also have issued recent statements expressing their disinterest in the 49ers opening.
Three NFL assistants -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson and Eagles offensive coordinator Brad Childress -- have parlayed interest from the 49ers into lucrative extensions from their current clubs.
NOTES: Cornerback Mike Rumph rejected a plea agreement Monday that would have kept him out of jail and opted to face trial in Miami on charges of driving drunk last July. Rumph, the 49ers' first-round draft pick last year, pleaded innocent to the charges last August. Rumph told Miami-Dade County Judge Beth Bloom he was aware he could be sentenced to a maximum of six months in jail followed by a year of probation. The trial began Monday and was expected to last two days. ... Return specialist Vinny Sutherland is serving a 30-day sentence at Santa Clara County Jail as a result of a May 18 drunken-driving arrest, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

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By Cam Inman
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

The latest college coach to take himself out of the running for the 49ers' vacant coaching job is the one of the most prominently mentioned potential candidates -- Washington's Rick Neuheisel.

Neuheisel returned from a ski vacation Monday and issued a five-paragraph statement regarding speculation he might fill the 49ers' 27-day-old opening.

"I am the football coach at the University of Washington, and I am very happy with my position, and I am not interested in coaching anywhere else," Neuheisel stated. "I have been out of town the past three days on a family vacation and had hoped when I returned that the position at the 49ers would have been filled and this speculation that I was involved would be proven pointless. Since that has not happened, I feel it is in the best interest of all parties to go on the record with this statement.

"I understand that my name has been linked to this opening because I have a relationship with (49ers general manager) Terry Donahue that dates back to my playing career at UCLA. We talk occasionally about a number of subjects. I consider him both a mentor and a friend, but we have never discussed the opening with the 49ers."

Of the three Rose Bowls Donahue won during his 20 years as UCLA's coach, one came with Neuheisel as his quarterback in 1984.

Donahue stated last Tuesday that he planned to look at a "limited number" of college coaches as the 49ers continued their search for Steve Mariucci's replacement. The 49ers haven't announced the names of any potential college candidates.

A 49ers spokesman disputed a report Monday by Seattle radio station KJR-950 that Neuheisel was in the Bay Area on Sunday interviewing with the 49ers.

Donahue and 49ers owner representative John York last week interviewed three apparent finalists, defensive coordinators Jim Mora of the 49ers, Ted Cottrell of the New York Jets and Greg Blache of the Chicago Bears.

York did not return a call Monday seeking comment about the 49ers' coaching search.

Neuheisel isn't the first college coach to shun the 49ers' job.

The Daily Oklahoman reported Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has rejected the 49ers' overtures, quoting Stoops as saying: "I love my job."

Iowa's Kirk Ferentz rebuffed an invitation last week to interview with the 49ers, according to ESPN.com. Oregon State's Dennis Erickson, Ohio State's Jim Tressel and Southern Cal's Pete Carroll also have issued recent statements expressing their disinterest in the 49ers opening.

Three NFL assistants -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson and Eagles offensive coordinator Brad Childress -- have parlayed interest from the 49ers into lucrative extensions from their current clubs.

NOTES: Cornerback Mike Rumph rejected a plea agreement Monday that would have kept him out of jail and opted to face trial in Miami on charges of driving drunk last July. Rumph, the 49ers' first-round draft pick last year, pleaded innocent to the charges last August. Rumph told Miami-Dade County Judge Beth Bloom he was aware he could be sentenced to a maximum of six months in jail followed by a year of probation. The trial began Monday and was expected to last two days. ... Return specialist Vinny Sutherland is serving a 30-day sentence at Santa Clara County Jail as a result of a May 18 drunken-driving arrest, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

Tell us what you think on the new 49ers Clubhouse message board.