Will 49ers widen head coach search?
February 10, 2003
By MATT MAIOCCO
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
With the second round of interviews completed, the 49ers must now decide whether to widen the field in their quest to fill their vacant head-coaching job.
Only the possible courting of a high-profile college coach will keep New York Jets defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Greg Blache or 49ers defensive coordinator Jim Mora from landing his first head-coaching job at any level.
Terry Donahue, 49ers general manager, was expected to meet Saturday and today with owner John York to discuss the three finalists, as well as determine whether to pursue a candidate from the college ranks.
The new 49ers coach is expected to be named this week.
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, recently turned away inquiries from the 49ers, the Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) reported. Stoops is scheduled to earn $2.2 million with the Sooners in 2003, the same figure Steve Mariucci was due to make with the 49ers before he was fired. "I love my job," Stoops said.
Stoops, Washington's Rick Neuheisel, Oregon's Mike Bellotti and Oregon State's Dennis Erickson are among the coaches rumored to have captured Donahue's interest. Colorado's Gary Barnett also is believed to be one of the coaches considered.
The question that Donahue and York need to address is whether they would be able to do much better if they were to dip into the college ranks. The three finalists were said to have made favorable impressions during their interviews with York last week.
Cottrell and Mora were believed to be the front-runners when the week began, but Blache -- a communicator with a commanding presence -- certainly gave team management something to consider.
"I've often said I wouldn't take just any coaching job that came along," said Blache, 53. "There are certain things I wanted to make sure were in place. I'm not exactly a young kid any more. I might only get one chance and this is the one I had to make sure I had a chance at."
Cottrell, 55, is a highly respected coach of 19 seasons in the NFL.
He recently signed a two-year extension with the Jets at $600,000 a season but yearns for his chance to be a head coach.
Mora, 41, has the pedigree as the son of the former New Orleans and Indianapolis coach. There are those who believe Mora's organizational skills would make him better suited to be a head coach than a coordinator. If he is not hired, he would likely have his pick between coordinator jobs with the Carolina Panthers or Detroit Lions.
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