Heeke: Coaching search down to three candidates

Three finalists have emerged in Central Michigan University’s search for a new football coach, Athletics Director Dave Heeke confirmed Sunday night.

Heeke said the formal interview process has concluded, which included many of the contractual negotiations. He said he hopes to name a coach by Tuesday.

“That seems to be a target date right now,” Heeke said. “But we’ll have to figure out when all the pieces fall in place.”

Heeke would not confirm names, but a source close to the program said Sunday that Central Michigan offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian, Michigan State running backs coach Dan Enos and Illinois defensive backs coach Curt Mallory make up the trio that made it through the interview process.

“We’re done with the face-to-face interviews; I’ll probably talk to the guys some more,” Heeke said. “We talked about a lot of the contractual things during the interview process, so I don’t foresee any complications with that. We’ve talked to all the candidates about salaries — the pool of money available out there.”

Heeke said a five-member committee has assisted him in the search, including a search firm through human resources, management chairperson Kevin Love, Associate Athletics Director Derek van der Merwe, Director of University Recreation Stan Shingles and Associate Athletics Director Marcy Weston.

“We’ve got a committee that is involved and they’re all providing advice and we’re weighing all that information carefully,” Heeke said. “But ultimately, I probably have the most decision-making power and the most at stake.”

Bajakian worked under former head coach Butch Jones for three seasons. Jones now is the head coach at the University of Cincinnati, replacing former CMU coach Brian Kelly, who left for Notre Dame.

Bajakian also coached at CMU in 2001 and 2002 as quarterbacks coach before leaving for the NFL’s Chicago Bears, where he worked with the Bears’ wide receivers as a quality control coach. He was a part of Super Bowl XLI in 2006.

Enos played quarterback at Michigan State from 1987-90 and has spent time coaching at Western Michigan (2000-02; quarterbacks), North Dakota State (2003; offensive coordinator and quarterbacks) and Cincinnati (2004-05; quarterbacks).

Mallory, also a finalist for CMU’s coaching spot in 2006 after the departure of Brian Kelly, lettered at the University of Michigan in 1989-90 and coached the defensive secondary at CMU in 2001.

“We’ve got a great group, and we’ll just see who comes out on top,” Heeke said.