2008 Woodie Awards
Report: Jones flies to Morgantown for second interview
Football coach declines to comment on WVU coaching vacancy following 51-48 Motor City Bowl loss
By: Brian Manzullo
Issue date: 12/12/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
DETROIT - Football coach Butch Jones flew to Morgantown, W. Va. on Thursday to interview for West Virginia's head coaching position, according to a report on ESPN.com.
Jones was the wide receivers coach at West Virginia for two seasons under former WVU coach Rich Rodriguez before becoming CMU's head coach last January.
Jones remained tight-lipped about the rumor following the Chippewas' 51-48 loss to Purdue at the Motor City Bowl in Detroit.
"I don't want to talk about it," he said. "I want to focus on my team and my players right now. That's the last thing on my mind."
Jones also said he currently was in negotiations for a contract extension at CMU.
Athletic Director Dave Heeke was unavailable for comment as of Wednesday.
Jones' name surfaced after Rodriguez left West Virginia to coach the University of Michigan.
Officials from West Virginia visited Mount Pleasant on Dec. 18 to talk to Jones about the coaching vacancy. Jones said he did not want to leave the team for an interview before Wednesday's Motor City Bowl.
Other names for the West Virginia coaching job include Florida assistant Doc Holliday and former Auburn coach Terry Bowden. Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, who was named the coach-in-waiting for the Seminoles two weeks ago, also was a reported candidate, but released a statement on the Seminoles' Web site saying he was not interested in the job.
Check cm-life.com for updates on this story.
Jones was the wide receivers coach at West Virginia for two seasons under former WVU coach Rich Rodriguez before becoming CMU's head coach last January.
Jones remained tight-lipped about the rumor following the Chippewas' 51-48 loss to Purdue at the Motor City Bowl in Detroit.
"I don't want to talk about it," he said. "I want to focus on my team and my players right now. That's the last thing on my mind."
Jones also said he currently was in negotiations for a contract extension at CMU.
Athletic Director Dave Heeke was unavailable for comment as of Wednesday.
Jones' name surfaced after Rodriguez left West Virginia to coach the University of Michigan.
Officials from West Virginia visited Mount Pleasant on Dec. 18 to talk to Jones about the coaching vacancy. Jones said he did not want to leave the team for an interview before Wednesday's Motor City Bowl.
Other names for the West Virginia coaching job include Florida assistant Doc Holliday and former Auburn coach Terry Bowden. Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, who was named the coach-in-waiting for the Seminoles two weeks ago, also was a reported candidate, but released a statement on the Seminoles' Web site saying he was not interested in the job.
Check cm-life.com for updates on this story.
