Holtz still top candidate; USF interviews ex-Buc Williams

Nearly a week after firing Jim Leavitt, the University of South Florida's search for the second head football coach in school history remains a source of great speculation.

East Carolina's Skip Holtz is considered the leading candidate, but Holtz returned home to Greenville, N.C., Tuesday night after talking with USF officials about the opening during his visit to the American Football Coaches Association convention in Orlando. Holtz was in his office Wednesday going about his normal routine amid speculation he was the front-runner.

Meantime, former Bucs quarterback Doug Williams, currently Tampa Bay's pro personnel director and a successful head coach at Grambling State from 1998 to 2003, interviewed Tuesday in Orlando.

Williams declined to comment on his interview Wednesday.

Williams is a former teammate of Lee Roy Selmon, one of USF's three-member search committee along with USF athletic director Doug Woolard and executive associate athletic director Bill McGillis.

In a text message Wednesday evening, Holtz said there was nothing new to report on his talks with USF. Rumors circulated at Wednesday night's USF-West Virginia basketball game that an announcement is expected shortly, and the new coach is expected to be in attendance at USF's basketball game Saturday against Rutgers.

Holtz said Tuesday at the AFCA convention that "there are a lot of positives" to the USF job and that there was mutual interest.

Former USF assistant coach Calvin Magee, now offensive coordinator at Michigan, remains a candidate high on USF's list. Magee, who interviewed Monday, has not spoken publicly about the opening but has a lot of support from the local community.

Rivals.com reported that Tommy Bowden had preliminary talks with USF officials Wednesday, but it remains unclear how interested Bowden is in returning to coaching.

Bucs special teams coach Rich Bisaccia has shown interest in the job and several former Bucs have called USF officials on his behalf, but he had not been formally contacted by the school.

Middle Tennessee State coach Rick Stockstill is another candidate USF officials have discussed in meetings. However, Stockstill has not interviewed and told the Tennessean he had not been officially contacted by USF.

CaneSport.com reported late Wednesday that Miami offensive coordinator Mark Whipple has surfaced as a candidate for the job.

Before joining the Bucs' front office, Williams coached at Grambling, his alma mater, from 1998 to 2003 and compiled a 52-18 record, winning three Southwest Athletic Conference titles. He replaced longtime Grambling legend Eddie Robinson, who had retired.

He was also head coach at Morehouse College in 1997 and tutored running backs at Navy. He also served as a scout for Jacksonville Jaguars and was offensive coordinator for the Scottish Claymores of the World League in 1995. As a player, he won Super Bowl XXII with the Washington Redskins and was named the game's MVP.