With Mike Leach putting the wraps on a two-day interview/tour of the campus, it appears as though Maryland is on the verge of winding up their search for a replacement for Ralph Friedgen.
According to the Washington Post, Leach spent Wednesday and Thursday touring the College Park campus and meeting with school officials. The Baltimore Sun reports that Leach met independently with school president Wallace Loh and athletic director Kevin Anderson, as well as with the school’s search committee.
The Post writes that, according to two sources, the interviews with Leach went well, but it was uncertain whether the head-coaching job was offered to the former Texas Tech coach. The Sun has been assured that Leach was not offered the job.
We can confirm that is indeed the case, although a source with knowledge of the situation tells us that “could and should” change before the weekend’s over. As for which candidate that offer would be extended to, the source would only acknowledge that Leach “appears to be the front-runner” right now.
Other names who have been mentioned in connection to the opening are Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, UConn head coach Randy Edsall and Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin.