FAU is wasting no time in commencing a search for its new head coach.
Less than a week after Carl Pelini resigned over the admitted use of illegal drugs as well as other unspecified issues, the university has already conducted at least one interview for a permanent replacement. According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, athletic director Pat Chun interviewed Ohio State defensive coordinator Luke Fickell for the head coach vacancy earlier in the day today.
Chun, who worked at OSU for 15 years prior to taking over the Owls’ athletic programs in 2012, flew into Columbus to conduct the face-to-face interview.
With the exception of one year, Fickell has served as the Buckeyes’ co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach every season since 2005 and has been an OSU assistant since 2002. That one season he didn’t, the former OSU player was the Buckeyes’ interim head coach, bridging the gap between Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer.
Over the past two years, Fickell has interviewed for head-coaching vacancies at Pittsburgh and Akron.