Chow Will Interview

Norm Chow, USC’s offensive coordinator, said Monday that he would interview for the head-coaching position at Stanford on Wednesday.

Chow, 58, is thought to be a good fit for Stanford, which fired Buddy Teevens last week after three consecutive losing seasons.

Asked if the Stanford job sounded appealing, Chow said, “We’ll see. They’ve got to want you. Just because you’re going to interview, I’m sure they’re going to interview a whole bunch of other folks.”

Chow and Pittsburgh Coach Walt Harris are regarded as the top candidates. Former NFL coach Jim Fassel, who also was reportedly in the mix, said Monday that he would not pursue a college coaching position.

Chow said Ted Leland, Stanford’s athletic director, had given no timetable for when a coach would be hired.

Chow turned down an offer from Kentucky in December 2002 and interviewed at Arizona last year. He said he had learned from previous interviews.

“You have to be prepared,” he said. “But I’m me. I’m who I am, so if they don’t like it, I can’t help that.”

Chow also has been contacted by Brigham Young, but he said he was not offered the job that opened last week when Gary Crowton was forced to resign. Chow said Tom Holmoe, Brigham Young’s acting athletic director, called to gauge his interest in returning to the school where he spent 27 years as an assistant.

Last week, Chow told reporters he was not interested in the BYU job. Asked again Monday if he was interested, he said, “No, I don’t think so. But I don’t know.”

Chow said he had not heard from any other schools.

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Ed Orgeron, USC’s defensive line coach, said he was contacted by Mississippi officials regarding the school’s head-coaching position and was hoping to set up an interview.

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Sophomore running back LenDale White suffered a sprained right ankle Saturday against UCLA and is wearing a protective boot. White has been nursing a sprained left ankle since the Trojans’ game against BYU on Sept. 18. He said his latest injury would not keep him out of the Orange Bowl against Oklahoma.

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Defensive lineman Shaun Cody, a finalist for the Lombardi Award, departed Monday for Houston to take part in activities surrounding the award, which will be announced Wednesday.