Bruce and Tollner Are Believed to Be Leading Candidates for Job at Kansas

If former Ohio State football coach Earle Bruce doesn’t accept the job at the University of Kansas, former USC coach Ted Tollner looms as one of the leading candidates, it was learned Friday.

The Columbus Dispatch reported Friday that Bruce has been offered the Kansas coaching position. Doug Vance, assistant athletic director, responded by saying: “Our position is, ‘No comment.’ We won’t say anything until we have an announcement to make.”

Bruce was quoted Thursday as saying that he had not been offered the job.

A Midwestern source said that Tollner was in Lawrence, Kan., Friday to be interviewed for the job. He currently is coaching the Buffalo Bills’ wide receivers.

Kansas officials are expected make an announcement this weekend, or at least by Monday. Bob Valesente was fired as Kansas coach after the recent season, which the Jayhawks finished with a 1-9-1 record.

Meanwhile, the Columbus Dispatch, quoting unidentified sources, said that the top five candidates, in no particular order, to replace Bruce at Ohio State are USC’s Larry Smith, Indiana’s Bill Mallory, Arizona State’s John Cooper, West Virginia’s Don Nehlen and Boston College’s Jack Bucknell.

“I am not a candidate for the Ohio State job,” Smith said Friday night. “I’m flattered that my name has come up. But I have a five-year commitment at USC and I have no intention of going elsewhere. I’m very happy here.”

Tollner was fired at the end of the regular season in 1986. He had a 7-4 record at the time. Bruce was fired one week before completing his ninth season at Ohio State last month. His Buckeyes finished with a 6-4-1 record.