Diverse Group of Coaches Hopes to Be Considered for Irvine Job : Basketball: UC Riverside’s Masi says he will apply. Mater Dei’s McKnight says he will ‘probably apply.’

While others speculate about which big-time basketball coaches’ names might be on UC Irvine Athletic Director Tom Ford’s short list, those who don’t fit the bill are deciding whether to apply anyway.

Ford has expressed a desire to hire a high-visibility coach who can draw fans to the seldom-filled Bren Center, but there are questions as to whether Irvine can find the money that might require, particularly in a time of state budget woes and without such package-enhancers as deals for radio and television shows.

“In basketball any more, you pay through the nose to get someone like that,” said one coach.

Said another who has guided teams to the top 25: “If it was $250,000 and a free room at the Newport Beach Marriott, yeah, I’d be interested.”

Still, Ford says he isn’t committed to hiring a name, just someone who can do the job and help capitalize on the momentum of a coaching change.

Two local coaches who do not have Division I experience are interested but unsure of where they would stand in regard to Irvine’s intentions.

Gary McKnight, the successful Mater Dei High School coach who expressed interest in Cal State Fullerton’s opening in 1989 but was told he didn’t meet the criteria because he had no Division I experience, said he would “probably apply” while stressing that he is happy at Mater Dei.

“I’d definitely be interested if they were seriously interested in me,” McKnight said. “I don’t want it to be something like a token to keep the coach at Mater Dei happy. I don’t know what Tom’s looking at. I have mixed emotions, but I’d probably apply.”

John Masi, who guides a successful Division II program at UC Riverside, was among the top candidates for the Fullerton job when John Sneed was hired after a season as interim coach after the resignation of George McQuarn.

Masi said he is still trying to “break the barrier” that Division II coaches face.

“I am going to apply,” said Masi, who has called Ford about the job. “My understanding is they are trying for a Division I, high-visibility type of person. I don’t fulfill that.”

Of Mulligan’s assistants, one has decided to apply. Ernie Carr, a longtime coach at Dominguez High School who has worked as an assistant at UCLA and as a one-year interim head coach at Saddleback, said he came to Irvine as an assistant two years ago in part to prepare himself to seek a Division I job. Carr, who has helped Irvine recruit several players from Los Angeles, an area Irvine had not tapped until recently, said his understanding of the academic demands of the UC system and his familiarity with Southern California recruiting would be beneficial.

Several other area coaches--Irvine assistants Mike Bokosky and Tim Murphy, Riverside College Coach Bob Schermerhorn and Rancho Santiago Coach Dana Pagett--said they had no immediate plans to apply.

Ford has been tied to the phone, seeking permission to speak with coaches from athletic directors who often would prefer he wait until after the season, and getting recommendations from other athletic directors.

One he has spoken with is UC Santa Barbara Athletic Director John Kasser, with whom Ford has worked at other schools.

Kasser said he is recommending Ben Howland, an assistant to UC Santa Barbara Coach Jerry Pimm. Howland said he is “definitely very interested,” citing the similarity of the two schools.

Kasser described Irvine as “a very good job,” and “very similar” to UC Santa Barbara.

One difference at this point is salary.

Mulligan’s salary is about $78,000, considerably less than the base salary of Pimm, who has a $92,700 base salary that is considerably enhanced by the rest of his package.

Ford said he is consulting with university administration, and conducting surveys on salaries as he decides how much Irvine will be able to pay.

Kasser said he expects the field for the Irvine job to be a strong one.

“You kind of let things come out of the woodwork,” he said. “There will be a tremendous pool of applicants of head coaches and assistants from major programs. I think we’ll be surprised.”

Times staff writer Steve Kresal contributed to this story.