Next Move Is Bellotti’s

Oregon Coach Mike Bellotti is taking the weekend to seriously consider whether he wants to become the next USC football coach, sources confirmed Saturday.

Sources put the chances of him accepting the job at 50-50.

Word of his impending decision came on a day when another candidate for the opening, Dennis Erickson, signed a seven-year contract to remain at Oregon State.

As was the case with Erickson, Bellotti is said to be wrestling with a decision that takes into account his family, the wishes of his coaching staff and his affinity for life in the Pacific Northwest.

It remained unclear how much USC is prepared to pay him. ESPN.com reported Friday that he had been offered $1.6 million a year. Another source put the figure closer to $1.4 million.

Either amount would represent a substantial increase from his current salary.

Neither Bellotti nor USC could be reached for comment.

In Corvallis, Erickson signed a deal that will pay him $625,000 next season with incentives that could push his salary to more than $800,000. He can earn nearly $7 million over the life of the contract.

“We have built something very special here the last two years and we want to continue to build on what we have done,” Erickson said in a statement. “This will give us some longevity and stability in our football program.”

After firing Paul Hackett last Monday, USC quickly stated its intention to enter a market in which top coaches earn $1 million or more a year. According to sources, the university talked to Erickson about a big-money offer.

It appears the coach remained at Oregon State for slightly less than market value in part because he and members of his close-knit staff did not want to leave Corvallis for Los Angeles.

“Good for him,” said USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett, who spent Saturday afternoon watching the USC basketball team defeat Utah at the Wooden Classic. “Otherwise, no comment.’

Garrett reportedly made contact with his other top candidate, Bellotti, on Thursday while the coach was on a recruiting trip in Northern California. It would be considered a coup if USC were to lure Bellotti south.

The 49-year-old Sacramento native has led Oregon to a winning record in all of his six seasons as coach. He has guided them to the Sun and Cotton bowls in recent years.

This season, the 9-2 Ducks are possibly headed to the Holiday Bowl.

Bellotti acknowledged Friday that several schools have contacted him but declined to say which ones and denied receiving an offer from USC.

His contract with Oregon pays approximately $700,000 a year with incentives, Oregon Athletic Director Bill Moos said earlier this week.

Moos said he intends to negotiate an extension after the season, though it remains to be seen how much more the university can afford to pay because it is embarking on a multimillion-dollar expansion of its Autzen Stadium.

There is another factor: The Portland Oregonian reported that Bellotti has expressed frustration about not being able to lure top recruits north from Southern California.

If, however, Bellotti decides to stay at Oregon, there is some question about where USC will turn next. Garrett has spoken about Mike Riley of the San Diego Chargers, and former NFL coach Pete Carroll is also reportedly interested in the job.

In the college ranks, many of the top names have recently taken jobs or signed extensions with their schools. Sources say Bruce Snyder, recently fired by Arizona State, might be interested.

“There has been great interest from great coaches, and we’re listening,” USC Associate Athletic Director Daryl Gross told the Associated Press on Friday. “The interest has been overwhelming.”