UCLA Setting Its Sights on Riley

Two years ago, USC was searching for a football coach and turned to Mike Riley after serious talks with two other candidates.

Now it’s UCLA looking to fill a spot and Riley appears to be No. 1 on the list.

Within hours of firing Bob Toledo, sources said, the Bruins dispatched representative Bob Field to New Orleans where Riley currently serves as the Saint defensive backfield coach.

The men have a personal history: Field coached at Alabama in the early 1970s when Riley played defensive back for the Crimson Tide. It was not known if Field planned to offer Riley the job or if this was only a preliminary meeting. Neither could be reached for comment.

This much is certain: UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said Monday that he had a preference for hiring “someone with West Coast ties,” someone who understood “the Pac-10 and the importance of rivalries.” As a former coach of Oregon State and the San Diego Chargers -- not to mention a stint as assistant for USC -- Riley fills those requirements.

The last time the 49-year-old was a coaching candidate in Southern California, speaking with USC, Riley was restricted by a contractual obligation to the Chargers. No such impediment appears to exist now.

However, he’s been prominently mentioned in connection with the vacancy at his alma mater, Alabama.

While the loudest buzz in and around the UCLA football program focused on Riley, there was talk of other potential candidates.

Denver Bronco assistant Karl Dorrell, a former Bruin receiver, said he received calls from UCLA boosters promising to recommend him for the job.

It was unclear how much influence they might have, but Dorrell said, “I’m sure they’ve got a voice.”

Asked if he would be interested, the 38-year-old replied: “Oh, are you kidding me? It would be a very, very enticing situation.”

Other possibilities included:

* Greg Robinson. The defensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs was an assistant at UCLA from 1982 to ‘89, a stretch that included three Rose Bowl victories. USC Coach Pete Carroll, a longtime friend, said: “He’s very experienced and knowledgeable.”

* Rich Brooks. A source inside the athletic department said officials were interested in the former Oregon and St. Louis Ram coach who has been away from football for more than a year since his surprise retirement from the Atlanta Falcons.

* Norm Chow. The USC offensive coordinator has been mentioned as a candidate to fill the vacancy at Utah. Monday, he said he had not heard from UCLA but would be interested. “How could you not be?” he asked. “That’s one of the prominent programs in the country.”

Washington Redskin assistant Marvin Lewis, who reportedly turned down the job at Michigan State, was also mentioned, as were Pittsburgh Coach Walt Harris, Illinois Coach Ron Turner and Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz.

Guerrero declined to comment on any of these possibilities and did not give a time frame for his search.

“Obviously the sooner, the better,” he said. “There is no deadline. Individuals are still in bowl games and some are in the NFL ranks.”

*

Staff writer Bill Plaschke contributed to this report.