‘Flattered’ Chow Expected to Be Candidate at Duke

USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow is expected to be among the leading candidates for the head-coaching job at Duke, which fired Carl Franks on Sunday.

Chow, who turned down an offer to become coach at Kentucky last December, was offensive coordinator at North Carolina State for one season before Pete Carroll hired him at USC in January 2001.

“It’s a very enjoyable place to live, but I have not heard one word,” Chow said Sunday night. “It’s always flattering when your name’s tossed around. But reality sets in, and we’re trying to beat Washington.”

Defensive coordinator Ted Roof will coach Duke (2-5) the rest of the season, but Chow is expected to be in a candidate pool that could also include former Ohio State coach John Cooper, Houston Coach Art Briles, former Boston College and Jacksonville Jaguar coach Tom Coughlin, Texas Tech Coach Mike Leach, Texas Christian Coach Gary Patterson and Steve Logan, the former coach at East Carolina.

Chow also is regarded as a candidate at Arizona, which fired John Mackovic a few weeks ago.

-- Gary Klein