Stanford Asks to Talk With Chow

USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett said Wednesday that Stanford had contacted him about offensive coordinator Norm Chow, who is regarded as one of the leading candidates to become coach of the Cardinal.

Garrett said Ted Leland, Stanford’s athletic director, phoned him Tuesday to seek permission to talk to Chow. Stanford fired Buddy Teevens on Monday after three consecutive losing seasons.

Chow said Wednesday that he had not spoken with Leland or any Stanford representatives. Coach Pete Carroll also said he had not been contacted about Chow.

But with the college coaching carousel spinning even faster after more firings Wednesday, Chow’s name is expected to be mentioned in connection with several jobs. Mississippi, Indiana and Brigham Young announced dismissals Wednesday, adding to a list of openings that includes Notre Dame, Florida, Washington, Stanford and Illinois.

Garrett said Stanford was the only school that had contacted him regarding Chow. “But that doesn’t mean they’re the only one interested,” Garrett said.

Chow, 58, said he definitely was not interested in the job at BYU, where he served as an assistant for 27 years. Chow was passed over for the head coaching position when LaVell Edwards retired. “I’ve been there, done that,” Chow said.

Chow, who helped USC become one of the nation’s most dynamic offensive teams, has never been a head coach. He turned down an offer from Kentucky in December 2002 and took himself out of consideration for the Utah job that went to Urban Meyer. He interviewed in November 2003 for the Arizona job that went to Mike Stoops.

Of the current openings, Stanford is thought to be the most attractive to Chow, who is regarded as an intellectual in coaching circles. Chow earned a master’s degree in special education at Utah and a doctorate in educational psychology at BYU.

Stanford’s rigorous academic entrance requirements play to Chow’s strengths. He is an effective recruiter, if not a tireless one, and his years at BYU taught him to win with athletes who, for the most part, were often regarded as a physical cut below those recruited by many of the nation’s elite programs.

Chow’s reputation as the coach who developed such quarterbacks as Jim McMahon, Steve Young, Ty Detmer, Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart probably would draw elite quarterbacks to a school that produced Jim Plunkett and John Elway.

Chow, who is of Chinese descent, has long talked about his desire to become the first Asian American to lead a major-college football program. Stanford has a history of hiring minority coaches. Dennis Green and Tyrone Willingham, both African American, became college head coaches at the school.

But the sticking point, if it gets that far with Stanford, is expected to be money.

Chow is believed to earn about $500,000 plus incentives annually at USC, which is more than Teevens reportedly earned. Leland has said that the school would not break the bank to attract a coach.

If Chow left USC to become coach at Stanford or another school, USC probably would turn to one of three candidates to replace him.

Steve Sarkisian, 30, played for Chow at BYU and served as USC’s quarterbacks coach in 2002 and 2003 before joining the Oakland Raiders’ staff as quarterbacks coach before this season.

Lane Kiffin, 29, is completing his fourth year as USC’s receivers coach and was given the additional title of passing game coordinator before this season. He is the son of Carroll’s mentor, Tampa Bay Buccaneer defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, who gave Carroll his first coordinator’s job at North Carolina State in 1980.

Carl Smith, 56, replaced Sarkisian on USC’s staff and has been an offensive coordinator at several universities and also in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints. Smith coached with Carroll at North Carolina State in 1982 and with the New England Patriots from 1997 to 1999.

Chow said this week that if he took a job, he would still want to coach in the bowl championship series title game if the top-ranked Trojans defeat UCLA on Saturday and earn a berth in the Orange Bowl.

Garrett said, “I would want to do whatever Norm would want to do,” but said he delegates decisions about the team to Carroll.

Carroll said he had not even considered the scenario. “I’m not worried about it,” he said. “We’ll figure it out when the time comes.”

*

Carroll said he expected that defensive line coach Ed Orgeron also might begin to receive consideration as a head coach.... Middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu (sternum) practiced for the first time this week, but Collin Ashton continued to work with the first unit.... Defensive lineman Manuel Wright did individual drills for the first time since suffering an ankle sprain against Arizona.... Offensive lineman John Drake said his ankle was feeling better, but he did not expect to start at guard in place of freshman Jeff Byers, who has started the last three games.