TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- New Orleans Saints assistant coach Mike Riley was considering an offer to become Alabama's next coach, according to published reports Thursday.

Riley, who played for Crimson Tide coach Bear Bryant as a defensive back in the early 1970s, was offered the job by Alabama athletic director Mal Moore, The Birmingham News and The Tuscaloosa News reported in Thursday's editions.

Both reports, quoting anonymous sources, said Riley would inform Moore of his decision Thursday.

Riley told reporters Wednesday that he had not been offered the job.

Saints coach Jim Haslett told The Associated Press on Thursday that Riley hadn't informed him that he'd been offered a job. "He hasn't said anything to me," Haslett said.

Moore has made no public comment on candidates for the job and was out of the office Thursday morning. He didn't even tip his hand to the players in a team meeting Wednesday evening.

"They didn't say anything," said receiver Antonio Carter after the session, which lasted about 10 minutes. "That was a waste of time."

Receiver Sam Collins said "no names were mentioned" during the talk.

"They just filled us in with how the process was going," Collins said. "He's just trying to find the right man for the job."

Moore interviewed both Riley and South Florida coach Jim Leavitt on Tuesday, reportedly his first formal interviews since Dennis Franchione bolted for Texas A&M late last week.

South Florida announced Thursday that the 46-year-old Leavitt had signed a contract extension to remain with the program he built from scratch in the past six years. The Bulls have gone 17-5 in two seasons at the Division I-A level.

The 49-year-old Riley is in his first year as the Saints' secondary coach. He coached the San Diego Chargers for three years, and before that he helped turn around Oregon State's program. He coached for two years in Corvallis, Ore., where his father was an assistant.

Riley also met Tuesday with UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero, who is looking for a replacement for the fired Bob Toledo.

Riley said both jobs have their attributes.

"I'm very proud to have gone to Alabama," said Riley, who is the nephew of former Crimson Tide basketball coach Hayden Riley. "I have a lot of respect and have had for many years for that program."

"Even before I went to school there I was a big fan. It's a great place, but I've been out on the West Coast so long that I think being in the Pac-10 is great."

Riley said he has also spoken to Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart, a friend who worked with him at Oregon State. Former Wildcats coach Guy Morriss was introduced as Baylor's coach on Wednesday.

Before Oregon State, Riley was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for four years at Southern California. Riley directed Oregon State to a 5-6 record in 1998, its best in 27 years, and Dennis Erickson used many of the players Riley recruited to go 10-1 two years later and win the Fiesta Bowl.

At San Diego, Riley spent much of his time trying to develop first-round pick Ryan Leaf into an NFL quarterback. The Chargers struggled to a 14-34 record in three years, and Riley was fired after the 2001 season.

Current Tide defensive coordinator Carl Torbush also has expressed interest in the job and had informal talks with Moore early in the process.

You must be logged in to comment.