BUFFALO, N.Y. — Turner Gill is generating interest in the Big 12 Conference again, only not at his former school Nebraska, but Kansas.
The University at Buffalo athletic department confirmed on Monday that the school had granted Kansas permission to interview Gill regarding its vacant coaching position. Spokesman Paul Vecchio said he did not know whether the two parties had spoken.
Citing an unidentified source, The Buffalo News reported that Gill met with Kansas officials in New York City on Sunday.
Kansas is searching for a new coach after Mark Mangino resigned Thursday in the wake of an investigation into his treatment of players.
Gill’s agent, Steve Mooney, was traveling and not immediately available for comment.
Last week, in wrapping up the Bulls’ 5-7 finish, Gill did not rule out the possibility of leaving Buffalo. Though he noted he had not been contacted by another program, Gill said he was interested in only a handful of schools and was otherwise content to stay in Buffalo.
Gill did not specify which schools he might be interested in, though returning to the Big 12 was expected to be high on his radar.
Gill is a former star quarterback at Nebraska and Heisman Trophy finalist, who went on to spend 13 years as an assistant with the Cornhuskers. As a first-time head coach, Gill has gone 20-30 in four seasons at Buffalo, and is credited with bringing new respect to a program that had been a laughingstock since 1999, when it first joined the Mid-American Conference.
In 2008, Gill led the Bulls to an 8-6 finish, their first MAC championship and the school’s first bowl appearance, a 38-20 loss to Connecticut in the International Bowl.
Prior to Gill’s arrival, the Bulls had gone 10-69 since joining the MAC after previously playing at the Division I-AA level.
The Bulls’ success last year led to Gill being considered for jobs at Nebraska and Auburn.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
