Ole Miss athletics director Keith Carter met with Mike Bianco for a couple hours -- give or take -- this morning for their annual year-end meeting following the baseball season.
Sources in Louisiana insist Bianco and East Carolina coach Cliff Godwin are the leading candidates for the LSU job. Longtime Gannett reporter Glenn Guilbeau reported earlier today, quoting sources, that Bianco and Godwin are expected to interview in Louisiana this week. Other sources close to LSU said that Bianco was in Baton Rouge either Monday or Tuesday. He was not, of that I'm certain, and we never reported that. We also absolutely don't expect Bianco to interview in Louisiana at any point. Neal and I both believe that Bianco being in Louisiana would mean he has taken the job.
While Kendall Rogers reported that Bianco is LSU's leading candidate and others have gone as far as to say Bianco may already have an offer, our reporting Wednesday afternoon simply doesn't allow us to go that far. We still believe, based on our reporting and sources, Bianco remains the leading candidate at LSU, will likely hear from LSU soon and is receptive to that overture. Neal talked to someone in Baton Rouge who said Scott Woodward wants to have a coach hired by the end of the week. According to sources, Bianco got back from Tucson Monday afternoon and and conducted player exit interviews on Monday and all Tuesday. Sources indicate Bianco didn't have any contact with LSU during that time period. I know Mike well enough to know he respects Ole Miss and his job enough to complete his season duties without interference.
Per sources, Carter and Bianco had a typical year-end conversation, discussing all inner-workings of the Ole Miss program including the recently-completed season and the future. My guess is continued conversations occur to extend Bianco back out to four years, should he remain the Ole Miss coach. The contract deal is never something that's completely decided in that meeting. Bianco's contract doesn't include many, if any, escalators prior to the College World Series.
Our Take: Bianco remains the favorite at LSU for a number of reasons. LSU went way down the road with Florida's Kevin O'Sullivan before that situation became untenable. LSU went for a pie-in-the-sky grand slam with Tim Corbin, but that's a fantasy. There's pressure to hire a baseball coach with no baggage whatsoever, and former LSU coach Skip Bertman remains a very influential figure in LSU baseball circles. Bertman is lobbying hard for his former pupil and had contacted other potential coaches, as well, including Jim Schlossnagle before he took the A&M gig. Woodward, as always, wants splash in his coaching hires, but that might not be possible this cycle. I talked to industry people who wonder if Woodward is putting this off long enough to give himself more of a splash. Some think that's Tony Vitello, however that doesn't seem realistic. Vitello, per an industry source, could be looking at a raise as high as $1.8 million annually. Tennessee is extremely motivated to keep him and has included him in all stadium conversations. If Vitello left for an SEC West program, I wouldn't guess LSU. Frankly, now that the official stuff is done, this thing could move pretty quickly, but if nothing happens in the next 72 hours or so, one can't help but wonder if things changed.
Sources in Louisiana insist Bianco and East Carolina coach Cliff Godwin are the leading candidates for the LSU job. Longtime Gannett reporter Glenn Guilbeau reported earlier today, quoting sources, that Bianco and Godwin are expected to interview in Louisiana this week. Other sources close to LSU said that Bianco was in Baton Rouge either Monday or Tuesday. He was not, of that I'm certain, and we never reported that. We also absolutely don't expect Bianco to interview in Louisiana at any point. Neal and I both believe that Bianco being in Louisiana would mean he has taken the job.
While Kendall Rogers reported that Bianco is LSU's leading candidate and others have gone as far as to say Bianco may already have an offer, our reporting Wednesday afternoon simply doesn't allow us to go that far. We still believe, based on our reporting and sources, Bianco remains the leading candidate at LSU, will likely hear from LSU soon and is receptive to that overture. Neal talked to someone in Baton Rouge who said Scott Woodward wants to have a coach hired by the end of the week. According to sources, Bianco got back from Tucson Monday afternoon and and conducted player exit interviews on Monday and all Tuesday. Sources indicate Bianco didn't have any contact with LSU during that time period. I know Mike well enough to know he respects Ole Miss and his job enough to complete his season duties without interference.
Per sources, Carter and Bianco had a typical year-end conversation, discussing all inner-workings of the Ole Miss program including the recently-completed season and the future. My guess is continued conversations occur to extend Bianco back out to four years, should he remain the Ole Miss coach. The contract deal is never something that's completely decided in that meeting. Bianco's contract doesn't include many, if any, escalators prior to the College World Series.
Our Take: Bianco remains the favorite at LSU for a number of reasons. LSU went way down the road with Florida's Kevin O'Sullivan before that situation became untenable. LSU went for a pie-in-the-sky grand slam with Tim Corbin, but that's a fantasy. There's pressure to hire a baseball coach with no baggage whatsoever, and former LSU coach Skip Bertman remains a very influential figure in LSU baseball circles. Bertman is lobbying hard for his former pupil and had contacted other potential coaches, as well, including Jim Schlossnagle before he took the A&M gig. Woodward, as always, wants splash in his coaching hires, but that might not be possible this cycle. I talked to industry people who wonder if Woodward is putting this off long enough to give himself more of a splash. Some think that's Tony Vitello, however that doesn't seem realistic. Vitello, per an industry source, could be looking at a raise as high as $1.8 million annually. Tennessee is extremely motivated to keep him and has included him in all stadium conversations. If Vitello left for an SEC West program, I wouldn't guess LSU. Frankly, now that the official stuff is done, this thing could move pretty quickly, but if nothing happens in the next 72 hours or so, one can't help but wonder if things changed.
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