Associated Press
BOSTON ó Boston College’s Jeff Jagodzinski has been invited to interview for the New York Jets’ coaching job, a BC official told The Associated Press on Monday, and the school has reportedly threatened to fire him if he goes through with it.
Athletic director Gene DeFilippo would not confirm that he gave Jagodzinski an ultimatum, saying only, “I want a coach who wants to be at BC for a long time.”
ESPN.com reported Sunday that Jagodzinski would not be welcome to return if he seeks work in the NFL.
A BC official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the school was not commenting publicly, said the former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator committed to stay in Chestnut Hill longer than two years when he was hired. Leaving during the last week of recruiting would also put the Eagles at a disadvantage.
DeFilippo first learned of Jagodzinski’s contact with the Jets on Saturday and had not spoken to him since Sunday, according to the official. The school did not know whether Jagodzinski planned to withdraw from the Jets search.
Earlier Monday, DeFilippo said he would not rule out Jagodzinski’s return.
“I like Jeff. I mean, I really like Jeff,” he said. “We’re going to handle the situation as it unfolds.”
The maneuvering took place on a quiet campus absent of students, who have not yet returned from winter break, and left the athletic department scrambling for a potential replacement with a week left in the recruiting season.
A lot has happened since they left.
Jagodzinski’s Eagles, who reached the ACC title game for the second consecutive year, lost 16-14 to Vanderbilt in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 31 ó the school’s first bowl loss after eight consecutive wins. On Sunday night, BC upset top-ranked North Carolina in men’s basketball.
On the second floor of the athletic building, above the doorway the basketball players would walk through on the way to practice, someone had hung a sign that said, “Congrats! BC 85 – NC 78.” Inside, the game was being replayed on the same television station that had lost its feed in the final two minutes Sunday, leaving Eagles fans wondering if the upset had been completed.
LSU
BATON ROUGE ó John Chavis, a veteran defensive coordinator with 20 years of experience in the SEC, was chosen as LSU’s new defensive coordinator.
During his 14 years as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator, the Volunteers ranked among the SEC’s top four in total defense 10 times.
GEORGIA
ATLANTA ó Rodney Garner, Georgia’s recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach, said he turned down an offer to coach at Tennessee.
AUBURN
AUBURN, Ala. ó Auburn has named Trooper Taylor assistant head coach in charge of wide receivers.
Taylor was Oklahoma State’s co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach last season. He was an assistant for Tennessee before that.
IOWA STATE
AMES, Iowa ó Iowa State’s Paul Rhoads has hired former Auburn assistant Terry Price as defensive ends coach.
SOUTHERN MISS
HATTIESBURG, Miss. ó Southern Mississippi linebacker Gerald McRath is declaring himself eligible for the NFL draft.
YALE
NEW HAVEN, Conn. ó Jacksonville Jaguars assistant Tom Williams has been hired at Yale, becoming the first black head football coach at the Ivy League school.
Williams, 38, has spent the past two seasons working with the Jaguars defense and has been an assistant coach at Hawaii, Washington, Stanford and San Jose State.
Williams replaces Jack Siedlecki, who retired after 12 seasons to become an assistant athletic director at Yale. Siedlecki was 70-47.