Eberflus in mix for Bowling Green football vacancy

12/5/2008

BOWLING GREEN - Missouri defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, a former University of Toledo captain and a longtime assistant coach with the program, is on Bowling Green State University's radar for its head coaching vacancy, The Blade has learned.

This news can be viewed as ironic because yesterday Toledo hired former BG assistant Tim Beckman for its head coaching position. UT interviewed Eberflus, 38, on Sunday.

Should BG decide to hire Eberflus, a formal announcement perhaps would not come until after Saturday's Big 12 championship game between Missouri and Oklahoma. Missouri offensive coordinator Dave Christensen earlier this week was hired as the head coach at Wyoming but has said he will coach the Tigers through tomorrow.

Eberflus is a Whitmer graduate and was the captain of UT's 1991 team. He has spent the last 17 years working under Gary Pinkel - nine at Toledo and the last eight as Missouri's defensive coordinator.

Of further irony, both Eberflus and Beckman served as defensive coordinators in the Big 12 this year. Oklahoma State and Missouri met Oct. 11 with OSU prevailing 28-23 on the road.

Gregg Brandon was fired at BG on Saturday morning just hours after ending his sixth season with a 38-10 win at Toledo. BG athletic director Greg Christopher has stated no timeframe is in place to find Brandon's replacement and that Ohio or Midwest ties are among the central qualifications for the position.

It is also believed Purdue defensive coordinator Brock Spack is a candidate for the position. Spack, who applied for the Toledo job, spent the last 12 years on Joe Tiller's staff but so far has not been retained by new coach Danny Hope. Christopher knows Spack from when Christopher worked in the athletic department at Purdue from 1997-2006.

Contact Ryan Autullo at:

rautullo@theblade.com.