UT's Spence interviews for Middle Tennessee State job

2/23/2002

University of Toledo assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Rob Spence interviewed yesterday for the vacant offensive coordinator's job at Middle Tennessee State.

Spence, 43, was the fifth person interviewed for the vacancy. Others were former Auburn offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone, who since has accepted the job as running backs coach/special teams coordinator at Oregon State; former Vanderbilt offensive coordinator Jeff Rutledge; North Carolina receivers coach Gunter Brewer; and San Jose State offensive coordinator Norm Joseph.

Spence is the highest-paid member of Tom Amstutz's coaching staff, earning $100,000 in his first year at UT.

Middle Tennessee State, the defending Sun Belt Conference champions, finished 8-3 this past season, their third in Division I-A.

“Rob has a very good friend down there [Alex Robins] who is the quarterbacks coach,” Amstutz said. “They have an opening for an offensive coordinator's position and Rob's friend had been bugging him to come down and talk to the head coach [Andy McCollum].

“Rob is down there and he is interviewing for the job, but I still feel like we'll have him back at Toledo.”