No offer made in search for UH football coach, source says

HOUSTON – The University of Houston has not extended any offers in its search for a new head football coach despite a report from USA Today to the contrary, a source told KPRC 2’s Randy McIlvoy on Thursday.

The newspaper originally reported that UH had picked Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin to lead the Cougars, and that his appointment was pending a meeting Thursday with UH president Renu Khator.

McIlvoy’s source said the search process is continuing. The source said that the top candidates are UH interim coach Todd Orlando, UH offensive coordinator Major Applewhite, former LSU coach Les Miles and Kiffin.

After USA Today’s report, UH vice president of athletics Hunter Yuracheck tweeted a picture of black smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, which symbolizes that a new pope has not been chosen.

Later, USA Today seemed to walk back its original report, saying that Houston is “closing in on a decision” regarding Kiffin.

McIlvoy’s source said the school is hoping to make a decision Friday, but the process could be extended into the weekend.

The search for a new coach at UH began after former coach Tom Herman left to coach at the University of Texas. Herman coached two seasons at Houston.

Kiffin has been at Alabama since 2014 after he was fired from the University of Southern California in 2013.

Stay with KPRC 2 and Click2Houston.com for the latest on this developing story.

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