OxfordPress.com

OXFORD — Miami University has narrowed the list of candidates for its vacant head football coaching job to "four or five," according to Athletic Director Brad Bates.

"We're still nailing it down," Bates said Wednesday, Dec. 17. "We're near the homestretch."

Miami is seeking a replacement for Shane Montgomery, who resigned Nov. 29 after four years as the RedHawks' head coach.

"We still have a lot of work to do to finalize this to make sure we have the right person," Bates said.

"I would say we're within the final four or five (candidates)," he added, declining to give specific names but noting that the "short list" has candidates "from the NFL as well as (Bowl Championship Series) schools."

Bates was asked if he thought a new coach would be announced before Christmas.

"We'd like to get it done as soon as possible," he said. "Whether it's done in two days or two weeks, we have to make sure we get the right person.

"We're in the process of scheduling visits to campus," Bates added. "We have had some (interviews)."

A source close to the athletic department who asked to remain anonymous said three leading candidates are Aaron Kromer, who is in his first season as running backs coach with the New Orleans Saints; Don Treadwell, 1981 Miami graduate and former Miami assistant coach who is the offensive coordinator at Michigan State; and Curt Mallory, the defensive coordinator and defensive backfield coach at Illinois and a Michigan graduate.

The same source said Scott Loeffler, quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions, who had been mentioned as a possible candidate, will not be one of the finalists.

Other names of possible candidates that have floated around Oxford — most of them through rumors but little else — include Kerry Coombs, defensive backfield coach at Cincinnati and former Colerain High School head coach; Mike Haywood, offensive coordinator and running backs coach at Notre Dame; James Patton, Miami graduate and offensive line coach at Oklahoma; John Peterson, tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at Ohio State and former Miami assistant; Mark Staten, Miami graduate and tight ends and tackles coach and recruiting coordinator at Michigan State; and Shawn Watson, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Nebraska.

Others include Randy Fichtner, wide receivers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers; Mitch Browning, offensive coordinator at Syracuse; and Matt Eberflus, associate head coach and defensive coordinator at Missouri.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197

or pconrad@coxohio.com.