ATLANTA (AP) -Randy Edsall has led Connecticut to a 9-3 season and a bid to the Meineke Car Care Bowl.
It’d be intriguing – and perhaps convenient – if Georgia Tech were a surprise selection as the Atlantic Coast Conference representative to face the Huskies. Edsall, a former Georgia Tech assistant, might just be the Yellow Jackets’ next coach.
A UConn official said Thursday night Edsall traveled to Atlanta for an interview with Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech athletic director Dan Radakovich fired Chan Gailey on Monday after a 7-5 regular season. The firing came two days after the school’s seventh straight loss to Georgia, including six straight with Gailey.
Georgia Tech is thought to be headed to the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco or the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, but the Meineke game in Charlotte is another possibility.
No Georgia Tech official would confirm the meeting with Edsall or provide any updates on the search on Friday.
Radakovich has identified only one candidate, defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta, who will serve as interim coach for the bowl game.
Gailey was 44-32 in six seasons at Georgia Tech.
Edsall is 50-54 in nine years at UConn, which made the move up from Division I-AA in 2002. He was Georgia Tech’s defensive backs coach in 1998.
“People come along and they want to talk to you, then you’ve got to sit down and determine what’s best for you and your family just like anybody would,” Edsall said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick is promoting the possible candidacy of assistant coach Rick Neuheisel, the former Colorado and Washington coach.
Billick said this week he would immediately free Neuheisel to begin work at Georgia Tech if necessary.
“Rick Neuheisel has been, and will make, an outstanding college coach,” Billick said. “The college game needs coaches like Rick Neuheisel. … I would be very surprised if a number of schools weren’t interested in Rick Neuheisel, and we’ll support that in every way.”
Gailey lost at least five games in each of his six seasons at Tech.
Gailey was the first coach to take Tech to a bowl game in each of his first five seasons, but the streak was built on second-tier bowls. Three times Gailey and the Yellow Jackets headed west to the Silicon Valley Classic, the Humanitarian Bowl and the Emerald Bowl.
Gailey’s highlight was a 9-5 finish in 2006 which ended with losses in the ACC championship game and Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla.
Other possible candidates in Georgia Tech’s search include Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong; Navy coach and former Georgia Southern coach Paul Johnson; Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher; Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and Georgia Southern coach Chris Hatcher.
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Associated Press Writer Pat Eaton-Robb in Hartford, Conn., and AP Sports Writer David Ginsburg in Baltimore contributed to this report.
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