Butch Jones Will Stay At The University of Cincinnati and Other Coaching Carousel News

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Butch Jones has been a man in high demand this off season. He has been linked with UCLA and North Carolina and turned down an offer from circus clown / Illinois Athletic Director Mike Thomas to become the head coach of the Illinois program. Jones declined to speak with UCLA and North Carolina according to Bill Koch who seems really depressed that he doesn't have something depressing to write about. Anyways reading through the lines Jones declined to formally interview for either job, though I am sure there was more than a little bit of intermediary communication between parties the point stands.

Larry Fedora, who just led Southern Mississippi to their first Conference USA crown since 2003 (also know as the time when UC played in C-USA) is expected to be named the Head Coach of North Carolina, by the time you read this that will probably already have happened. UCLA meanwhile is in hot pursuit of Chris Peterson, though today's events may change the course of that particular search.

In other UC related coaching news former Wide Receiver Coach and Passing Game Coordinator Charley Molnar has been offered the Head Coaching Job at UMass. This is significant because Mike Bajakian was briefly touted as a candidate to lead the Minutemen's transition to the MAC. Bajakian is a guy who's star is rising in the profession and will be a head coach at some point.

So there is a good chance that Butch Jones can mange to keep the coaching band together for a second consecutive off season which would be a rare feat in the annals of UC Football history. Though I expect Steve Stripling (Defensive Line) to get quite a few offers from bigger programs. What he did with the defensive line this season was really remarkable and people have taken notice.