Miami RedHawks' Michael Haywood Reported To Be Leading Candidate for Pitt Job

Miami University’s Michael Haywood is reported today to be the leading candidate for the Pittsburgh head coaching job by Pitt football beat reporter Paul Zeise. If he is offered and accepts the job, he will be Pitt’s first African-American head football coach.

Chris Dokish of the Big East Report, however, does not name Haywood as the leading candidate. He does suggest that Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia’s offensive coordinator for 2011 and head coach in 2012, was eliminated by Pitt because Chancellor Nordenberg did not like his lifestyle.

Two sticking points about Holgorsen: He has been living in a Residence Inn in Stillwater, Okla. and he never signed a contract with the Cowboys.

Dokish wrote this: “…if Holgorsen has some shameful skeletons in his closet, then good for Pitt and shame on West Virginia. But if he just seemed a little too "sleazy" for them then they are missing the boat…” (Big East Report, Pittsburgh, Dec. 14, 2010).

 Steve Pederson is now looking at his third choice in Haywood. In 2007, Haywood was considered to be a leading candidate for the University of Houston head job but lost out to Kevin Sumlin, who has also been mentioned in the Pitt mix.

Haywood’s Redhawk team posted an 8-4 record this season, winning the MAC east title and the 2010 MAC championship game over Northern Illinois.

Prior to Miami, Haywood made six other college stops in his career, including Notre Dame where he was Charlie Weis’ offensive coordinator from 2005-2008. Only the 2007 Notre Dame team failed to score fewer than 200 points, posting 197 for the season.

In the 2005 the Irish scored 440 points, including 42 against Pitt in the season opener at Heinz Field.

Steve Pederson has placed the entire head coach search and the current Pitt team in complete lockdown mode, preventing questions about how much money he is able to offer the new coach.

The going rate for an established head coach or high profile coordinator is $2 million. It does not appear Pederson has that much to offer which may be why his first choice, Al Golden, quickly accepted a better offer from the Miami Hurricanes.

Haywood’s salary would probably be in Pitt’s range from $1.1 to $1.5 million.

Haywood allegedly was in Pittsburgh yesterday to interview with Pederson and may be offered the job today according to Bob Lichtenels, a recruiter.

Dave Wannstedt said yesterday he is not ready to make a decision about coaching the Panthers in the BBVA Compass bowl against Kentucky. Pitt begins bowl preparations tomorrow.