A list of eight potential candidates for the Emporia State football coach opening will be trimmed down either today or Wednesday, ESU Athletic Director Kent Weiser said on Monday.
The ESU search committee narrowed the original 50 or so applicants to eight last week and will reduce that number to 2-4 finalists in the next day. The committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday to select the finalists but instead might be prepared to make that determination today.
Once finalists are chosen, each will receive a face-to-face interview with Weiser regarding the position.
“We have some very high-quality individuals and coaches in the group, but until we sit down face-to-face with them, they’re still somewhat unknown,” Weiser said. “I’ve talked with all of them on the phone, but it’s a matter of making sure we want you and you want us.”
It was most likely, Weiser said, that he would go to visit the candidates himself instead of having them come to Emporia.
The sit-down interviews, which should run into next week, will go more in-depth with the candidates about what ESU is expecting from its next coach. It also will give Weiser and the committee a chance to judge a coach on more than just his paper résumé and accomplishments.
“Right now, I’m not sure of a lot of these coaches’ weaknesses,” Weiser said. “It’s really going to come down to who’s a good fit for the program.”
The committee is right about on schedule with where Weiser wants to be. Without any setbacks, he said he hoped the final decision could be made in the next couple weeks, with an announcement of a new head coach potentially being made between Dec. 15-20.
Weiser said he had been pressured by many to make a quick choice, but that with an important decision like this, finding the correct person for the job was most important.
“I still hear, ‘Everyday that goes by, we’re getting behind. Hurry, hurry, hurry,’” Weiser said. “We’re just not going to rush through this.”
Weiser confirmed some of the candidates coached in games last week, which also made it difficult to speed up the process.
Former ESU football coach Dave Wiemers resigned from the position on Nov. 16 after meeting with his team. He finished with a 35-32 record in six seasons as coach.
ESU ended its year with a disappointing 3-8 record, losing its final seven games.
Weiser said he had been pleased with the pool of candidates that had applied, saying he had received applications from Division-I assistants, Division-II head coaches and assistants and also junior-college head coaches.
Current San Diego State defensive line coach and Emporia High graduate Joe Bob Clements, along with former ESU quarterback and current Northeastern (Okla.) State offensive coordinator Garin Higgins, are thought to be two of the favorites for the opening.