Oct 31, 2015; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt looks on against the Florida Gators during the second half at EverBank Stadium. Florida Gators defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 27-3. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mark Richt has agreed to become the next head coach of the Miami Hurricanes, according to multiple reports.
Richt, 55, interviewed with the Hurricanes on Tuesday and was immediately considered the frontrunner for the job after parting ways with Georgia last week. Miami also interviewed former coach Butch Davis, Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen and former Miami assistant and Rutgers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano. Interim coach Larry Scott, who led the Hurricanes to four wins in their past five games after Al Golden was fired, was also interviewed.
Richt is considered a strong hire for a program that has largely floundered for more than a decade. He starred at Boca Raton High before attending Miami, where he played for coach Howard Schnellenberger and was a backup to Jim Kelly. Richt was 145-51 at Georgia, and has strong recruiting ties in south Florida.
—Michigan defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin accepted the head football coaching position at Maryland on Wednesday.
Durkin, 37, whose Michigan defense ranks fourth in the nation this season, emerged as a strong candidate after an interview with Maryland officials last week.
Durkin, who has a reputation as a strong recruiter, rejoined coach Jim Harbaugh at Michigan this season after serving under Harbaugh at Stanford in 2007-09.
Maryland was 3-9 overall and 1-7 in the Big Ten this season, its second in the conference, and tied with Rutgers for last place. Coach Randy Edsall was fired in October after a 2-4 start.
—The Rose Bowl could pass on the Big Ten title game loser between No. 4 Iowa and No. 5 Michigan State and instead select Ohio State.
If the Big Ten champion finishes in the top four of the College Football Playoff as expected, the Rose Bowl does not have to choose either Iowa or Michigan State.
Rose Bowl management committee chairman Scott Jenkins said the Rose Bowl isn’t required to take the next highest ranked Big Ten team behind the conference champion. The No. 6 Buckeyes (11-1) potentially could leapfrog either the Hawkeyes (12-0) or Spartans (11-1) in the rankings for a coveted spot in the Rose Bowl. College Football Playoff Selection Day is Sunday at noon ET on ESPN.
—Toledo named offensive coordinator Jason Candle as its head coach after Matt Campbell left last weekend for Iowa State.
Candle, 36, started working at Toledo in 2009 and was elevated to offensive coordinator in 2012 when Campbell was promoted to head coach.
