Boise State coach Chris Petersen is reportedly not going to interview for the vacant head coaching position at Wisconsin, according to Matt Hayes of Sporting News:
Chris Petersen not interviewing at Wisconsin, according to report
Reports that Boise State head coach Chris Petersen was set to interview at Wisconsin appeared out of nowhere Wednesday, and almost just as quickly, they were shot down.
Troy Babbitt-US PRESSWIRE
Just spoke to source who just spoke to Chris Petersen. He's not interviewing at #Wisconsin.
— Matt Hayes(@Matt_HayesSN) December 6, 2012
Hayes went on to add that “Petersen isn’t interviewing anywhere. Period.”
This contradicts multiple reports from Wednesday night that Petersen was in play for the Wisconsin opening. Earlier today, the Wisconsin State Journal was reporting that Petersen would interview in Madison early next week:
[Sources] close to the UW Athletic Department said Alvarez has been in contact with Boise State coach Chris Petersen and an interview could happen as early as Monday.
Both UW sources spoke on the condition of anonymity, because they have not been cleared to speak publicly on these issues.
Additionally, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel cited Petersen as “a new name in the mix,” alluding to the idea that Big East football, Boise’s new home come 2013, is not as attractive as it once was, with Rutgers and Louisville leaving.
Petersen, 48, is finishing his seventh season as head coach at Boise State. He has recorded an 83-8 record with two perfect seasons, two Fiesta Bowl wins, four top-10 finishes and five conference championships. He is the winningest active coach in FBS football. He has also been in play for seemingly every West Coast coaching vacancy since taking over at Boise State in 2006, and has resisted all advances.
Petersen also has five years as offensive coordinator at Boise State for Dan Hawkins and six years as wide receivers coach at Oregon under Mike Bellotti. He has no connection to the Midwest, aside from a one-year stint as quarterbacks coach at Pittsburgh in 1992. As Chadd Cripe of the Idaho Statesman reported, Wisconsin would be the furthest Petersen had traveled for a potential head coaching job, and there is no apparent connection between Petersen and Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez.
Petersen and his Broncos play Washington in the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 22. And just to make it all more interesting, Petersen will be at Thursday’s press conference for the bowl game.
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