Thompson: Four Interviewees Selected For Head Coach

Today on NBC (Nuttin' But Cajuns), frequent guest B. J. Thompson said he has been able to confirm four candidates who will interview for the vacant head football job at the University of Louisiana.

Thompson, who runs the internet site cajunredzone.com, said his sources tell him that LSU Offensive Coordinator Gary Crowton, Mississippi State passing game coordinator Mark Hudspeth, Oklahoma State wide receivers coach Gunter Brewer and Oklahoma State Assistant Head Coach Joe DeForest will meet with UL Athletics Director David Walker and Sr. Associate AD Scott Farmer later this week.

Those four were among eight candidates that were identified Sunday in a blog on espn1420.com.

Crowton is the oldest candidate at 53.  He is the only one with FBS Head Coaching experience, having serived at Louisiana Tech and BYU.  He is in his fourth season as OC at LSU.  UL's salary range of $400,000 would be in the ball park of what Crowton is being paid at LSU.  The lure of being a head coach again could make up for any difference in salary.

Brewer, 46, was the Offensive Coordinator at OSU for two years before sliding over to the WR spot in order to make room for current OC Dana Holgorsen.  Brewer, the son of former Louisiana Tech and Ole Miss Coach Billy Brewer, has a reputation of being a strong recruiter, having brought 17 future NFL players into the college ranks. He also has junior college head coaching experience.

DeForest, 45, is a UL Alumnus who played under coach Sam Robertsonand the late Nelson Stokley.  DeForest is considered one of the best special teams coaches in America and also has a reputation as a very good recruiter.  He has never been a head coach or coordinator, but is very highly thought of by Coach MIke Gundy and the administration at OSU.

Hudspeth, 42, is the passing game coordinator under Dan Mullen at Mississippi State.  Hudspeth spent seven years as Head Coach at North Alabama, making three national semifinal appearances.  Hudspeth also has a good reputation as a recruiter and spent time as an assistant at the United States Naval Academy.  Hudspeth told a blogger for the Clarion-Ledger that he was not going to interview, but it looks as though that's just coachspeak.

Thompson also said the Cajuns will interview a minority candidate.  Although he could not pinpoint the candidate, Alabama Associate Head Coach Burton Burns and Bethune-Cookman Head Coach Brian Jenkins are believed to be on the Cajuns list.

BJ Thompson's website, cajunredzone.com, is a site devoted to Ragin Cajuns recruiting in all sports as well as general information concerning Ragin' Cajuns athletics.  He is a regular correspondent on NBC, heard Tuesdays at 5pm on ESPN 1420.