Cal Coaching Search Ending? Mike MacIntyre, Bob Diaco, Sonny Dykes, Chris Petersen Updates

Mike Silver reportedly says a hire will be made sometime this week. Could be today. Could be tomorrow, could be Friday, might be Saturday. Won't be Sunday though. That's not this week.

There aren't many sources on this situation. The best is Jim McGill, and he's guessing along with the rest of us.

The names I've heard the most are Petersen, Diaco and Dykes. I'd be fine with any of them, though I'd qualify that I'd only be comfortable with a strong DC with Dykes. He'd likely bring former UCLA DC and current NMSU HC DeWayne Walker, who's pretty solid on D and a strong recruiter, but not super-inspiring.

I'm not saying it will be one of them, just that they're thee ones I've been hearing the most buzz on in relation to the opening. And Wednesday was the estimate I've heard the most but by no means did anyone say that day was set in stone.

Mike MacIntyre

MacIntyre has always rumored to be a top target for Cal. Jimmy Durkin has talked about it.

San Jose State coach Mike MacIntyre said Tuesday that he has received some preliminary contact about other coaching openings, but said "I'm not hunting for a job."

MacIntyre said contact has occurred through SJSU athletic director Gene Bleymaier, but the coach declined to identify what schools may have been in touch or how many schools have made contact.

Durkin later combined with Jon Wilner to say that Cal has interviewed MacIntyre, apparently sometime last Friday.

We haven't talked about MacIntyre much, but it's been clear since this process started that he would have to be a candidate that Cal has looked at. He's right down in San Jose State, he's familiar with the Bay Area, he's turned around the Spartans in short order, and he's rectified their dire APR situation. A BCS ranking doesn't hurt either.

I do like the fact that MacIntyre has kept this situation close to the vest and has maintained radio silence on any such developments. This stands in stark contrast to a few other candidates on this list. Very professional, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear his name called.

Bob Diaco

There are no updates on Diaco with regards to Cal, but the good news is that the team most likely to scoop him up decided to go in another direction. Boston College seemed to have Diaco on their shortlist, but instead went after Temple head coach Steve Addazio.

Also, Diaco won an award.

Congrats to our 2012 #BroylesAward Winner Bob Diaco, Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator, Notre Dame (@125ndfb @fightingirish) #NDFB

— Broyles Award (@BroylesAward) December 4, 2012

Spoke w Bob Diaco (DC of the Year). Incredibly humble. Asked that we pass along thanks to all coaches who nominated him & 2 prior winners

— FootballScoop Staff (@footballscoop) December 5, 2012

I like guys who are the best at things. However, so does Notre Dame and their vast donor base, and they might try and do their best to compensate him well enough to stay in South Bend at least another year.

Sonny Dykes

Dykes isn't saying much, but his athletic director won't stop chirping.

Louisiana Tech athletic director Bruce Van De Velde said he won't get in a bidding war with Cal for coach Sonny Dykes, suggesting, "I'm sure if he gets an offer, he'll consider it strongly."

Cal's search for a new coach enters its third week after the Nov. 20 firing of Jeff Tedford, but an athletic department spokesman said there will be no comment, including a timetable, until a new coach is hired.

Cal athletic director Sandy Barbour, who has kept a low profile throughout the process, declined a request for an interview.

Dykes, whose Bulldogs lead the nation in scoring, interviewed with Cal over the weekend and is perhaps the front-runner.

Van De Velde told this newspaper Monday that he expects a decision by Dykes "within the next day or so, I would hope."

Asking about Cal's field of candidates, Van De Velde also wondered, "Why haven't they talked to Mike MacIntyre? He's a hell of a coach."

Hey, maybe when Cal selects its next coach, this Van de Velde dude can decline our choice too! I hear he's real good at it.

All that nonsense aside, Dykes is definitely in the running. Stay tuned here.

Chris Petersen

Let us formally congratulate Razorback fans on giving Petersen the Arkansas job, then summarily surrendering it to Bret Bielema once the man figured out there was prime pork to be found in Hogville. A first-rate performance by everyone there.

As with regards to anything out of the Petersen camp. Nothing. Nada. Bupkus. Not a peep.

This seems to infer one of two possibilities.

1) He's sick of all these rumors, has draped the veil of secrecy, and is busy at work trying to beat his old defensive coordinator in Vegas. This Arkansas nonsense had to be the last straw. I'd just never talk to the media again after that.

2) The other possibility is...well...yeah. You know.

Tim DeRuyter

DeRuyter is a potential dark horse candidate after leading Fresno State to a solid 9-3 season. His name has been circulated a couple of times. However, if Butch Jones decides to look away from Colorado after his visit there and nothing comes from Bronco Mendenhall, DeRuyter might be a backup option.

If Butch Jones doesn't want CU job, been told Fresno's Tim DeRuyter does want it. And he beat CU 69-14. @sportspen

— Mark Kiszla (@markkiszla) December 5, 2012

If Sandy is checking out DeRuyter, she's kept it way on the down low. Cal is probably ahead in the ladder over Colorado, so if we want him, we could probably get first dibs.

Hue Jackson & Ron Rivera

Well, Hue definitely wants it, according to this Rivals interview.

Rivals: What are the chances Hue leaves Cincinnati?

Eric Adelson: Seventy-five percent. If he was offered the job, I think it's high. Most of his career he was in college, he was a head coach in the NFL once, and I think he probably didn't get the amount of time in the situation he would've liked. And he's got a chance to build something. Obviously Cal's not starting from nothing, but the Raiders, they were sort of built for him. This is something he can put his own stamp on. He's a mentor type coach, he's really close to Ray Lewis, who's like a son to him. I imagine he would want to replicate that at a college program.

The question is if Cal is ready to give him the job, at which point no one has any real idea.

As for Rivera...

Rivals: What about Rivera, what are the chances he leaves Carolina?

Adelson: Thirty percent. Simply because I sort of see him more as a pro. I don't know that he's going to want to jump straight to a college team after getting his first head coaching job. That team is better than people give him credit for. And he's not a quitter. I mean, he's got Cam Newton. I don't think he wants to be someone who leaves Cam Newton, and then watches them become a turnaround team, and Cam Newton's named the MVP. Their record stinks, but it's early. Again, I understand the pull of college. But he has already made headway, more than people think.

I just don't see this happening unless the Panthers fire Rivera before the season ends. But at this point it's December and the season is pretty much non-salvageable, so I'm not sure it makes any sense to fire Rivera right now. And Cal is probably aiming for a hire this week. And Rivera is 8-19 as an NFL head coach and is 1-12 in games decided by a touchdown or less. Probably not the candidate Cal wants.

Charlie Strong

Was he ever really in the running? We interviewed him back in the day when Tom Holmoe was hired, but it seems like a race between Louisville getting him back and Tennessee trying to nab him.

Greg Roman

Mum's the word here. I'd guess unlikely since the 49ers are headed to the playoffs and he might not be available for another month and a half. But we did a Q&A on him, so let's consider him in the running!

Justin Wilcox

Eliminated

Kent State head coach Darrell Hazell got hired by Purdue. This feels like a real good hire. I would've really liked him in case some of the main targets said no. Hopefully we don't get into backup options.