Former Oregon coach Mike Bellotti and current Georgia coach Mark Richt have emerged as candidates to replace Dan Hawkins as Colorado's football coach.
Bellotti said Friday he would like to get back into coaching and has had preliminary talks with Colorado about its opening. A source close to Colorado's search also said the school is interested in talking with Richt, one of the top coaches in the Southeastern Conference over the past decade.
Bellotti, 59, would be the quicker hire if CU is looking to make a move soon. He is working as an analyst for ESPN after 14 years at Oregon and a short stint as the school's athletic director.
"We had some initial talks, nothing more than that," Bellotti said Friday from Oklahoma, where he's broadcasting today's Texas Tech-Oklahoma game. "As this thing goes on, we'll see. That's the only way I can characterize it."
During his tenure at Oregon, Bellotti's teams played Colorado three times. Colorado beat Oregon 38-6 in the 1996 Cotton Bowl and 51-43 in the 1998 Aloha Classic and lost 38-16 in the 2002 Fiesta Bowl.
Bellotti said he has been contacted by other schools, some of which don't have an opening yet. He said he doesn't know enough about the Colorado situation to decide if he'll pursue it.
Bellotti compiled a 116-55 record at Oregon and took the Ducks to 12 bowl games. Oregon finished No. 2 nationally after the 2001 season.
Bellotti resigned after the 2008 season to become athletic director and left that position after nine months to join ESPN.
Richt, 50, has been under fire at Georgia since last year's 8-5 record. The heat intensified early this season when the Bulldogs opened with their first 0-3 Southeastern Conference mark in 10 years, then lost at Colorado 29-27.
However, Richt's 95-32 mark in 10 years is the SEC's best behind Louisiana State and Alabama during that span. Georgia is 5-5 overall and 3-4 in league play with games left today at No. 2 Auburn and Nov. 27 against Georgia Tech.
Richt isn't believed to be in danger of losing his job, but a source said he may be tired of the SEC's pressure cooker and could seek a change in scenery. Richt lived in Broomfield for part of his youth.
Richt makes about $2.8 million in total compensation, and Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn said the school likely can't go over $2 million for its new coach.
In other news concerning the search, CU will not pursue former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, who was fired last season after he locked a player in a tool shed as a punitive measure.
"Too much baggage," a Colorado source said.
CU is expected to name a search committee next week.
