Donnan, Walker Take Names Out of Hat

North Carolina Director of Athletics Dick Baddour is convinced he has an attractive football program to sell.

But Baddour's task of finding a new coach might just be a little tougher than planned.

One day after Carl Torbush was fired as UNC's coach, Northwestern coach Randy Walker and Georgia coach Jim Donnan said they weren't interested in the job.

Walker, who was an assistant coach at UNC from 1978-87, released a statement that said he would remain the Wildcats' coach.

"I am not interested in the coaching job at North Carolina or any other coaching position," Walker said in the statement. "It is my intention to finish my coaching career at Northwestern."

Donnan, who grew up in Burlington, said he will stay at Georgia as long as he can.

"I'm very happy at Georgia," Donnan said. "I have no interest in going anywhere else."

The athletics directors at Virginia Tech and Southern Mississippi said Tuesday they were confident their coaches would stay put, as well.

Virginia Tech Director of Athletics Jim Weaver said no one from UNC has contacted him about Hokies coach Frank Beamer, a native of Mount Airy. Even so, Weaver doesn't expect Beamer to leave Blacksburg, Va., after his 14th season at Virginia Tech.

"This happens every year, two or three times a year, at the end of the season," Weaver said. "I full well expect - when the dust settles - that Frank Beamer will still be at Virginia Tech."

Weaver said Beamer, who has a five-year contract that can get extended by a year after each season, could take another job. The buyout would be about $850,000, about four times Beamer's base salary.

Weaver expects any athletics director pursuing Beamer to contact him after the Hokies play Virginia on Saturday but before Virginia Tech's bowl game.

Southern Mississippi Director of Athletics Richard Giannini said Golden Eagles coach Jeff Bower has a self-imposed policy that forbids him from talking to another school before the season ends. Southern Miss will play in the Mobile Alabama Bowl on Dec. 20.

Bower has a base salary of $165,000 on his contract, which has three years remaining on it. Giannini said Texas Tech and Houston contacted him last season about their openings.

"I think there are very few places that he would ultimately have an interest in," Giannini said. "I can't say whether North Carolina would fall in that category or not. It would take a special situation.

"I know North Carolina is a special situation. A lot of coaches are out there seeking jobs and looking for every opportunity in the world, and he's not one of those types. Whoever wants him is going to have to sell him, not the other way around."

Baddour won't reveal which coaches he is considering, but he said at Monday's press conference that he thinks he can find a coach that will resurrect UNC's football program.

"I don't mean this in a boastful way, but I think the University of North Carolina has a lot to offer," Baddour said. "I don't worry about any competition with other schools to attract the best possible situation."

Louisville Director of Athletics Tom Jurich, Pittsburgh Athletic Director Steve Pederson and Georgia Southern Director of Athletics Sam Baker said Tuesday they haven't been contacted by UNC.

Louisville coach John L. Smith has a contract that runs through 2007. Pittsburgh coach Walt Harris' contract runs through 2006.

Jurich said any school with a coaching vacancy could call and talk to Smith, who led the Cardinals to the Conference USA title and a Liberty Bowl berth this season.

Baker said Georgia Southern coach Paul Johnson, who is from Newland, always says he is just trying to keep the job he has. Baker also said he wouldn't stand in Johnson's way if he wanted to make a move.

"If an institution such as North Carolina comes with the financial resources it has, there's not much we can do to try and compete there," Baker said.

Baddour said he needs to be aggressive and find UNC's new coach as quickly as possible. Junior wideout Kory Bailey said North Carolina's new leader will be coming to a place with a good atmosphere.

Said Bailey, "Any coach that would like to be the head coach of a college football team wouldn't mind being here because it's such a nice situation."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.