For two days, I've heard former Purdue coach Danny Hope was all but officially on board at FIU. But on Dec. 31 another source said that definitely wasn't true and another well-placed Camp Mitch source insisted FIU hasn't even talked to Hope. Both sources reiterated that to me today.
And one of my most trusted sources, never wrong before, tells me Hope was spotted on campus last weekend with President Mark Rosenberg.
None of the current coaching staff, still technically employed by FIU, has been contacted by any prospect coming in about staying at FIU.
As far as recruiting, Thursday is the last day of the Dead Period (no coach-initiated contact allowed) and Friday starts a three-day Quiet Period (recruit-coach contact must take place on campus). Monday starts a three-day dead period before full bore recruiting Jan. 11-Feb. 3, another Quiet Period day. Feb. 4-7 is a Dead Period, although the fax machines can start whirring on Feb. 6, National Signing Day. Player or parent-initiated phone calls or letters or e-mails are permitted.
Here's something to think about: former Dolphins interim coach Todd Bowles, who wound up in Philadelphia this year on the staff for now-fired Andy Reid, interviewed for the job at his alma mater, Temple. An obvious interest in returning to college coaching -- Bowles was defensive coordinator at Morehouse and Grambling -- a past association with athletic director Pete Garcia as assistant coach with Cleveland when Garcia was there with Butch Davis, a familiarity with South Florida and heading into a third consecutive offseason of uncertainty...just a thought.
