Houston in 'final inning' of search for football coach

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University of Houston board of regents chairman Tilman Fertitta said Thursday that the school is still on target to name a new head football coach by this weekend.

"We're in the final inning here," Fertitta said.

Four finalists – interim coach/defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, offensive coordinator Major Applewhite, Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin and former LSU coach Les Miles – remain under consideration, Fertitta said.

A report Thursday morning by USA Today said UH had decided on Kiffin "pending a Thursday meeting at which school president Renu Khator will have to give the final OK."

UH officials met Thursday, a source confirmed, but it was not immediately known whether a decision was made or if the list of finalists had been narrowed.

Any report that Kiffin was the choice was premature, and Fertitta stressed late Thursday that the university's search committee still planned to discuss the four finalists.

"I think any one of those four guys will be a great head coach," Fertitta said.

Houston Cougars offensive coach Major Applewhite talks to the media during a morning press conference in Atlanta on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015. ( Elizabeth Conley / Houston Chronicle ) Houston Cougars offensive coach Major Applewhite talks to the media during a morning press conference in Atlanta on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015. ( Elizabeth Conley / Houston Chronicle ) Photo: Houston Chronicle Photo: Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Houston in 'final inning' of search for football coach 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

Kiffin has been interviewed twice by UH officials and had dinner with Fertitta earlier this week in New York City.

"We like Lane a lot, but he has not been offered the job," Fertitta said.

Kiffin is also considered the top choice to become offensive coordinator at LSU and could receive interest for the head-coaching job at South Florida.

UH officials interviewed five candidates for the job to replace Tom Herman, who stepped down Nov. 26 to take the job at Texas.

Oklahoma offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley is no longer under consideration, a source said Wednesday.

The wide-range of candidates offers a little bit of everything for the Cougars.

Miles had a successful 12-year run at LSU, winning a BCS title while competing in an SEC West that is regarded as the toughest division in college football. After being fired by Southern California in 2013, Kiffin has rehabbed his career and image and been a part of three straight College Football Playoff trips with the Crimson Tide, winning one title in 2015.

Applewhite has been a coordinator at UH, Texas, Alabama and Rice. At UH, he's been credited with the development of dual-threat quarterback Greg Ward Jr. Orlando, who has passed up Power Five coordinator jobs each of the past two seasons, has earned a reputation as a big-game planner with three of his defense's best showings coming in wins over top-10 teams Florida State, Oklahoma and Louisville.

There has been speculation that UH's insistence on a hefty buyout could be a stumbling block in negotiations with a few candidates.

"It's not an issue," Fertitta said. "Because if it's an issue, they're not going to be the next head football coach. It isn't an issue, it hasn't become an issue and it won't become an issue."

Also Thursday, Fertitta said a report that UH offered the job to North Carolina coach Larry Fedora early in the process was not true.

"He was never interviewed or offered the job," Fertitta said.