At some point in each recent offseason, Pat Casey said other athletic departments have come calling to gauge his interest in running their baseball program.

The Oregon State coach has typically declined to open discussions, saying that he has never actively pursued another job since arriving in Corvallis in 1994.

But rarely can a job as high-profile and resource-rich as Texas come into the picture. The Longhorns expressed interest in hiring the 57-year-old Casey after legendary coach Augie Garrido stepped down in May, and Casey confirmed Monday that he interviewed in person for the position last week "on the West Coast."

Casey said he was offered the position following the interview, but he turned down the job the next morning.

"Hopefully from my answer to them, people can see what I think of the (Oregon State) baseball program," Casey told The Oregonian/OregonLive by phone Monday.

The Oregon native, for whom the 2017 season will be his 23rd at OSU, declined to discuss the dollar amount offered by Texas. But the likelihood is that the university could have offered to increase Casey's salary, which will be $3.3 million through the 2020 season - an average of $825,000 per year.

Garrido reportedly was making $1.04 million per year. Texas, which has not yet filled its baseball coach vacancy, pays Charlie Strong the sixth-highest football coaching salary in the country and Shaka Smart the 13th-highest men's basketball coaching salary in the country, according to USA Today databases.

Casey and an Oregon State athletic department spokesman declined comment on any potential contract extension or salary increase, although Casey said that anything he and athletic director Todd Stansbury "choose to do doesn't have anything to do with the University of Texas."

In addition to deep pockets, the Longhorns also have a long-standing tradition of baseball success. They have won six national titles, including two under Garrido, in 2002 and 2005.

Both of Oregon State's College World Series titles came under Casey, in 2006 and 2007. After a one-year hiatus in 2008, the Beavers reached the NCAA Tournament each of the next seven years, including a College World Series appearance in 2013.

After spending most of the 2016 season in national top 25 polls, the Beavers had a mid-May swoon that put them on the NCAA Tournament bubble. But after winning five of their last six games to finish the year 35-19, Oregon State did not hear its named called during Selection Monday on Memorial Day.

Casey said he was frustrated that members of the Pac-12 did not do more to advocate to the selection committee for Oregon State, whose exclusion from the 64-team field was one of the tournament's big surprises. In the midst of that frustration, he said Texas pursued him for the next two weeks before he agreed to meet for an interview.

"I guess I wanted to hear what they had to say," Casey said. "None of those things changed how I felt about Oregon State."

Casey has long-established roots in the state. He was born in McMinnville, attended Newberg High School and the University of Portland, and coached baseball at George Fox University in Newberg for seven seasons before taking the same job at Oregon State.

With a 789-440 record at OSU, Casey has won more baseball games than any coach in Oregon State history. He is 960-554 overall, 40 wins shy of 1,000.

He has also spearheaded fundraising efforts leading to extensive ballpark renovations in Corvallis. The school christened Goss Stadium at Coleman Field in 1999, added light fixtures in 2002, FieldTurf and a video board in 2007, and expanded grandstands in 2008, among other additions.

"My loyalty speaks for itself," Casey said.

-- Danny Moran