Miner coordinator logical candidate for teams

mgsteve · November 14, 2006

By Matthew Aguilar / El Paso Times

Article Launched:11/14/2006 12:00:00 AM MST

UTEP offensive coordinator Eric Price loves El Paso. His wife loves El Paso. But, if opportunity comes knocking, he'll answer the door.

"One of my career goals is to become a head coach," said Price, oldest son of Miner head coach Mike Price and a possible candidate at North Texas. "I don't know exactly when that will happen. Sooner or later, I hope. But I haven't heard from anybody. It's just a lot of rumors and stuff."

Price, 40, was hired as the Miners' offensive coordinator in December 2003, when his father accepted the head coaching job. He is considered one of the hottest offensive coordinators in the nation after designing the explosive UTEP offenses that appeared in back-to-back bowl games, and for overseeing the development of record-breaking players like quarterback Jordan Palmer (he owns all of the Miners' career passing and total offense records) and receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins (the school's career touchdown leader).

North Texas recently fired head coach Darrell Dickey.

But when -- and if -- it happens, it wouldn't

be easy for Price to leave El Paso. He said the past three seasons have been the most enjoyable of his coaching career.

"(Wanting a head coaching job) has nothing to do with whether I like it here, because I love it here," he said. "It's one of my favorite places I've ever coached. The people, the program -- they're trying to help you. They're not against you. The players have been great. And my wife really likes it here."

Price served as offensive coordinator on his father's staff at Alabama in 2003, was quarterbacks coach for the New York Jets from 2001-02 and at Washington State, again with his father, from 1998-00.

He also has coached at Northern Arizona, Cal Poly, Miami, Hawaii and Weber State, where he also was a player for the elder Price from 1988-91.

Price said North Texas is an appealing job.

"It's something that I would look into, if anyone was to contact me," he said. "I haven't really thought about it, really. I don't know if I've even updated my résumé since New York. For my last two jobs (Alabama and UTEP), my résumé didn't need to be too sharp. The head man knew me.

"But those two programs are top-notch programs. And there are big-time coaches going after those jobs. So, just to be mentioned with them would be a good deal for me."

Mike Price said the rumors about his son being a head-coaching candidate make sense.

"I think he's really ready," Mike Price said of his son. "He does not want to leave. He loves it here. But he's in a position now where, if he continues to do well with his bowl connections and being an established coordinator, he could be a real great head coach at a school like North Texas. I would think that he would be be one of the candidates.

"I think (Tulsa) considered him last time, when they hired (current head coach Steve Kragthorpe). And there was some talk at New Mexico State, too, (before the Aggies hired Hal Humme). He just wasn't here and established enough back then. But his name is starting to come up in some of those (hiring) committees."

Speaking of new jobs, Mike Price said he has not been contacted by Iowa State, which has a head-coaching vacancy that he was rumored to be a candidate for, according to The Sporting News.

"I have not been contacted," he said. "I thought the coach who was there (Dan McCarney) did a real good job. And I think everyone liked him. I think it was a hard decision for them. But no one has contacted me."

Other early candidates for that job opening, according to The Sporting News, are Texas defensive coordinator Gene Chizik, the University of San Diego's Jim Harbaugh, former Texas assistant Tim Brewster, now tight ends coach for the Denver Broncos, and Louisiana State defensive coordinator Bo Pelini