Report: Oregon Made Push To Hire Matt Rhule Before He Took Baylor Job

Matt Rhule took the job at Baylor today, filling the void left this spring by Art Briles. According to USA Today's Dan Wolken, the Bears weren't the only big program after the Temple head coach.

Wolken says that the Oregon Ducks, who are yet to fill their head coaching job after firing Mark Helfrich, were hard after Rhule on Monday night before he settled on the job at Baylor.

Considering the recent scandal at Baylor—and the resources at Oregon—it is a bit of a surprise that he would go with the Bears, though he does have a preexisting relationship with new Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades, who interviewed him at Missouri last season. The Tigers eventually promoted defensive coordinator Barry Odom to head coach.

It is unclear which direction Oregon will wind up going in. Many pegged P.J. Fleck as a candidate for the job, but it doesn't sound like Oregon brass are interested in the Boat Rowing Western Michigan head coach. Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin, Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, and USF head coach Willie Taggart have all been floated as candidates, but the Ducks are a very interesting situation, and there is no real precedent for the direction in which Oregon will go.