Oregon Coach Appears Front-Runner For Rams Job

Oregon football coach Rich Brooks, who led the Ducks to their first Rose Bowl in 37 years, said Wednesday that he’s been interviewed twice about coaching the Rams.

“There’s not really much I can say other than I obviously have met with them,” he said. “No offers have been made and I don’t know the parameters of the job if it was offered.”

The Los Angeles Times reported Wed nesday that Brooks has been recommended to replace Chuck Knox as head coach by the team’s search committee. Knox was fired last month.

Steve Ortmayer, vice president of football operations, and Jay Zygmunt, senior vice president, made the recommendation to team president John Shaw on Tuesday, the Times reported. Although Brooks is the only candidate to be interviewed more than once, the Times quoted Shaw as saying he was not prepared to offer the job to Brooks yet.

Brooks, 53, said he didn’t know if any further meetings would be held.

Oregon’s coach for 18 seasons, Brooks declined to say what he would find attractive about the Rams job and said he had not met with Rams owner Georgia Frontiere.

Brooks said negotiations continue with UO for an extension of his contract, which has three years remaining.

Brooks earns about $200,000 per year at Oregon.

The Rams announced their intention to move to St. Louis last month.