Jaynes Interested In Tennessee-Chattanooga

Idaho athletic director Oval Jaynes said Friday he likely will interview for the A.D. job at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.

However, Jaynes insisted no interview has been scheduled for Tuesday - as newspapers in Tennessee and Idaho have reported - or any other date.

UTC chancellor Bill Stacy first talked with Jaynes roughly a year ago, but only recently has Jaynes emerged as a candidate.

“I would probably want to talk with him,” Jaynes said during a telephone interview. “But I haven’t talked to (Stacy) in probably nine or 10 days. I’m a little surprised I haven’t heard from him, because one of his aides called and said he’d be getting in touch with me this week.”

A Tennessee paper detailed Jaynes’ interview schedule, noting that he will visit with UTC officials Tuesday morning, attend a public forum at 10:15 a.m. PST and later dine with Stacy.

One problem. Idaho has a tele-conference Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. PST with Jaynes and Idaho president Bob Hoover discussing the outcome of NCAA meetings from Atlanta. Idaho wants to move its home football games to Washington State’s Martin Stadium in the hope of earning I-A status.

Following the teleconference, though, Jaynes said he would listen if UTC wants to talk. A meeting seems logical because Chattanooga is only 100 miles from Atlanta.

Nevertheless, the timing would be awkward, virtually coinciding with the resurfacing of Idaho’s I-A bid.

“I’m focused on what I need to be doing,” Jaynes said. “They tried to get me to come back this week, but I said no. I didn’t want to interrupt my plans.”

Jaynes’ plans included visiting relatives in Tennessee and North Carolina the past few days and tending to UI’s agenda at the NCAA convention, which begins today.

Jaynes, 57, has been at Idaho about 15 months. He acknowledges UTC would bring him closer to his family, which includes his father, 83, and his mother, 81, who is in failing health.

Jaynes knows numerous UTC coaches. He visited with several on the UTC campus over the Christmas holiday when he visited his son in nearby Knoxville.

UTC has interviewed seven candidates since opening its search in October.

Bengal to UI

The Lewiston High School linebacker pipeline to the University of Idaho remains open.

The Bengals’ Grant Wright has orally committed to play football for the Vandals. Wright joins ex-Lewiston linebackers Ryan Skinner and Laki Ah Hi at UI.

Wright, 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, was the Inland Empire League’s co-defensive player of the year with Lake City’s Ian Johnson.

Gray matter

Basketball player Clifford Gray, who suffered a concussion in Idaho’s 97-70 trouncing of UC Santa Barbara on Thursday, is listed as doubtful for tonight’s 7:05 contest with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the Kibbie Dome.

Gray, Idaho’s third-leading scorer at 10.3 points per game and top rebounder at 5.4, was bothered by headaches Friday.

“They’ll look at him (today) and we’ll go from there,” UI coach Dave Farrar said.

Shuffling Cards

North Idaho College men’s basketball coach Hugh Watson is juggling his lineup following Thursday’s 86-74 loss to Snow. Fifth-ranked Dixie (16-1 overall, 4-1 Scenic West) visits the Cardinals at 7:30 tonight.

Sophomore guard Ryan Brosseau will make his first start. JoVann Johnson, who played Thursday after missing two months with a knee injury, will move back into the starting lineup.

, DataTimes