Sounds Of Silence Fail To Halt Tormey Intrigue

All quiet on the University of Washington front. Minimal noise on the Oregon State front. Most associated with the Idaho football program are wondering if it’s the calm before the storm.

Vandals’ head coach Chris Tormey is due to return today to Moscow. Those close to the fourth-year coach insist they don’t know if Tormey is UW-bound, OSU-bound or staying put.

That includes Tormey himself. “You know what, I’m not real clear right now what will happen,” Tormey said Thursday night in a telephone interview from Portland. “There’s nothing new to disclose (on UW’s situation).”

UI athletic director Mike Bohn tried Thursday to contact UW counterpart Barbara Hedges and OSU’s Mitch Barnhart, but was unsuccessful. Both schools are interested in Tormey.

Toledo’s Gary Pinkel, who interviewed at UW on Wednesday, returned to Ohio Thursday with no offer in hand, Toledo A.D. Pete Liske said. “He doesn’t know, I’m positive of that. He thought it went fine.”

There were unconfirmed reports that UW was making a run at Northwestern’s Gary Barnett, but Wildcats’ assistant A.D. Brad Hurlbut insisted Thursday, “There is no truth to that rumor.”

An informed source at Washington said the search is complete, but an announcement won’t be made Friday. The only other known candidate to interview was ex-Texas coach John Mackovic.

Liske didn’t view the day’s events necessarily as a negative on Pinkel’s candidacy. Some suggested that if Pinkel were Washington’s choice he would have been asked to stay in Seattle.

OSU made contact Thursday with Tormey, sources said.

“This is just a crucial time the next 48 hours; it just doesn’t make any sense to comment on any discussions with Oregon State,” Tormey said.

Tormey said he’s “still recruiting for the Vandals. We’re still being very well received. I think this will be a good recruiting class no matter what happens. The natural question is, `What if,’ but I think the kids are OK with it no matter what happens.”

OSU’s Barnhart left Thursday morning to begin searching for a successor to Mike Riley, who signed a five-year contract with the San Diego Chargers. Barnhart has use of a private plane, courtesy of an OSU booster. Barnhart was expected to visit candidates for the next few days, OSU spokesman Hal Cowan said.

Tormey, 43, appears to meet qualifications OSU is pushing for in its next coach.

“I think he (Barnhart) is looking for a guy similar to Riley,” Cowan said. “Obviously, we’re geared to be a throwing team… . I watched the Humanitarian Bowl and Tormey, from what I saw, is running stuff that is the same as what we’re doing.”