UI search continues

Idaho’s search for a new head football coach might enter a second week.

Montana State coach Mike Kramer, considered by many as a leading candidate, interviewed Thursday in Moscow. It’s believed Washington State defensive coordinator Robb Akey also visited with Vandals officials Thursday. Candidates were expected to meet with Idaho athletic director Rob Spear, president Tim White and the Vandals’ search committee.

Kramer, who played for the Vandals in the mid-1970s and grew up in Colton, Wash., didn’t return a phone message. Kramer is 40-43 in seven seasons at Montana State. Including his six seasons at Eastern Washington, Kramer’s overall record is 77-75.

Akey has been at WSU since 1998. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2003 and he also coaches the defensive line. Akey had previous assistant coaching stops at Weber State and Northern Arizona. He hasn’t returned phone messages.

Idaho issued a press release Thursday stating that a press conference is unlikely today and probably won’t happen until Monday at the earliest.

That timeline suggests that the Vandals are looking at additional candidates in their search to replace Dennis Erickson, who was officially hired Monday at Arizona State.

Idaho is known to have talked to Kramer, Akey and former Vandals coach John L. Smith, who withdrew his name from consideration Tuesday. Blaine Bennett, one of Smith’s assistants at Michigan State, now appears to be involved in the search. Jim Harbaugh, who has interviewed for openings at two other schools, also could be on Idaho’s list.

Reached by telephone Thursday morning, Bennett said he was at an airport and was planning to fly to Spokane to see his parents.

Asked if he would be speaking with Idaho officials about the coaching vacancy, Bennett said, “You will have to talk to Rob Spear about that.”

At the outset of the search, Spear said he wouldn’t return phone calls until a coach is selected. It was Smith’s understanding that Bennett would get a look at Idaho.

Bennett, a native of Walla Walla, was the assistant head coach and receivers coach at Michigan State in 2006. He began his collegiate career as a quarterback for Erickson at Idaho (1983-85), where he lettered on the Vandals’ 1985 Big Sky Conference championship team that finished 9-3. He then became a two-year starter at quarterback for his father “Shorty” at Whitworth in 1986-87.

Bennett was the head coach at Western Oregon from 1995-2000 before joining Joe Tiller’s staff at Purdue.