Batten: NCSU Not Expected To Make A Hire Until Next Week At The Earliest

According to a report from Sammy Batten of the Fayetteville Observer, we should not expect a hire until next week at the earliest. The reason being that multiple candidates are playing in conference title games this weekend.

Round 1 of interviews to find a replacement for football coach Tom O'Brien at N.C. State have been conducted. Round 2 isn't expected to begin until after this weekend's conference championship games, according to two sources who have knowledge of the process.

Dave Doeren and NIU face Darrell Hazell and Kent State in the MAC title game on Friday night, and they would presumably be two of those candidates, though Hazell's name hasn't been making the rounds all that much, seems to me.

And of course there is Nick Saban, who is coaching Alabama in the SEC title game. Dare to dream! (Just kidding. Don't do that.)

Yow has said that her top choice is still in play, and maybe this is an indication that said choice is not Sonny Dykes after all. Some rumors connecting Dykes to the Cal opening also hit the tubes on Thursday night, so who the hell knows what's happening. The wait may end up being a little longer than we'd have hoped--but at least none of these dudes can prolong the matter with an unexpected run to the Final Four.