SIRIUS sent forth a transcript today of Terry Bowden’s radio show today and the comments he made regarding his interview at WVU. Bowden and Doc Holiday appear to be the favorites for the job opening created by Rich Rodriguez’s resignation(s).

SIRIUS host Terry Bowden: “This is something we’ve talked about openly,
that as of year or so ago I made a decision to get back into coaching,
that this year for the first time I would make myself available for
interviews.  And I’ve taken some interviews.  We’re going to talk to
some coaches [on the show] that have taken jobs that I’ve interviewed
along with and was proud to see them get the job.  So saying that, I’m a
little reluctant to talk about a job that is currently open, West
Virginia.  If it was closed it would be so much easier for me to be open
with you.  I’m not building up to a terrible discussion on this but the
fact is it is still an ongoing pursuit and I’m still an ongoing
candidate.  Obviously, you can talk to a lot of people about jobs that
you want to go to and would love to be a part of but when this one came
open – and I never thought this would come open in my lifetime because
Rich is a young man who was from West Virginia – but when it did come
open, that’s where I went to grade school, junior high school, high
school and college, in Morgantown.  That’s where I grew up.  My father
was the head football coach there in the early and mid seventies.
That’s where I played and lettered as a football player.  That’s where I
got my degree.  And so, quite obviously, as I look to get back into the
game, and I’ve told you and others privately and publicly I’m going to
go coach football somewhere.  I didn’t care where because I love
coaching football.  That’s what I wanted to do.  It might be this year.
It might be next year.  But when West Virginia came open I felt like,
now that’s a job that would be a dream job for someone from there, to be
able to come into that situation, see if I can get them to that next
level.  So that being said, the interview went damn good.”

SIRIUS host Jack Arute: “I know there are people out there right now
saying, ‘Terry had an incredible run at Auburn but he’s been out of the
game for so very long.  It’s been nine years.  The game has changed.’
How do you answer those critics in not just the West Virginia interview
but some of the other interviews that you’ve engaged in?”

Terry Bowden: “When I decided to go back into coaching I said that’s the
number one question you’ve got to answer.  I’m really a different type
of candidate in that I was out of coaching for nine years.”

Jack Arute: “The only other candidate that I know that is similar to you
is Dick Vermeil.”

Terry Bowden: “That’s exactly what I did.  This summer I went to
Philadelphia.  I called Coach Vermeil and said, ‘Can I spend a day with
you?’  We spent an entire day together and talked about Dick’s
experience as a top young pro head coach at the Philadelphia Eagles,
goes to ABC Sports and really was one of the best in the business.  I
don’t know if I’ve ever seen a guy who analyzed a game from the booth
that was more detailed than he was.  He was great at what he did in TV.
And he did that for a little over 14 years and then he went back to the
NFL and won a Super Bowl.  And so I had to sit with him and say, ‘Dick,
how did the process in your own mind go?  When did you know you wanted
to go back?  Why did you go back?  Did you feel ready?  Did the people
that were talking to you feel you were ready?’  I said, ‘I’m going to
have to deal with every one of those questions.’  And you know what?
Every answer he gave were the answers I knew in my own heart.  One, he
couldn’t live without it.  He had gotten away, he felt a little burned
out.  He felt that he needed to get away but he loved sports so much he
went to football.  And he found out every week in this game, as you and
I know, when you cover two teams [on television], you’re basically
preparing two game plans.  You’re interviewing two sets of coordinators.
You’re interviewing two head coaches.  And you’re really learning every
week.”

Terry Bowden: “The thing that [Vermeil] convinced me and I’m convinced
of is that I’m better now than I was then.  I know all the things that I
did good back when I was coaching at Auburn and I know what I didn’t do
as well.  And now I know how much better to coach and I know what to do
better.  And so he kind of convinced me, you know what, I’m a better
coach right now.  I love what they’re doing at Oregon. I love what
they’re doing at Missouri.  I’ve covered a game at South Florida.  I’ve
covered a game at Texas Tech.  I like certain things certain people are
doing.  I like that line coach over there.  Boy, now that defense is
really good over here.  I want to see if I can hire that guy.  So what
happens, I’ve really had a chance to accumulate my favorite offensive
styles, my favorite defensive coaches and put those things in my little
book of remembrances.  That’s kind of what happened.  That’s the way you
address that situation.  We don’t really step off the sideline.  We just
step into the booth.”