Report: Mike Yurcich Contacted by Alabama’s Nick Saban

According to a report from Scout, OSU offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich is staying put with the Cowboys after being contacted by Alabama head coach Nick Saban earlier this week for the same position.

Here’s Robert Allen with the reported details:

Multiple sources told Go Pokes that Mike Yurcich was contacted on Monday by Alabama head coach Nick Saban to either determine his interest in the offensive coordinator job or outright offer him the position with the Crimson Tide.

The dust cleared on Tuesday and our sources indicate that much like he decided when in “final two” contention for the Auburn offensive coordinator position, Yurcich has decided to stay in Stillwater coaching quarterbacks and calling plays for Oklahoma State.

Nick Saban’s former offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian spent one game calling plays (a loss in the national title game to Clemson), before bolting to the NFL to take the same job with the Atlanta Falcons.

This report shouldn’t come as a surprise. Yurcich was reported as a candidate for an offensive coordinator job at Auburn after Rhett Lashlee abandoned his post, but nobly pulled out of the running to stay with OSU.

Yurcich’s interest from Alabama comes at an interesting time. After the regular season ended, Mike Gundy was reportedly flirting with the Baylor job before staying put at OSU, and this makes the second report of other schools’ interest in Yurcich.

It is believed that Mike Gundy has still not come to a contract agreement with OSU, which could potentially entail disagreements with coaching assistant salaries. Gundy has always been a big proponent of getting his assistants paid. Whether the interest from Alabama is legitimate or not, one has to wonder if and how this will be used by Gundy to gain leverage in the negotiation process with Oklahoma State.