Add Jeff Tedford to the lengthy list of coaches that could be vying for position in a wide-open college job market.
The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator and Cal head coach has resigned his position as head coach of the Canadian Football League's BC Lions, and according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, search firms vetting candidates for open college jobs have been in touch with him. Tedford said in a statement that he was resigning "in order to pursue other opportunities in college football."
The biggest job to come open this offseason has been filled this week with USC's hire of interim coach Clay Helton. The second-biggest job -- the Georgia job vacated by Mark Richt's departure -- reportedly will be filled by Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart.
However, there are no obvious ties between Tedford's coaching background and the college jobs that are available. Openings remain in the SEC (South Carolina, Missouri), the ACC (Miami, Virginia, Syracuse), and the Big Ten (Maryland, Rutgers), plus a score of jobs in the Group of Five conferences. None of them, however, are on the West Coast, which is where Tedford has spent his entire college coaching career (Cal, Oregon, Fresno State). As an Oregon assistant, his head coach was Mike Bellotti, who is no longer coaching.
That makes a potential landing spot for Tedford difficult to project, but administrative relationships can play a role, as well.
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