SU, Auburn talking to Gill

Syracuse and Auburn have received permission to speak with Buffalo coach Turner Gill, one of the hottest young coaching commodities in the country. Gill led the 8-5 Bulls to an improbable MAC championship this season and a spot against UConn in the Jan. 3 International Bowl in Toronto, completing one of the biggest turnarounds in the history of Eastern football. Buffalo was 10-69 in its first seven years as a Division I program before Gill, a Heisman finalist at Nebraska in 1993, arrived three years ago. Gill is one of six candidates for the high-powered, but highly political Auburn job. He seems more suited for the Syracuse job because of his growing respect in Eastern football. But even though Skip Holtz today withdrew his name from consideration, there is no guarantee Gill will be offered that Big East job. Doug Marrone, the offensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints and a former Syracuse captain in 1984, has already interviewed twice with AD Daryl Gross. Gross may be looking for an ... (link)