Southern Oregon University coach opening

I thought he was just a interim coach and they were starting a "nationwide" search for a new coach.

You are right. Original press release indicates that he is interim and a search would be conducted in spring. A little surprising though. I would think that if he were doing what they want and a good job for the program it would be a huge cost savings, time savings and simpler to just remove the interim tag and name him head coach.

Ashland, Ore. —

Southern Oregon University Athletic Director Matt Sayre announced earlier this week that Raider and Weed High School alum Grier Gatlin will serve as interim head cross country and track and field coach, replacing the recently departed Brent Ericksen.

Over this past weekend, Ericksen was named the head cross country and track and field coach at NCAA Division I Morehead State.

Gatlin competed for SOU in cross country and track and served as both a head coach and assistant coach for the Raiders.

“We're confident in Grier's ability to perpetuate the success of our current program,” Sayre states in a press release. “He has a tremendous work ethic, he knows our university and program, and he knows the Cascade Conference. He'll continue the training program this year that has made our cross country team elite and work to bolster the track and field program with solid recruiting and an eye toward more dual-sport athletes.”

From 1999-2005, Gatlin served as the head cross country coach for the Raiders and assistant track and field coach.

In cross country, he led the SOU men to back-to-back Cascade Conference titles in 2004 and 2005. The 2004 squad won the NAIA Regional Championship and placed 12th at the NAIA National Championships and the 2005 squad finished 10th at the national meet.

In 2001, Gatlin took over the SOU women's track and field program on an interim basis and led the team to a Cascade Conference Championship. That year's team had 10 conference champions and four All-Americans.

“This is an amazing opportunity to step into a program that has been so successful over the last couple years,” Gatlin said. “It's also great to come back to the school where I competed and also got my coaching feet wet.”

As a student-athlete at SOU, Gatlin was a three-time all-conference performer. After SOU, he served as the co-head cross country and track and field coach at NCAA Division III Pacific during the 2006 and 2007 seasons and was the head cross country coach at Oregon Tech last year.

SOU says a national coaching search will take place in the spring of 2012.

During Ericksen’s three years at SOU, the Raiders won three Cascade Conference Men's Cross Country titles, the 2010 NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championship and the 2010 NAIA Combined National Championship, and the men's track and field team was just edged at this past year's Cascade Conference Championships. Ericksen was named the NAIA Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year this past Fall.

There may be administrative rules that require a national search for certain staff positions. Even if the committee wanted to hand him the full time job, they may be required to run a normal search.

Koppenberg wrote:

There may be administrative rules that require a national search for certain staff positions. Even if the committee wanted to hand him the full time job, they may be required to run a normal search.

i predict this is the case. that is protocol at every state-related u. that i am aware of.

Is this just a formality ??? Interested ...

Any News on what's going on at SOU? Have an Interim now - Job closes May 7th

Cam Levens should coach them. He just needs an iPad.

Or Cam Levins should coach them. He just needs an ePad.