[Husker] JustForwarding

[TODD STRONG]

UPDATE: Two sources told Steve Gorten of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that Bo Pelini has indeed spoken to Kirby Hocutt about the Miami job, but that he has not been offered the position. That could explain why Pelini didn't come out and say that he had no interest in or plans to speak with the Canes. Another source tells Gorten that Dan Mullen and Al Golden are no longer in the mix, seemingly leaving Randy Edsall and Tommy Tuberville -- with perhaps Kevin Sumlin thrown in there -- to duke it out.
 
 The elimination of Mullen and Golden would seem to support this tweet from FootballRumorMill.com -- "Look for a decision from Miami very soon" -- and an earlier report (at bottom) that Hocutt could make a decision this weekend.
 
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 Tom Osborne told Steven M. Sipple of the Lincoln Journal-Star that he did not give Bo Pelini permission to interview, and Pelini said that he did not ask anyone for permission to do so. As for whether Pelini does plan to speak with Miami, the coach said: "I don't address rumor and innuendo."
 
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 Miami's top targets
 Dan Mullen, Mississippi State: target 1B Appears to be heading to Florida or staying put.Randy Edsall, Connecticut: Said to be very interested, and at age 52 he may stay for the long haul.Tommy Tuberville, Texas Tech: Former Canes DC knows The U's culture and still has plenty of connections in area.Al Golden, Temple: ACC experience (Virginia, Boston College) is a big plus, but is he waiting for Penn State?Kevin Sumlin, Houston: Offensive whiz biding his time until he makes a move to a BCS-conference school.Bo Pelini, Nebraska: Knows AD Kirby Hocutt from their time at Oklahoma; Hocutt also knows Carl Pelini from K-State.With Dan Mullen presumed to be going to Florida or staying put at Mississippi State, athletic director Kirby Hocutt can now turn his attention to the next names on his list. The Miami Herald reports that Mullen spoke with Connecticut's Randy Edsall, Texas Tech's Tommy Tuberville and Mullen while in New York for the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame awards.
 
 Edsall is now believed to be the leading candidate -- the Herald characterized him as "receiving strong consideration" -- but Hocutt also has interest in Temple's Al Golden and a new name: Nebraska's Bo Pelini.
 
 A source tells the Herald that Hocutt plans to speak with Pelini, who was granted permission to talk to the Hurricanes. However, a different source told the Herald that Pelini has given mixed signals about the job, at some points showing great interest and at others expressing reservations.
 
 (We'd be remiss if we didn't give props to Jorge Milian of the Palm Beach Post, who we told you on Wednesday wrote that he was hearing the names of Edsall, Golden and Tuberville most prominently and that there appeared to be at least one mystery candidate.)
 
 We're shocked that Huskers AD Tom Osborne would allow Pelini to interview for another job. Is Osborne just being agreeable, is there a rift we don't know about (perhaps stemming from Pelini's sideline outbursts and tension between him and QB Taylor Martinez), or does Osborne have someone in mind he'd like to give the Nebraska job to? Even if Pelini doesn't make the move -- which seems likely -- a lot of questions have been raised.
 
 For what its worth, a source tells Milian that Hocutt could make a decision as early as this weekend, which would seem to make sense if he's happy with the candidates he has spoken with and if Pelini is not in play.