Fred Pagac Interviews for OSU Job

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) â€” Ohio State assistant Fred Pagac interviewed for the Buckeyes' head coaching job Monday. <br><br>Pagac, an Ohio State tight end in the early 1970s, was a graduate assistant under

Tuesday, January 9th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) â€” Ohio State assistant Fred Pagac interviewed for the Buckeyes' head coaching job Monday.

Pagac, an Ohio State tight end in the early 1970s, was a graduate assistant under Woody Hayes in 1978 and named a full assistant by Earle Bruce in 1982. He was John Cooper's top assistant this season.

Pagac said he met with Ohio State athletics director Andy Geiger and associate AD Archie Griffin for about two hours at the American Football Coaches Association convention in Atlanta.

``It seems like everything worked out well,'' Pagac said. ``I felt real good. Hopefully they feel the same way.''

Pagac said he doesn't know when a coach will be hired, but that he expects a decision soon.

Minnesota coach Glen Mason and Youngstown State coach Jim Tressel, who served on the same Ohio State coaching staff under Bruce from 1983-85, also are top candidates for the job. Mason was expected to interview as soon as Tuesday, according to broadcast reports in Minneapolis.

Mason is 81-89-1 as a head coach, including 22-25 in four years with the Golden Gophers. He has taken the team to consecutive bowl games for only the second time in school history.

Cooper was fired last week after Ohio State's 24-7 loss to South Carolina in the Outback Bowl.