Mangino on list at Maryland

Monday, November 27th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) _ Boston College coach Tom O'Brien and Stanford coach Tyrone Willingham reportedly are on the list of finalists for the head coaching opening at Maryland, but Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen is apparently emerging as a front-runner.

Others reportedly on the list are Toledo head coach Gary Pinkel; Gary Darnell, the head coach at Western Michigan; Oklahoma offensive coordinator Mark Mangino; Virginia Tech assistant Billy Hite; Texas Christian coach Dennis Franchione, the favorite for the opening at Arizona State; and Notre Dame offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers.

Maryland has not sought permission to talk with all of the coaches on its list, compiled by athletic director Debbie Yow and consultant Bill Carr, and might not, The Washington Post reported Monday.

Yow has set a three-week timetable to name a coach to replace Ron Vanderlinden, who was fired earlier this month.

Georgia Tech has given Maryland permission to talk with Friedgen, a Maryland alum and former Terps offensive coordinator.

Friedgen, 53, who also coached for the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League, said he is interested in a head coaching position, but not at any price.

``I want to be in a situation where I'll be successful,'' Friedgen told The (Baltimore) Sun in a telephone interview from his Atlanta home. ``I'm not going to leave the situation I have here if I don't feel we could win.''

Decisions by Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer and Virginia coach George Welsh could also affect Maryland.

Beamer, 54, is expected to decide this week between staying in Blacksburg or accepting an offer from North Carolina, reported to be worth $1.2 million to $1.5 million a year. If Beamer leaves, Darnell is expected to be among the favorites to succeed him.

Darnell also appears to be among the top candidates for vacancies at Oklahoma State and Missouri.

At Virginia, Welsh is expected to announce soon whether he will retire and Virginia athletic director Terry Holland has openly expressed his admiration of O'Brien, who was an assistant for 12 years under Welsh in Charlottesville.