North Carolina State May Hire Boston College Coach O'Brien

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) _ North Carolina State is working out the final details of a contract with Boston College coach Tom O'Brien to take over as the school's next football coach, a school official

Thursday, December 7th 2006, 6:33 am

By: News On 6

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) _ North Carolina State is working out the final details of a contract with Boston College coach Tom O'Brien to take over as the school's next football coach, a school official said Thursday.

N.C. State likely would not make a formal announcement Thursday, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been approved by the school's board of trustees. The board's personnel committee has a teleconference scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday.

Wolfpack athletic director Lee Fowler did not immediately return a call to his office Thursday.

Several broadcasters and Web sites, citing unidentified sources, reported Wednesday night that N.C. State had hired O'Brien to replace the fired Chuck Amato. San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers _ a four-year starter who left N.C. State as the school's career passing leader _ told a newspaper Wednesday that O'Brien was the choice.

``I got a call this morning, and they said it was a done deal,'' Rivers told the North County Times in Escondido, Calif.

O'Brien led the Eagles to a 9-3 record and an appearance in the Meineke Bowl against Navy later this month. He dismissed rumors linking him to other coaching openings in a statement this week and told the Boston Globe, when reached at home Wednesday night, that he had received no official offer.

``Any announcement has to come out of North Carolina,'' he said.

A message was left Wednesday seeking comment from Boston College athletic director Gene DeFilippo.

N.C. State fired Amato _ a former Wolfpack linebacker _ the day after his team closed the season with seven straight losses to finish 3-9. Amato was 49-37 and led the Wolfpack to five bowl games in seven seasons, but he went 25-31 in the Atlantic Coast Conference and never finished higher than fourth.