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Former Gators, Alabama coordinator linked to Miami Hurricanes’ job

Miami Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal has conducted his search for an offensive coordinator in a shroud of secrecy, but at least one name surfaced on Thursday.

Footballscoop.com reported that veteran coordinator Doug Nussmeier is a “candidate of deep interest” to Miami and that he spoke with Cristobal this week. UM hopes to find a coordinator very soon after firing Josh Gattis last week.

Nussmeier, 52, might have other options. He reportedly interviewed for the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator job this week.

He has worked as an offensive coordinator at Fresno State (2008), Washington (2009-11), Alabama (2012-13), Michigan (2014), and Florida (2015-17). His time at Alabama intersected with Cristobal’s.

He was the Dallas Cowboys’ tight end coach in 2018 and 2019 and was the Cowboys’ quarterback coach the past three seasons. Last week, the Cowboys indicated they would not renew his contract.

A source in touch with Nussmeier did not dispute the FootballScoop report and said do not rule him out for the UM job.

Many UM staffers are in the dark about the candidates being considered to replace.

One UM football staffer said there has been internal speculation, among UM officials, about Nussmeier, former Nebraska coach Scott Frost (who might be content sitting out a year), former Gators coach Dan Mullen (who might be content remaining an ESPN analyst until a head job opens), Marcus Arroyo (Cristobal’s former Oregon offensive coordinator who was fired from his job as UNLV’s head coach) and former Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott, who lost his job as South Florida’s head coach in November.

Texas A&M co-offensive coordinator James Coley, a skilled South Florida recruiter, also has been the subject of speculation.

So has Jason Candle, but there’s no indication that he would leave his job as head coach at Toledo.

The Canes plan to have a coordinator in place by the March 4 start of spring practice. UM also is looking for a receivers coach (a role Gattis also handled) and a quarterback coach to replace Frank Ponce, who left for the offensive coordinator job at Appalachian State.

Cristobal has two coaching jobs open to address those three needs: coordinator, quarterbacks coach and receivers coach.