http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031223/NEWS/312230348/1004
Ball, Dunn say 'no’ to Price, UTEP By Howie Stalwick Special to The Tuscaloosa News December 23, 2003 Mike Price says he hit a home run in his job hunt, but he struck out on his attempt to lure two of his former Alabama assistant coaches to Texas-El Paso. Chris Ball and Kasey Dunn said they are delighted to see Price back in coaching, but they turned down Price’s request to assist him at his new job. “We’re going to stay put in Alabama," Ball said by phone Monday from Springfield, Mo., where his family is visiting his wife’s family. “Family reasons are the No. 1 reason; not wanting to move the family again, and my wife is pregnant is probably the main reason." Ball, Alabama’s secondary coach, followed Price from Washington State to Alabama after the 2002 season. Dunn, Price’s assistant head coach at WSU and Alabama, lost his job at Alabama after Price was fired last spring before coaching a game. Dunn was named Texas Christian’s secondary coach at midseason. “TCU is a great job; I wouldn’t consider going out there [to El Paso]," Dunn said by phone from Fort Worth, where the Horned Frogs will play Boise State tonight in the inaugural Fort Worth Bowl. “Mike has been a great friend. On the other hand, so has Gary [TCU coach Gary Patterson]." Price, 57, has said his sons, Eric and Aaron, may join the UTEP coaching staff. Both assisted him at WSU and Alabama, though they were let go by the Crimson Tide after their father was fired. UTEP athletic director Bob Stull, the former Washington associate athletic director and assistant football coach who has been a longtime admirer of Price, said Price will be paid “a little more" than the $149,350 base salary paid to the fired Gary Nord. The latter reportedly made a total of approximately $200,000 this season, one of the lowest head coaching salaries in I-A football. Price made more than $800,000 in his final year at WSU, and his seven-year contract at Alabama would have averaged $1.7 million per year. Price was fired before coaching a game at Alabama after a night of heavy drinking at a strip club in Florida. [...] ______________________________________________________ RollTideFan - The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List "Welcome to RollTideFan! Wear a cup!" To join or leave the list or to make changes to your subscription visit http://listinfo.rolltidefan.net
