Florida, Muschamp close to hiring Charlie Weis as assistant

Charlie Weis was unsuccessful as a head coach but he always has been solid as an offensive coordinator.

If Florida’s hiring of former Georgia safety Will Muschamp as its head coach stunned Bulldogs fans, try this: Muschamp’s offensive coordinator may be Charlie Weis.

Yes, that Charlie Weis.

Long time Gainesville Sun writer Pat Dooley and ESPN’s Chris Mortensen — both of whom are as solid as they come — are reporting that Weis could be headed to the Gators to run the offense. The former Notre Dame head coach and New England assistant currently is the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Dooley said on his radio show, WYBC-FM in Gainesville: “In terms of Florida’s offensive coordinator, if you’re driving in your car, I want you to pull over. When I say this, you’re going to freak out. I think this is going to happen but I don’t know that it’s going to happen. That’s why you won’t see it in the paper [Gainesville Sun] tomorrow unless I get another source on it. I think your new offensive coordinator for the Florida Gators is going to be Charlie Weis. I’ve heard this from some people in the NFL, that that’s going on. My first reaction was, ‘are you kidding me, why would Charlie Weis leave Kansas City to go to Florida in the same job’? … Wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense.”

Here’s an audio link, via SportsByBrooks: http://media.sportsbybrooks.com/2010/12/weis.mov

Mortensen has filed a story on ESPN.com with the headline: “Sources: Gators pursuing Charlie Weis.” It includes this: “Weis is expected to take the job, but no firm agreement is in place.”

Kansas City is 10-5 and headed to the NFL playoffs.

This would be a grand slam for Muschamp, who is changing Florida from a spread offense to more of a pro style. Weis was dreadful as a head coach at Notre Dame but he has long been one of the game’s best play-callers and is excellent at developing quarterbacks.

We’ll update you with more as the story develops, but what are your early thoughts on this?

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UPDATE: Chiefs coach Todd Haley, asked about the Weis reports, said: “It would be news to me. I have no idea. That’s not something I would talk about right now. Our focus is on the Oakland Raiders. At a later date, if something comes up, I surely will talk about it.”

– By Jeff Schultz

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