Search for coach resumes at Marshall

HURRICANE, W.Va. (AP) -- Marshall athletic director Bob Marcum is still searching for a basketball coach.
Former Ohio University coach Larry Hunter, one of two reported finalists, pulled out of contention Thursday morning, citing a commitment to North Carolina State, where he is an assistant coach.
Though Hunter's decision apparently clears the way for Marshall to hire Tulane coach and Fairmont State alumnus Shawn Finney, Marcum said an unidentified candidate has emerged in the search to replace Greg White.
The Herald-Dispatch of Huntington reported today that former Georgia coach Ron Jirsa has surfaced as a candidate. Jirsa could not be reached for comment Friday morning by The Associated Press.
"It's not over until we come to a conclusion with regards to an individual that wants to be the head coach at Marshall," Marcum said Thursday at a fund-raising dinner. "We won't say that it's over until we have that individual signed and ready to be introduced as the new head coach."
Marcum declined to identify the candidate, saying only that the former coach is "a pretty decent one."
Jirsa, a Clemson assistant, was 35-30 in two seasons at Georgia. He was replaced by Charleston native Jim Harrick in 1999.
Marcum said an announcement could come as soon as this weekend.
Earlier reports identified Hunter and Finney as the two finalists for the job, which opened when White resigned abruptly June 3 to return to his old job as coach of the Division II University of Charleston.