1. While Youngstown State has disputed the Football Scoop's Tuesday night report that Bo Pelini would accept the Penguins' job offer on Thursday, it's not because they're not interested. It's because they still think it's unlikely Pelini will take the job (at least that's what they're telling us reporters) and they want to manage expectations.

YSU's worst nightmare is for Pelini to go elsewhere and for the next coach to get saddled with the "The guy we got instead of Bo" label. Unfortunately, it might be too late for that.

2. Five years ago, YSU had a verbal agreement with Mark Stoops to replace Jon Heacock, only to see Florida State offer him the defensive coordinator job. (Stoops is now at Kentucky, so obviously things worked out for him.) So, YSU went with Eric Wolford.

If something similar happens with Pelini, it's naturally going to deflate the fan base a bit. A big-name coach like Pelini would get people talking about YSU football again. A coach like Eastern Kentucky's Dean Hood, who emerged as a candidate on Wednesday, doesn't carry that kind of weight.

3. For what it's worth, I talked to Boardman High graduate Steve Vallos, who was an offensive linemen at Wake Forest when Hood was the defensive coordinator. Vallos raved about Hood.

"He's an awesome guy, an awesome coach," said Vallos, who now lives in Seattle after his seven-year NFL career ended this summer. "He's big on accountability within the team. He'd always say you have to give up what you want right now to get what you want down the road.

"Everyone loved him. He was a guy who you could trust to give you a straight answer. And he was just like a dad as much as a coach."

4. YSU was hoping to have the search wrapped up today but it looks like that timetable is up in the air right now. I get the sense YSU will wait on a definite answer from Pelini, who is expected to have several opportunities to be a head coach or a defensive coordinator at the college level. He could also get some NFL interest.

As one source told me, "There's nothing imminent right now but that could change with the next phone call."

In the meantime, YSU is also talking to some Division II and III coaches. I was also told that Florida Atlantic offensive coordinator Brian Wright is still in the picture, which surprised me. I hadn't heard his name mentioned in the last week. Wright coached with Heacock from 2001-09 and was the offensive coordinator for the second half of that tenure.

5. The only looming deadline is Junior College signing day, which I believe is Dec. 17.

YSU does have 10 verbal commitments from high schoolers, but that signing day isn't until February. YSU's assistants are all under contract until the end of February and the next coach will be required to at least meet with them before deciding whether he wants to retain anyone.

I've been told several of them would like to stay, but I think YSU also wants to give them time to find jobs elsewhere in case the next guy wants to clean house. (Wolford didn't keep anyone from Heacock's staff.)

Nobody asked me, but I like most of Wolford's assistants. It would be nice if a couple of them were retained.