This wasn't a press conference. Well, it was, but it was also a coordinated sales pitch. Sure, the pleasantries were taken care of: Moos thanked Paul Wulff, praised the job he's done and assessed the state of the program. But he closed hard with a typical Moos sales job, and not just to potential candidates.
Moos was talking to you, Mr. or Mrs. Washington State fan. He talked of needing to compete for championships and needing money to do it. He directly called out the donor base, saying "I feel we have apathy in our fanbase. It's my plan and my hope to bring some energy to that fanbase." With the coming Martin Stadium renovation and planned football-only facility, he's going to need that donor base to be energized.
"We've either got to run with the big dogs, or admit that we're a doormat," Moos said. " "We can't wait and embrace mediocrity"
But Moos' parting words about Wulff and his statement to the fanbase will probably be overshadowed by how he closed. The end of the press conference was 10 minutes of open, candid talk about what comes next, what he wants in a candidate and who he's looking for. No question was off-limits and everything got an answer.
Pointing to himself, Moos said "You're looking at the search committee." While it's possible he brings on outside help, Moos expressed confidence in his connections throughout the college coaching landscape. He said he wants a head coach or someone with head coaching experience. And he's ready to throw money around to get it.
You're wondering about Mike Leach; pretty much everyone is. Moos was asked about Leach multiple times, first shrugging and saying "there's a short list" before elaborating later.
"I know Mike Leach. Actually, Mike was here last spring conducting a clinic ... Pretty good record. I read his book"
He added Leach was on the short list. Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin is also on the short list, Moos said. The search committee interviewed Sumlin for the vacant head coaching position after Doba left.
The timetable for the coaching search is two to three weeks, which is pretty standard in college football. It's a stock answer just about every athletic director uses. Don't panic about the length because it doesn't mean much. In reality, it wouldn't surprise me at all if something is finalized quickly.