Del Rio: Report of offer 'manufactured'

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio denied Tuesday that he has been made an offer by USC to replace Pete Carroll as Trojans football coach.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nfl/news/story?id=4818442

According to an unattributed report in the Los Angeles Daily News, the newspaper said USC presented a formal offer to the 46-year-old Del Rio -- who played linebacker at USC but has never coached in college -- on Monday.

"All of those things are manufactured," Del Rio, who played at USC from 1981-84, told WJXT of Jacksonville. "The only thing I can tell you is I've been busy working on the Jaguars for 2010. We're busy at work, trying to build this thing strong."

Mike and Mike in the Morning

ESPN.com senior NFL analyst John Clayton says there is a big meeting Tuesday in Jacksonville that should determine the fate of coach Jack Del Rio, who could end up replacing Pete Carroll at USC. Clayton also updates the latest in Buffalo and Oakland.

More Podcasts »

"All of those other things are a figment of other people's imaginations."

Del Rio is scheduled to meet with Jags owner Wayne Weaver to discuss his future with the franchise on Tuesday. Del Rio has three years and $15 million remaining on his contract and would be owed all of that money if he were fired.

The Jags (7-9) finished the season on a four-game losing streak and faded out of playoff contention in Del Rio's seventh year as coach.

Weaver declined to speculate on Del Rio's future.

"Look, you know I'm not going to get into those things," he said, according to The Associated Press. "Jack Del Rio is our coach right now."

Jacksonville last made the playoffs in 2007 and fans' discontent seemed to reach a crescendo in '09, when Jacksonville blacked out nine of 10 home games. Ticket prices have been cut for 2010 in an attempt to lure back some of the 17,000 season-ticket holders who did not renew last year.

Sounds like Del Rio is going to USC! LOL! Isn't that how it normally goes? Usually as soon as a coach says "i'm working on our team for next year and that's the only place my focus is" then they usually are gone within a few days.