It took Head Coach Willie Taggart

until mid-February to hire a defensive coordinator last year, and

it appears the process will take a similar amount of time this

season.

Todd Stewart, WKU’s senior associate

athletic director, told the Herald last Friday that Taggart is

still interviewing candidates for the job, and there’s no timetable

for a hire or announcement.

The position officially opened at WKU

on Dec. 9, when former defensive coordinator Clint Bowen resigned

to accept the same position at North Texas.

WKU ranked 68th in the nation and

third in the Sun Belt Conference in total defense under Bowen in

2010, giving up 380 yards per game.

Joshua Parrott, who covers

Louisiana-Lafayette for the Daily Advertiser, reported on Twitter

last Thursday that Lance Guidry would be WKU’s new defensive

coordinator.

But both Stewart and Deborah Wilkins,

WKU’s chief of staff and general counsel, told the Herald that no

final decision is imminent or has been made.

Guidry was the defensive backs coach

at Miami (Ohio) for two seasons before being named the Redhawks’

interim head coach for their meeting with Middle Tennessee in the

GoDaddy.com Bowl on Jan. 6.

A source close to the situation told

the Herald Saturday that Guidry did interview for WKU’s open

position on Jan. 14.

The website FootballScoop.com also

previously reported that Guidry had interviewed.

Guidry led Miami (Ohio) to a bowl win

over Middle Tennessee but wasn’t retained as permanent head

coach.

Recruiting gains

steam

Just eight days remain until college

football’s National Signing Day on Feb. 2, and it’s expected to be

a big day for the Toppers.

WKU had 17 public verbal commitments

as of Monday night, according to Rivals.com and other media

outlets.

Seven of the recruits have been

labeled three-star prospects by the site.

Eight of the remaining are two-star

recruits, and two are unranked.

Eric Robinson-Berry, a three-star

defensive back from Indianapolis Warren Central High School in

Indiana, reportedly switched his commitment from Louisville to WKU

on Monday.

Three-star linebacker Daerius

Washington and two-star offensive lineman Dwayne Montgomery, who

are both from Dillard High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.,

committed to WKU together Monday night, according to the Louisville

Courier-Journal.

It was also confirmed Saturday that

former Florida safety Jonathan Dowling has joined WKU, as the

former four-star prospect participated in a coaches vs. players

basketball game during halftime of the Toppers’ game against Troy

in Diddle Arena.

Dowling, who was rated the top safety

prospect in the nation in 2010 by ESPN.com, was dismissed from

Florida last season after reportedly clashing with coach Urban

Meyer and his staff. He will likely have to sit out a season as a

transfer unless he is granted a waiver by the NCAA.

Dowling hails from Southeast High

School in Bradenton, Fla., where Taggart attended Manatee High

School. Ten of WKU’s other recruits are from Florida, with three

also coming from Southeast High.