Football: Pitt denies rumors it hired Tom Bradley

Pitt denied rumors late tonight that it had hired Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley… Pitt denied rumors late tonight that it had hired Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley as its new head football coach.

“The University of Pittsburgh has not offered its head coaching position to anyone,” spokesman E.J. Borghetti said in a statement, “and no decisions about an offer have been made.”

Rumors that Bradley had been offered the position circulated after WTAE reported tonight that Pitt had hired Bradley.

Borghetti did not say in his statement whether Bradley or Alabama assistant head coach Sal Sunseri had been interviewed for the position, as news outlets had reported. Borghetti could not be reached for additional comment.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that both Bradley and Sunseri met with University officials this week. According to the paper, Athletic Director Steve Pederson contacted Bradley and Bradley met with Pederson, among other Pitt officials; Chancellor Mark Nordenberg did not attend.

Bradley is also expected to interview for the vacant Connecticut job, as former Husky head coach Randy Edsall accepted the same position at Maryland following Connecticut’s Fiesta Bowl loss.

Bradley has spent 33 years as a member of Penn State’s coaching staff and the last 11 coordinating the Nittany Lion defense, which has consistently ranked among the top defenses in the country.

Sunseri, a former All-American linebacker at Pitt, is the father of current Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri. He was the defensive line coach for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers before joining the Alabama coaching staff in 2009 as the assistant head coach for defense. He also works with linebackers.