University of Houston Athletic Director Dave Maggard won't confirm the reports, but it's looking more and more like the former Oilers head coach could be headed back to Cullen Blvd.

Maggard spoke to us this afternoon saying Pardee is a Texas football legend, and has support from many people in the UH football community. He coached the Cougars in the late '80's before heading back to the NFL with the Houston Oilers.

Sources are telling me, former UH Quarterback David Klingler would become the offensive coordinator, presumably to install the "Run and Shoot" offense which lit up the scoreboard for both Klingler and 1989 Heisman trophy winner Andre Ware.

Jason Phillips, who was one of Ware's favorite targets, would also play a major role.

Pardee reportedly initially told Maggard that he would take the job if John Jenkins would come too, to run the offense ....but Jenkins is already committed to Houston's new AAFL team and didn't want to break that commitment.

If this all comes together, and Maggard says he won't comment on it's potential because there are too many moving parts, it would rekindle images of the days when the Cougars ran up and down the fields across the Southwest Conference.

Maggard says although he respects Pardee for the man that he is ...and also the great things he did in the football world. He also won't comment specifically on Pardee candidacy for the jobout of respect to the other candidates.

Maggard says he has interviews scheduled for the rest of the week.