Virginia interviewed Sandusky for the HC job in 2000, but they gave Al Groh the job instead.
Also I think Maryland was looking at him, too, but I don’t think he got as far there.
Thank you. I think you may be the person who reminded us of that on an earlier post.
Some brief research suggests that: (a) Sandusky interviewed twice with UVA in Charlottesville; and (b) a group from UVA flew to Pennsylvania to meet with Sandusky once. Virginia eventually passed on Sandusky, questioning his commitment to being a head coach because he was spending too much time devoted to The Second Mile, which is the explanation given by Joe Paterno/Penn State for Paterno telling Sandusky he would not succeed Paterno as head coach at Penn State.
Sandusky didn't appear to be too disappointed to stay away from football and at The Second Mile. When the Cavaliers hired Al Groh instead, Sandusky was quoted in The Richmond Daily Press as saying:
"I'm a very complex person. I couldn't deny the importance of Second Mile in my life. I could have played a game and said I was something different than I am, but that's not me.”
Then, in 1991, Sandusky interviewed at Maryland and reportedly turned down an offer. Maryland then hired Mark Duffner from Holy Cross.
Those are two Division I schools with major programs - by which I mean major money, major facilities, committed boosters and administration.
On the other hand . . . where are the schools looking for a defensive coordinator?
It's difficult to believe that all the schools were scared off by a "he's paying too much attention to The Second Mile to be a coach," when he was the NCAA Assistant Coach of the Year, and coached over Penn State's first bowl game shutout, his final season.