The Associated Press

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart talked with New Orleans Saints secondary coach Mike Riley on Tuesday about becoming the Wildcats' next football coach, according to published reports.

Riley was the head coach at Oregon State when Barnhart became the athletics director there in 1998. Riley became the coach of the San Diego Chargers eight months after Barnhart arrived.

Barnhart is seeking a replacement for Guy Morriss, who resigned Monday to become the coach at Baylor. Barnhart said he wants to find a successor by Christmas.

Barnhart attended the Kentucky-Tulane basketball game in New Orleans on Tuesday and talked to Riley during his visit, The Courier-Journal in Louisville and Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

Riley told the Courier-Journal in Louisville he and Barnhart are "close friends" and will talk again about the opening.

Officials from UCLA and Alabama have also contacted Riley about their coaching vacancies. Riley played for Bear Bryant at Alabama.

Barnhart told the Lexington Herald-Leader he wants to interview as many candidates as possible before making a decision.

"I like to look at the buffet instead of concentrating on one entree," he said.

Other names linked to the Kentucky job include Pittsburgh coach Walt Harris and California coach Jeff Tedford.

Harris was an assistant at Tennessee during Barnhart's tenure as associate athletics director there from 1986-98. Tedford was the offensive coordinator at Oregon when Barnhart was at Oregon State.

Pittsburgh football sports information director E.J. Borghetti said Thursday the school has a policy to not comment on other schools' coaching searches. California sports information director Bob Rose told the Lexington Herald-Leader that Tedford is in the first year of a four-year contract and is negotiating an extension with the school.

Barnhart did not plan to comment further on the search, said Kentucky sports information director Brooks Downing.