EUGENE – John Neal had carefully packed his suit into his travel bag. He'd already checked in for his Wednesday-morning flight. His rental car was waiting for him at his destination, for the side trip to see his daughter and 3-month-old grandson who lived nearby.
The plan was finalized: He’d interview for Alabama-Birmingham’s head coaching position Thursday. And then, between the time the sun set Tuesday evening and rose Wednesday morning – after a call to UO head coach Mark Helfrich, among others -- Oregon’s 57-year-old secondary coach called it off.
It would have been his second interview of the month after meeting with Helfrich to discuss Oregon’s defensive coordinator job. But despite this being what he calls likely his last shot to become a head coach, Neal will stay put at Oregon. In an interview with The Oregonian on Wednesday morning, Neal explained how he came to the decision.
“I never had a fear that I couldn't be a great head coach; I know I can be,” Neal said. “I'm the head coach of my position, I get it, but I'm also in the best football program in the United States. I’m humbled and thankful that the people out there thought of me for the interview. But the not knowing out there wasn't as strong as knowing what I had here. I want to retire at Oregon.”
Neal said he left his interview for the defensive coordinator job, that eventually went to former linebackers coach Don Pellum, with a good feeling. He also said he was content that he'd been given ample time to explain his vision. He called his relationship with Pellum "excellent."
“I respect DP more than anyone in coaching,” Neal said.
The Blazers then contacted him via a consulting firm and an interview was arranged the same day.
Neal says he “struggled with, from the very beginning” the Blazers’ overture to interview for the vacant job after Garrick McGee left abruptly to become Louisville’s offensive coordinator last week after two seasons. Neal has deep ties to the program, where he coached from 1995-2003, and the state, where he said he is just two years from being able to retire because of his tenure in the Alabama public employees retirement fund. A daughter, grandson and son live within two hours of Birmingham. The job would have brought a substantial raise from his $320,000 salary; McGee earned $550,000. Even a former UAB player of Neal’s, the former Dallas Cowboy Izell Reese, was on the search committee for the head coaching job.
Neal is well-liked by the UO staff and players, and Tuesday's news that he would interview immediately caused ripple effects. Arrion Springs, a cornerback who has verbally committed to signing with Oregon on Feb. 5, tweeted: "I hope this is a joke."
Neal's decision to stay came in several stages. Earlier this week he spoke with star cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, who upon announcing his return to Oregon for his senior season 10 days ago referred to Neal as "pretty much the main reason" he spurned early entry into the NFL.
“He said, 'Coach, I just want the best for you,' ” said Neal, who added he hasn’t slept in about three days because of the planning for the trip. “I about cried.”
Late Tuesday, as he paced the sidewalk outside of his house in slippers, Neal called Helfrich.
Not long after, he began unpacking his bag to stay a while longer at Oregon.
“The Oregon people I needed to help support me, they're the greatest guys in the world from Phil Knight to Pat Kilkenny to Rob Mullens and Mark Helfrich, the guys that are in charge of what we do,” Neal said. “They were as gracious and thankful as could be. Those are guys I want to be with. I don't want go anywhere. When someone offers you an interview I was really humbled and thankful and I felt like I owed (UAB) and owed them that respect to go out there and try it but as I formulated my plan and vision at UAB it convinced me more that I have a great thing here.
“I'm overly excited about the recruits we're bringing in. I have some real intimate relationships and didn't want to let them down. I've been here 11 years and the changes that we've gone through, I felt almost possessive of that.”