Wake Forest's Grobe faces questions on coaching future - again

12/3/2007 2:06 PM

By AARON BEARD
AP Sports Writer

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) -For the second straight year, Jim Grobe is having to talk about more than Wake Forest's upcoming bowl game.

The coach's name is again being mentioned as a possible candidate for several openings around the country. But Grobe, The Associated Press national coach of the year for 2006, sounded content Monday to stay with the program he has directed to consecutive bowl appearances for the first time in school history.

``When you're doing things that haven't been done before at Wake Forest, your name gets out there and people have an interest,'' Grobe said. ``But for me, our players understand I'm happy here. I think our fans understand that.

``I don't know that there's not another move for me, but I'm not out there chasing that move around. I'm not opposed to talking to people if they're interested in what we've done here. But we've got a good situation at Wake Forest.''

Grobe's future has become an almost annual subject here. Last year, he led the Demon Deacons to an unexpected Atlantic Coast Conference championship and a trip to the Orange Bowl. This year, Wake Forest (8-4) will play Connecticut in the Meineke Bowl in Charlotte on Dec. 29.

Grobe, 55, is 45-39 in seven seasons at the private school, which is one of the smallest in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Last year, he was mentioned as a candidate for several openings - including Alabama - before signing a 10-year contract in February.

This year, Grobe reportedly spoke informally with Tom Osborne about the Nebraska opening. He said he has been approached by schools this year, but did not reveal which ones and stressed that he remains loyal to Wake Forest.

``It would have to be a good opportunity for my staff and myself, and the other thing is it would have to be time to take a new challenge,'' he said.

``The thing you always worry about when you've been at some place a long time is, if you're going to be successful, you have to be able to get up in the morning and get revved up. And if you're not careful, you can get complacent. ... But I can tell you right now: We feel fairly well challenged at Wake Forest still.''