Colorado offering Jones 5 year deal

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - According to the Denver Post, Colorado is offering Cincinnati head coach Butch Jones 13.5 millions dollars over five years to become the Buffaloes next head football coach.

Purdue fired then-head football coach Danny Hope one day after Purdue finished its regular season with a victory over in-state rival Indiana. According to GoldandBlack.com, Jones has been the number one candidate targeted by Purdue Athletic Director Morgan Burke to fill the football coaching vacancy.

Jones arrived in West Lafayette before noon on Sunday to interview with Burke. Jones spent four hours in West Lafayette and left without accepting or turning down the position. Jones then reportedly flew to Colorado on Monday to interview for the Buffaloes head coaching vacancy.

Jones has not publicly commented on his job candidacy at Purdue and Colorado.

Burke has also not publicly commented on the job search other than addressing the media Sunday before the bowl press conference, "I've given you all that you are going to get today."

Another media outlet reported Monday evening that Jones could make up his mind in the near future.

Cincinnati.com is reporting that Jones is expected to to decide not later than Tuesday where he will coach in 2013.

And, according to GoldandBlack.com, another possible coaching candidate has possibly surfaced for Purdue. A source told GoldandBlack.com Monday that Kent State Head Coach Darrell Hazell is "in play" for Purdue.

GoldandBlack.com reported that Burke and Associate Athletic Director Nancy Cross flew to Akron Monday. Akron is near Kent State. GoldandBlack.com adds that they "have yet to absolutely pin down that they met with Hazell".

Hazell is also considered a candidate for the head coaching positions at Boston College and California.     

Purdue will play Oklahoma State on January 1 at the Cotton Bowl.