Reports: Cincinnati Settles On Central Michigan's Butch Jones As Next Head Coach

According to reports out of Michigan late yesterday, and via ESPN this morning, Central Michigan’s Butch Jones is set to accept the head coaching spot at Cincinnati. According to the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun yesterday:

Sources close to the Cincinnati and Central Michigan football programs have told the Morning Sun that Cincinnati has chosen Butch Jones to be its next head football coach.

Parties from both sides entered into contract negotiations on Tuesday night and the deal is expected to be finalized by Wednesday morning. As of now, the change is not official.

Hours later, the Associated Press corroborated those reports, and it looks more and more likely that Cincinnati has found another Chippewa as head coach:

A person familiar with Cincinnati’s search, speaking on condition of anonymity because no deal was complete, confirmed Jones was the top option.

It would mark the second time in three years that the Bearcats turned to the Mid-American Conference school for their head coach. They hired Kelly after his three-year stay at Central Michigan, where his spread offense was one of the nation’s best.

Jones has kept the high-powered offensive approach and built on Kelly’s success at Central Michigan, winning the MAC title this season by beating Ohio. The Chippewas finished the season at No. 25, their first time in the national rankings.

It’s unclear whether Jones might try to coach Cincinnati in their BCS Bowl Game, but as the AP explains, the Cincinnati system is one that Jones is familiar with, as he coached under Kelly at Central Michigan and kept his offensive scheme after he left. And you’d have to think that played a role in Cincinnati’s choice. Whatever the reasons, though, it appears Butch Jones will be the next head coach at Cincinnati, and the second straight man they’ve plucked from Central Michigan pastures. Chippewas!