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CBS broadcaster Rick Neuheisel downplayed a report that he will be the next coach hired by the Alliance for American Football. Neuheisel, a head coach for 12 seasons in the college ranks, acknowledged he has been in talks with the fledgling league but told ESPNU SiriusXM Radio on Tuesday that a report by the Sporting News "jumped the gun."
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The initial report linked Neuheisel to the head coaching job with the Southern California entry in the eight-team league, which is scheduled to debut in February 2019.
CBS will be the broadcast partner of the AAF, which on Saturday announced former Florida and South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier as the league's first coach with the franchise based in Orlando, Fla.
"I'm very happy with CBS, but CBS is going to be part of this league so this looked like this might fit because it's after I'm done with my obligations with them and so forth," Neuheisel said in his radio interview. "So I made some inquiries but nothing has been finalized, nothing has been solidified. Keep your fingers crossed."
Neuheisel compiled an 87-59 record in 12 seasons at Colorado, Washington and UCLA, leading the three schools to a combined eight bowl appearances. He has not coached since he was fired by UCLA at the end of the 2011 season.
The Alliance has big names and funding behind it. Former NFL general manager and Pro Football Hall of Famer Bill Polian is a founder of the eight-team league with television and film producer Charlie Ebersol, while former NFL players Jared Allen, Troy Polamalu, Justin Tuck and Hines Ward are also involved.
The opening game will be televised in prime time on CBS -- six days after the Super Bowl -- as will the championship game during the weekend of April 26-28, while other games during the season will be telecast on CBS Sports Network.
The league will own the teams with funding from the Founders Fund, Slow Ventures, The Chernin Group, Adrian Fenty and Charles King's M Ventures, Keith Rabois and Allen.
Allen, along with Polamalu and Ward, will be player relations executives, while Tuck will serve on the player engagement board of advisors.
The plan is for each team to have 50 players, and games will have no kickoffs or extra points. After touchdowns, a two-point conversion try will be required. Instead of a kickoff, the next possession will start from the 25-yard line.
Replacing possible onside kicks late in games, the team behind will have one shot on "fourth-and-10" from their own 35-yard line to continue the possession.
