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Published Tuesday January 10, 2006 Cosgrove a Vikings candidate BY RICH KAIPUST
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

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		»	Cosgrove considering offer from Vikings

LINCOLN - The only thing finalized Monday on the Nebraska football coaching staff was the hiring of two graduate assistants, Keith Heckendorf and Jon Osterhout.

Reports indicate Nebraska defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove is a candidate to join the Vikings' staff.

Otherwise, Kevin Cosgrove wasn't addressing talk that the Minnesota Vikings were interested in him, and Shawn Watson wasn't saying if he was any closer to possibly taking the Huskers' vacant assistant coaching position.

A person close to Cosgrove told The World-Herald on Monday that the NU defensive coordinator was a candidate to become the Vikings' linebackers coach. However, the future status of Pete Bercich, who held the position under Mike Tice, isn't yet known.

Calls to Cosgrove were not returned Monday. Through Nebraska sports information, Cosgrove said he would decline comment.

New Vikings coach Brad Childress worked with Cosgrove at Wisconsin in the 1990s when they were the offensive and defensive coordinators on Barry Alvarez's staff. Cosgrove, 50, has never held a National Football League coaching position.

Both Cosgrove and Watson were at the American Football Coaches Association convention in Dallas. Watson, the former Colorado offensive coordinator, is talking with other schools while pondering the NU position vacated when Scott Downing was named head coach at Northern Colorado.

Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan announced the hiring of Heckendorf and Osterhout in a Monday release. They replace Angus McClure and Aaron Stamn, who both recently became full-time assistants on Turner Gill's staff at the University of Buffalo.

Heckendorf, who will work with the Husker offensive staff, spent last season as an NU video intern. He is a former St. Cloud State quarterback who completed his career in 2003 as the Huskies' all-time leader in passing yards (9,695) and touchdown passes (101).

Osterhout had been an assistant coach at NCAA Division I-AA Sacramento State since 2001. The former Sacramento State offensive lineman will assist the NU defensive staff.

"Both coaches add tremendous value and experience to our coaching staff," Callahan said, "and will continue an ongoing Nebraska tradition of outstanding coaches in our graduate assistant positions."

As Childress cleaned out the Minnesota staff Sunday - telling at least eight staff members they wouldn't be retained - the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Cosgrove as a coach Childress might be considering. While Cosgrove is making $200,000 annually at Nebraska, the Star Tribune said his salary could possibly double with the Vikings.

Childress and Cosgrove last worked together at Wisconsin in 1998, before Childress left for the Philadelphia Eagles. Cosgrove was hired by Callahan in 2004, becoming the Huskers' fourth defensive coordinator in a six-year span.

Childress reportedly is trying to hire Tampa Bay assistant Mike Tomlin to replace Ted Cottrell as defensive coordinator.

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