University of California offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. flew into Pittsburgh Tuesday for an interview with Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt, according to sources. Sources also said Cignetti, 43, is considered the leading candidate to become the Panthers' offensive coordinator, a job that came open when Matt Cavanaugh left earlier this month to become quarterbacks coach for the NFL's New York Jets. Cignetti is the son and namesake of the legendary Indiana University (Pa.) coach. An all-conference safety at Division II IUP, the younger Cignetti was a graduate assistant at Pitt in 1989 before coaching a variety of positions under his father from 1990-98. Cignetti spent one season as an offensive assistant and quality control coach with the Kansas City Chiefs in '99 and two seasons as the New Orleans Saints' quarterback coach. He was the offensive coordinator at Fresno State from 2002-05 and held the same role at North Carolina in '06. After one season as the San Francisco 49ers' quarterbacks coach, Cignetti joined Jeff Tedford's staff at Cal. The Golden Bears ranked 47th nationally in total offense at 376 yards per game and 27th in scoring at 32.6 points.
Cignetti's father was a Pitt assistant from 1966-68 and later the head coach at West Virginia from 1976-79. His older brother, Curt, was a Pitt assistant under Johnny Majors and Harris in the mid-1990s and is now at Alabama. Where Cignetti moved to the forefront of Pitt's coaching search, former Panthers coach Walt Harris will return to coaching after a two-year hiatus. The University of Akron is expected to formally announce today the hiring of Harris as its quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator. Harris, Pitt's head coach from 1997-2004, will join the staff of J.D. Brookhart, who spent five seasons as the Panthers' offensive coordinator and receivers coach. Harris declined comment Tuesday night. Harris was a candidate for Pitt's opening for an offensive coordinator.
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