SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Central Michigan first-year coach Butch Jones came and left Morgantown yesterday after an interview with West Virginia first-year president Mike Garrison.

It was not without a little surrounding fanfare, though.

First, there was chatter at the Mountaineers' Scottsdale Community College practice about a SportingNews.com report, soon after removed, that Jones withdrew from consideration.

Then, there was background noise elsewhere about how to classify Jones' talks yesterday: Were they a second interview, making him the first such Mountaineers candidate to receive one, or did they constitute a first, formal interview because Garrison was not part of the discussions late Dec. 18 in Mt. Pleasant, Mich.?

Athletic director Ed Pastilong, who remained behind in Morgantown, and assistant athletic director Mike Parsons, who is in Arizona for the Mountaineers' Fiesta Bowl preparations, flew to Michigan nine days earlier to meet with Jones, apparently along with West Virginia chief of staff Craig Walker. Yesterday marked Garrison's first chance to sit down with Jones, who spent the previous two seasons as Rich Rodriguez's receivers coach and now becomes a candidate to replace the new Michigan coach.

Jones, a Michigan native, interviewed the morning after his Central Michigan team rallied from 21-point, second-half deficits before falling on the final play to Purdue, 51-48, in the Motor City Bowl. Beforehand, Jones was asked by ESPN sideline reporter Quint Kessenich about a next-day Mountaineers interview, and he got upset that word leaked, the Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun reported. Kessenich's question was never broadcast, the paper said. When asked afterward about West Virginia, Jones said, "I am not going to comment on that. I am the head coach of the Central Michigan Chippewas. ..."

It wasn't immediately known if West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin participated in the formal interview yesterday, although Manchin has chatted with each interviewee by telephone: ABC/ESPN announcer Terry Bowden, Florida assistant head coach Doc Holliday, Jones and Florida State assistant head coach Rick Trickett.

In other search news, Illinois offensive coordinator Mike Locksley denied a Sporting News report that he interviewed with West Virginia. Locksley last Friday told a Mountaineers' caller that he was not interested in being interviewed merely to appease the Black Coaches association, whose executive director telephoned Pastilong two days earlier offering a potential list of minority candidates.

Freshman tailback Noel Devine was arrived late for the first Arizona practice due to airplane trouble, a spokesman said, and interim head coach Bill Stewart said two other reserves were academically ineligible to play against Oklahoma: third-string quarterback Adam Bednarik and backup defensive lineman Mike Bilokonsky. Reserves defensive end James Ingram, hurt most of the season, and fullback Sam Morrone did not practice yesterday because of lingering ailments.

University officials reportedly filed lawsuit in Monongalia Circuit Court asking a judge to rule that the school did not breach its Rodriguez contract, a move Rodriguez's camp is expected to contest. ... Practice started in drills without helmets, though Stewart planned for the players to "bang a little bit" in later sessions closed to the media. He said the team also would work today in full pads. ... Tailback Steve Slaton and receiver Darius Reynaud playfully switched numbers, with Slaton wearing No. 2 and Reynaud No. 10.