Wyoming AD - Billings not among candidates

University of Wyoming athletic director Lee Moon said Monday that, while he is impressed by the job Tim Billings has done as Southeast Missouri State University's football coach, Billings is not a candidate to take over Wyoming's program.

Billings has been mentioned in several media outlets in Wyoming as a potential candidate primarily because of his connection to Moon. Billings was an assistant coach at Marshall at the same time Moon was that school's athletic director.

"He's a good guy and he's doing a good job but he is not on my list at this time," Moon said. "He is a good young coach and he certainly will be somebody's candidate at some point in time, but at this time he's not a candidate for my job."

Regarding the reports that had listed Billings as a potential candidate, Moon said, "I think the media here has called everybody who's ever been an assistant coach at Marshall, who's now a head coach somewhere, a candidate."

Billings, who recently completed his third season at Southeast, led the Indians to an 8-4 record this year for the program's most wins since 1969.

"In Tim's case, there is still a lot of work to be done (at Southeast)," Moon said. "He's doing a great job where he's at and I think he needs to stay there for a while.

"I think he'll have a chance to be a Division I-A head coach in due time. For what I need here right now, I need somebody who is already a successful Division I-A head coach."

Wyoming is in the market for a coach after Vic Koenning was fired last Monday. He had a 5-28 record in three seasons with the Cowboys, including 1-10 this year with one game remaining.

Billings on national list

Billings might not be a candidate for the Wyoming job, but he is one of 16 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award that goes to the top football coach in NCAA Division I-AA.

Also, Southeast record-setting wide receiver Willie Ponder is one of 16 finalists for the Walter Payton Award, the I-AA equivalent of the Heisman Trophy.

"It is an honor to be nominated for the Eddie Robinson Award and it is a thrill to know that Willie Ponder has been placed on the Walter Payton Award ballot," Billings said.

As a team, the Indians moved up to No. 22 in Monday's Sports Network I-AA poll and they broke into the USA Today/ESPN I-AA poll Monday, also at No. 22. Last week's ranking of No. 24 by the Sports Network marked the first time Southeast had ever been nationally ranked during the regular season on the I-AA level.