University of Virginia athletics director Terry Holland is reportedly considering filling Clem Haskins’ shoes as head coach of the University men’s basketball team.
Holland, known for demanding academic integrity, led Virginia to NCAA Final Four appearances in 1981 and 1984, but has not coached since 1990, when he accepted an administrative position.
In a copyrighted story Thursday the Star Tribune reported the University offered Holland, 57, a seven-year contract that would pay him about $1 million per year.
University men’s athletics officials hinted an announcement might come soon, but would neither confirm or deny that the University has offered Holland the job.
“We still have an active search,” said Bill Crumley, men’s athletics coordinator. “It’s a tangled process.”
But University President Mark Yudof said earlier this year that he would prefer not to embroil the University in another long-term, high-paying coaching contract.
Yudof, who is in Europe until July 23, could not be reached for comment.
Holland would not be likely to come to the University cheaply, however.
Holland is currently one of the highest-paid athletics directors in the country. He makes about $250,000 per year.
In the past Holland was reluctant to involve himself with a school under threat of NCAA violations.
In 1989, Holland tempered speculations that he would take a head coaching job at the University of Kentucky, which was then entangled in a year-long investigation of NCAA rules violations, including charges of academic fraud and lack of proper institutional control.
“Before I could even seriously consider looking at the situation, I would prefer to know what the sanctions would be,” Holland told the UPI in 1989.
If Holland turns down the job, Jim Crews, a former Indiana assistant and head coach at Evansville the past 13 years, is said to be next on the list.
But the Star Tribune reported that the University has offered the job to Holland. After touring the facilities Wednesday, Holland returned to Virginia to consider the offer.
Holland told the Star Tribune that he will probably make a decision by the weekend.
Holland had a 418-216 record in 21 seasons as coach at Davidson and Virginia, holding the latter job from 1974 through 1990. Besides the Final Four appearances, he won five conference Coach of the Year honors and is credited with turning Virginia’s program around.
When he joined the Cavaliers, they had only four winning seasons during the previous 25 years. But in his second season, the team won the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and made the NCAA tournament.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.