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Colorado goes to elaborate lengths to hide its interview with Butch Jones

The photo above looks innocent enough, right?

A group of people walking with some food service workers who were pushing a food warmer across the concourse of Colorado's football stadium. But it's what's behind that oven that makes this picture interesting — it's Cincinnati coach Butch Jones.

Jones was on the Colorado campus Monday and despite it being the worst-kept secret in all of college sports, Colorado and Jones went to elaborate lengths to make sure there were limited photos of Colorado's possible new coach.

When he arrived at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport on Monday morning, he was immediately taxied to a private terminal. He was then whisked away in athletic director Mike Bohn's SUV. As the vehicle left the airport, one of the local Colorado television stations picked it up and started tailing it, which caused the group to have to abandon their plans to do some sightseeing.

You would have thought Jones was a celebrity or a dignitary of some sort. No, he's just the next guy in line whose collegiate coaching career could be doomed by the University of Colorado.

Jones left the Rockies with a contract offer for five years that would pay him $2.5 million yearly with incentives. He's expected to announce his decision Tuesday. Jones also interviewed at Purdue on Sunday, but according to GoldandBlack.com, Jones already has turned down the offer.

Jones is a weird fit for Colorado. He's spent his entire coaching career in the Midwest and has no recruiting ties to Texas, California or Colorado, the states that populated much of Colorado's roster. He has no insider knowledge of the Pac-12 and his offensive style would probably need a couple years to develop with the athletes Colorado currently has in place.

Even though the money is good, the job isn't. Colorado already has proven that it provides little support for its coaches and gives them little time to rebuild. The job is not one that is highly thought of in coaching circles, and the media crusade by former coach Jon Embree and coaching great Bill McCartney claiming racial injustice in the athletic department haven't exactly painted Colorado in the best light.

If Jones was to take the job, he'd have to have some sort of guarantee that a couple three-win seasons wouldn't land him in the bread line. Not sure if a coach can work that into a contract.

While a decision is expected Tuesday, Jones is scheduled to speak at Cincinnati's bowl press conference Tuesday afternoon. If he shows up, it's probably safe to assume he's staying with the Bearcats.

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