Oregon’s Brooks Favorite to Be Named Ram Coach

University of Oregon Coach Rich Brooks has been recommended to replace Chuck Knox as Ram head coach by the team’s search committee.

Steve Ortmayer, vice president of football operations, and Jay Zygmunt, senior vice president, made the recommendation to team president John Shaw on Tuesday.

“(Ortmayer and Zygmunt) said they would recommend him as the head coach of this team,” Shaw said. “I will evaluate him, and after that, if things are right, he would meet with (owner Georgia Frontiere).”

Brooks is the only candidate to be interviewed twice and the only one to meet with Shaw.

But Shaw said he was not prepared to make an offer, and indications are that one will not be forthcoming until the team has dealt with Mike Ditka, former coach of the Chicago Bears. The Rams are believed to be under pressure from St. Louis to consider Ditka, who emerged as the St. Louis fans’ overwhelming choice as head coach in a recent newspaper poll.

Ortmayer and Zygmunt interviewed Ernie Zampese, Dallas offensive coordinator, Tuesday morning but then directed their attention toward Brooks, who already had met with Ram officials two weeks ago.

“I’m just not at liberty to comment,” Brooks said when reached at his L.A.-area hotel. “Let’s just put it this way: I will not make any comment until probably the next day or two.”

Brooks made a favorable impression with Ortmayer in his first meeting and provides the head coaching experience and stability the Rams consider essential in making the transition from Los Angeles to St. Louis.

Brooks coached the special teams for the Rams in 1971-72 after coaching the linebackers at UCLA in 1970. After a year at Oregon State, he worked with defensive backs and special teams in San Francisco and linebackers again at UCLA in 1976 before becoming head coach at Oregon.

Duck fans, none too happy with Brooks’ performance in recent years, were printing up “Ditch Rich” T-shirts before the 1994 season.

But Brooks, 91-109-4 with seven winning seasons in his 18 years with Oregon, led the team to its first Rose Bowl appearance since 1958 and its fourth bowl showing in the last six seasons.

“Right now, you probably know as much about him as I do,” Shaw said while on his way to meeting Brooks. “All I know is that he has been recommended by our people.”

Brooks, who is known for his intensity and football knowledge, at first denied he knew anything about the Ram job when contacted Tuesday.

“I don’t know much about it,” Brooks said, until advised that the Rams had made known his presence in town.

The Rams have also interviewed Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin head coach, and Joe Vitt, former Ram assistant head coach. Ortmayer has also talked with UCLA Coach Terry Donahue, and had plans to talk with Ted Tollner, San Diego State coach, if the interviewing process continues later in the week.