Rattlers close to hiring Guy

Sides agree to length of contract, continue to work out financial details

Richard Obert

The Arizona Republic
Aug. 4, 2007 12:00 AM

The Rattlers were working out details Friday evening to hire San Jose SaberCats defensive coordinator Kevin Guy as their coach, a source said.

The sides agreed to the number of years in a contract but had yet to work out the financial details, according to the source.

Guy emerged after owner Bobby Hernreich and President Blake Edwards interviewed four finalists for the job Thursday in Phoenix.

The other finalists were former Rattlers star Hunkie Cooper, Nashville Kats coach Pat Sperduto and Tampa Bay Storm offensive coordinator Pat O'Hara.

The Rattlers were unable to land their first choice, former Rattlers defensive coordinator Doug Plank, who decided to remain as head coach of the Georgia Force.

Arizona also sought Plank's offensive coordinator, Steve Thonn, but he accepted the Grand Rapids Rampage head-coaching position this week.

Guy's defense held Columbus to 33 points in Sunday's ArenaBowl in New Orleans. It was San Jose's third championship in the past six years.

Guy, a former af2 Coach of the Year, spent the past two seasons as the SaberCats' defensive coordinator. They ranked in the top five in the regular season in four defensive categories in his first season.

This past season, the SaberCats gave up the second-fewest points in the league at 761 - 154 fewer than the Rattlers, who posted their worst-ever record (4-12) and failed to reach the playoffs for the second time in the past three years.

Guy coached four seasons in af2, where he had a .732 winning percentage with the Tennessee Valley Vipers (2002-04) and the Rio Grande Valley Dorados (2005).

Guy would be the Rattlers' fourth coach, the third in four years since Danny White left after coaching the team in its first 13 seasons.

That would be great if he got the job and it hurt San Jose all the way around.