Pat Hill Fresno State head football coach

Fresno State head football coach Pat Hill, considered a front-runner for the Arizona football head-coaching vacancy, pulled himself out of the running, a release from the FSU athletics department said Friday.

According to the release, Hill notified UA officials late last week that he is withdrawing his name from consideration for the opening.

"I'm excited about the future of Bulldog Football," Hill said in the statement. "I am not ÷ nor am I going to be ÷ a candidate for any opening anytime soon."

The UA position opened up when athletics director Jim Livengood fired head coach John Mackovic late last month, a day after the Wildcats fell to visiting Texas Christian, bringing the team's overall record to 1-4 on the season.

Hill spent two seasons in Tucson as a member of the UA coaching staff, serving as offensive coordinator from 1990-1991 under former Arizona head coach Dick Tomey.

Hill is in his seventh season as head coach at Fresno State, and has led the Bulldogs to a 49-34 overall record.

At the helm of the Bulldogs, Hill has averaged nine wins per season over the last three seasons and has guided the Bulldogs to four consecutive bowl games, including a win over Georgia Tech in the 2002 Silicon Valley Football Classic.

Hill's decision came after FSU athletics director Scott Johnson announced the formation of the "Green V Association," a fundraising committee geared at raising money to build a new academic center and football locker room.

"The formation of the Green V Association is a big step toward building the academic center and facilities we need to continue to build a nationally respected program," Hill added. "I'm very pleased with the progress we've made. This commitment by our university and community is outstanding. I'm very happy at Fresno State."

Hill joins former Washington coach Rick Neuheisel and former Alabama and Washington State coach Mike Price as potential candidates no longer in the running for the UA head coaching position. UA president Peter Likins dismissed rumors of Neuheisel and Price's candidacy shortly after the firing of Mackovic.