DAVID HARDEN/Arizona Daily Wildcat Athletics Director Jim Livengood announces to media last month that football coach John Mackovic has been fired. A committee formed by the department is looking for a new head coach.

The UA athletics department does not need to make budget cuts in order to pay the buyout of former head football coach John Mackovic by next week's deadline.

The athletics department, which has been financially self-sufficient since July, has until Oct. 28 to pay Mackovic the entire $910,000.

According to John Perrin, senior associate athletics director for business affairs, the money for the buyout will come from the department's general budget, and it will be paid on time.

Although no fundraising has been done so far to pay for the buyout, the department will continue to raise money through corporate sponsors, donations and ticket sales, Perrin said.

Mackovic was fired on Sept. 28

following Arizona's 13-10, overtime loss to TCU - its fourth straight defeat. He was in the third season of a five-year, $4 million contract.

The committee searching for a permanent replacement for Mackovic already has a list of over 100 names, said Rocky LaRose, senior associate director of athletics and head of the search committee.

LaRose said the committee is looking at coaches at other institutions who cannot publicly throw their hats into the ring. LaRose said she was unable to release any of the names at this time.

The committee is now talking with some of these coaches' representatives, but LaRose said the committee will eventually interview these individuals as well.

The committee is also actively looking at minority coaching candidates, with help from the NCAA, the Black Coaching Association, and a search firm called Level Playing Field, an organization that focuses on minority employment, LaRose said.

According to LaRose, Level Playing Field provides services to the search committee such as background checks, personal references and recommendations.

LaRose said the firm is paid an hourly fee as needed and that all options would be looked at before making a final decision.

"We're looking for the best fit," LaRose said. "We absolutely want to make sure we have a diverse pool of people."

LaRose did not say when the list would be finalized.

"We're sort of taking this day by day," she said. "It really is a puzzle."