New Orleans Saints assistant head coach Mike Riley, whose name was linked to several prominent college jobs earlier this offseason, will interview over the weekend with Oregon State officials about their vacancy.

Riley, 49, contacted school officials in the wake of the departure of Dennis Erickson to the San Francisco 49ers, and is said to be avidly pursuing a post he held in 1997-98. If he landed the position, it would put him in the rather unique spot of having been both Erickson's predecessor and successor.

"Sure, it's a job I want," Riley said. "I've told people I wanted one more head coaching job, and wanted it to be at the college level, and this is a place that I know and love."

It is not yet known what other candidates might emerge.

Oregon State will be represented at the meeting by athletic director Bob DeCarolis and, it is believed, other school officials.

In his two-year tenure at the university, Riley compiled a record of just 8-14, including just two victories in the Pac 10. But his teams were competitive and, for the most part, he was well liked. Riley did anger some when he left in January of 1999, just a month before letter of intent day, to become head coach of the San Diego Chargers.

Riley was 14-34 in three seasons (1999-2001) with the Chargers before he was dismissed. He was hired shortly thereafter by the Saints to serve as the assistant head coach and to tutor the secondary.

He turned down an opportunity earlier this year to become head coach at Alabama, his alma mater, and pursued the UCLA job, which subsequently went to Denver Broncos assistant Karl Dorrell.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.