John Mackovic's last coaching stint ended in 1997 with Texas. (AP)

On Monday, Mackovic appeared at a news conference to be introduced as the Wildcats' new coach, the fourth program he has headed in what will be his 14th season as a major college coach.

"The TV gig was nice, but it's not coaching," he said. "It doesn't have the same feel of coaching."

Mackovic, 57, returns to the school where he was a young offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 1973-76.

"It's been a long wait," he said, "but I feel like I'm finally home."

Since then, he's had a nomadic career that included head coach at Wake Forest from 1978-80, the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs from 1983-86, Illinois from 1988-91, and Texas from 1992-97.

He was coach of the year in all three collegiate conferences, but decided to quit the profession when he was fired by Texas after a 4-7 season. He then worked for ESPN.

"I chose to say I was retired because I was hurt," Mackovic said. "I just didn't know if I wanted to continue because I felt we had done the things that were asked of us and we had put our program at Texas in not only a competitive but a winning position, but we had an off year."

Athletic director Jim Livengood first contacted Mackovic a week ago. They worked out the details of the five-year contract at meetings late last week in Phoenix. Livengood said no one else was offered the job.

"I think the biggest thing that probably convinced me more than anything else is that he has a passion, a burning desire to get back into college football and coach young people," Livengood said.

Mackovic's salary was not disclosed pending approval by the Board of Regents.

Livengood wanted an offensive-minded coach, and Mackovic fills that bill. He said he will call the plays.

"I will be vitally involved with all parts of the program," he said, "but I do expect to be involved on a minute by minute basis with the offense."

After 14 years as coach, Tomey resigned moments after the Wildcats lost to Arizona State 30-17 in the season finale. One of his main failures was his inability to get Arizona to the Rose Bowl. The Wildcats are the only Pac-10 team never to make it to the Pasadena classic.

"I want us to be the best. That's why I do things," Mackovic said. "First of all, we have to get to and win the Rose Bowl. This university has not been there. That would be my No. 1 obligation to our team, our university, our fans."

He also talked about bolstering dwindling fan support.

Mackovic said he wants the home crowd to become "as ferocious and as fearsome and as loathed by opponents as we can make it. It can be done. It's been done other places in the Pac-10 that at one time were not known for their home field advantage."

He said he had turned down another offer recently and had been contacted by a third school but had already accepted the Arizona job.

Mackovic's record in 13 seasons as a college coach is 85-64-3. He was 30-34 with the Chiefs.

He was offensive coordinator at Purdue in 1977 and was quarterbacks coach for Tom Landry's Dallas Cowboys in 1981 and 1982.

Mackovic directed Texas to a 10-2-1 record in 1995 and won the Big 12 championship in 1996 but was fired after the Longhorns went 4-7 in 1997. His overall record at Texas was 41-28-2.

Mackovic said he had no problems going to a school where the basketball program overshadows football.

"It overshadows only in the sense that they've had such phenomenal success, and they deserve every bit of the recognition," he said. "That Arizona logo with the Saguoro cactus sticking out of it, that is better known today than anybody could have dreamed, and that helps every team in recruiting.

"Lute (Olson) deserves all that success. Our job is to earn that same type of reputation and same kind of admiration."

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