The first search resulted in Kansas University selecting Tulsa’s Bubba Cunningham as its next athletic director, after he proved more impressive in interviews than Notre Dame deputy AD Bill Scholl, the other finalist. Those who fit what seemed to be the desired profile had reputations for high integrity, were on the young, energetic side and had extensive football experience.

Now that Cunningham turned down Kansas and decided to stay at Tulsa, Scholl is not expected to be offered the job. A list of athletic directors who fit the profile that seems to appeal to Kansas are worth exploring as potential candidates, some for the second time:

• Brad Bates, Miami (Ohio): Known for his impressive communication skills, Bates called a newspaper report that he had been recommended by the KU search committee to Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little, “completely not true.”

“I talked to the chairman of their search committee in October and I declined to get involved,” Bates told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “I told them I was not interested. I’m completely happy at Miami.”

Too bad. By all accounts, he’s a solid guy. He played football at Michigan, where he earned his undergraduate (1981) and master’s (1982) degrees and earned a doctorate at Vanderbilt in 1997.

• Kirby Hocutt, Miami (Fla.): An All-Big 8 linebacker as a junior and a team captain as a senior, Hocutt earned his bachelor’s degree from Kansas State in 1995 and his master’s in education from Oklahoma in 2001. He worked as an assistant AD at Oklahoma and headed the department at Ohio University before heading to Miami in 2008 at the age of 36.

The timing wasn’t right for Hocutt to get involved during the first search because the school fired a football coach (Randy Shannon) and hired another (Al Golden).

If Hocutt believes the new football coach, who grew tired of waiting for Joe Paterno to retire from Penn State and left Temple for Miami, can return the Hurricanes to their golden years, why would he leave? Good question.

There is no indication sports-minded, hands-on Chancellor Donna Shalala called for the firing of Shannon and sent Hocutt to the microphone to take the heat for it, but if she did, that might inspire Hocutt to want to find a job where he calls the shots.

He’s a long shot, but one worth exploring.

• Steve Orsini, Southern Methodist University: A 1978 Notre Dame graduate, Orsini was a fullback and one of four team captains on ND’s 1977 national championship team. He has worked in the athletic departments of Notre Dame, Navy, Georgia Tech and Central Florida (his first head AD job in 2002). He also worked for the Dallas Cowboys. After recruiting more than 20 donors to commit $100,000 a year for five years to join what’s called “The Circle of Champions,” Orsini made a splash by hiring June Jones to coach the football team, and Jones has returned it to winning ways.

• Sheahon Zenger, Illinois State: Comes highly recommended to basketball coach Bill Self from his former assistant, Tim Jankovich. An influential Kansas faculty member also is very high on Zenger, a K-State alumnus who received his doctorate from KU. A native of Hays, he worked as an assistant coach to Bill Snyder at the age of 23. His personal, grounded style wins him friends in high places.