Last night was crazy with the Bradley to Pitt reports, retractions, repeat sequences. If you follow me on twitter, you know it was even more absurd with Chris Gates, Bryan of Pitt Script, Chris Peak of PantherLair and assorted others.

Not sure if it will bet that bad tonight, but it sure is shaping up that way.

Hearing Todd Graham talks with Pitt are heating up dramatically. If he gets the job, Steve Kragthorpe could be candidate to return to Tulsa.

That’s from Austin American-Statesman sports columnist Kirk Bohls.

And as to why Tom Bradley seems to have fallen back to the pack.

Word is Pitt and Bradley fell off over money for assistants. Wouldn’t be surprised to see talks pick back up though.

Which seems somewhat odd since Graham’s price tag is supposedly higher, that there would be yet another instance of Pitt nickel-and-diming on assistants.

Paul Chryst is in the mix, but Texas no longer appears to be vying for his services.

Sources tell Orangebloods.com Boise State OC Bryan Harsin and Major Applewhite will be co-coordinators at Texas.

Chryst still has options. He is reportedly being courted to be on Jason Garrett’s staff with the Dallas Cowboys.

Then there is an update from Paul Zeise.

Here is what I would call the darkhorse candidate of the group — former Pitt player Teryl Austin, who most recently was Florida’s defensive coordinator and has worked with the Seahawks, Cardinals and of course at Michigan.

Austin is a tremendous recruiter – remember when Michigan was kicking Pitt’s butt in Western Pennsylvania for guys like Steve Breaston? Well, that was Austin, who is from Sharon, Pennsylvania — and is considered one of the bright, young coaches from the assistant coaching ranks. His name has been linked to several other jobs and because of his Pitt ties his name has been thrown about in the rumor mill but this is what I’ve learned in the past few hours:

I’ve confirmed he is now a legitimate candidate and not just a guy on a wish list because he is a Pitt guy.

Craziness. Bad craziness.

I have opinions and theories about some of this.

Theory 1: Pederson is fighting for his own job right now. If Tom Bradley is hired, it is all but the end for him. By all accounts he stopped short of actively opposing him. He dismissed Bradley and any supporters of him out-of-hand.

To turn around and hire him now, would be more than a tacit admission of how much he screwed up and how little power he now has.

That would explain the apparent sudden re-engagement of Todd Graham, despite the higher price-tag. This would be Pederson’s hire. While it would tie his fate to Graham’s success or failure, it would at least keep his job for a while.

Theory 2: Graham realized he may have overplayed his hand for more money, and is trying to get back in for the Pitt job. Since he was an early candidate and there’s a lot of pluses for him, there is a legitimate discussion as to whether he is the better option.

Theory 3: It was never as much a done deal with Bradley as we were led to believe. All the leaks seem to have come from Bradley’s side of things. It may have been premature and things were overstated.

I just don’t know for sure, but I do know it is going to be a long night for me and my friend.