Will Pasco football vacancies remain 'frozen'?

Apparently, the hiring freeze implemented by the Pasco County school district applies to the county's football coaching vacancies as well.

Mitchell principal Ric Mellin, seeking a replacement for retired former coach Scott Schmitz, said today the job advertisement he posted on the school district's Web site "was canceled this morning at the district level."

The application deadline for the job was Dec. 9. "I do not know yet when I'll have the ability to readvertise or just interview because of the freeze," Mellin said via e-mail.

Zephyrhills also could find itself without a coach -- or even a coaching search -- for the foreseeable future now that Tom Fisher has retired.

The district is seeking ways to cut as much as $20 million by July, which could result in layoffs. Only a limited number of jobs deemed necessary by superintendent Heather Fiorentino will remain open. Whether football jobs ultimately are deemed among the "necessary" positions is unclear.

"We have not been informed of that yet," Pasco County athletic director Phil Bell said. "I know a lot of people are asking about budgets and future programs. I think there's a board workshop on Dec. 16 and hopefully we'll have some direction after that."

JOEY KNIGHT