The Black Coaches and Administrators group is looking for creative ways to get more minority football coaches into major college jobs.

They’ll consider almost anything — more input from college presidents in coaching searches, NCAA help to measure diversity in hiring, advice from Tony Dungy, maybe even a lawsuit.

On the day the BCA released its latest hiring report card, executive director Floyd Keith acknowledged that while there has been some progress, the ultimate measuring stick, hires, continues to lag.

“We are looking at every opportunity we can to advance the cause,” Keith said Wednesday. “I think the important thing for us is the part about hires, not interviews. We’ve hit the interview mark.”

When the BCA started its report cards, in 2004, it contended that if searches became more inclusive, hires would follow.

Charlotte Westerhaus, the NCAA’s vice president for diversity and inclusion, said 85 percent of the 32 Division I schools looking for coaches last year interviewed coaches of color. Five were hired.

The problem: Of the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision coaches, only nine are minorities — seven blacks, one Latino and one Polynesian. That’s a record high, but a number Keith and others do not believe is good enough.

Richard Lapchick, director of Central Florida’s Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, called it “scandalous” that five of the six BCS conferences have no coaches of color. He wrote in the report that it’s time for a “civil rights movement” in college sports.

In fact, Lapchick contends minority coaches lost ground last year because three black coaches at BCS schools — Kansas State’s Ron Prince, Mississippi State’s Sylvester Croom and Washington’s Tyrone Willingham — were not retained.

Stanford leaves mark

Stanford’s 2-point conversion has turned into something of controversy.

In the wake of the Cardinal upsetting Southern California, 55-21, Saturday, the Trojans slipped to No. 22 in the polls, their lowest ranking since 2002.

Up 48-21 and with 6:47 remaining, Stanford tried and failed on a 2-point conversion that some considered overkill.

“I’ve been reading some people’s opinion that somehow this is something personal with coach (Pete) Carroll,” Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters. “That couldn’t be further from the truth. There was nothing personal. I’m not trying to make any enemies.”

Carroll only hinted at being miffed.

“I don’t know what they were thinking with that, but in that situation, they get to do whatever they want,” he said.

Extra points

California tailback Jahvid Best, who suffered a concussion against Oregon State on Nov. 7, hopes to return to the field this season. Since he has been ruled out for the Stanford game this week, that leaves the Dec. 5 game against Washington. … Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, under pressure to retire after this season, got the backing of Gov. Charlie Crist, an alumnus who said the 80-year-old coach deserves respect.