Missouri Coaching Search

It was surprising to see that Barry Odom didn’t get a fifth season at Missouri. It’s one of the more challenging SEC jobs that lacks a strong football history relative to its rival schools. Odom was a former linebacker at Missouri who worked his way up from an off-field assistant to head coach, but his team’s on-field play never really reached expectations.

Last time around, AD Jim Sterk chose Odom over a solid list of candidates who had head coaching experience. It’ll be interesting to see who emerges, but there’s a tendency to make an opposite hire of the last one made. There are several strong candidates among sitting head coaches and Power 5 coordinators that could come into play.

Coaching Candidates:

Mike Norvell – Norvell has Memphis rolling this year, and they are likely to clinch the Group of 5’s CFP bowl spot with a win over Cincinnati next Saturday. He is one of the current coaching cycle’s more attractive candidates, but Missouri might be the best fit for him. He coaches at a nearby school that lacks a strong football history, and his offensive schemes present a clear contract from the current staff.

Josh Huepel – The best offensive play in the Odom era came under the direction of Huepel, who left two years ago to replace Scott Frost at UCF. It’s hard to keep up sustained success, but he’s done a relatively good job since taking over there with all of the on-field challenges he’s faced. He is familiar with the school’s administration and got a two-year audition during his time as offensive coordinator. He’s an Oklahoma native that knows the region well, and this could be the right place for him to jump to a Power 5 head coaching gig. His large buyout could be an issue though.

Willie Fritz – The veteran head coach has been successful at Tulane, one of the more challenging jobs in his conference. He runs an exciting offense and his track record of success will be very appealing to sitting athletic directors. He spent thirteen seasons at Central Missouri, so he has ties to the state’s football community. His age could work against him, but he might have the right blend of experience and potential that the school will be looking for in the coaching search.

Alex Grinch – The Oklahoma defensive coordinator started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Missouri, and returned for three years at the start of the decade before becoming Mike Leach’s top defensive coach at Washington State. He’s since become Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator, and he’s done a great job turning around their defense. He’s one of the better defensive minds in college football, but he could lose traction here lacking head coaching experience having a resume similar to Odom’s when he was hired.

Dan Lanning – The Missouri native has never coached at the state flagship school, but he’s got an impressive resume of his own. He started coaching with Todd Graham before leaving to be a grad assistant at Alabama. Since then, he had a brief stint at Memphis before leaving to join Kirby Smart’s staff at Georgia. He was promoted to defensive coordinator before the start of this season, and he’s done a great job continuing the momentum on that side of the ball. He’s a young and energetic coach who players love, and he could bring life back into the program.

Brent Venables – Venables has been very reluctant to leave Clemson, where he’s currently coaching his two sons and won multiple national championships. However, he’s a native of nearby Kansas and he’s got tons of experience coaching in region prior to his time at Clemson. He is the highest-paid assistant coach in the country for a good reason, and it’ll take a strong pitch from AD Jim Sterk for him to consider leaving his current situation.

Justin Fuente – The current Virginia Tech coach was a frequently discussed name during the last coaching search, and his team’s remarkable turnaround this year will put him in discussion for other jobs this year. He’s an Oklahoma native with strong regional ties, and it would be a huge get for AD Jim Sterk to bring a sitting Power 5 head coach to Columbia to turn things around.

Bill Clark/Todd Graham – Here are two guys with head coaching experience that could get some consideration. Clark has done a great job building UAB’s football program since their return to the sport, and he fits the mold of an SEC head coach. Graham was relatively successful at Arizona State despite his firing, and he could be the steady hand that the school needs right now.

Luke Fickell/Bryan Harsin – Here are two more names that could emerge in the search. Fickell has done a great job turning Cincinnati’s football program around, but he lacks regional ties relative to other candidates. Harsin has quietly done a fantastic job at Boise State in recent years, but it’ll be interesting to see if this is the place he leaves his alma mater for.

Some Other Names: Eliah Drinkwitz, Appalachian State Head Coach; Billy Napier, Louisiana-Lafayette Head Coach; Dave Steckel, Missouri State Head Coach; Blake Anderson, Arkansas State Head Coach; Joe Brady, LSU Passing Game Coordinator; Tony Elliott, Clemson Co-Offensive Coordinator; Kevin Steele, Auburn Defensive Coordinator; Mike Leach, Washington State Head Coach; Cory Patterson, Illinois Tight Ends Coach

New Mexico Coaching Search

If we’re being honest, New Mexico is one of the toughest jobs in FBS football. Bob Davie made two bowl games in his eight years there, and he wasn’t all that bad. There are serious budgetary restraints that come with this job, and it’ll be an uphill climb for whoever is next. Many Lobos fans wish that things with Rocky Long ended up better, as he’s done a great job reviving in-conference rival SDSU.

One big question around this search is how much money they’ll be willing to spend on the new coach and his staff. Some of the current assistant coaches at Power 5 schools could get priced out if they aren’t willing to pay the new coach more than Bob Davie’s salary of ~$825k. Combined with the lack of in-state talent and facilities, this job will require some outside of the box thinking for the next hire.

Coaching Candidates:

Danny Gonzales – The Arizona State defensive coordinator is well-known throughout school circles, as he built his coaching career under Rocky Long’s guidance. Gonzales played for New Mexico from 1994-98, and he began his coaching career there under Long. He joined Herm Edwards’s first staff at Arizona State before the start of last season, and he’s done great things there. Potentially no other coach understands what it takes to win at this job, and he would bring back schemes that many fans miss from the Long era.

Morgan Scalley – Scalley has spent his entire coaching career at Utah, rising his way from administrative assistant to defensive coordinator. His defense has gotten national attention in recent years, and he deserves lots of credit for being Kyle Whittingham’s longtime top assistant. It’s fair to wonder if his current salary will price him out of this job, but this could be the right place to start his head coaching career. He’s proven that he knows how to win at places with fewer resources, and he could bring this team back to regular bowl contention with the right staff.

Holmon Wiggins – The former Lobos receiver joined Nick Saban’s staff as wide receivers’ coach prior to the start of the year, and he’s guided arguably the most talented group in program history. He’s a well-traveled coach with experience across the country, and he’s very well-regarded as a position coach. Most importantly, he focuses most of his recruiting efforts along the west coast and could likely build a strong roster with in-state talent and JUCO players. He lacks head coach or play-calling experience which could hurt him here, but it’s likely he’ll be in the conversation.

Matt Canada – This might surprise some people, as the Midwest native has spent most of his coaching career at Power 5 programs. However, he knows AD Eddie Nunez from their one year together at LSU and he pursued several head coaching roles last offseason. He could bring in a staff from day one that is experienced at recruiting, which won’t hurt his case. His lack of connections in the west coast would hurt him in this search, but he’s run a program before and could rise to the top with a strong interview.

Rich Rodriguez – This pairing makes a lot of sense if Rich Rod is looking for one more go-around as a head coach. He left Arizona two years ago after a scandal that caused his resignation, but it doesn’t appear that will affect his future employment. He gained valuable experience recruiting the region during his time at Arizona, and he could bring back Calvin Magee who did rather well running the Lobos offense in 2018. There are certainly worse hires that could be made.

Ivin Jasper/Brian Bohannon – One option that makes some sense for New Mexico is looking for a coach who runs the triple-option offense. A complete implementation of this scheme would give opponents frustration on game days. Jasper is a longtime Navy assistant who has been patient waiting for his first head coaching job, and he’s a proven recruiter in his home state of Hawaii. Bohannon has exceeded expectations since taking the reigns at Kennesaw State, but he hasn’t spent time in his coaching career outside of the southeast region.

Marcus Arroyo – Arroyo might have the most complete resume of assistant coaches they will consider. He’s done a decent job running the option offense at Oregon, and previously has success as a play-caller at Southern Miss and Wyoming. He also spent a year in the pros on Jeff Tedford’s staff before returning to the college game. He wanted the San Jose State job when it opened a few years ago, and he’ll likely pursue most open vacancies in the Mountain West.

Jeff Banks – One of the best special teams’ coaches in the country, Banks has travelled all along the country during his career. He’s a west coast native with experience coaching at places with budgetary and geographic challenges, and he is well-versed on both sides of the football. He has been mentioned by college football analysts as a future head coach, particularly for jobs in the Mountain West. It’ll be interesting to see if he can gain traction as a candidate here.

Troy Taylor/Aaron Best – Here are two names Eddie Nunez might look to if he’s looking for a sitting head coach in the FCS. Taylor has done a remarkable job turning around Sacramento State since taking over before the start of this year, and he has Power 5 assistant experience at Utah from his previous stint there. Best has spent all but one year of his coaching career at Eastern Washington, but he has done a tremendous job since taking over for Beau Baldwin three years ago.

Some Other Names: Dennis Simmons, Oklahoma Wide Receivers Coach; Todd Graham, former Arizona State Head Coach; Mike MacIntyre, Ole Miss Defensive Coordinator; Andy Avalos, Oregon Defensive Coordinator; Herb Hand, Texas Offensive Line Coach; Lance Anderson, Stanford Defensive Coordinator; Pete Kwiatkowski, Washington Co-Defensive Coordinator; Frank Wilson, UTSA Head Coach; Kevin Mawae, Arizona State Football Analyst; Tony Sanchez, former UNLV Head Coach; Jason Mohns, Saguaro H.S. (AZ) Head Coach

Early Bowl Predictions

College Football Playoff

Peach Bowl: LSU (CFP #1) vs. Oklahoma (CFP #4)
Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State (CFP #2) vs. Clemson (CFP #3)

 

CFP Bowl Games

Orange Bowl: Virginia (ACC) vs. Georgia (Power 5)

Rose Bowl: Penn State (Big Ten) vs. Utah (Pac-12)
Sugar Bowl: Baylor (Big 12) vs. Alabama (SEC)
Cotton Bowl: Florida (At-Large) vs. Memphis (Group of 5)

 

Bahamas Bowl: Charlotte (C-USA) vs. Toledo (MAC**)
Frisco Bowl: UCF (American) vs. Marshall (C-USA)
New Mexico Bowl: Nevada (MWC) vs. UAB (C-USA)
Cure Bowl: Temple (American) vs. Arkansas State (Sun Belt #4)
Boca Raton Bowl: Tulane (American) vs. Miami-OH (MAC)
Camellia Bowl: Georgia State (Sun Belt #3) vs. Central Michigan (MAC)

Las Vegas Bowl: Boise State (MWC #1) vs. Washington State (Pac-12 #6)
New Orleans Bowl: Appalachian State (Sun Belt #1) vs. Southern Miss (C-USA)
Gasparilla Bowl: SMU (American) vs. Western Kentucky (C-USA)
Hawaii Bowl: BYU (Independent) vs. Hawaii (MWC)

Independence Bowl: Florida State (ACC #8) vs. Louisiana Tech (C-USA/SEC++)
Quick Lane Bowl: Michigan State (Big Ten #8) vs. North Carolina (ACC #9)
Military Bowl: Miami (ACC #7) vs. Navy (American)
Pinstripe Bowl: Pittsburgh (ACC #3-6) vs. Illinois (Big Ten #6)
Texas Bowl: Oklahoma State (Big 12 #4) vs. Texas A&M (SEC #3-8)
Holiday Bowl: Washington (Pac-12 #3) vs. Iowa (Big Ten #4)
Cheez-It Bowl: Kansas State (Big 12 #6) vs. Arizona State (Pac-12 #7)

Camping World Bowl: Notre Dame (ACC #2) vs. Texas (Big 12 #3)

First Responder Bowl: BIG 12++ vs. Florida Atlantic (C-USA)
Redbox Bowl: California (Pac-12 #4) vs. Indiana (Big Ten #7)
Music City Bowl: Virginia Tech (ACC #3-6) vs. Tennessee (SEC #3-8)
Belk Bowl: Wake Forest (ACC #3-6) vs. San Diego State (MWC**)
Sun Bowl: Louisville (ACC #3-6) vs. USC (Pac-12 #5)
Liberty Bowl: TCU (Big 12 #5) vs. Cincinnati (American/SEC++)
Arizona Bowl: Wyoming (MWC) vs. Georgia Southern (Sun Belt #5)

Alamo Bowl: Iowa State (Big 12 #2) vs. Oregon (Pac-12 #2)
Citrus Bowl: Auburn (SEC #2) vs. Michigan (Big Ten #2)
Outback Bowl: Minnesota (Big Ten #3) vs. Missouri (SEC #3-8)

Birmingham Bowl: Liberty (Independent) vs. Florida International (C-USA**)
Gator Bowl: Kentucky (SEC #3-8) vs. Wisconsin (Big Ten #5)
Idaho Potato Bowl: Utah State (MWC) vs. Eastern Michigan (MAC)
Armed Forces Bowl: Nebraska (Big Ten*) vs. Air Force (MWC)

LendingTree Bowl: Louisiana (Sun Belt #2) vs. Buffalo (MAC)

UNLV Head Coach

We knew heading into the season that Tony Sanchez’s fate would be determined on whether he could lead his UNLV team to a bowl game appearance. Despite a momentum-grabbing win over Vanderbilt last month, this season has been quite the disappointment with only three wins to date. In his coaching tenure, Sanchez and his staff were underwhelming on the recruiting trail and failed to generate much momentum in his five years there. Many people were surprised when Sanchez was initially hired out of nearby Bishop Gorman H.S., as he lacked the background needed to win as a collegiate head coach.

There are plenty of challenges that traditionally have come with the UNLV job, including budgetary restrictions and lackluster booster support for football. However, UNLV is moving into the Raiders’ new stadium starting next season and built new facilities to help improve the program’s trajectory. There aren’t any obvious early frontrunners, but the search could attract a strong list of candidates. Here are some names I could see getting involved.

Coaching Candidates:

Jimmy Lake – First, Lake’s resume is very impressive. The Washington native has five years of NFL assistant coaching experience on his resume, before leaving in 2012 to become Boise State’s defensive backs coach. Since then, he’s followed Coach Pete to Washington, where he’s established himself as one of the conference’s elite recruiters and play-callers. He is due for a head coaching opportunity soon, but salary constraints could come into play here. He might have to take a slight pay decrease in order to take the job, but this might present the right situation for him to begin his head coaching career.

Todd Graham – There’s a trend in college football that if a hire busts, then you go the complete opposite direction the next time. That would be the case here. Graham is a well-traveled head coach, most recently with a relatively successful tenure at Arizona State. He’s also got experience running programs in Rice and Tulsa that have similar recruiting and budgetary challenges to what UNLV is currently inheriting. He’ll only return to college coaching for the right situation, and many factors make me think this could be it.

Tee Martin – This fit makes a lot of sense on paper. Martin has been seeking to become a head coach for several years, and he gained valuable recruiting experience out west while at USC. He’s a well-known name in the college coaching circles, and he could generate the kind of buzz that UNLV has been missing for some time. Another fun tidbit is that he interviewed for the Raiders head coaching job a few years back before they settled on Jon Gruden, so he has a pre-existing relationship with the town’s new pro football team.

Beau Baldwin – He’s got the right blend of head coaching and offensive play-calling experience that could help solidify his candidacy in this coaching search. He was extremely successful in building up the Eastern Washington football program before leaving to run California’s offense three years ago. He is well-versed in the spread offense, and he’d be a pretty easy sell to the media and fanbase. He was a finalist for the Oregon State job two years ago, and his resume would be a strong match for most Mountain West programs.

Shane Beamer – The son of legendary Hokies coach Frank Beamer, Beamer has emerged as one of the game’s brighter offensive coaches in the country. He coached at several schools in the south before becoming his father’s lead assistant in 2011, and he’s been a senior assistant at Georgia and Oklahoma since his father’s retirement. He is on the younger side at 42 years old and he lacks ties to the West Coast, but he knows AD Desiree Reed-Francois from their shared time at Virginia Tech which could help in the search.

Jim Leavitt/Mike MacIntyre – These are two veteran names that could emerge is Reed-Francois centers the search on experienced head coaches. Leavitt has experience in the region as an assistant at Oregon and Colorado, and he’s got experience building a program from scratch. He would be a pretty easy sell to the media. MacIntyre is four years removed from winning the National Head Coach of the Year at Colorado, and he’s done measures to improve Ole Miss’s defense since taking it over. He was also very successful at conference rival San Jose State earlier this decade.

Graham Harrell/Matt Mumme – If the school looks for someone from Mike Leach’s coaching tree, these would be the first two logical names. Harrell did a great job turning around USC’s offense this year, and he would be great at generating excitement about the program. Mumme is the son of legendary coach Hal Mumme, the so-called inventor of the air raid scheme. He has head coaching experience, and he knows the in-state recruiting base better than other coaches.

Some Other Names: Holmon Wiggins, Alabama Wide Receivers Coach; Danny Gonzales, Arizona State Defensive Coordinator; Rob Likens, Arizona State Offensive Coordinator; Nick Rolovich, Hawaii Head Coach; Marcus Arroyo, Oregon Offensive Coordinator; Jeff Banks, Alabama Special Teams Coordinator; Clay Helton, USC Head Coach; Andy Avalos, Oregon Defensive Coordinator; Morgan Scalley, Utah Defensive Coordinator; Dennis Simmons, Oklahoma Wide Receivers Coach; Rich Rodriguez, Ole Miss Offensive Coordinator; Lane Kiffin, Florida Atlantic Head Coach; Jeff Choate, Montana State Head Coach; Troy Taylor, Sacramento State Head Coach; Jedd Fisch, Los Angeles Rams Assistant Offensive Coordinator; Scott Turner, Carolina Panthers Offensive Coordinator

Arkansas Coaching Search

Earlier in the season, I wrote that Chad Morris would likely see a third season at Arkansas. The recruiting momentum was evident, and he was doing a solid job of rebuilding the barren roster he inherited from the last staff. However, AD Hunter Yurachek was left no choice but to make a change after the team’s blowout loss to Western Kentucky, marking the second straight season with a home loss to a C-USA opponent. The fanbase was visibly disinterested in the game yesterday, and the next coach will need to do a better job of generating fan interest.

Being the head coach at Arkansas comes with plenty of challenges. It’s viewed as one of the inferior SEC jobs given the dearth of in-state talent and challenging schedule. The school will be on the hook for Morris and his staff’s buyout, which will likely amount to $10+ million. The large buyout will make it harder to go after candidates with relatively bigger buyouts.

Coaching Candidates:

Mike Norvell – He’s done a great job of keeping Memphis relevant since taking the reigns four years ago. It’s especially impressive given the depths where the program was just a few years before he was hired. I thought he was going to be the hire two years ago, but the school’s administration opted for Chad Morris instead. He would be a great cultural fit here, given his deep in-state background that includes his playing days and beginning of his coaching career at Central Arkansas. There will be other schools pursuing him, but his relatively small buyout makes him an attainable candidate.

Eliah Drinkwitz – He’s led Appalachian State to an 8-1 record since taking over for Scott Satterfield, who left for Louisville last winter. What’s even more impressive to me is that two of those wins are over Power 5 programs in North Carolina and South Carolina. He’s a great offensive mind, with prior coaching experience under Gus Malzahn and Bryan Harsin. He’s got deep in-state roots, with prior high school coaching experience at Alma HS and Springdale HS before jumping to the college game. The optics of leaving App State after one year wouldn’t be great, but he’d be hard-pressed to pass on this job if he lands the offer.

Gus Malzahn – He received a massive contract extension after Arkansas showed interest in him two years ago. Many of the reasons he was a candidate then still apply today: he’s a former Razorback with local high school coaching experience, he’s a proven SEC winner, and he runs an innovative offensive system that would generate fan interest. However, it’ll take some big steps for this hire to come to fruition. Many people believe that AD Allen Greene wouldn’t enforce his $10 million buyout, but it’ll be hard for Auburn fans to stomach him leaving for an SEC West rival. He’s also close with Chad Morris, and might not feel comfortable being his replacement.

Mike Leach – One of the game’s top offensive innovators, he has experience coaching in the southwest region from his time at Texas Tech. He’s one of most unique characters in college football, and he’d do a great job of spurring interest in the program. Moreover, he has a long history of developing talent, which should be a consideration given the recruiting challenges of this job. The optics of this hire would present challenges, but he’s a proven program-builder with a unique approach that could succeed here.

Lane Kiffin – He’s another notorious name in coaching, well-known for his disastrous exits from USC and Tennessee. He’d undoubtedly bring added national attention if he is hired anywhere. Yes, he rebuilt some of his coaching brand from his time coaching under Nick Saban at Alabama, but the optics of this hire would still be difficult. He also seems to be very content in his current job at Florida Atlantic, and his comments suggest he’ll wait for a blue blood job with lesser recruiting challenges to open up.

Bryan Harsin – He’s perhaps the most underappreciated coach in college football, having led Boise State to a 60-16 record since taking over for Chris Petersen. He’s a Boise State alum, and it’d take a big upgrade for him to leave. He coached at Arkansas State for one year before leaving for Boise State, and has prior regional experience from his time as an assistant at Texas. If he’s seeking a Power 5 job, this could be a good match.

Billy Napier/Blake Anderson – Both of these Sun Belt coaches should seek out this job. Napier is appealing due to his offensive background, and he comes from a rich coaching tree from his experiences at Alabama and Clemson. Anderson has a 44-29 record at nearby Arkansas State, and he’d be welcomed by the state’s coaching community.

Brent Venables/Dave Aranda – Here are two names the school could go after if they’re looking at defensive assistants. Venables was mentioned last time around, but he’s very content in his current job and might not want the challenges of this job. He’s also close with Morris and his coaching staff. Aranda is another great defensive coordinator, but he’s already got a massive salary and he wouldn’t make a natural cultural fit.

Seth Littrell – His North Texas team has underwhelmed this year, but his coaching stock should still be pretty strong. His offensive background is deeply rooted in the Air Raid offense, and his personality might work better with administrators than his mentor in Mike Leach. He could also keep up the recruiting momentum that Chad Morris had built in the North Texas region, an added plus for a school with recruiting challenges.

Some Other Names: Joe Brady, LSU Passing Game Coordinator; Chip Long, Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator; Hugh Freeze, Liberty Head Coach; Bill Clark, UAB Head Coach; Willie Fritz, Tulane Head Coach; Steve Sarkisian, Alabama Offensive Coordinator; Matt Campbell, Iowa State Head Coach; Skip Holtz, Louisiana Tech Head Coach; Barry Lunney Jr., Interim Head Coach

 

FSU Coaching Search

Here’s what I wrote a couple of weeks ago about the Florida State job.

“The start of this season was a continued disaster for Willie Taggart, and fans should watch to see how conference play goes for the Noles. Regardless, it’ll be surprising if the administration parts ways with Taggart after only two years, but it’s certainly within the realm of possibilities.”

I’m still surprised they made the move to get rid of him before the end of his second season in charge. His $10M+ buyout will present challenges if they want to go after a bigger name coach like Urban Meyer or James Franklin. He was also a strong culture fit, and it surprises me he didn’t get a third season to turn things around. Regardless, this is a blue blood job that will attract a solid group of candidates even with the downward state of the football program.

Coaching Candidates:

Mark Stoops – He’s the biggest name with direct ties to the FSU program. He served as Jimbo Fisher’s defensive coordinator before leaving for Kentucky earlier this decade. This season has been a reversion to the mean, but he produced strong results last year when he had high-caliber players like Josh Allen and Benny Snell. He knows how to recruit Florida, and has experience running major programs which will allow him to deal with the culture difficulties of this job. This job has a higher ceiling and a bigger football tradition, and he might be inclined to move if he believes he’s already peaked in his current job.

Mike Norvell – Memphis’s offensive prowess was evident in last night’s clinical takedown of SMU’s defense, and it confirmed his name on the lists of Power 5 jobs slated to open this year. One of the major issues FSU faced under Taggart was lack of consistent offensive production, which is why the fan base might respond well to this hire. The obvious question mark would be if he could build a staff with strong in-state recruiting ties, as he lacks those relative to other candidates.

P.J. Fleck – He’s done a great job at Minnesota, one of the few teams left this year that controls their own destiny. His “row the boat” mantra has worked twice now at smaller-brand schools, and there are no signs it’d fail at an elite program. He is about as high-energy of a coach as it gets, and he could emerge as a contender if he’s willing to leave his roots in the midwest.

Matt Campbell – He’s done a great job at two challenging places, and he has Iowa State looking like a perennial Big 12 threat as long as he’s in charge. He’s one of the biggest names in the coaching carousel, and his comparisons to Dabo Swinney will appeal to the FSU fanbase. He doesn’t have any ties to the southeast, which will work against him in the search. The bigger question will be if he holds out for a job like Ohio State or Notre Dame, which are closer to his home base in the midwest.

Lane Kiffin – He’s a household name that’s currently coaching at an in-state Group of 5 program. By all measures, he appears to like the lifestyle of coaching in South Florida, and it might take a job like FSU to pry him away. There would certainly be some opposition to his candidacy given the disastrous ends at USC and Tennessee, but he’s visibly matured and could bring some life into the downtrodden program.

Bob Stoops/Urban Meyer – It wouldn’t surprise me if boosters make a play for one of these retired coaches. The move to fire Taggart incidates that FSU isn’t content with mediocrity, and both of these guys would be a major improvement for the program’s image.

James Franklin/Scott Frost – Both of these Big Ten coaches are in the “feasible but unlikely” category. Both have substantial ties to their current programs, but could view this as an upgrade. Franklin has rebuild Penn State, but they face a brutal schedule each year. Frost’s on-field results at Nebraska are discouraging, and he was most successful in his time at UCF.

Brent Venables/Tony Elliott – If FSU considers current assistants, expect them to look closely at Dabo’s top lieutenants at Clemson. Venables is considered to be the game’s best sitting defensive coordinator, and it’ll take a lot to pry him away with his sons currently on the team. Elliott is a bit more likely, and he’s had success recruiting the state in recent years. He was mentioned for Power 5 jobs in recent years, and he has the Broyles Award on his resume.

Some Other Names: Luke Fickell, Cincinnati Head Coach; Joe Brady, LSU Pass Game Coordinator; Odell Haggins, Florida State Interim Head Coach; Dino Babers, Syracuse Head Coach; Josh Heupel, UCF Head Coach; Dave Clawson, Wake Forest Head Coach; Mike Leach, Washington State Head Coach; James Coley, Georgia Offensive Coordinator; Jeff Scott, Clemson Co-Offensive Coordinator; Kevin Steele, Auburn Defensive Coordinator; Dave Aranda, LSU Defensive Coordinator