Zach Manoogian
Guest
2 more college coaches were fired last week. Who will be the next one gone?
Zach Manoogian via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The hot seats are scorching at this point in the college football season.
If you're thinking about making a coaching change to get a jump on hiring season, you're already behind. Eight weeks into the college football season and we've already got seven openings.
And rest assured, we'll have several more coming soon.
Already Fired...
Illinois
current record: 4-3
candidates: Dino Babers, Jeff Brohm, Tom Herman, Brock Spack, Ed Warriner
The odds of interim coach Bill Cubit retaining the job took another hit as the Fighting Illini lost their homecoming contest to Wisconsin over the weekend.
Illinois will probably never be a place you automatically win. It's not an easy job and there's lot of flaws. But you are on the easier side of the Big Ten and if you can find a way to beat the Wisconsin's and Iowa's of the world with any regularity, you're just one game away from winning the entire conference.
Most likely they're going back to the MAC pool here with a Dino Babers or PJ Fleck - who might be able to win here - but there's an off chance the Illini could swing for the fences and pursue a Tom Herman or Justin Fuente. If they do, it could be a game changer, particularly in the drab Big Ten West.
Maryland
current record: 2-5
candidates: Greg Schiano, Matt Rhule, Al Golden, Lane Kiffin, Dino Babers
The hopes of Chip Kelly turning Maryland into Oregon east are almost extinct. Even if Kelly does find himself back in the college ranks, there are bigger and better programs willing to hand him the reigns. An alternative choice, Greg Schiano, could also induce a bidding war with a number of interested suitors.
Luckily for the Terps, Al Golden went ahead and made himself available.
It could be worse - they could remove the interim tag from Mike Locksley.
South Carolina
current record: 3-4
candidates:Kirby Smart, Justin Fuente, Brent Venables, Jeff Brohm, Matt Campbell
Poor South Carolina. The Head Ball Coach up and quits to give the school the jump on hiring season, but then USC and Miami do the same to push this opening down the pecking order.
The good part about not having a particularly relavent football program historically is that you don't have to worry about tradition and fit being a problem in the hiring process. There will be no Michigan Men vs Rich Rod situations for the Gamecocks.
Kirby Smart seems like the no-brainer here, but there might be a better defensive head coaching candidate already in state. Would South Carolina be willing to take a chance on Clemson's Brent Venables?
Southern California
current record: 4-3
candidates: Ed Orgeron, Kevin Sumlin, Kyle Whittingham, Mike Gundy, Clay Helton
The biggest, baddest and most attractive opening of the bunch.
USC has the facilities, the tradition, and the supple recruiting base to make this a premier job, but with the exception of Pete Carroll ( who was definitely not their first choice at the time), they've managed to screw up every hiring dating back to the first John Robinson-era in 1982.
Maybe it's not as easy to win here as we think.
Clay Helton did lead the Trojans to a big win over Utah this weekend and still has an outside chance of retaining the job permanently. While he's definitely not the flashiest name, USC could do far worse.
With USC's continued infatuation with NFL coaches, expect to continue to hear Jeff Fischer and Jack Del Rio rumors until they formally shut them down.
North Texas
current record: 0-7
candidates: Major Applewhite, Jake Spavital, Doug Meacham, Sunny Cumbie, Mike Yurcich
The Mean Green seem focused on hiring an offensive-minded coach as their next head man. The good news is they've got plenty of good candidates already serving as coordinators and assistants at other Texas college programs.
Is North Texas attractive enough to lure Doug Meacham from TCU or does he wait for more attractive opportunity down the line? If he says no, his current TCU co-worker Sunny Cumbie may be next in line.
UCF
current record: 0-8
candidates: Geoff Collins, Brent Venables, Frank Wilson, Brian VanGorder, John Grass
George O'Leary managed to lose both his AD and coaching job in a matter of a couple weeks. That's what happens at 0-8. Hard to say we didn't see this coming.
Further bad news for O'Leary is that his hand-picked successor, Brent Key, won't be offered the job. A move that will cost UCF an additional $700k.
Florida defensive coordinator, Geoff Collins, might be the front runner here and he does have UCF ties. Luckily for whomever is the next coach, UCF seems to be a prime candidate to find a new conference home should Power Five expansion become a thing again.
Miami
current record: 4-3
candidates: Ed Orgeron, Greg Schiano, Butch Davis, Rich Rodriquez, Jim Tressel, Luther Campbell
This got ugly. 58 to zip, at home, and so bad Clemson didn't even bother returning to the locker room at halftime. Enough to finally end things for Al Golden in Coral Gables.
It's a U thing, we probably don't understand.
But what we do understanding is this is a flawed job.
Miami has subpar facilities, a fickle fanbase and has been notoriously stingy when it comes to contracts, making this next hire a difficult one to navigate for the Canes.
Are they willing to shell out of the money for a Tom Herman or Justin Fuente, hot shot young coaches that could significantly change the culture at Miami? More than likely we're going to see another retread from the glory days of the U.
Orgeron makes sense and would certainly be entertaining. Butch Davis is more than willing to take the job, but that just seems sad at this point.
Almost Fired...
Mike London, Virginia
record this year: 2-5
record at UVA: 25-43
possible replacements: Al Golden, Everitt Withers, Kirby Smart, Brent Venables, Matt Rhule
Much like Al Golden at Miami, this one seems like it's more a matter of when than if. London hasn't been able to turn this around and despite his recruiting victories, returns on the field have been slim.
Virginia is far from a football powerhouse, but consistent bowl trips and competing in the ACC is a reasonable expectation. More so, with Virginia Tech deteriorating and Maryland in shambles, the region seems primed for a competent football program to take over.
Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech
record this year: 3-5
record at VT: 233-115-2
possible replacements: Bud Foster, Matt Rhule, Everitt Withers, Greg Schiano, Lane Kiffin
It's hard to imagine anyone at VT besides Frank Beamer. He's almost single-handedly responsible for any relevancy that this program has ever achieved.
But with that said, the end is near.
Does long time assistant Bud Foster finally get his shot at running things or do the Hokies look outside the program for the next hire? It's hard to say.
But as the losses pile up and the program loses more and more prominence, it's a decision the university should take very seriously.
Jim Harbaugh, TUN
record this year: 5-2
record at TUN: 5-2
possible replacements: Andy Moeller, Nick Sheridan, Jason Carr
Another week without a victory for Harbaugh and Michigan. The pressure is on...
Continue reading...
Zach Manoogian via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The hot seats are scorching at this point in the college football season.
If you're thinking about making a coaching change to get a jump on hiring season, you're already behind. Eight weeks into the college football season and we've already got seven openings.
And rest assured, we'll have several more coming soon.
Already Fired...
Illinois
current record: 4-3
candidates: Dino Babers, Jeff Brohm, Tom Herman, Brock Spack, Ed Warriner
The odds of interim coach Bill Cubit retaining the job took another hit as the Fighting Illini lost their homecoming contest to Wisconsin over the weekend.
Illinois will probably never be a place you automatically win. It's not an easy job and there's lot of flaws. But you are on the easier side of the Big Ten and if you can find a way to beat the Wisconsin's and Iowa's of the world with any regularity, you're just one game away from winning the entire conference.
Most likely they're going back to the MAC pool here with a Dino Babers or PJ Fleck - who might be able to win here - but there's an off chance the Illini could swing for the fences and pursue a Tom Herman or Justin Fuente. If they do, it could be a game changer, particularly in the drab Big Ten West.
Maryland
current record: 2-5
candidates: Greg Schiano, Matt Rhule, Al Golden, Lane Kiffin, Dino Babers
The hopes of Chip Kelly turning Maryland into Oregon east are almost extinct. Even if Kelly does find himself back in the college ranks, there are bigger and better programs willing to hand him the reigns. An alternative choice, Greg Schiano, could also induce a bidding war with a number of interested suitors.
Luckily for the Terps, Al Golden went ahead and made himself available.
It could be worse - they could remove the interim tag from Mike Locksley.
South Carolina
current record: 3-4
candidates:Kirby Smart, Justin Fuente, Brent Venables, Jeff Brohm, Matt Campbell
Poor South Carolina. The Head Ball Coach up and quits to give the school the jump on hiring season, but then USC and Miami do the same to push this opening down the pecking order.
The good part about not having a particularly relavent football program historically is that you don't have to worry about tradition and fit being a problem in the hiring process. There will be no Michigan Men vs Rich Rod situations for the Gamecocks.
Kirby Smart seems like the no-brainer here, but there might be a better defensive head coaching candidate already in state. Would South Carolina be willing to take a chance on Clemson's Brent Venables?
Southern California
current record: 4-3
candidates: Ed Orgeron, Kevin Sumlin, Kyle Whittingham, Mike Gundy, Clay Helton
The biggest, baddest and most attractive opening of the bunch.
USC has the facilities, the tradition, and the supple recruiting base to make this a premier job, but with the exception of Pete Carroll ( who was definitely not their first choice at the time), they've managed to screw up every hiring dating back to the first John Robinson-era in 1982.
Maybe it's not as easy to win here as we think.
Clay Helton did lead the Trojans to a big win over Utah this weekend and still has an outside chance of retaining the job permanently. While he's definitely not the flashiest name, USC could do far worse.
With USC's continued infatuation with NFL coaches, expect to continue to hear Jeff Fischer and Jack Del Rio rumors until they formally shut them down.
North Texas
current record: 0-7
candidates: Major Applewhite, Jake Spavital, Doug Meacham, Sunny Cumbie, Mike Yurcich
The Mean Green seem focused on hiring an offensive-minded coach as their next head man. The good news is they've got plenty of good candidates already serving as coordinators and assistants at other Texas college programs.
Is North Texas attractive enough to lure Doug Meacham from TCU or does he wait for more attractive opportunity down the line? If he says no, his current TCU co-worker Sunny Cumbie may be next in line.
UCF
current record: 0-8
candidates: Geoff Collins, Brent Venables, Frank Wilson, Brian VanGorder, John Grass
George O'Leary managed to lose both his AD and coaching job in a matter of a couple weeks. That's what happens at 0-8. Hard to say we didn't see this coming.
Further bad news for O'Leary is that his hand-picked successor, Brent Key, won't be offered the job. A move that will cost UCF an additional $700k.
Florida defensive coordinator, Geoff Collins, might be the front runner here and he does have UCF ties. Luckily for whomever is the next coach, UCF seems to be a prime candidate to find a new conference home should Power Five expansion become a thing again.
Miami
current record: 4-3
candidates: Ed Orgeron, Greg Schiano, Butch Davis, Rich Rodriquez, Jim Tressel, Luther Campbell
This got ugly. 58 to zip, at home, and so bad Clemson didn't even bother returning to the locker room at halftime. Enough to finally end things for Al Golden in Coral Gables.
It's a U thing, we probably don't understand.
But what we do understanding is this is a flawed job.
Miami has subpar facilities, a fickle fanbase and has been notoriously stingy when it comes to contracts, making this next hire a difficult one to navigate for the Canes.
Are they willing to shell out of the money for a Tom Herman or Justin Fuente, hot shot young coaches that could significantly change the culture at Miami? More than likely we're going to see another retread from the glory days of the U.
Orgeron makes sense and would certainly be entertaining. Butch Davis is more than willing to take the job, but that just seems sad at this point.
Almost Fired...
Mike London, Virginia
record this year: 2-5
record at UVA: 25-43
possible replacements: Al Golden, Everitt Withers, Kirby Smart, Brent Venables, Matt Rhule
Much like Al Golden at Miami, this one seems like it's more a matter of when than if. London hasn't been able to turn this around and despite his recruiting victories, returns on the field have been slim.
Virginia is far from a football powerhouse, but consistent bowl trips and competing in the ACC is a reasonable expectation. More so, with Virginia Tech deteriorating and Maryland in shambles, the region seems primed for a competent football program to take over.
Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech
record this year: 3-5
record at VT: 233-115-2
possible replacements: Bud Foster, Matt Rhule, Everitt Withers, Greg Schiano, Lane Kiffin
It's hard to imagine anyone at VT besides Frank Beamer. He's almost single-handedly responsible for any relevancy that this program has ever achieved.
But with that said, the end is near.
Does long time assistant Bud Foster finally get his shot at running things or do the Hokies look outside the program for the next hire? It's hard to say.
But as the losses pile up and the program loses more and more prominence, it's a decision the university should take very seriously.
Jim Harbaugh, TUN
record this year: 5-2
record at TUN: 5-2
possible replacements: Andy Moeller, Nick Sheridan, Jason Carr
Another week without a victory for Harbaugh and Michigan. The pressure is on...
Continue reading...