Also, reportedly, he has a bit of a temper. Why It Might Work: He has head coaching experience from his time at Indiana and is at least familiar with the challenges of running a Big Ten program. ET on March 15. Why It Might Not: It felt incestuous when Muschamp fell into the job at South Carolina, but such things are common in the SEC. It would be like bringing in a far less successful Dabo Swinney. Why It Might Not: Theres not a lot to knock, but theres not a lot to get excited about, either. (Consider this: How many guys with statues on campus are firedduring the season?) There are some reports he prefers the job he has now and is settling in. He did the obligatory rehab-at-Alabama thing. A longer track record of head coaching success would make him a slam dunk. There would be cultural nuances that would take some adjusting to from both sides, but that would quickly fall by the wayside if he started winning. Why It Might Work: Hoke knows the Big Ten and the Midwest very well. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) In the Market: 2023 NFL Draft QB prospect superlatives after the season by Scott Rogust. Plus, he discovered Josh Allen. Hes now back at San Diego State for a second stint. Monken is the current head coach at Army, a notoriously difficult place to recruit D-1 competitive athletes. Hes known as an offensive mastermind and stands among college footballs brainiest schemers. Why It Might Work: Petersens record at Boise State was 92-12. The former Auburn head coach known for taking them to the last ever BCS championship game, Malzahn got run out of town after a few mediocre seasons by their standards and is now at UCF. And to be fair, though there is potential, his head coaching tenures with both the Nittany Lions and the Texans were not exactly spectacular. His recruiting ties to the Midwest (Ohio) make him a good fit for the Big Ten. The Redhawks were a complete tire fire when he took over, and hes made them relatively competitive in the MAC, which always seems like auditioning grounds for Big Ten jobs. According to one report, a former FBS head coach and long-time defensive coordinator will be joining the Tigers for the 2023 season. If youre looking for consistency, this might not be the best choice. How would he jive culturally? Would he succeed in a Midwest spot? He tried his hand in the NFL with Jacksonville and face-planted so hardexacerbated by a truly staggering amount of off-the-field dramathat the owner fired him before he could even complete his first season. Why It Might Not: It would be a serious gamble. Why It Might Not: It looks a lot like Mike Riley, doesnt it? And hes kind of an oddball. That means 6-6 or even 7-5 might not be good enough for Nebraska, which absolutely has to hit a home run this time around. Trev Alberts would probably prefer someone who knows what hes doing. Since Nebraska is going into the bye week, I figured I might as well wait until after all the post-game articles before posting this. Scott Frost, offensive coordinator, Oregon. I do like the potential if he were to bring his Florida recruiting cache and mix in his Stanford-Harbaugh style from his early coaching career. I hear his wife makes a mean plate of nachos. After the scandal that forced Jim Tressel to leave Columbus, Meyer moved in and promptly started kicking the entire Big Tens ass. A solid resume for a Big Ten coaching candidate. Well see if that changes. But as caveats go, thats fairly small. Why It Might Not: Obligatory NDSU caveats. He has coached both a Heisman Trophy winner (Bryce Young) and the G.O.A.T. If Nebraska were to target him, the thinking would be that they want to get a guy before he breaks out. Closing Comment: Like Matt Campbell, Fickell chose not to take any bigger job opportunities. You probably have an opinion on this person. Closing Comment: A perhaps-soon-to-be-former NFL coach whos done very well in college seems like a good choice on paper. These are guys who might be a bit of a longshot fit-wise, or who have some issues, or would take a bit more convincing to get people on board. Why It Might Not: Well, for starters, hes in his late sixties. Okay, okay, in all seriousness, Grudens name gets floated only because hes so damn fun to watch. 7, quickly became a disappointment and they finished 7-6 with a loss in the bowl game. Gary Patterson, Texas analyst: This makes so much sense. The most obligatory of all candidates to be discussed. Hes defensive minded and knows college footballs most fertile recruiting grounds. That cost Meyer a three-game suspension at the beginning of the 2018 season, his last with the Buckeyes. Previously he was a coordinator at Oklahoma, where he also did well. Why It Might Work: He's got an impressive record, and to have the country talking about Coastal Carolina when most people have never even heard of them is quite an accomplishment. A competent athletic dept. Why It Might Work: Moorhead was an outstanding offensive mind at Penn State and the job he did there was the key in elevating the Nittany Lions to the next level. Experience in training, coaching, and/or mentoring experience. Meghan Hall. Nebraska Book Co. in Lincoln shutting down; 114 to lose jobs; In a van outside OUs Lloyd Noble Center, Doc Sadler lives out another season in 45 years of coaching Other FBS programs have gone after FCS champion coaches and the hit rate is usually low. Mickey Joseph, Nebraska interim football coach Joseph, 54, was named Nebraska's interim coach Sunday. Why It Might Work: Its not easy to beat Nick Saban, but Malzahn is one of the few people to do itmultiple times. He also has head coaching experience from FCS Fordham and Mississippi State. Nebraska Book Co. in Lincoln shutting down; 114 to lose jobs; In a van outside OUs Lloyd Noble Center, Doc Sadler lives out another season in 45 years of Trev Alberts has the rest of 2022 to find the right guy. Nebraska needs a new football coach. Closing Comment: Mickey Joseph would no doubt excite some Husker fans, and while I do get the argument for his upside, hes now 54 without a major head coaching gig. Youre going to hear a lot of names. Second, Im bugged by the Mississippi State thing. Why It Might Work: Theres no doubt in Bohls ability to coach and win. He may be mercurial, but it doesnt change the fact that the job Fleck did at Western Michigan and with the once-hapless Goofers has been excellent. At both places he was ultimately a disappointment. He proved capable beyond that when he made the University of Buffalo more than just a scrappy program. Hes the current head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats. Hes also been a successful OC at Oregon from 2020-2021. He had an outstanding first season, going 11-2 with a BCS bowl victory. Mike Locksley, Lane Kiffin, and Luke Fickell all got another chance after doing some "rehab" at a successful program. Nebraska can turn its program around quickly; it just hasn't done so as of late. When you hire an FCS coach, even one of the leagues best, youre rolling the dice. Anytime you nab a successful head coach from the SEC, its going to create buzz. Closing Comment: This is a classic swing-for-the-fences, boom-or-bust type. At 41, Fleck is still a very young head coach, and although his full potential is still somewhat unproven, all the signs are there that this is a guy who could be next-level great. Closing Comment: Bringing Rich Rod back to the Big Ten would certainly create serious buzz. Hes Miami of Ohios head coach, where hes been since 2014. Has the Why It Might Work: Doeren runs the ball Big Ten style at NC State, and theyre very good at it. He was a tough, hard-nosed coach who got his teams at Louisville to punch well above their weight and made them think they could be champions. Why It Might Not: A longtime coordinator who turned heads with a special season in year two as a head coach, including a Sugar Bowl win over an SEC opponent? He also occasionally does TV analyst work for Fox Sports, and he stepped in to coach the Sooners for a bowl game when Lincoln Riley bolted for USC. He would be a top candidate at any program. Lets start with why he flopped at Michiganhis defense and special teams. He also would not be completely new to the Big Ten and might be more prepared in his second go-round. Georgias current defensive coordinator has been a head coach at two different SEC teams, Florida and South Carolina. He was Ohio States stellar OC on their national championship team in 2014. He is 1-5 in the Cy-Hawk trophy game, leading many to question his ability to handle the defense-heavy Big Ten. Klieman appears to lack key knowledge of the Big Ten, and the Big 12 isnt great to prepare you for that. He might be the defensive version of Scott Frost. Id be over the moon if Nebraska hired him. How much support would he get? Scott Frost is out at Nebraska. But lets be honest, Gruden was really overrated. Closing Comment: Theres a lot to like with Matt Canada when you look under the surface. His teams at both places have generally shown well against Big Ten opponents. Nebraska football coaching hot board: 21 candidates for the job Jimmy Watkins , Evan Bland , Sam McKewon , Luke Mullin Sep 12, 2022 Updated Sep 26, 2022 0 The media could not be loaded, either because the server or network failed or because the format is not supported. Known for building Temple and Baylor into double-digit win teams despite difficult circumstances, Rhule is now trying to do it in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers. Closing Comment: Les Miles may have been interesting as a replacement to Mike Riley or Bo Pelini, but that window has long since closed. First, Moorhead probably isnt leaving Akron after one year. The move ended weeks of speculation about Ventrones status with the organization and left a significant void to fill both on the field and in the locker room. He served as Marylands interim coach after they fired DJ Durkin. The question is whether Nebraska wants to face the price tag and stomach the baggage. It might be time to take a swing. After 15 seasons, Calhoun has yet to win the Mountain West. He got all that and then some at USF, and good lord, what a disaster. His experience working under Chip Kelly and Mark Helfrich at Oregon, as well as a vote of confidence from Why It Might Not: Taggart was presumably given every help and benefit at Florida State and his failure there was not just the result of impatient boosters. Buy Colts Tickets. No doubt youre going to disagree with some of these. But that kind of long term thinking and recalibration of expectations seems very unlikely in todays trigger-happy arms race of college football. Admittedly there would be some excitement, but now with the controversy thats attached to him, its probably just not worth it. Moving within the division to suddenly chase his old boss, Paul Chryst, and alma mater doesn't seem like an ideal move. Meyer didn't even make it through a full season in 2021 with the Jags. Closing Comment: This is who you hire if you want championships. He did exceptionally well with very little. He may have reached his ceiling. Then he got booted for off-the-field allegations from his time at LSU. If Nebraska is facing rejection from experienced candidateswhich itself would be alarmingthis is a solid emergency option, assuming he takes the call. In addition, while his teams have done well overall, there are times when his ability as a play-caller has been costly. to get more serious about football, but now that they have, the results are showing. Why It Might Not: Despite the love for Mickey Joseph, which is understandable, hes light on head coaching experiencehe led Langston University, an HBCU, for two seasons from 2011-2012, with a record of 13-7. And yet he says he's not done coaching. Could he follow NCAA rules? Fickell famously turned down Michigan State to stay at Cincinnati, where he has pilfered their best recruit targets over the last half-decade. Candidates who do this well for this longand who dont have a record to count as a negativeusually get a chance to make it as a head coach. Corn Nation, a Nebraska Cornhuskers community, By Silantro So putting him in that position as the full-time Nebraska head coach, barring an Ed Orgeron-like interim season, would be a total crapshoot. Unless Iowa State suffers a total collapse this year, hes going to be the top target for most major open head coaching jobs. But the legal tampering window opens two days before that on March 13, where teams will be able to negotiate with free agents before the official start of the 2023 season. Traditional recruiting grounds in Texas and California were either ignored or eventually shriveled up. His recruiting classes at Michigan were all very good, and he completely transformed the Wolverines defense, which had become a joke under Rich Rodriguez. Apply here. As a former Husker, he should receive the slack Mike Riley wasnt given. But Campbell has to get to a certain level this season to be in the mix. But isnt that what Nebraska tried with Mike Riley? He regularly punches above his weight and has out-schemed and out-coached Nebraska on multiple occasions. Not every place is going to be set up like that. 171d Adam Rittenberg. Is he waiting for Ryan Day to leave Ohio State? Closing Comment: The appeal of hiring a coach with the achievement of his second season aside, this doesnt seem like a great fit on the surface. Hes certainly a good coach, but is he elite? As one of the SECs historical have-nots, the Bulldogs were a bottom feeder who Mullen steadily transformed into a team that came close to beating Alabama. A program looking for energy could really benefit from that. Arandas second season as a head coach was a surprise breakout, where the Bears won 12 games and upset Oklahoma State in the conference championship. Creighton has taken his programs as far as they realistically could go, so he could be worth a look. Nebraska coaching candidates Mark Stoops, Kentucky coach: Stoops has spent a decade methodically developing the Wildcats into an above-average, competent At this point his work at Louisville may be seen as the outlier. It's certainly more highly resourced than Iowa State, especially with the Big 12 moving down in the pecking order with the forthcoming departures of Texas and Oklahoma. He was one of the Big Tens most underrated offensive coordinators, running a unique pro-style system that confused defenses with several motions. After seven years, Candle hasnt taken over the MAC or done the things you would typically like to see from a young head coach ready for a big opportunity. Fleck, and hes one of the reasons Mel Tucker has found success at Colorado and MSU. There is no doubt in his ability as a head coach. Meyer can coach college, but can he keep from becoming the focus for all the wrong reasons? If you look deeper than his 47-42 record, you see a program builder. Despite some down years, hes done exceptionally well at Air Force and they have no desire to see him leave. How would he handle expectations in a much tougher environment? He does have some college experience as the Cincinnati Bearcats OC in 2016 (not too long ago), so it wouldnt be necessarily a huge adjustment for him to come back to college. While his program has yet to reach the level of Georgia or Alabama, hes built them to be competitive in the SEC, which is saying a lot, since Kentucky is generally considered a basketball school. NC States current head coach was formerly Wisconsins DC and crashed the BCS party in his second year as a head coach at Northern Illinois in 2012, when they went 12-2. Hes never worked west of Illinois, and hed be asked to live west of Iowa in the Great Plains. Creightons a lot younger but it might be tough to shake off the similarities. Many believe he was one of the original architects of the spread offense. All eyes will be on his performance as the interim coach. Husker fans might be wary because Stoops appears to be a blend of Mike Riley and Bo Pelini, but somehow hes made it work in Lexington. He didnt, but a lot of that was because he didnt have internal support. Taylor is a young coach who caught fire in one season (sound familiar? Make no mistake: if Nebraska were to pull this off, it would be utterly stunning. And if he does, would he stick around? He might be better suited for a rebuild situation where he has time to work out the kinks. As much as his teams have over-performed, they have also under-performed. His record at Mississippi State, while not enough to impress its athletic director, was far from terrible and showed signs of progress, especially in the SEC West. He might be just the thing for a program weary of misses and failed press conferences. It could be fun. Ah, yes. He got national attention in 2020 when he led Iowa State to its first division crown, including an upset of Oklahoma in the regular season (although they later lost the rematch in the Big 12 championship). Why It Might Work: Hes a Husker who happens to be an NFL head coach, almost won a Super Bowl, and hes only 39. With little more than a single impressive season, there are reasons for skepticism. Leonhard is a brilliant defensive mind, but does Nebraska want to put all its eggs in the basket of a hot assistant who had never assembled a staff or been responsible for recruiting? The former Washington head coach who led the Huskies to their only CFP appearance and who also built Boise State one of the Group of Fives top level programs, Petersen is currently retired and seems happy to be so. His time at Arizona wasnt perfect either. Three Potential Big 12 Candidates to Replace Scott Frost at Nebraska By Matthew Postins Posted on September 11, 2022 Now that Scott Frost is out at Nebraska, speculation will naturally turn to who will succeed the Hes quietly leading one of the most competitive programs in the country, causing a ton of trouble for their opponents in the Mountain West. His culture, tireless work ethic and no-nonsense approach would appeal to Nebraska. For the seventh time since Tom Osborne's retirement in 1997, Nebraska is looking for a coach. There were a number of missteps, including a radical change in offensive philosophy and a lack of attention to the offensive line, which fell apart in a hurry. Its odd that hes never been a head coach beyond the interim run with Maryland, which makes me think hes not really interested in it. Would he be up to it? Why It Might Work: Joseph loves Nebraska, so hes got that going for him, right? A program at the level of Nebraska seems above his competency, and at his age hed be seen as nothing more than a bridge coach. Were less than two weeks away from the start of NFL free agency, which begins at 4 p.m. How committed would he be to staying at Nebraska long term if things started to work out? And even though hes now saddled with one of college footballs toughest projects at Kansas, many believe he has the Jayhawks headed in the right direction. Now hes Miami of Floridas DC. Closing Comment: Yes, his second year as a head coach was unexpectedly good, so the comparisons to Frost are there. He's 45 and very much seems primed for a jump. Why It Might Work: It only took Urban Meyer two seasons to coach Utah to an undefeated season. Rhule also seems like a fine Big Ten fit. His return to San Diego State has seen the program maintain its play at a high level in the Mountain West. Everyone has their favorites. Almost a year to the day, he had a hand in beating Nebraska and ousting Frost. Why It Might Work: Monkens teams practice great fundamentals and rarely if ever beat themselves, which would be a welcome change from the Scott Frost era. It didnt happen. All Rights Reserved. Florida Atlantics head coach has seen an up-and-down career where he was once considered one of the hottest commodities in college football. Hes probably not going to win immediately, and how many more struggling seasons can Husker fans take? Who? Poaching him from the NFL would be a similar coup that would grab headlines across the country. Iowa States 2021 season, where they started ranked No. Wilsons biggest knock might be his personality. Strong was quickly given a chance to redeem himself after Texas, and it could not have gone worse. The 2023 salary cap has already been And unlike Frost, he has no Nebraska ties to save him if he starts losing early. His two turnarounds at Ball State and San Diego State (in his first stint) were impressive, considering what they were before he arrived. February 26, 2023 4:11 pm ET. ), he was the Big 12 offensive player of the year in 2006. That's the sort of sell job Frost needs to make. This seems like a Southern-oriented guy. Why It Might Work: It would be something of a coup to nab one of the hottest commodities in coaching right now. They'd be back. Why It Might Not: It remains to be seen how hell finish in Carolina, but if he were to wind up in Lincoln, there may be the sense that this is a low-bar retread hire. Lindsay Whalen, Ben Johnson and the emotional toll of coaching A week ago, Whalen was sounding optimistic about the future while Johnson was about as low as he could get. And yeah, Im ranking thesebased on how appealing I think they are, the kind of fit theyd be, and how much energy or excitement their arrival would inject into the program. Its hard to say if hed consider Nebraska a destination. The 3 leading candidates to replace Frost were revealed by Bruce Maybe hes learned a lot and would want to take a crack at it again, in the Big Ten? Its interesting that he got that job, given his previous spot was as Arkansass RB coach, when they went 4-20 in the Chad Morris era. Thats impressive for a guy with no guarantee of longevity beyond a single season. Toledos head coach, he took over when Matt Campbell left for Iowa State. But similarly I try to look at how each one might work. For many, the shine has certainly worn off. He could bring that recipe to Nebraska, which would afford him the necessary resources. Like Frost, Joseph worked his way up the coaching ladder most recently at LSU where he developed what some say is the best group of wide receivers in history. (Tom Brady). He knows the Midwest and the Big Ten well. (They probably dont.). North Carolina or South Carolina (or even Clemson?) He then went on to win two national championships at Florida. Seven candidates ran in the Democratic primary. Even if there are some benefits, the hire would reek of nepotism. You cant find a more aggressive, out-of-his-mind competitor beyond him other than possibly Jim Harbaugh. Both BYU and Virginia had overall low expectations relative to Nebraska's, but at the same time he'd be taking over the program when those expectations are at their lowest in nearly half a century. Theres high-highs and low-lows. Jon Hale is the University of Kentucky football beat writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. Closing Comment: This would be intriguing but Taggarts status and resume isnt as hot as it was seven years ago. He has solid Midwest ties and knows how to recruit gems. It took the Raiders committing $100 million to lure him away from Monday Night Football. The first is the Big Names. After six years with the Cavaliers he unexpectedly resigned (or retired) in a similarly head-scratching departure. Closing Comment: I didnt even want to include him on this list because he seems set at Kansas State, but the frequency of his name being mentioned forced the issue. He knows exactly the caliber of players the NFL wants, and flashing a Super Bowl ring might be enticing to recruits, too. Meyer also does not appear to be the most ethical coach in the world, and theres a general sliminess about him that seems to come with the cost of winning. There are many who would see this hire as a bit of a desperate move. He knows how to coach up players, and most importantly, he knows how to run the damn ball, damn it. He was a part of the Minnesota breakthrough in 2016 that set the runway for P.J. Closing Comment: This seems like the safest pick. Hes currently in his first year coaching at Akron. could be open soon, and in my opinion Chadwell would probably prefer to wait for one of those to come calling than any Big Ten offer. Theres a reason it isnt in vogue anymore. 13 coaching candidates to watch. Why It Might Not: Air Force is his alma mater and thats a big hurdle when hes doing well there. Closing Comment: Mullen isnt coaching anywhere right now, so hed be available. Why It Might Not: The Huskers have had mixed results with first time head coaches who needed to learn the job on the fly. It would be a huge step up in expectations if Traylor came to Lincoln. Nebraska's coaching search entered its second week with three candidates have reportedly pushed to the front of the Huskers' crosshairs, sparking media reaction on the possibilities. Why It Might Work: A lot of people attribute Tom Osbornes success to his degrees in educational psychology. Cincinnati is going to the Big 12 soon. If nothing else, Kliemans teams have been solid and that would be a huge upgrade to the shoddy job Scott Frost has done. Web/real-sports/ncaa-football/nebraska-cornhuskers-coaching-candidates Nebraska football fired head coach Scott Frost following their difficult start to the 2022 season. You may also remember him as Wisconsins OC in 2012, when they put up 70 points on the Huskers in the Big Ten Championship game. It could be possible for him to employ a similar turnaround at Nebraska. Dont sleep on his football knowledge, either. But regardless, this is a candidate that needs to be addressed.