He'd have much better access to the Big Ten Championship Game (as opposed to the SEC Championship Game) playing in the Big Ten West. Why It Might Not: Well, for starters, hes in his late sixties. Would he succeed in a Midwest spot? But lets be honest, Gruden was really overrated. If you look deeper than his 47-42 record, you see a program builder. Ah, yes. Thanks to his time as an assistant at Navy and Paul Johnsons Georgia Tech, he is also one of the most well-versed coaches in the triple-optionone of the toughest schemes to prepare for. For this list Im mostly focusing on guys with at least some head coaching experiencemany current, some former. He would be a top candidate at any program. Why It Might Not: Its a roller coaster ride with Fleck. Hed demand a hefty price and it seems highly unlikely that this marriage would happen. candidates 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. Iowa) ties and solid coaching, theres some question as to whether he could handle the style of the Big Ten. Hes currently "coaching" the Dallas/Arlington Renegades in the XFL, a relatively low-profile job. That would not be the case at Nebraska. He built USF into a serious challenger despite its perennial underdog status. 1. Hes got a national championship ring as a head coach. All eyes will be on his performance as the interim coach. Florida Atlantics head coach has seen an up-and-down career where he was once considered one of the hottest commodities in college football. Everyone has their favorites. He took a lowly Arizona program to the Pac-12 championship before losing to Oregon, proving hes capable of making a run in the right circumstance. February 26, 2023 4:11 pm ET. If you don't want to call him the new Bo Pelini, fine, but don't forget Pelini's legacy (67-27 in seven seasons) looks damn good right now. Aranda probably wont be coming into the Big Ten with the same level of naive arrogance, shooting off his mouth about how the conference should adjust to him. After Mike Riley was fired in 2017, Bill Moos had one target that lined up with the consensus and all he had to do was get him. candidates Nebraska football has a new head coach and heading into the 2023 season, here are three breakout candidates for the Huskers. Theres high-highs and low-lows. The 3 leading Nebraska football candidates to replace Scott Thats insanely good. Sep 11, 2022. The former was a perennial bottom feeder which he transformed into a conference champion, and the latter was reeling from the Art Briles scandal. Nebraska football coaching options after Scott Frost led by five Hes got a history in the Big Ten, which he matches in terms of style. 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. Oh, look, another former North Dakota State head coach. Dont sleep on his football knowledge, either. Husker message boards and Facebook groups are littered with It would be like bringing in a far less successful Dabo Swinney. The latest were internal issues with Jacksonville Jaguars players last season. Hes done a decent head coaching job at two different programs with limited resources, and hes turning 51 in December. Is he waiting for Ryan Day to leave Ohio State? Rodriguez is notoriously stubborn and has been in the business long enough that theres a fair amount of baggage coming with him, which is why a small program like JSU was the only option he had as a head coach. Georgia Southern's Clay Helton was the first coach fired last season at USC. This isnt a Harbaugh-and-49ers situation, where the coach and ownership are on rocky terms. 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. This seems like a long shot, but anythings possible. In both cases, he made them successful by his third season. Mickey Joseph, Nebraska interim coach:Joseph has a lot of support as Frost's associate head coach and a fellow former Huskers quarterback under Osborne. Theres a reason it isnt in vogue anymore. This is another Ohio guy who likes being close to that area. And dont forget, hes built a program from scratch. 122. Hes now at Wyoming, where his record is more mediocre. Meyer, a three-time national championship coach at Florida and Ohio State, was responsible for hiring OSU assistantZach Smith, whose wife accused him of abuse. After 15 seasons, Calhoun has yet to win the Mountain West. It would appease all Husker fans who want to go back to that style from the Osborne days, and theres no better choice for that than Monken. He might be all flash. 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. Why It Might Work: Joseph loves Nebraska, so hes got that going for him, right? He losta lot. Hes been doing well at Toledo for seven years. Northwestern has played in two of the last four Big Ten Championship Games. Why It Might Work: Campbell is 42 with a record of 77-49 as a head coach, as of this writing. The resume is admittedly solid. Could he be a Husker version of Jim Harbaugh? Closing Comment: Its a huge if whether he leaves an NFL coaching gig in his prime when the Bengals have finally achieved liftoff. College football coaching search candidates: What we're Closing Comment: Given the state of Pittsburghs and Nebraskas programs, some might consider this a lateral move. Why It Might Not: It felt incestuous when Muschamp fell into the job at South Carolina, but such things are common in the SEC. Frost tried everything: changing coaches, changing approaches. He was Ohio States stellar OC on their national championship team in 2014. Fickell famously turned down Michigan State to stay at Cincinnati, where he has pilfered their best recruit targets over the last half-decade. That would give him a serious advantage in recruits living rooms, if he can also win games. His teams at both places have generally shown well against Big Ten opponents. It didnt happen. 171d Adam Rittenberg. The meltdown in Minneapolis would be legendary. Nebraska has no natural rival in the Big Ten, as much as some want to make Iowa that team. Even if there are some benefits, the hire would reek of nepotism. Closing Comment: You cant deny that youd be at least a little excited by this. Before being Michigans head coach, he was the head coach at Ball State and San Diego State, where he turned around both programs. Why It Might Work: At every stop, Creighton has left the place better than hes found it. Why It Might Work: Johnson has quietly built up an impressive resume as a coordinator. The former Raiders and Bucs head coach is one of the sports biggest characters, and also one of the most controversial. Mostly known in Big Ten country for his three years at Michigan, Rich Rodriguez has actually been a head coach for a really long time and has a, shall we say, eclectic list of stops. Closing Comment: I was big on Charlie Strong and thought hed kick butt at Texas. Come on. 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. Hes Miami of Ohios head coach, where hes been since 2014. He also appears to be one of the better assistant coaches in Lincoln. Nebraska coaching search: 17 potential Mike Riley replacements candidates 225 Nebraska Union Lincoln, NE 68588-0451 402-472-3145 careerservices@unl.edu But at this point he seems set on staying in Florida. Why It Might Work: Strong was a top candidate at Texas for a reason. Yeah, remember him? He is .500 in bowl games and has an overall record of 135-81, marking a solid resume for any head coach. He is obsessed with winning and is known for relentless coaching, sometimes to unhealthy levels. Jerry Kill: If Nebraska wants to poach a head coach from another school, Jerry Kill seems like a logical direction to go. He produced Dak Prescott for the Dallas Cowboys and his first three seasons at Florida were very good. His culture, tireless work ethic and no-nonsense approach would appeal to Nebraska. The next hire must hit because the hamster wheel of coaches since Osborne is worn and rusted. Taylor is now the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL and brought them all the way to the Super Bowl, before losing to the Rams. 2:45 am ET, Charges dropped against Georgia WR Rara Thomas, UCLA, Kelly agree to extension through 2027, Four Pac-12 programs renew contact with Big 12, NCAA committee approves new college football rules, Saban sounds off on proposed permanent opponents. As an alumnus in the coaching field, he may have the highest possible pedigree, and candidates like this simply dont grow on trees. At the very least, like Jon Gruden, he knows the kind of player that the NFL prefers. How would he fit? He is 1-5 in the Cy-Hawk trophy game, leading many to question his ability to handle the defense-heavy Big Ten. But isnt that what Nebraska tried with Mike Riley? The headlines would be juicy. The 2023 salary cap has already been Closing Comment: Its a risk. Meyer didn't even make it through a full season in 2021 with the Jags. 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. His return to San Diego State has seen the program maintain its play at a high level in the Mountain West. 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). Plus he got axed from the Raiders on his second stint because of controversial emails sent a decade ago. He regularly punches above his weight and has out-schemed and out-coached Nebraska on multiple occasions. section: | slug: nebraska-coaching-candidates-mark-stoops-matt-campbell-lead-list-of-coaches-to-replace-scott-frost | sport: collegefootball | route: article_single.us | Texas snatched him up two years later, hoping for a return to greatness. Mickey Joseph, Nebraska interim football coach Joseph, 54, was named Nebraska's interim coach Sunday. Doeren might be the most underrated coach in the Power 5. Nebraska coaching A More Extensive Breakdown of Nebraska Coaching Candidates There is no healthier coaching tree from which to pick a coach: Bill Belichick and Nick Saban. Scott Frost is out at Nebraska. He has coached both a Heisman Trophy winner (Bryce Young) and the G.O.A.T. It also worked out pretty well the last time the Huskers hired a Buckeye. Recall that he inexplicably lost to a bad Bowling Green team in 2021, in a season when Minnesota finished 9-4. His time at Ohio State gives him an edge in recruiting knowledge, and at Texas he had no problem pulling in top classes. Hes now in his fourth year, and the Wildcats are firmly looking like a bowl team, which theyve been in at least two of Kliemans seasons thus far. Closing Comment: This is a classic swing-for-the-fences, boom-or-bust type. Instead, it's seen a far-flung outpost in a league that suddenly boasts a presence in New York, Chicago and soon Los Angeles. He may have reached his ceiling. If Nebraska is facing rejection from experienced candidateswhich itself would be alarmingthis is a solid emergency option, assuming he takes the call. Second, Im bugged by the Mississippi State thing. The former head coach at Indiana, hes now Ohio States offensive coordinator, and doing an excellent job there. Prior to this development, insiders were saying Campbell was interested in only two jobs: Ohio State and Notre Dame. Closing Comment: This would be a bizarre marriage if it happened. He orchestrated Cam Newtons Heisman season when serving as Auburns OC in 2010. 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. City elections include three mayoral candidates, 12 vying for Klieman appears to lack key knowledge of the Big Ten, and the Big 12 isnt great to prepare you for that. 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. How would he jive culturally? Nebraska Closing Comment: All the places hes led seem to have unbreakable, hard ceilings and are traditionally basement dwellers. There are many who would see this hire as a bit of a desperate move. Hes considerably more experienced than Monken and has a longer record. Hes a household name and hes crazy. Craig Bohl, head coach, Wyoming. Native son Scott Frost was fired Sunday having gone 16-31 three games into his fifth season. With likely more than two head-coaching jobs opening up, here are some of the very best coordinators in the NFL who could be up for leading a team of the Kellen Moore, Dallas Cowboys. All eyes across the country would be tuning in to watch how he does with the Huskersand it could work. Curriculum development and delivery of adult education courses. 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. Nebraska Matt Campbell (Iowa State) Dave Clawson (Wake Forest) Chris Kliemen (Kansas State) Jonathan Smith (Oregon State) Lance Liepold (Kansas) PJ Fleck Youre going to hear a lot of names. He will have many suitors. His final year at Texas saw a massive recruiting drop, including reports that his own players were actively sabotaging visits. He was a part of the Minnesota breakthrough in 2016 that set the runway for P.J. Hes defensive minded and knows college footballs most fertile recruiting grounds. 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 Malzahns record is proven but hes far from perfect. Why It Might Not: On the flip side, maybe hes stayed at the same place for eight years because his phone isnt exactly ringing off the hook. Hes the current head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats. Nebraska Coaching He did exceptionally well with very little. So without further ado, lets get into it. Why It Might Work: Doeren runs the ball Big Ten style at NC State, and theyre very good at it. Trev Alberts has the rest of 2022 to find the right guy. Overall the body work from Martin appears only slightly above average. Nebraska coaching candidates Mark Stoops, Kentucky coach: Stoops has spent a decade methodically developing the Wildcats into an above-average, competent Putting aside the obvious fact that Nebraska can do worse (and typically has), Bob Stoops would bring instant credibility to the program despite his age. Frost is a Husker legend who would surely be a popular hire with Nebraskas loyal fan base. A 54-22 record is solidly in the plus category, and he went 5-0 in bowl games as a head coach. Nebraska coaching Well see if that changes. But similarly I try to look at how each one might work. He might be the defensive version of Scott Frost. His Big Ten familiarity is also a plus. Also, reportedly, he has a bit of a temper. Why It Might Not: It looks a lot like Mike Riley, doesnt it? The fact that he was scooped up almost immediately by UCF shows that he was and will continue to be a hot commodity. Creighton has taken his programs as far as they realistically could go, so he could be worth a look. Creighton is 53. Nebraska Then he became Houstons head coach and kicked butt in year one. Just imagine the press conferences. Hes probably done coaching and no one is really looking at him. 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. Scott Frost pulled him from LSU to coach wide receivers and almost everyone in the fan base loves him. The guy who led his offense, Barry Lunney, left to be the OC at Illinois. 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. To no ones surprise, hes doing well as Alabama OC and can now boast having coached a Heisman-trophy winner. Closing Comment: Mullen isnt coaching anywhere right now, so hed be available. 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. He had an outstanding first season, going 11-2 with a BCS bowl victory. Closing Comment: Nebraska would certainly tell everyone where they stand in the Big Ten pecking order by poaching the dynamic head coach of a division rival, who also happens to be one of the best recruiters in the conference. In moving from the Big 12 to the Big Ten, the program lost its identity. Then he got booted for off-the-field allegations from his time at LSU. So Ive compiled an exhaustive list below of virtually every coaching candidate I think Nebraska could pursue. He may have bitten off more than he could chew with the FSU job, but he was also succeeding Jimbo Fisher, one of the programs most successful coaches. 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. 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. Feldman believes Campbell, Leipold, and Chadwell are the leading Nebraska football head coaching candidates to replace Scott Frost. His stints at Toledo (where he succeeded Tim Beckman) and Iowa State have been impressive relative to their place in the college football pecking order. Not every place is going to be set up like that. These are the head-explode, spit-take hires that the college football world would probably lose its mind over if Nebraska pulled it off. 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. Why It Might Work: Petersens record at Boise State was 92-12. Hes not wowing you unless you live in Ypsilanti. Trev Alberts would probably prefer someone who knows what hes doing. Admittedly there would be some excitement, but now with the controversy thats attached to him, its probably just not worth it. His head coaching record is an impressive 87-42, but that wasnt enough to satisfy championship-hungry Auburn boosters. Does FSU or any ACC power actually have options? Nebraska has fired Mike Riley after three seasons with the program. Why It Might Work: Taggart did well at a place with low expectations. Why It Might Not: The Huskers have had mixed results with first time head coaches who needed to learn the job on the fly. He has steadily turned NC State, one of the ACCs most lowly also-rans, into an ascending program. Some people are pounding the table for this guy, but to me, this is a fairly un-sexy pick. Theres no question he knows how to coach and recruit. Who? Nebraska Coaching Candidates -Matt Rhule Former Carolina Panthers and Baylor Bears Head Coach. Air Force has been up and down but theyre generally solid. There are some in Ann Arbor who still feel he didnt get a fair shake, but his career following has borne out that Michigan probably made the correct decision. At the very least, he understands a winning culture. His best season was 2016 when he went 12-2 and lost to Georgia in the CFP. You may know him as the former OC who helped Penn State to their Big Ten championship in 2016. The state of Colorado isnt that far from Nebraska. Is this a championship-caliber coach? Pernell: A Shortlist for Report: Nebraska Has Three Leading Candidates for Oh, wait, you mean yeah, okay. With little more than a single impressive season, there are reasons for skepticism. This guy has been around. Bring him in, allow him to restore some semblance of competitiveness, and then when he retires (in 5 to 7 years), go after the elite guy. You may think Nebraska needs to hire him immediately, or you may think that Nebraska should not touch him with a ten thousand foot pole. 7, quickly became a disappointment and they finished 7-6 with a loss in the bowl game. Closing Comment: It would be interesting to see Hoke roam the sidelines in Lincoln, and he would almost certainly do a better job than Scott Frost, but there isnt much he can provide in the long term.