The head coach of the Pittsburgh Panthers won the ACC in 2021 and has his team rolling toward a bright future. He has Nebraska ties serving as an assistant under head coach Frank Solich from 2001-2003. He has also seen what it takes to win, thanks to being inside Ohio States program. In Foleys time at Temple, more than 20 Owls who played high school football in New Jersey went on to NFL careers. 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. He didnt, but a lot of that was because he didnt have internal support. Just imagine the press conferences. He hasnt interviewed for any vacancies since his retirement. 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. Herman quietly served as an analyst for the Chicago Bears last year and is now looking for a job. Closing Comment: He seems due for a second stint as a head coach, and hes as good as any top coordinator candidate. His teams at both places have generally shown well against Big Ten opponents. Malzahns record is proven but hes far from perfect. 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. 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. He's a grinder who revels in the foundation-setting portion of a coach's tenure and would embrace the task of digging Nebraska out from the depths of recent embarrassment. Hes been under the big lights of a major college football program, and may be looking for another chance to be on that kind of stage again. He fell behind at LSU and seemed to coast on his championship laurels. Why It Might Not: Its Jon Gruden. This is another Ohio guy who likes being close to that area. The headlines would be juicy. Hes got a national championship ring as a head coach. Closing Comment: Its a huge if whether he leaves an NFL coaching gig in his prime when the Bengals have finally achieved liftoff. By Mitch Sherman. One need look no further than his performance at WI-Whitewater, where he went an astounding 109-6 in FCS Division III, including six national championships. Why It Might Work: A lot of people attribute Tom Osbornes success to his degrees in educational psychology. Closing Comment: This would be intriguing but Taggarts status and resume isnt as hot as it was seven years ago. He certainly would be a good hire on paper, but youd be right to wonder if it would work out. Cooper served as Baylors recruiting coordinator in 2019 and in his three seasons in Waco, Cooper played a large role in the Bears securing three consecutive top-35 recruiting classes. How could it not? And to be fair, though there is potential, his head coaching tenures with both the Nittany Lions and the Texans were not exactly spectacular. He has decent ties to the state and the Midwest which make him familiar with the local recruiting grounds. 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. Roughly two hours after it was revealed Frost would be returning in 2022, the head coach announced that effective immediately, he was firing four of his five offensive assistants; offensive. Creightons a lot younger but it might be tough to shake off the similarities. Why It Might Not: Wilsons stint at Indiana was a failure, perhaps unsurprisingly because its Indiana, but also in large part because of the ineptness of his defenses. He brought Western Kentucky out of the basement and did the same at USF. Second, Im bugged by the Mississippi State thing. Thats why its fun. 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. To no ones surprise, hes doing well as Alabama OC and can now boast having coached a Heisman-trophy winner. Coaches have gone to different regions and have done wellNick Saban was a consummate Midwest guy before LSUbut I have a hard time seeing Muschamp and Nebraska finding their way to each other. Why It Might Work: Joseph loves Nebraska, so hes got that going for him, right? How quickly can they learn his style and become competitive? Ah, yes. An accomplished recruiter with strong East Coast connections, Barthel has previous experience on Rhules staffs with the Carolina Panthers and at Temple. Regardless of money, Nebraska won't be able to pull away a sitting head coach at a program of greater value the athletics department must sell the opening as a chance to rebuild a once-proud brand in a coach's image, which will be very appealing to a certain type of candidate. (They probably dont.). As anoff-field Nebraska assistant in the early 2000s, he understands the program, the expectations and, importantly, the disadvantages that come with the position. Closing Comment: Like Matt Campbell, Fickell chose not to take any bigger job opportunities. You may also remember him as the former OC of the New England Patriots once upon a time. Turner Gill, also a Black former Nebraska assistant and quarterback under Osborne, was a finalist for the Cornhuskers job that went to Bo Pelini in 2007. He losta lot. How committed would he be to staying at Nebraska long term if things started to work out? Doeren might be the most underrated coach in the Power 5. After 15 seasons, Calhoun has yet to win the Mountain West. He also appears to be one of the better assistant coaches in Lincoln. Thats an untenable situation for any head coach. Why It Might Not: The pressure he felt at Boise was nothing compared to Washingtonwhich is not even one of college footballs biggest blue bloodsand it clearly weighed on him. North Carolina or South Carolina (or even Clemson?) This group of coaches will be great representatives of the University of Nebraska and are ready to play a key role in building our program, Rhule said. And yes, hes from the Stoops family and is an Iowa alumnus. It would all but confirm that Nebraska is interested primarily in giving the reins to former Huskers. Nebraska is 3-7 overall and 1-6 in the Big Ten after four consecutive losses. Hes now being talked about for bigger jobs, but was he a one-hit wonder? He was BYU's head coach from 2005 to 2015, going 99-43, and so it was a surprise when he left that job for a flailing Virginia program, which he promptly turned around and had them going to bowl games. Before being Michigans head coach, he was the head coach at Ball State and San Diego State, where he turned around both programs. But isnt that what Nebraska tried with Mike Riley? He appears more ready for a jump to a mid-major. Its not for everybody. Some argue that he left BYU for Virginia to prove he could coach and win outside the Mormon comfort of Provo, but even at the time it felt odd. 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. A lot can change over the course of the season. Nebraska dumped a significant portion of its offensive staff, including offensive. If not the easiest decision for him to make, Nebraska can simply offer more: more money in a better conference with a deeper reservoir of resources. Yes, the SEC is cutthroat, but youd think a guy with Moorheads acumen would be able to weather it. He started out as the wide receivers coach in Baton Rouge, but worked his way up to assistant head coach in . What Scott Frost firing means for Nebraska FOX Sports' RJ Young is joined by former Michigan player and current Big Ten Network analyst Jake Butt to discuss the Nebraska's decision to fire. The former head coach of Penn State and the Houston Texans is now enrolled in Nick Sabans rehabilitation program as an assistant coach for the Crimson Tide. That kind of price tag in hindsight is laughable. Florida Atlantics head coach has seen an up-and-down career where he was once considered one of the hottest commodities in college football. Why It Might Not: It would be a serious gamble. Mickey Joseph, Nebraska Interim Coach . Some might find this hire head-scratching since these days the option is only run by service academies. on Sep 19, 2022, 8:38am CDT 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. Craig Bohl, head coach, Wyoming. So Ive compiled an exhaustive list below of virtually every coaching candidate I think Nebraska could pursue. He knows the Midwest and the Big Ten well. A former Husker quarterback (sound familiar? With little more than a single impressive season, there are reasons for skepticism. Strong would have to go a long way to prove that hes viable as head-coaching material for a big program. Knighton was a standout defensive lineman at Temple and was a third-round NFL Draft pick, playing in more than 100 games during his seven-year professional career and tallying 231 tackles from 2009 to 2015. His record at Washington is a somewhat less stellar 55-26, but he finished (or tied) first in the Pac-12 north division for three straight years, and won the conference championship twice. Doerens time in Raleigh has been good but not great, and he hasnt lived up to the hype that came when he arrived after shocking everyone by going 12-2 at NIU. But here it is as written around September 12, with minor edits.). Could Nebraska lure the former Oklahoma coach out of retirement (or semi-retirement)? Instead he kept the team competitive when it could have easily imploded. After six years with the Cavaliers he unexpectedly resigned (or retired) in a similarly head-scratching departure. Seems entrenched in Texas. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). It could be fun. He was a bad fit in Austin, but his messaging was sound and seems like the perfect thing Big Ten programs would want. After going 32-18, way below the Longhorns standards, he got the boot. The coaching staff hires for Nebraska Football include: E.J. He went 11-2 at Army in 2018. He also would not be completely new to the Big Ten and might be more prepared in his second go-round. Even if there are some benefits, the hire would reek of nepotism. But at this point he seems set on staying in Florida. If Trev Alberts were to poach him from Lawrence, Leipold would suddenly be under a lot more pressure. . But as caveats go, thats fairly small. Also, reportedly, he has a bit of a temper. He was the DC at Wisconsin and LSU and is now coaching the Baylor Bears. Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation) October 2, 2022 Bill Busch, in his debut at the helm of the defense, coordinated an effort that led to 11 Indiana punts and eight three-and-out series. Campbell was elevated to the role of director of athletic performance at Baylor before he moved on to the Panthers. An understated, under-the-radar coach who seems to do more with less? I try to make the case for each one. Scott Frost has been fired. He has some head coaching experience in NAIA . Kentucky had no expectations when they hired him. Baylors 2018 signing class was re-ranked as the No. E.J. If youre looking for a Husker with head coaching experience who is likely to take the job and do at least moderately well, this is it. But as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. 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. There is no doubt in his ability as a head coach. Maybe hes learned a lot and would want to take a crack at it again, in the Big Ten? The break from Virginia was equally confusing, and Mendenhall gave the now-typical "spend time with family" line as the reason. It would be fascinating, though. 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. Hes quietly leading one of the most competitive programs in the country, causing a ton of trouble for their opponents in the Mountain West. Why It Might Work: Rodriguez created the quintessential Cinderella program at West Virginia, where he would probably still be coaching today had he not taken Michigans offer and left so controversially. Why It Might Not: Stoops is 61, an Iowa grad, and he sometimes faltered under the pressure of a big game during his time at Oklahoma. How would the fan base react? Few active coaches on any level have been as successful as Klieman, who took home four Championship Subdivision national championships in five years at North Dakota State and has won eight games in his two non-COVID seasons with the Wildcats. Originally from the Midwest and an assistant at Kansas and Wisconsin before being named the head coach at Northern Illinois, he would understand the landscape in the Big Ten but would need to . He also greatly benefited from Texas falling off and a Big 12 in flux with Missouri, Nebraska, and Texas A&M all leaving for other conferences. Hes been doing well at Toledo for seven years. Why It Might Work: Mendenhall quietly did an amazing job at BYU when they transitioned to an FBS Independent, but how he managed to find success in the salvage project he undertook at Virginiawhich had only 3 winning seasons in 10 years before he arrivedis even more impressive. At the end of each candidate I include a Closing Comment, which is basically my personal take on what I think of the candidate. While he's in a good spot with very solid job security, the Nebraska job ranks higher on the Power Five ladder. Take a look at the playing and coaching career of Matt Rhule. A 54-22 record is solidly in the plus category, and he went 5-0 in bowl games as a head coach. Nebraska athletics director Trev Alberts' comments, the university will pay more than $16 million, There are four new top 10 teams in the NCAA Re-Rank 1-131, Winners and losers from Week 2 in college football, USC's domination, Michigan QB race leadthings you missed, Jimbo Fisher continues to rob Texas A&M in broad daylight, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Strong was quickly given a chance to redeem himself after Texas, and it could not have gone worse. Why It Might Not: OBrien bolted for the NFL at the earliest opportunity. 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. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Make of that what you will. He is still a huge name that will be brought up with every vacancy at a major college football program. Sure, but I feel like it would take a lot of rejection for Trev Alberts to dial his number. And hes still young at 47. He also has a fiery disposition like a certain former coach and Husker fans find that generally off-putting. Hes never worked west of Illinois, and hed be asked to live west of Iowa in the Great Plains. He may have reached his ceiling. 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. Youre going to hear a lot of names. A similar implosion if he were to come to Lincoln cant be ruled out. Head coach Scott Frost met with reporters on Tuesday for the first time since news broke that he would be returning for a fifth year at Nebraska under a restructured contract and buyout.. Barthel assisted with the running backs in Carolina, while also working in the player personnel department. Im sure youve heard of him. While his teams arent on Clemsons level in terms of talent, they are always competitive. Monken is the current head coach at Army, a notoriously difficult place to recruit D-1 competitive athletes. The 53-year-old assistant played QB at Nebraska from 1988 to 1991 under Tom Osborne, starting in 1990 for a nine-win team. Kansas was willing to take a chance, and it very much felt like throwing anything at a wall to see what sticks. He might be just the thing for a program weary of misses and failed press conferences. A competent athletic dept. He retired suddenly after a disappointing 8-5 record in 2019 and hasnt sought any coaching opportunities since. 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. Then he spent a season at Oregon before bolting for the "Dream Job" at Florida State, where he barely lasted two years. So without further ado, lets get into it. Georgias current defensive coordinator has been a head coach at two different SEC teams, Florida and South Carolina. You know who he is. The question is whether Nebraska wants to face the price tag and stomach the baggage. When you hire an FCS coach, even one of the leagues best, youre rolling the dice. And even with great recruiting operations already established at Ohio State, he somehow managed to take it to another level. Why It Might Work: Leipold is certainly a good coach. It's important to. The Wisconsin stint in particular gives him Big Ten cred. This isnt a Harbaugh-and-49ers situation, where the coach and ownership are on rocky terms. It didnt happen. In both cases, he made them successful by his third season. Nebraska football head coach candidates. And would he stick around, even if things go well? Why It Might Not: Urban Meyer is weird. Why It Might Work: Arandas Bears came out of nowhere to win the Big 12 in 2021 and beat Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl. Nebraska Head Football Coach Matt Rhule has assembled part of his first Husker staff with the hiring of six coaches on Thursday. The hirings are pending the completion of University of Nebraska background checks. Why It Might Work: Absolutely no one expected UTSA to go 12-2, but the fact that the Roadrunners did has to count for something. Concordia University Nebraska 4.1. He produced Dak Prescott for the Dallas Cowboys and his first three seasons at Florida were very good. He won a national title in 2000 and racked up several conference championships during his tenure. Corn Nation, a Nebraska Cornhuskers community, By Silantro The bottom is "Could Be Interesting." And hes bred for the South. Alberts will be patient (and he'll need to be). Chadwell and Herman are potential candidates for USF, and former Nebraska and UCF coach Scott Frost also might be a factor. By 10/11 NOW. Why It Might Work: Theres no doubt in Bohls ability to coach and win. Why It Might Not: Obligatory NDSU caveats. Why It Might Not: Lincoln might be outside his comfort zone. Basically, Campbell is a 300-yard drive down the fairway that leaves you in range of a birdie but with the floor of saving par. But more important than nostalgia is how disciplined his teams are. But now, Frost is done, and we have no idea what direction Nebraskas going to go. The current head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks, Leipold had a stellar record at Wisconsin-Whitewater and built the Buffalo Bulls into a contender in the MAC. A steady program builder with no flash means that hed be a complete unknown when it comes to recruiting. The former head coach at Indiana, hes now Ohio States offensive coordinator, and doing an excellent job there. All the Games; All the Rosters; Stats Theres a reason it isnt in vogue anymore. 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. It typically doesnt go that way, but Entzs ties to the state of Nebraska, if nothing else, make him mildly interesting. Could he follow NCAA rules? See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Could Nebraska win a bidding war? Lets start with why he flopped at Michiganhis defense and special teams. He would be a top candidate at any program. This year's team just routed Missouri and seems ready to contend with Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor and Texas for the Big 12 crown and New Year's Six berth. Hes the former head coach of the Florida Gators and, before that, the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Why It Might Work: Hes still young at 47, and its not like his career has been a complete failure. His Big Ten familiarity is also a plus. 87. Why It Might Work: Hes a phenomenal recruiter and has demonstrated the ability to both scout and develop talent. Why It Might Not: But didnt Scott Frost supposedly understand a winning culture too? The Gamecocks combined for 94 points and 1,008 yards of total offense in the two wins. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/OH/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500(VA). The head coach of Eastern Michigan has a long tenure of getting the most out of teams and programs with very little. If nothing else, Kliemans teams have been solid and that would be a huge upgrade to the shoddy job Scott Frost has done. 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. Who? Frost studied under coaching legends, knew the Nebraska program inside and out, had two years of head coaching experience, and still failed. Hes an Ohio guy who loves Ohio. Why It Might Not: At 64, Bohl is definitely on the tail end of his coaching career, and it might be asking a lot for the guy to completely rebuild his alma mater into something respectable. For this list Im mostly focusing on guys with at least some head coaching experiencemany current, some former. Howard coach Larry Scott, a former USF offensive lineman and assistant . 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Even if the search isn't geared toward winning immediate public acclaim, there's a matter of what sort of goodwill the new hire brings to the position: Leipold would be in a better place from the start if Kansas gets to five or even six wins during the regular season. The most obligatory of all candidates to be discussed. Okay, okay, in all seriousness, Grudens name gets floated only because hes so damn fun to watch. Kansas' Lance Leipold is 150-49 as a college coach and could be someone Nebraska looks at to replace Scott Frost. Closing Comment: I was big on Charlie Strong and thought hed kick butt at Texas. Seward, NE 68434. Maybe he could pull it off and be great, but thats a tall order. Closing Comment: Mark Stoops would be a solid hire. His record going into 2022 was 90-54, having coached at a couple spots at the FCS level. Poaching him from the NFL would be a similar coup that would grab headlines across the country. Why It Might Not: There are so many reasons. This is a group that will relate well to prospective student-athletes from all parts of the country and sell Nebraska Football.. Scott Frost pulled him from LSU to coach wide receivers and almost everyone in the fan base loves him. Why It Might Not: NC State still hasnt had the type of special season you would expect from someone who could be a great head coach. Reading between the lines of Nebraska athletics director Trev Alberts' comments Sunday, when he announced the firing of Scott Frost, the Cornhuskers' next coaching search will fit under these parameters: As a case in point, the university will pay more than $16 million to toss Frost after the ugly loss to Georgia Southern rather than waiting just weeks until Oct. 1, when his buyout was set to be trimmed in half. Plus does he really want to leave the comfort of San Diego for a Big Ten job, again? Then he got booted for off-the-field allegations from his time at LSU. Johnsons lack of experience in that area means every aspect of how hed run the program would be unknown until we see it. It could be a tough sell. 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. His connections in SEC land make him very unlikely to stay at a program like Nebraska, even if he somehow found success. Almost all of his coaching career has been in the state of Ohio. He proved capable beyond that when he made the University of Buffalo more than just a scrappy program. Some argue that he was the one who built that program into what it is todaywinning 3 FCS national championships while he was there, and posting a record of 104-32. Rhule also seems like a fine Big Ten fit. Some of these names are crazy, some are not even remotely realistic, and some are legitimate targets.