No, we need more. 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. Would he be able to get the talent needed to win at a high level? 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. Like the last name on this list, however, for Doeren to choose the Cornhuskers would require that he toss aside a long building process and forego ownership of a program covered from top to bottom with his fingerprints. Hes known as an offensive mastermind and stands among college footballs brainiest schemers. My top two choices at the time: Matt Rhule - Baylor. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. The Black Knights havent been this good since the 1940s. Why It Might Not: Urban Meyer is weird. John Brice from FootballScoop.com is reporting that interim Nebraska Head Coach Mickey Joseph, along with former TCU coach Gary Patterson, former Baylor coach Matt Rhule and the current. In consultation with the Marketing department, the head coach is. If Nebraska is facing rejection from experienced candidateswhich itself would be alarmingthis is a solid emergency option, assuming he takes the call. 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. If fans could get over the personality hang-ups, this might be the answer. Would he succeed in a Midwest spot? He also refuses to wear red. Why It Might Not: Lincoln might be outside his comfort zone. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. The Cornhuskers want an established head coach. The fact that he was scooped up almost immediately by UCF shows that he was and will continue to be a hot commodity. He wasnt exactly a total fraud, but he was given every opportunity to succeed at Texas, a place with numerous built-in advantages and benefits, and really underachieved. Why It Might Work: Joseph loves Nebraska, so hes got that going for him, right? Sure, but I feel like it would take a lot of rejection for Trev Alberts to dial his number. The headlines would be juicy. Herman made a name for himself as offensive coordinator at Iowa State (2009-11) and then Ohio State (2012-14) before his brilliant turnaround as head coach at Houston, where he was 22-4 in two . But similarly I try to look at how each one might work. Hes a Husker and currently serving as interim coach. Taylor is a young coach who caught fire in one season (sound familiar? Closing Comment: Ive heard his name mentioned a bunch, but I just dont see him leaving Kansas two years in, barring a stunning breakthrough. Foley has served on Matt Rhules staff for eight of Rhules 10 seasons as a head coach, including each of the last four seasons. Why It Might Work: It would be something of a coup to nab one of the hottest commodities in coaching right now. 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. Obviously he wasnt ready for the big job in Austin, but maybe Nebraska might be a better fit. At the very least, like Jon Gruden, he knows the kind of player that the NFL prefers. If nothing else, Kliemans teams have been solid and that would be a huge upgrade to the shoddy job Scott Frost has done. Oh, look, another former North Dakota State head coach. This FanPost created by a registered user of Corn Nation. He seems like a guy who prefers to build a program rather than jump to a better job at the earliest chance. Why It Might Not: The USF flop is a huge concern. Hes a household name and hes crazy. A similar implosion if he were to come to Lincoln cant be ruled out. Closing Comment: Yes, his second year as a head coach was unexpectedly good, so the comparisons to Frost are there. And even with great recruiting operations already established at Ohio State, he somehow managed to take it to another level. By Mitch Sherman. The first is the Big Names. Nebraska coach Matt Rhule has reportedly made his first staff hires. While things can and will almost certainly change before the end of the regular season, these are five realistic names for the Nebraska opening among current Power Five head coaches. Nebraska would certainly expect more from him than what he did in Starkville. He might not have the same passion for Nebraska, and that could affect his performance. Thats insanely good. Foley is an accomplished special teams coach and has strong recruiting ties to the Northeast including New Jersey, which has produced some of the greatest players in Nebraska history. Wilsons biggest knock might be his personality. His record going into 2022 was 90-54, having coached at a couple spots at the FCS level. Gambling Problem? Weve seen him be an aggressive recruiter and theres no reason to think that would not continue if he were the head coach. 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. 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. At the end of each candidate I include a Closing Comment, which is basically my personal take on what I think of the candidate. Hes the former head coach of the Florida Gators and, before that, the Mississippi State Bulldogs. 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. Closing Comment: Its a think-outside-the-box hire like Monken if it happens. These are the coaches with far more pros than cons, generally speaking, who the majority of fans would probably be on board with, and other than that its exactly what it says on the tinmay generate excitement. 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. He brought Western Kentucky out of the basement and did the same at USF. He also has head coaching experience from FCS Fordham and Mississippi State. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 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. As a candidate, Campbell is a safe and sturdy pick who aces three of the Cornhuskers' primary criteria. The program was plagued by the scandal involving Joe Paterno and Jerry Sandusky, most big-time recruits and players jumped ship, and OBrien took the job with no previous head coaching experience and under the auspices of a two-year bowl ban. Strong would have to go a long way to prove that hes viable as head-coaching material for a big program. Hell soon be looking for another chance to lead a program. He severely clashed with the athletic department and school officials, who were apparently looking for a reason to get rid of him. A steady decline in play resulted in losses piling up and he got the boot. The guy everyone wanted once upon a time? He's 45 and very much seems primed for a jump. Okay, okay, in all seriousness, Grudens name gets floated only because hes so damn fun to watch. And yet he says he's not done coaching. 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). By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Posted. He is obsessed with winning and is known for relentless coaching, sometimes to unhealthy levels. Candles Rockets have seen no drop off and remain one of the MACs better teams every year. Why It Might Work: Hes still young at 47, and its not like his career has been a complete failure. Final Statistics Nebraska coaching candidates: Mark Stoops, Matt Campbell lead list of coaches to replace Scott Frost Nebraska has no choice but to hit a home run as expansion looms By. He started out as the wide receivers coach in Baton Rouge, but worked his way up to assistant head coach in . The break from Virginia was equally confusing, and Mendenhall gave the now-typical "spend time with family" line as the reason. 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. 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 Work: The jobs he did at Temple and Baylor were nothing short of spectacular. He has Big Ten bona fides from his days as Ohio States DC and would bring serious credibility to a Nebraska program looking to get competitive in the conference. The 53-year-old assistant played QB at Nebraska from 1988 to 1991 under Tom Osborne, starting in 1990 for a nine-win team. Entz could be riding on the coattails of North Dakota State, which finds it rare to not win the FCS national title. Closing Comment: Theres a lot to like with Matt Canada when you look under the surface. 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. He would be a top candidate at any program. He orchestrated Cam Newtons Heisman season when serving as Auburns OC in 2010. Why It Might Work: A lot of people attribute Tom Osbornes success to his degrees in educational psychology. 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. Hes been doing well at Toledo for seven years. What would he do with the offensive players recruited to a drastically different system? Facebook But as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Bringing that energy to Lincoln could make the Huskers a very dangerous program. Why It Might Work: Muschamp, now 51, was once one of the most sought-after coaching candidates, briefly considered the head-coach-in-waiting to Mack Brown at Texas before he took the Florida job to replace Urban Meyer. All eyes across the country would be tuning in to watch how he does with the Huskersand it could work. A standout player in the NFL, Knighton has four total years of coaching experience, including two years at Wagner in 2019 and 2020. In addition, while his teams have done well overall, there are times when his ability as a play-caller has been costly. Maybe he could pull it off and be great, but thats a tall order. Closing Comment: This is who you hire if you want championships. Fresh off an overtime win at West Virginia that leaves Kansas at 2-0 for the first time since 2011, Leipold has quickly reversed the Jayhawks' losing ways and placed the program on an upward trajectory for the first time in over a decade. $44.8K - $56.8K a year (Estimated) Easily apply. Here are some candidates to watch: Nebraska Football: Coaching Candidates to Replace Scott Frost Troy Calhoun, Head Coach, Air Force If Nebraska wants to get back to its roots and run. 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. Less what? How would he jive culturally? Iowa) ties and solid coaching, theres some question as to whether he could handle the style of the Big Ten. He's a proven Power Five coach who has achieved historic successunder less-than-ideal circumstances by identifying prospects who fit his scheme regardless of their ranking as recruits or interest from Power Five peers. When you hire an FCS coach, even one of the leagues best, youre rolling the dice. 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. Why It Might Work: Theres no doubt in Bohls ability to coach and win. 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. RE-RANK:There are four new top 10 teams in the NCAA Re-Rank 1-131, HIGHS AND LOWSs:Winners and losers from Week 2 in college football, UNDER RADAR:USC's domination, Michigan QB race leadthings you missed, MISERY INDEX:Jimbo Fisher continues to rob Texas A&M in broad daylight. He has a respectable head coaching record overall at 87-53. November 7, 2022 5:15 am CT Now that Week 10 has come and gone, the list of prospective candidates for the head football coach job at Nebraska continues to evolve. 3. Scott Frost has been fired. This guy has been around. Klieman appears to lack key knowledge of the Big Ten, and the Big 12 isnt great to prepare you for that. He has solid Midwest ties and knows how to recruit gems. Thats impressive for a guy with no guarantee of longevity beyond a single season. Kansas' Lance Leipold is 150-49 as a college coach and could be someone Nebraska looks at to replace Scott Frost. A couple years removed from college football may be enough to make everyone forget about the struggles in Austin. 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. 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. Concordia University Nebraska 4.1. Closing Comment: The most impressive part of his resume is his time at GVSU, but how much of that can translate to Nebraska? 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). 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. 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. Hes currently "coaching" the Dallas/Arlington Renegades in the XFL, a relatively low-profile job. 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. . If he were to hire a competent DC and win, the rest may be worth overlooking. As much as his teams have over-performed, they have also under-performed. Texas snatched him up two years later, hoping for a return to greatness. Barthel helped one of the nations most improved teams in his one season at UConn as the Huskies averaged nearly 200 rushing yards per game. The bottom is "Could Be Interesting." Kentucky had no expectations when they hired him. In both cases, he made them successful by his third season. He has also seen what it takes to win, thanks to being inside Ohio States program. 827 shares Evan Bredeson November 10, 2022 5:15 am CT The Nebraska coaching search is now closing in on the two-month mark since the firing of Scott Frost on September 11th. Traylors offense was among the best in the country in 2021 and they steamrolled through most of their schedule, stumbling in the regular season only to North Texas. Then he spent a season at Oregon before bolting for the "Dream Job" at Florida State, where he barely lasted two years. Advertise; Shop; The Essentialsarrow_drop_down. Regionally, itd be a good fit. Could that be the recipe? Why It Might Work: Aside from the serious blow it would deal to a division opponent, Flecks prowess as a recruiter and coach are well known by this point. And hes bred for the South. His recent playing experience provides Knighton the expertise to teach and develop at one of the sports most demanding positions. Plus hes another triple-option coach. 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. This seems like a Southern-oriented guy. Closing Comment: He looks like a great choice for a bridge coach, which, considering where Nerbaska is right now, might be a strong strategy for the future. That changed when he brought in Tom Allen, who took over after Wilson was oustedpartly from clashing with the community, among other things. 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. Why It Might Work: Petersens record at Boise State was 92-12. Recall that he inexplicably lost to a bad Bowling Green team in 2021, in a season when Minnesota finished 9-4. 7, quickly became a disappointment and they finished 7-6 with a loss in the bowl game. Luke Fickell - Cincinnati. It would be a jarring cultural change for him to come to Big Ten country. Hes had other stops including LSU and is now the OC for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After 15 seasons, Calhoun has yet to win the Mountain West. The state of Colorado isnt that far from Nebraska. It didnt happen. He seems like a solid head coach, but its hard to project him being either wildly successful or a disappointing failure. Mickey Joseph, Nebraska interim head coach. 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. While the program may be able to reset the market from a financial perspective, the likely list of contenders for this opening will still keep the Cornhuskers tethered to the end of the regular season unless the university taps an immediately available option such as former Florida coach Dan Mullen or former Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall. Former Husker standout Joseph might get consideration. KSU hasnt had a breakthrough season yet. He was one of the Big Tens most underrated offensive coordinators, running a unique pro-style system that confused defenses with several motions. Not long removed from coming under some scrutiny following a 4-8 finish in 2019, Doeren has the Wolfpack up to No. If youre going for the veteran guy that no one else is looking at, this is a low-key option that has the potential of working out big time. Overall the body work from Martin appears only slightly above average. He didnt, but a lot of that was because he didnt have internal support. Closing Comment: You cant deny that youd be at least a little excited by this. There may be a candidate who emerges who is not on this list, something thats very likely to happen. Then there's the question: Why would he leave the SEC for a spot at a historically stronger but recently far weaker program? He certainly would be a good hire on paper, but youd be right to wonder if it would work out. featured Nebraska football coaching candidates roundtable Gavin Struve, Joseph Maier, Noah Buchholtz Nov. 11, 2022 Art by Jodi Soptic Nearly two full months have passed since former Nebraska football head coach Scott Frost was relieved of his duties. After going 32-18, way below the Longhorns standards, he got the boot. Nebraska isn't looking at that sort of option. Is he waiting for Ryan Day to leave Ohio State? Like Doeren, he's spent years constructing Kentucky into an annual Top 25 contender. Barthel, Running Backs Corey Campbell, Head Football Strength and Conditioning Evan Cooper, Secondary Ed Foley, Special Teams. would be inclined to hire him. Trev Alberts now has to embark on the long process of finding his replacement. After the scandal that forced Jim Tressel to leave Columbus, Meyer moved in and promptly started kicking the entire Big Tens ass. +, (Introductory note: So, I initially had this written and ready to post last week, but there was a technical glitch with the New Fanpost button which I had to contact SB Nation support about. Campbell was elevated to the role of director of athletic performance at Baylor before he moved on to the Panthers. You know who he is. Im sure youve heard of him. 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. AP Photo/Kathleen Batten. Why It Might Not: Kentucky demonstrated tremendous patience through his early years developing the program, when his record was 12-24 (4-20 in conference) after 3 seasons. Also, could Nebraska convince him to leave Baylor? He's established a culture at Iowa State that has played a substantial role in the best run in program history. His Big Ten familiarity is also a plus. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Draft Trey Palmer with the 191st Pick, The Los Angeles Rams Draft Ochaun Mathis with the 189th Pick, Wrestling: Tyler Berger Wins US Open, Advances to Final X. He also lacks significant regional ties and seems more geared for the Pacific Northwest and Utah-Colorado areas. Oh, and his current OC is Tim Beck. Hes a Penn State grad with strong Midwest recruiting ties, and was considered for the job in State College. Thats why its fun. The head coach of Eastern Michigan has a long tenure of getting the most out of teams and programs with very little. And if he does, would he stick around? 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. Poaching him from the NFL would be a similar coup that would grab headlines across the country. As an alumnus in the coaching field, he may have the highest possible pedigree, and candidates like this simply dont grow on trees. Monken has no Big Ten or Nebraska ties. 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. Closing Comment: Like Matt Campbell, Fickell chose not to take any bigger job opportunities. Herman quietly served as an analyst for the Chicago Bears last year and is now looking for a job. So stay tuned. Back in November 2019, Peter in Cary, Illinois, asked: "Who would be the top-three realistic candidates to replace Brian Kelly, IF, he decided to take an NFL job or leave for something else?". Another former Big Ten head coach, Hoke ran Michigan with mixed results. Chadwell followed it up by posting another 11-win season in 2021. Hes defensive minded and knows college footballs most fertile recruiting grounds. Why It Might Not: Its a roller coaster ride with Fleck. He losta lot. From Ottawa (KS) to Wabash (IN) to Drake (IA) and now EMU, Creighton has literally been around the Midwest. Plus, he discovered Josh Allen. It would all be judged on his staff. That guy was Scott Frost. Even if there are some benefits, the hire would reek of nepotism. Why It Might Not: No Nebraska or Big Ten ties. 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. 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. While Nebraska can almost certainly land him, it would become a much easier sell for Alberts and the athletics department if the Jayhawks can stay hot and make a run at bowl eligibility. Then he got booted for off-the-field allegations from his time at LSU. Evan Cooper played at Temple when Matt Rhule was an assistant coach, and Cooper has served on Rhules coaching staff for the past decade. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. He was a bad fit in Austin, but his messaging was sound and seems like the perfect thing Big Ten programs would want. The head coach of the Pittsburgh Panthers won the ACC in 2021 and has his team rolling toward a bright future. ESPN first reported and The World-Herald confirmed that the Huskers are bringing in Evan Cooper, most recently the cornerbacks coach with the NFL's Carolina Panthers and someone who has worked with Rhule . You probably have an opinion on this person. Its an exciting time, right? Could Nebraska lure the former Oklahoma coach out of retirement (or semi-retirement)? 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. But regardless, this is a candidate that needs to be addressed. For right now Ive got three basic tiers. Why It Might Not: Well, for starters, hes in his late sixties. Closing Comment: Mullen isnt coaching anywhere right now, so hed be available. But his two jobs at Texas and South Florida were massive failures. Assuming he agreed to come to Lincoln, how would he get on? How quickly can they learn his style and become competitive?
nebraska football assistant coach candidates