SMU Head Coach Search: Latest News and Rumors on Position

Updates from Monday, Dec. 1

College Football Talk passed along word of a hire as SMU's next head coach:

Updates from Thursday, Nov. 27

Chip Brown of Horns Digest.com reported that a deal might be done for SMU's new head coach:

Updates from Thursday, Oct. 30

Jimmy Burch of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has an update on Mack Brown's desire to return to coaching:

"

On his coaching future: “I don’t have an agent for football. I’m not going to call anybody. I’m not going to pursue any jobs. If somebody calls me, I’ll talk to them.”

On needing the right fit to return to the sideline: “That’s exactly right. I’m very happy with what I’m doing. … I talked to 10 coaches this spring and asked them their opinion of what happens when you get out of coaching. Some got back in. Some didn’t. And they all said, ‘Don’t put one minute’s thought into it until December, or late November.’ And, then, if somebody calls you and it excites you, you’ll talk to them.”

"

Updates from Friday, Oct. 24

SMU athletic director Rick Hart took to his Twitter account to address reports linking the school to Mack Brown:

Updates from Thursday, Oct. 23

Bill Nichols of the Dallas Morning News has an update on the kind of salary SMU would use to entice Brown:

"

Armed with the knowledge that winning seasons are possible at SMU, more qualified candidates are interested in the opportunity to return the program to prominence. And basketball’s quick ascension under Larry Brown seems to have galvanized the school’s football commitment.

Thus, it’s not shocking that SMU officials have already had preliminary discussions with former Texas coach Mack Brown, floating $4 million annually over eight years, sources say. Brown, 63, fits the Larry Brown model — a national championship winner who can land star prospects on name alone.

 

"

Updates from Monday, Oct. 6

Kirk Bohls of the Austin American Statesman passed along the latest regarding Mack Brown and the SMU job:

"

Mack Brown will decide in December whether he wants to return to coaching, his attorney and good friend Joe Jamail told me Sunday. Jamail said the former Texas football coach has already been offered coaching jobs but wouldn’t name them. “For comparable pay to what he was making and more,” Jamail said, “but he likes what he’s doing. He misses it, frankly, but he loves being on ESPN.” Asked if SMU reached out to Brown, Jamail said, “He was approached, I was approached, but he’s not interested in coaching anywhere right now.”

"

Original Text

With the resignation of June Jones, SMU needs to find a football coach capable of bringing the program back to its glory years.   

According to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports, the team could be considering former Texas head coach Mack Brown:

"

A wildcard name to keep an eye on with the SMU vacancy is former Texas coach Mack Brown, now an ESPN broadcaster. Word is, some well-connected SMU brass are intrigued by Brown and think he might be tempted by the chance to coach again.

"

The head coaching job became available when Jones surprisingly resigned after just two games, according to The Associated Press, via ESPN Dallas Fort Worth. The former Hawaii coach explained:

"

It was a very difficult decision for me to make, as you can imagine. I have devoted my life for the last 50 years to playing and coaching this game and it has been a great journey. This job has a lot of demands, as you know, and along with that journey comes a price that is paid.

I have some personal issues I have been dealing with and I need to take a step away so I can address them at this time.

"

Jones had a 36-43 record in his career at SMU, including an 0-2 mark in 2014 before leaving. The squad proceeded to lose the next two games without him and go into the conference portion of the schedule 0-4. Overall, the squad has been outscored 202-12.

Although the Mustangs are just two years removed from a win in the Hawaii Bowl, it seems the current squad is a long way from contending on a weekly level. It will obviously be difficult for any coach to turn around this program within a few years.

That being said, Brown is someone who would bring immediate respectability to the program. While he had his ups and downs throughout his career, the coach totaled a 238-117-1 record over 29 years with Texas, North Carolina and Tulane, including a national championship in 2005.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

He also has a lot of recruiting ties in the area after spending 16 years in Austin.

Interestingly, he could have some competition from a former player and assistant. According to Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman (h/t John Taylor of Pro Football Talk), Major Applewhite has reportedly applied for the SMU job.

There will certainly be a lot of interest around the country for the position, especially considering the recruiting hotbed in the area. This coaching search remains something to follow in the coming weeks and months.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.