10 College Football Players Who Could Wind Up Coaching One Day
The life of a college football coach isnโt easy. Sure, the multimillion-dollar salaries pulled down by FBS head coaches like Nick Saban, Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh look glamorous, but those coaches work hard and constantly for their money.
The climb to the top of the profession is the culmination of a grind that often begins with a lowly graduate assistant position and takes years to reach the ultimate goal.
And then thereโs the matter of continuous work, recruiting and stress, but we digress. Itโs a tough job that not everyone is suited for, but coaches and schools are always looking for the next generation of leaders.
The NCAA now runs theย Future Football Coaches Academyย for players interested in taking the next step.ย The school is looking for smartย players with on-field talent who also have leadership skills.
These players might not find their way into the coaching profession after potential NFL careers but have potential to lead at a high level.
Ohio State C Jacoby Boren
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While there is a legitimate question concerning whoโll line up under center for Ohio State this fall, thereโs no question about whoโll line up at center: Jacoby Boren.
Boren earned a starting role on the Buckeyesโ offensive line in 2014 and played a big role in Ohio Stateโs breakthrough and run to the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Boren is just 6โ1โ and 285 pounds, small by current college football O-line standards. But he has carried on his family's Ohio State legacy (he followed brothers Justin and Zach to OSU) with hard work and has become a solid leader.ย He was also a first-team Academic All-Big Ten selection last fall.
An NFL career might not be in the cards, but Boren has the smarts and guts to make a difference on the sidelines.
UCLA C Jake Brendel
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While Brett Hundley garnered most of the headlines for UCLAโs offense over the past three years, the Bruins thrived behind the guidance of a quiet leader who has been a steadying force for the offensive line and the offense as a whole.
Senior center Jake Brendel has started all 39 games he has played in a UCLA uniform, served as a team co-captain the past two seasons and won a team leadership award both years. He was a first-team Pac-12 Academic All-American and a second-team All-Pac-12 selection.
He is an economics major, and while heโll have his choice of careers after graduation, his intelligence and football savvy could make him an excellent selection for any sideline.
Duke S Jeremy Cash
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Dukeโs campus is full of high achievers, on and off the athletic fields. It isnโt easy to stand out, but Jeremy Cash has found a way. Following a transfer from Ohio State, Cash has emerged as one of the top safeties in college football.
Last fall, Cash piled up 121 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and four interceptions for a Duke team that won nine games and made the Sun Bowl. He was a first-team All-ACC selection and flirted with the NFL draft before ultimately returning to school for his senior season, where heโll be one of the nationโs top safeties this fall.
The psychology major was also a first-team Academic All-ACCย selection,ย and with his psychology major, he could relate well to college athletes as a coach.
Michigan State QB Connor Cook
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Over the last two seasons, Michigan State has emerged as one of the nationโs elite programs. The Spartans are 24-3 with a Big Ten title and Cotton and Rose Bowl wins, with their only losses coming to Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oregon.
A huge factor in that success? Senior quarterback Connor Cook.
Cook gave the Spartans a big shot in the arm when he decided to return for his final season at Michigan State. He has shown consistent improvement as a starter. Last fall, he threw for 3,214 yards with 24 touchdowns against eight interceptions and was a steady leader for the Spartansโ offense.
His leadership will be crucial again this fall as Michigan State builds its offense without its leading rusher (Jeremy Langford) and receiver (Tony Lippett) from 2014.
Cook is a general on the field for Mark Dantonio and has the kind of leadership skills that coaches prize when building their staffs. The Big Ten All-Academic selection would be a solid leader on the sideline after his on-field career wraps up.
Oklahoma C Ty Darlington
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While quarterbacks get the lionโs share of attention on college football offenses, perhaps the most crucial position is center. The center is the rock of the offensive line, the guy who changes calls at the line of scrimmage, the guy who serves as the spark and fulcrum of the entire offense.
In other words, you need a center you can really trust. Oklahoma center Ty Darlington is that guy.
Darlington spent his first full season as Oklahomaโs starting center last fall and is highly respected by coaches, teammates and opponents. He was chosen as one of 15 student-athletes from across the Power Five conferences to vote in a new legislative process that governed Power Five autonomy and created improved student-athlete benefits, including full cost of attendance.
According toย Jason Kersey of The Oklahoman, Darlington stole the show with his knowledge of the issues.
โWe all felt like if the NCAA is gonna have the audacity to put 15 student-athletes out there right next to presidents and chancellors โ people with masterโs degrees and doctorate degrees who have been doing this for 30 years โ weโd better step our game up,โ Darlington told Kersey. โIf weโre not informed, it makes it look like all student-athletes arenโt informed.โ
Darlington was a Capital One CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American last fall and is majoring in health and exercise science. Heโd be a perfect fit to fight for future student-athletes on an FBS coaching staff after his playing career ends.
Baylor LT Spencer Drango
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Baylorโs high-powered offense will have a new quarterback (likely junior Seth Russell) piloting it in 2015, but the new starter will have the luxury of protection from an offensive line that returns all five starters from a year ago.
That line got a huge boost when left tackle Spencer Drango decided to return for his senior season. At 6โ6โ and 310 pounds, Drango is an imposing force and an excellent protector for his quarterbackโs blind side.
Drango is also very intelligent. The finance major is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree and a great leader on the Bears offense.
He works well with numbers, and a coaching career, at least initially, might not be the most lucrative use for a finance degree. But his leadership and experience would make him an excellent addition for a profession that values former offensive linemen in positions of power.
Kansas State FB Glenn Gronkowski
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You might find anyone with the surname โGronkowskiโ on a future coaching list absurd, given the party-animal antics espoused by New England Patriots Pro Bowl tight end and Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski. But if you take a little closer look at little brother Glenn, a Kansas State fullback, you might change your mind.
Gronkowski plays a rather anonymous position, fullback, but plays it well. He also carries a 4.0 GPA and was a first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection last fall. He comes from a football-first family and has learned from a coaching legend in Kansas State coach Bill Snyder.
It might seem like an unorthodox choice, but little Gronk has the smarts and football savvy to thrive on a sideline in the near future.
Ohio State QB Braxton Miller
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With all the hubbub surrounding Ohio Stateโs unique quarterback situation, itโs easy to forget just how much Braxton Miller has meant to the Buckeye program over the last four years.
Miller missed last season following shoulder surgery, but in 2013 he threw for 2,094 yards with 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions and rushed for 1,068 yards and 12 touchdowns.
He is a two-time Big Ten Most Valuable Player and led Ohio State to an unbeaten season as a sophomore, serving as a key leader on Urban Meyerโs offense. Whatโs more, Miller hasnโt complained publicly about having to compete against J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones for his old job this summer, showing strong leadership. Miller already has his Ohio State degree, too.
Miller likely has an NFL future ahead of him, although his position is unclear, but players with his qualities often earn chances as college coaches once their playing careers end.
Notre Dame WR Corey Robinson
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Notre Dame junior wide receiver Corey Robinson is one of the more unique players in college football. Robinson grew up in a sports-centric environment (his father, former San Antonio Spurs center David Robinson, is a Basketball Hall of Famer and one of the greatest big men in NBA history), but he chose his own path as a Notre Dame wide receiver.
At 6โ4โ and 215 pounds, Robinson is an impact player for the Fighting Irish offense. Last fall, he had 40 receptions for 539 yards and five touchdowns as Notre Dameโs No. 3 receiver and figures to build on those stats this fall. Whatโs more, he has excelled off the field.
Last fall, the liberal studies major was named to the Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-American First Team, a big honor given Notre Dameโs rigorous academic reputation. If he doesnโt make the NFL, Robinson will have his choice of career paths, but he has the football IQ and academic acumen to thrive as a football coach.
Central Michigan QB Cooper Rush
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When youโre looking for leaders on a football team, you could do far worse than a quarterback with a good head on his shoulders. Last fall, Cooper Rush emerged as that kind of man for Central Michigan.
As a sophomore,ย Rush threw for 3,157 yards with 27 touchdowns against 13 interceptions and led the Chippewas to a postseason berth.
He also put up a 3.91 GPA in actuarial science and made theย Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-Americanย Second Team. Not bad.
Rush knows his numbers, but his leadership and intelligence would make him a solid coaching candidate when his career wraps up.
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