Predicting Who Will Fill Current College Football Head Coach Openings
It's December 2, and if you think about it, the coaching silly season has been going on for most of the 2015 college football season. This year has presented a large number of openings thanks to midseason firings/retirements/resignation announcements.
And, yet, we're not even close to being done.
As of Wednesday, there are 12 vacant Football Bowl Subdivision jobs—not including Georgia, which will reportedly hire Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, according to Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com; however, that hasn't been made official yet.
Some deals are close to being signed. Others are still in the interview process. Still, we give our best (and sometimes educated) guess on which vacancies will be filled by which coaches based on numerous reports and potential fit.
As a side note, we will update this post with official/reported hires as they happen.
Louisiana-Monroe
1 of 12
Prediction: LSU defensive line coach Ed Orgeron
Let's go ahead and get the obligatory "Ed Orgeron to X school" thing out of the way. Throughout this list, you'll see predictions based on numerous reports, connections, fit and the like. Honestly, though, it's been all quiet on the Louisiana-Monroe front ever since the school fired Todd Berry last month.
Orgeron is one of those popular names that come up annually for seemingly everything, like Jon Gruden or Chip Kelly. He's serving as LSU's defensive line coach after being an assistant and interim coach at USC.
Orgeron is known for his recruiting presence. With his ties to the South, he'd be a good fit staying in Louisiana.
Maryland
2 of 12
Prediction: Bowling Green head coach Dino Babers
Dino Babers was connected to the Central Florida vacancy, according to a 247Sports report, but the Bowling Green head coach took to Twitter to deny the rumor. However, he may be in line to be the next head coach at Maryland.
Joe Schad of ESPN tweeted Babers to Maryland is "worth watching," and Dan Wolken of USA Today agreed. Remember, too, that Bowling Green beat Maryland in September 48-27 by scoring 42 second-half points.
Babers would certainly fit the criteria for Maryland, which wants to go with a more exciting offense. "If we look at football today, fans want exciting, wide-open offense," athletic director Kevin Anderson said in October, per Chris Vannini of CoachingSearch.com.
Update: According to Pete Thamel and Thayer Evans of Sports Illustrated, Michigan defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin will be Maryland's new head coach.
Memphis
3 of 12
Prediction: Co-offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey
As you'll read shortly, Memphis has had its eye on Missouri defensive coordinator Barry Odom. However, Scott Roussel of FootballScoop.com reports it's now-or-never time for Odom and Memphis to come to an agreement. Per Roussel, it sounds as though Odom ultimately wants the Missouri job, and it's just a matter of whether he gets it or not.
If not, the Memphis job is expected to go to Memphis co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach Darrell Dickey, who also happens to be the interim coach with Justin Fuente moving on to Virginia Tech. Dickey has head coaching experience as the former coach at North Texas. He took the Mean Green to four straight bowl appearances—the New Orleans Bowl, specifically—from 2001 to 2004.
Dickey has been with Memphis since 2012. While his final two seasons at North Texas went downhill quickly, he's found a good home at Memphis and would maintain a sense of continuity for the program.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Miami (FL)
4 of 12
Prediction: Former Georgia coach Mark Richt
Miami's coaching search is wide-open, so much so that its new coach might not be any of the names already attached to the vacancy. However, there's a lot of momentum for recently fired* Georgia coach Mark Richt.
If nothing else, this has been a process of elimination. Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen, who reportedly interviewed for the job, per ESPN, said he's "not going to waste my time commenting on rumors on the Internet" (h/t Michael Bonner of the Clarion-Ledger). It's not an outright denial, but there you go.
Former coaches Greg Schiano and Butch Davis were also mentioned by ESPN, but Matt Porter of the Palm Beach Post tweeted a Schiano hire would make a lot of people extremely unhappy.
Porter adds in an article that Richt is the internal favorite. As a Miami alum, Richt's connections are obvious. Ultimately, it likely comes down to whether Richt wants to immediately get back into coaching or take some time off. If he does get right back into the game, it'll probably be with Miami.
Miami, which is reportedly willing to shell out $4 million for its new coach, according to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports, could do a lot worse than Richt. He may not have won the right games, as Tony Barnhart of Gridiron Now wrote, but Richt did go 145-51 with the Bulldogs, which makes him the most successful college coach on the market.
*Or coach who recently mutually agreed to step down. Your choice.
Update: Multiple reports, including some from ESPN.com, say Richt will be the new head coach at Miami.
Missouri
5 of 12
Prediction: Missouri defensive coordinator Barry Odom
Missouri's search to replace longtime coach Gary Pinkel has been a net cast far and wide. Cal's Sonny Dykes and Air Force's Troy Calhoun are two of the coaches to have reportedly interviewed for the job, according to Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports. Per the Philadelphia Inquirer, Temple coach Matt Rhule was also connected, but those talks have stopped. Dykes is particularly interesting as he's apparently ready to part ways with Cal. Dieter Kurtenbach of KNBR notes Dykes has "mentally moved on" as he feels he's not appreciated.
However, it's entirely possible Mizzou decides to stay in-house and promote defensive coordinator Barry Odom. A Missouri alum, he was an assistant for the Tigers from 2003 to 2011 before taking a defensive coordinator job at Memphis from 2012 to 2014. He returned to Missouri this past season as the DC and put together a defense that ranked third in the SEC in points allowed per game.
Per Dan Wolken of USA Today, Odom was heavily connected to the Memphis head coaching gig, and it's possible he still takes it. However, it's understandable if he wants the Missouri job. It appears this will come down to a matter of timing.
North Texas
6 of 12
Prediction: North Carolina assistant Seth Littrell
Zach Barnett of FootballScoop.com reported late last month that North Texas had narrowed its search to TCU co-offensive coordinator Doug Meacham and North Carolina assistant head coach for offense Seth Littrell. Of the two, Littrell is gaining the most traction. Carlos Mendez of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported this week Littrell would "be the choice" for the Mean Green.
Though there's no confirmation as of yet, circumstances would have you believe this is the route UNT is taking. However, Littrell is preparing for a 13th game—the ACC championship against Clemson—so the fact that nothing is official yet could indicate UNT is waiting for the Tar Heels' season to be over before making an announcement.
Additionally, Anwar Richardson of OrangeBloods.com reported fellow TCU co-offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie is being targeted by Longhorns coach Charlie Strong. Should Cumbie leave, Meacham would be the lone OC and likely get a bump in salary, as Barnett notes.
Rutgers
7 of 12
Prediction: Former Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano
There hasn't been much chatter surrounding the Rutgers head coaching job since Kyle Flood was fired. Eventually, Rutgers may decide to go in a different direction from its former coach, but for now, local media are asking "why not?"
And, hey, it wouldn't be the first time a former coach has returned to his stomping grounds. Schiano coached the Scarlet Knights from 2001 to 2011 and went 68-67—which, if you know anything about Rutgers football, tells you how big that is.
Schiano is being connected to the Miami job, but if it doesn't work out, he may be willing to go back to Rutgers just to get into coaching again.
South Carolina
8 of 12
Prediction: Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp
With Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart reportedly off the board and heading to Georgia, Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp is "gaining serious momentum" for the South Carolina job, according to ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach. Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports corroborated that report.
South Carolina also reportedly has interest in Oklahoma offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley, per Chris Low of ESPN.com. However, Muschamp does have head coaching experience—even if it's mostly forgettable. He went 28-21 in four years at Florida (4-8 in 2013) and was, in an ironic twist, fired in 2014 after losing to South Carolina.
There is also a report from FootballScoop.com that says Smart wants Muschamp to be Georgia's new defensive coordinator. Muschamp is a former Bulldogs player, but it's unlikely he would take a lateral job if a head coaching vacancy is possible.
Syracuse
9 of 12
Syracuse: Ohio State defensive coordinator Chris Ash
Ash has been connected to both Rutgers and Syracuse, according to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports. However, a FootballScoop.com report earlier this week gave legs to a possible marriage between Ash and Syracuse.
Per Feldman:
"Ash has done a terrific job improving the Buckeyes' D, and their secondary in particular, the past two seasons since coming over from Arkansas. Having worked under Urban Meyer is another plus as his coaching tree has produced a very high percentage of strong head coaches. Among them: Kyle Whittingham, Dan Mullen, and the latest protege -- Houston's Tom Herman.
"
Hiring a Meyer disciple within the same division to "replicate" success can be tricky because a place such as Rutgers may need to do something different from Ohio State. Ash may want to get out of the Big Ten altogether to get his head coaching start.
Toledo
10 of 12
Prediction: Toledo offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jason Candle
This isn't so much a prediction as it is relaying information. According to Thayer Evans of Sports Illustrated, Toledo offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jason Candle will be the Rockets' new head coach, replacing Matt Campbell: "Candle has spent the past seven years as Toledo, joining the program in 2009 as the slot receivers and tight ends coach under then-head coach Tim Beckman. He coached receivers from ’10-11 before adding offensive coordinator duties under Campbell in ’12."
Provided the report comes to fruition, it will go against Toledo's previous stance of conducting a national search for its new coach.
Tulane
11 of 12
Prediction: LSU running backs coach Frank Wilson
From the moment Tulane fired Curtis Johnson, LSU running backs coach Frank Wilson has been the public favorite to be the Green Wave's next man in charge.
James Smith of the Times-Picayune reported last week Wilson was a candidate for Tulane in 2012 and "will get a hard look once the interview process begins." That contradicts a FootballScoop report that Tulane boosters didn't have Wilson on their list of candidates.
However, Wilson has overwhelming support elsewhere and for good reason. He knows the area, and as LSU's recruiting coordinator, he has been chiefly responsible for pulling in top-flight classes regularly. Getting talent to Tulane, especially now that it has an on-campus stadium, might not be as difficult as before with Wilson at the helm.
Virginia
12 of 12
Prediction: Former Texas coach Mack Brown
Here's what we know about Virginia and Mack Brown: He is interested in the vacancy. The question is whether there's mutual interest by Virginia.
"Mack's absolutely interested in Virginia," said Bobby Burton of 247Sports. "He knows the conference and what it takes to win there. And he's not a guy to cut corners on academics like a lot of coaches will."
Before coaching Texas, Brown spent 10 years at North Carolina, so he does have some familiarity with the ACC landscape. He also is a couple of years removed from the game, so he's ready to hop back in for one more try.
Virginia reportedly interviewed recently fired Georgia coach Mark Richt, per ESPN.com. However, with Richt's alma mater, Miami, also open, Virginia could have competition for his services. Additionally, it's not clear if Richt will immediately get back into coaching or take time off.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes cited unless obtained firsthand.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
