College Football 2011: 10 Small College Coaches Who Could Land Big-Time Jobs
The little guy, the underdog, the Cinderella story.
We all love seeing someone rise from out of nowhere to make it to the top, especially in sports.
And if college football history tells us anything, it's that small college coaches often make it to the big-time.
This year should be no different, as the sport is filled with up-and-coming coaches who are just waiting to make the leap to a major college football program.
So who am I talking about?
Well, let's take a look at 10 small school coaches who could be playing with the big boys come 2012.
10. Bill Cubit (Western Michigan)
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Bill Cubit hasn't exactly been spectacular at Western Michigan, but this is Western Michigan we're talking about here and Cubit's been about as good as you can expect.
Since taking over as head coach in 2005, Cubit has gone 40-33 at the school, with four seasons at .500 or better and two bowl appearances.
His nine wins in 2008 tied a school record, his International Bowl appearance in 2007 was the school's first bowl game since 1988 and his WMU teams have huge road upsets against Virginia (2006), Iowa (2007) and Illinois (2008) during his tenure.
As you can see, Cubit is no stranger to knocking off teams in BCS conferences.
And next year, he just might be coaching one.
9. Larry Blakeney (Troy)
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At 63 years old and having been the school's head coach since 1991, I'm not so sure Larry Blakeney won't be a Troy lifer.
But he's done some incredible things with the Trojans, bringing them from Division II to Division I-AA, all the way to the FBS level.
And Blakeney's Trojans have gone 62-49 since transitioning fully to FBS, with six winning seasons and five bowl appearances.
It's hard to imagine a Division I-AA program having almost immediate success when moving up to the FBS level, but that's exactly what Blakeney has allowed Troy to do.
So, despite his age and commitment to Troy, never say never about a possible move elsewhere.
8. June Jones (SMU)
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While at Hawaii, June Jones made double-digit win seasons and Hawaii Bowl victories a habit before bolting for SMU in 2008.
After a rough first season there, in which the Mustangs went just 1-11, Jones led the school to an 8-5 record in 2009 and a 7-7 mark in 2010.
The 2009 season saw SMU win more games in a season than it had since the 1980's and make its first appearance in a bowl game since the 1984 Aloha Bowl.
Jones truly has done great things in just a three-year span at SMU and there's really no reason to think that trend won't continue.
Unless he bolts for bigger and better things, of course.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Tim Beckman (Toledo)
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In December 2008, Tim Beckman was hired by Toledo to replace Tom Amstutz, who resigned as head coach midseason.
And when Beckman took over at the school, the Rockets had won just 13 total games from 2006-08.
Well, Beckman matched that total in his first two seasons there, with a 5-7 record in 2009 and an 8-5 mark (and bowl appearance) in 2010.
Though this is his first head coaching stint, Beckman has plenty of big school experience. He was the cornerbacks coach at Ohio State from 1998-2004 and the Oklahoma State defensive coordinator from 2005-06.
A possible return to the big-time isn't out of the question if Beckman's Rockets have another solid season in 2011.
6. Robb Akey (Idaho)
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Before Dennis Erickson landed at his current stop, Arizona State, he was the head coach at Idaho.
But Erickson stayed there for just one season (2006), bolting the Vandals and leaving their football program in shambles in the process.
He was the third head coach in as many years, and his successor would be the fourth Idaho head coach in four seasons.
And that man was Robb Akey, who struggled to just three wins in his first two seasons at the school.
Doesn't sound so great, huh?
Well, obviously not. But Akey has really gotten Idaho football back on track, as the Vandals went 8-5 with a bowl in 2009 and 6-7 in 2010.
The program could be in way worse shape than it is, but the main reason Idaho football is staying afloat is Akey.
5. George O'Leary (UCF)
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Certainly not a small name coach, but at a small school coach nonetheless, George O'Leary has done nothing but impress at UCF.
Since taking over at the school in 2004, O'Leary has taken the Golden Knights from 0-11 in his first season to 11-3 in 2010.
During that span, he's led UCF to two conference titles, four bowl games and a bowl win over SEC powerhouse Georgia.
Though O'Leary is already 64 years old, he's got plenty of big school experience, most notably at Georgia Tech.
Another double-digit win season for the Golden Knights could mean another fat contract offer from a big school for O'Leary.
4. Mario Cristobal (Florida International)
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The first Cuban-American head coach in FBS history, Mario Cristobal has worked wonders at FIU.
When he took over at the school in 2007, the Golden Panthers were in the midst of a 12-game losing streak, one that actually extended to 23 games when Cristobal started off 0-11 in his first season at the school.
But FIU has showed gradual improvement each year since then and recorded their first winning record in school history in 2010.
Though Cristobal's squad was picked to finish in sixth place in the Sun Belt Conference that season, they wound up winning their conference and beat Toledo, 34-32, in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, the first bowl victory in FIU history.
As you can see, in just four seasons there, Cristobal has taken FIU from unknown to unstoppable.
OK, not really. But he's definitely shown that he can turn around a struggling program.
3. Rick Stockstill (Middle Tennessee)
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Since taking over at Middle Tennessee in 2006, Rick Stockstill has done an excellent job with the school's football program.
The former Florida State quarterback (under Bobby Bowden) has led the Blue Raiders to a 33-30 record, with two winning seasons, one Sun Belt Championship and three bowl appearances.
Stockstill's success at Middle Tennessee has made him a popular choice among school's looking for a coaching change, as he turned down multiple offers from other schools—such as East Carolina and Memphis—after a 10-3 season in 2009.
Though the Blue Raiders took a step back in 2010, Stockstill's impressive resume at the school and his 27 years of coaching experience will make him a very appealing option once again after the 2011 season.
2. Larry Fedora (Southern Miss)
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Larry Fedora, who's been a stellar recruiter at Southern Miss, has the resume you look for when hiring a new coach.
He 22-17 in three seasons at the school, with three straight bowl appearances and one bowl win.
Perhaps most importantly, though, Fedora's previous two stops were at Florida and Oklahoma State, where he served as the defensive coordinator at both schools.
He's put together a nice (although not great) head coaching record and also has the experience of working with two of the nation's top programs.
If Fedora wins eight-plus games in 2011, look for him to get plenty of interest from some lower-tier BCS schools.
1. Ken Niumatalolo (Navy)
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I'm not sure Navy can be considered a small school per say, but let's go with it...
Since becoming the full-time head coach at Navy starting with the 2008 season, Ken Niumatalolo has been a consistent winner.
In three full seasons there, he's led the Midshipmen to 27 total wins, with eight wins in 2008, 10 wins in 2009 and nine wins in 2010.
During the 2008 campaign, Niumatalolo also led Navy to a victory over No. 16 Wake Forest, which was the school's first victory over a ranked opponent in 23 years.
Some may call his early successes a fluke or "beginner's luck," but it's pretty clear that Niumatalolo knows what he's doing on the sidelines.
Look for him to lead the Midshipmen to another double-digit-win season again in 2010 and open the eyes of some bigger programs in the process.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
