Arizona State Football: Possible Coach Candidates After June Jones Fallout

The Arizona State Sun Devils threw us all for quite a loop Wednesday.

It was initially announced that the team had come to terms with Southern Methodist head coach June Jones, but only hours later, it was reported that the deal was off. Supposedly, it has been a combination of an outcry from boosters and fans, and the typical situation of money.

Now that Jones is no longer in contention, the following are some coaches who are likely going to pop up on ASU's radar over the next few days.

Justin Wilcox

The Sun Devils have been said to be interested in the Tennessee Volunteers' defensive coordinator, and why wouldn't they be? Wilcox has the Volunteers' defense ranked 28th in the country, and that is one area the Sun Devils need to improve after this season's defensive collapse.

He is familiar with the Pac-12, as he was a player for the Oregon Ducks. Before the Tennessee job, he worked on the staff of the Sun Devils' upcoming opponent, the Boise State Broncos.

His age is also appealing for the Sun Devils: He is 35 and is therefore in the opposite direction of Dennis Erickson or Jones.

Jim Leavitt

Well, if Jon Gruden says so, we have to listen, right? 

Not really, but Leavitt will likely become a piece of discussion now that his name has been brought to light. 

Leavitt's most recent college coaching job was as head coach of the South Florida Bulls. He ran the program from 1997-2009. During his tenure, he took the Bulls to a 94-57 record, which included five bowl appearance—three of which he won. More recently, he is the linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers.

There is no doubt that Leavitt is an intriguing option, but one has to wonder if he would be an ideal candidate as he seems to be walking along that line of Erickson and Jones in terms of age.

However, there is no denying his success or the success that he has recently had with the 49ers' defense.

Trooper Taylor

The Auburn Tigers' assistant head coach could be becoming a head coach soon. He is already considered a candidate for the Tulane job, but there is no doubt that a job at Arizona State would be a much better opportunity.

At Auburn, Taylor has put together some great offenses, including their national title team run by quarterback Cam Newton. He is a great recruiter, which is something the Sun Devils need. With Taylor, the Sun Devils could compete with the recruiting of schools like USC and Oregon. They could also expand their efforts eastward.

Taylor has been roaming the sidelines for 20 years, including four years as the running backs coach at Tennessee and co-offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State in 2008. Perhaps now is the time for him run his own program.