Lindsay Whalen, Ben Johnson and the emotional toll of coaching A week ago, Whalen was sounding optimistic about the future while Johnson was about as low as he could get. Fleck has since elevated Minnesota to a level of competition that no one would have thought possible. Can the Huskers rebound? The 3 leading candidates to replace Frost were revealed by Bruce Closing Comment: All the places hes led seem to have unbreakable, hard ceilings and are traditionally basement dwellers. With little more than a single impressive season, there are reasons for skepticism. So why isnt he coaching in Gainesville? Thanks to his time as an assistant at Navy and Paul Johnsons Georgia Tech, he is also one of the most well-versed coaches in the triple-optionone of the toughest schemes to prepare for. Why It Might Not: No Nebraska or Big Ten ties. If he were to hire a competent DC and win, the rest may be worth overlooking. Closing Comment: This is who you hire if you want championships. When he was there, he managed to recruit some NFL talentnot easy to do, given the football programs history and Indianas reputation as a basketball school. Thats impressive for a guy with no guarantee of longevity beyond a single season. Coastal Carolina's head coach captured the nation's attention when he came out of nowhere to go 11-1 and win the Sun Belt in 2020, given then-undefeated BYU its only loss. How quickly can they learn his style and become competitive? He appears more ready for a jump to a mid-major. Nebraska WBB Loses to Michigan State 67-64, Nebraska Baseball Weekend Preview: Cambria College Classic, Nebraska WBB vs Michgan State Big Ten Tournament Preview and Game Thread. When you hire an FCS coach, even one of the leagues best, youre rolling the dice. The meltdown in Minneapolis would be legendary. Hes known as an offensive mastermind and stands among college footballs brainiest schemers. For the seventh time since Tom Osborne's retirement in 1997, Nebraska is looking for a coach. He served as Marylands interim coach after they fired DJ Durkin. The head coach of the Pittsburgh Panthers won the ACC in 2021 and has his team rolling toward a bright future. Meyer also does not appear to be the most ethical coach in the world, and theres a general sliminess about him that seems to come with the cost of winning. Hes defensive minded and knows college footballs most fertile recruiting grounds. Aside from 2021, hes had an impressive coaching career and Nebraska should definitely consider him. Also, reportedly, he has a bit of a temper. Urban Meyer, Fox analyst:The Huskers wouldn't would they? All eyes will be on his performance as the interim coach. As an alumnus in the coaching field, he may have the highest possible pedigree, and candidates like this simply dont grow on trees. If youre going for the veteran guy that no one else is looking at, this is a low-key option that has the potential of working out big time. Even if there are some benefits, the hire would reek of nepotism. Although Mullen may have gotten fired in a profession with brutal expectations, there may have been problems underneath the surface. He had an outstanding first season, going 11-2 with a BCS bowl victory. Putting aside the obvious fact that Nebraska can do worse (and typically has), Bob Stoops would bring instant credibility to the program despite his age. He is obsessed with winning and is known for relentless coaching, sometimes to unhealthy levels. Hes currently "coaching" the Dallas/Arlington Renegades in the XFL, a relatively low-profile job. Patterson's skills were on display Saturday as he teamed with Longhorns defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski to limit Alabama to its fewest points in a true road game since 2017. On the other hand, theres a case to be made that maybe Nebraska should go that way. He modernized Penn States offense and recruited at a high level despite limitations. His experience working under Chip Kelly and Mark Helfrich at Oregon, as well as a vote of confidence from Taylor is a young coach who caught fire in one season (sound familiar? Trev Alberts has the rest of 2022 to find the right guy. Not every place is going to be set up like that. And how motivated would he be? Rodriguez is notoriously stubborn and has been in the business long enough that theres a fair amount of baggage coming with him, which is why a small program like JSU was the only option he had as a head coach. LINCOLN, Neb. His record at Mississippi State, while not enough to impress its athletic director, was far from terrible and showed signs of progress, especially in the SEC West. Why It Might Work: Rodriguez created the quintessential Cinderella program at West Virginia, where he would probably still be coaching today had he not taken Michigans offer and left so controversially. Closing Comment: Its a huge if whether he leaves an NFL coaching gig in his prime when the Bengals have finally achieved liftoff. Closing Comment: Jason Candles not a big name and maybe feels content flying under the radar in college football. A big paycheck might make him reconsider. There would be cultural nuances that would take some adjusting to from both sides, but that would quickly fall by the wayside if he started winning. A former Husker (who youve probably heard of), Bohl was the head coach at FCS powerhouse North Dakota State from 2003 to 2013. section: | slug: nebraska-coaching-candidates-mark-stoops-matt-campbell-lead-list-of-coaches-to-replace-scott-frost | sport: collegefootball | route: article_single.us | Jim Leonhard, Wisconsin defensive coordinator: Like Oklahoma's Brent Venables, Leonhard has turned down a lot of interest from head coaching opportunities. It would be like bringing in a far less successful Dabo Swinney. He could bring that recipe to Nebraska, which would afford him the necessary resources. He also would not be completely new to the Big Ten and might be more prepared in his second go-round. Twice since 2018 he has won 10 games, perhaps prompting his angry comeback recently when John Calipari suggested Kentucky is far more focused on basketball success. Closing Comment: Mark Stoops would be a solid hire. He didnt, but a lot of that was because he didnt have internal support. Yeah, remember him? He has decent ties to the state and the Midwest which make him familiar with the local recruiting grounds. Could he be a Husker version of Jim Harbaugh? A former Husker quarterback (sound familiar? Closing Comment: I could get on board with this, if not be super excited, and honestly, itd be an excellent hire. Why It Might Work: Hoke knows the Big Ten and the Midwest very well. Buy Colts Tickets. And to be fair, though there is potential, his head coaching tenures with both the Nittany Lions and the Texans were not exactly spectacular. His Big Ten familiarity is also a plus. Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell Campbell has built Iowa State into a consistent winner. He got national attention in 2020 when he led Iowa State to its first division crown, including an upset of Oklahoma in the regular season (although they later lost the rematch in the Big 12 championship). Why It Might Not: It looks a lot like Mike Riley, doesnt it? The state of Colorado isnt that far from Nebraska. Once considered a paltry candidate after floundering to 6-7 as Ohio States interim head coach in 2011, Fickell has since proven to have massive coaching chops by quietly building Cincinnati into one of the G5s powerhouses and crashing the CFP as the first non-Power Five program to do so. This seems like a Southern-oriented guy. Hes got a history in the Big Ten, which he matches in terms of style. Closing Comment: I was big on Charlie Strong and thought hed kick butt at Texas. Going 8-5 at KSU is apparently the equivalent of going 11-1 to some, and the record from NDSU predictably makes people salivate. He took a lowly Arizona program to the Pac-12 championship before losing to Oregon, proving hes capable of making a run in the right circumstance. WebCandidates must have either current Nebraska licensure or NDE certification and be available 3-5 days per week to serve students in a variety of settings. And, surprisingly, even after two head coaching jobs, it still feels to some like his potential remains untapped. And if he does, would he stick around? The Cleveland Browns hired former Indianapolis Colts special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone last week. The fact that he was scooped up almost immediately by UCF shows that he was and will continue to be a hot commodity. (Consider this: How many guys with statues on campus are firedduring the season?) This FanPost created by a registered user of Corn Nation. Would he be able to get the talent needed to win at a high level? At 41, Fleck is still a very young head coach, and although his full potential is still somewhat unproven, all the signs are there that this is a guy who could be next-level great. His final year at Texas saw a massive recruiting drop, including reports that his own players were actively sabotaging visits. If you wanted to replicate Wisconsin at Nebraska, you couldnt do much better than this guy. But here it is as written around September 12, with minor edits.). Mickey Joseph, Nebraska interim football coach Joseph, 54, was named Nebraska's interim coach Sunday. Were less than two weeks away from the start of NFL free agency, which begins at 4 p.m. Taylor is now the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL and brought them all the way to the Super Bowl, before losing to the Rams. Then he became Houstons head coach and kicked butt in year one. Husker fans might be wary because Stoops appears to be a blend of Mike Riley and Bo Pelini, but somehow hes made it work in Lexington. The Gophers have no business being this good, and it is still mind-boggling how Fleck fell into their lap. Hes dug them out of the doldrums and turned them into a solid program that has produced multiple seasons of double-digit wins. Why It Might Not: It remains to be seen how hell finish in Carolina, but if he were to wind up in Lincoln, there may be the sense that this is a low-bar retread hire. This is probably the name every sports writer and your mom is going to mention for Nebraska or any major head coaching vacancy, because Matt Campbell seems to be the up-and-coming head coach du jour. He severely clashed with the athletic department and school officials, who were apparently looking for a reason to get rid of him. As one of the SECs historical have-nots, the Bulldogs were a bottom feeder who Mullen steadily transformed into a team that came close to beating Alabama. Closing Comment: Ive heard his name mentioned a bunch, but I just dont see him leaving Kansas two years in, barring a stunning breakthrough. Kentucky had no expectations when they hired him. He was a bad fit in Austin, but his messaging was sound and seems like the perfect thing Big Ten programs would want. Why It Might Work: Muschamp, now 51, was once one of the most sought-after coaching candidates, briefly considered the head-coach-in-waiting to Mack Brown at Texas before he took the Florida job to replace Urban Meyer. The timing of Scott Frosts firing three games in gives him a head start over everyone else in the coaching carousel cycle, and its still extremely early. Why It Might Not: The pressure he felt at Boise was nothing compared to Washingtonwhich is not even one of college footballs biggest blue bloodsand it clearly weighed on him. Theres some question as to whether hed leave as hes turned down previous job offers from better college programs. Meyer didn't even make it through a full season in 2021 with the Jags. Is he worth hiring? This guy has been around. His time at Ohio State gives him an edge in recruiting knowledge, and at Texas he had no problem pulling in top classes. Hes considerably more experienced than Monken and has a longer record. Why It Might Not: Obligatory NDSU caveats. Aranda probably wont be coming into the Big Ten with the same level of naive arrogance, shooting off his mouth about how the conference should adjust to him. Corn Nation, a Nebraska Cornhuskers community, By Silantro The Black Knights havent been this good since the 1940s. Being a true triple-option team in the Big Ten would be fascinating. Ideal candidates will have a Master's degree in Social work, psychology, sociology, counseling, human development, or a closely related field. Candidates who do this well for this longand who dont have a record to count as a negativeusually get a chance to make it as a head coach. Why It Might Not: The Huskers have had mixed results with first time head coaches who needed to learn the job on the fly. He flamed out of the NFLtwice. Experience in training, coaching, and/or mentoring experience. Why It Might Work: Joseph loves Nebraska, so hes got that going for him, right? He will have many suitors. At the end of each candidate I include a Closing Comment, which is basically my personal take on what I think of the candidate. The decline in his fourth season was truly stunning. Creighton has taken his programs as far as they realistically could go, so he could be worth a look. He was Ohio States stellar OC on their national championship team in 2014. Closing Comment: The appeal of hiring a coach with the achievement of his second season aside, this doesnt seem like a great fit on the surface. For this list Im mostly focusing on guys with at least some head coaching experiencemany current, some former. Here are some coaches who could be a fit at Nebraska, listed in alphabetical order. The general thinking is if he can go to a conference championship with practically nothing at Iowa State, imagine what he could do at Nebraska. Hes probably done coaching and no one is really looking at him. These are the head-explode, spit-take hires that the college football world would probably lose its mind over if Nebraska pulled it off. February 26, 2023 4:11 pm ET. This seems like a long shot, but anythings possible. He was doing well at Arizona until off-the-field allegations made them show him the door. Id be over the moon if Nebraska hired him. Why It Might Not: A longtime coordinator who turned heads with a special season in year two as a head coach, including a Sugar Bowl win over an SEC opponent? After 15 seasons, Calhoun has yet to win the Mountain West. Plus, he discovered Josh Allen. He did the obligatory rehab-at-Alabama thing. His turnaround of Eastern Michigan in particular was stunning, but that might be more attributable to the consistent failures of their previous hires. Strong would have to go a long way to prove that hes viable as head-coaching material for a big program. Why It Might Work: Arandas Bears came out of nowhere to win the Big 12 in 2021 and beat Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl. Hes coached as an assistant at Louisville, Minnesota, Georgia, Colorado, and is now Michigan States OC, where hes done well. Like many coaches of SEC blue bloods, he got run out of town when the results started to taper off. So without further ado, lets get into it. Apply here. Almost all of his coaching career has been in the state of Ohio. Thats an untenable situation for any head coach. Hes a Penn State grad with strong Midwest recruiting ties, and was considered for the job in State College. Hes very much an old-school style coach and appears more stubborn than most. Why It Might Not: Its a roller coaster ride with Fleck. 225 Nebraska Union Lincoln, NE 68588-0451 402-472-3145 careerservices@unl.edu Hes also been a successful OC at Oregon from 2020-2021. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Make no mistake: if Nebraska were to pull this off, it would be utterly stunning. Why It Might Not: Kentucky demonstrated tremendous patience through his early years developing the program, when his record was 12-24 (4-20 in conference) after 3 seasons. Why It Might Not: His stops at East Tennessee State, Delta State (Mississippi), and the Charleston-Greenville schools put him firmly in a region of the country far from Nebraska, so he lacks regional ties. Its an exciting time, right? Closing Comment: Its a risk. (They probably dont.). If youre looking for a Husker with head coaching experience who is likely to take the job and do at least moderately well, this is it. He also appears to be one of the better assistant coaches in Lincoln. He would also bring continuity to the program. Why It Might Not: Nebraska would be a bigger job than anywhere hes been. Why It Might Work: Like Jeff Monken, Calhoun is 55 and is an established head coach well-versed in the triple-optionwhich, again, is the most difficult scheme to prepare for. The latest were internal issues with Jacksonville Jaguars players last season. In both cases, he made them successful by his third season. Why It Might Not: Wilsons stint at Indiana was a failure, perhaps unsurprisingly because its Indiana, but also in large part because of the ineptness of his defenses. Closing Comment: Nebraska would certainly tell everyone where they stand in the Big Ten pecking order by poaching the dynamic head coach of a division rival, who also happens to be one of the best recruiters in the conference. Its odd that hes never been a head coach beyond the interim run with Maryland, which makes me think hes not really interested in it. Another guy who had a surprising breakout 12-win season in year two as a head coach, Traylor and UTSA had a magical year in 2021. A coach could conceivably come in and use the opportunity to take a step up the coaching rung toward a head coaching job in the near future. He also greatly benefited from Texas falling off and a Big 12 in flux with Missouri, Nebraska, and Texas A&M all leaving for other conferences. Why It Might Work: Its Jon Gruden. What would he do with the offensive players recruited to a drastically different system? Less what? He also has head coaching experience from FCS Fordham and Mississippi State. He also occasionally does TV analyst work for Fox Sports, and he stepped in to coach the Sooners for a bowl game when Lincoln Riley bolted for USC. And hes kind of an oddball. Just imagine the press conferences. The bottom is "Could Be Interesting." 13 coaching candidates to watch. Closing Comment: This seems like the safest pick. It would raise eyebrows if he came to the Big Ten. He was reportedly Michigans second choice if they didnt land Harbaugh in 2014. Stoops has produced double-digit win seasons, has his program regularly vying for an upper spot in the SEC East, and has sent multiple players to the NFL drafts early rounds. Bohl is a Lincoln native, played his college ball at Nebraska and also spent time with the Cornhuskers as an assistant from Nebraska football fired head coach Scott Frost following their difficult start to the 2022 season. OBriens experience coaching quarterbacks both in college and the pros make him very appealing as a developer of talent. Creighton is 53. You probably have an opinion on this person. Oh, and his current OC is Tim Beck. He orchestrated Cam Newtons Heisman season when serving as Auburns OC in 2010. Closing Comment: Despite some Husker fans pounding the table for Chadwell, I think he more than likely ends up in the SEC or ACC. He was a tough, hard-nosed coach who got his teams at Louisville to punch well above their weight and made them think they could be champions.