Why It Might Work: Hes got a lot of energy for someone in his late sixties. But isnt that what Nebraska tried with Mike Riley? Why It Might Not: Nebraska would be a bigger job than anywhere hes been. All eyes across the country would be tuning in to watch how he does with the Huskersand it could work. Moving within the division to suddenly chase his old boss, Paul Chryst, and alma mater doesn't seem like an ideal move. Nebraska football fired head coach Scott Frost following their difficult start to the 2022 season. Its highly unlikely anyone else was considered. There were a number of missteps, including a radical change in offensive philosophy and a lack of attention to the offensive line, which fell apart in a hurry. Why It Might Not: Despite the love for Mickey Joseph, which is understandable, hes light on head coaching experiencehe led Langston University, an HBCU, for two seasons from 2011-2012, with a record of 13-7. Gruden hasnt even sniffed, let alone showed interest, in a college head coaching job in his entire career, but that wont stop people from pounding the table for him. Closing Comment: Mickey Joseph would no doubt excite some Husker fans, and while I do get the argument for his upside, hes now 54 without a major head coaching gig. Nebraska's coaching search entered its second week with three candidates have reportedly pushed to the front of the Huskers' crosshairs, sparking media reaction on the possibilities. He was very successful as Louisvilles head coach, having discovered Teddy Bridgewater. So it seems like hes got the head coaching chops, and his coordinator experience at LSU and Wisconsin make him very familiar with how big programs operate. He would have to go a long way to earn the trust of the players, fans, and boosters. He has solid Midwest ties and knows how to recruit gems. How would he fit? Why It Might Work: Leipold is certainly a good coach. Why It Might Not: No Nebraska or Big Ten ties. section: | slug: nebraska-coaching-candidates-mark-stoops-matt-campbell-lead-list-of-coaches-to-replace-scott-frost | sport: collegefootball | route: article_single.us | He brought Western Kentucky out of the basement and did the same at USF. Why It Might Work: The jobs he did at Temple and Baylor were nothing short of spectacular. Why It Might Work: Joseph loves Nebraska, so hes got that going for him, right? Closing Comment: He seems due for a second stint as a head coach, and hes as good as any top coordinator candidate. It would raise eyebrows if he came to the Big Ten. But more important than nostalgia is how disciplined his teams are. Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell Campbell has built Iowa State into a consistent winner. But similarly I try to look at how each one might work. Hes been doing well at Toledo for seven years. Hes the current head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats. Why It Might Not: But didnt Scott Frost supposedly understand a winning culture too? Now hes Miami of Floridas DC. He hasnt pursued head coaching gigs very much and might be more comfortable as an assistant. In addition, while his teams have done well overall, there are times when his ability as a play-caller has been costly. Gary Patterson, Texas analyst: This makes so much sense. Nebraska would be an even tougher job. Jeff Schwartz (p) (402) 395-2134 How to Apply If you are interested , submit your application! Why It Might Work: It only took Urban Meyer two seasons to coach Utah to an undefeated season. The bottom is "Could Be Interesting." If you look deeper than his 47-42 record, you see a program builder. While his teams arent on Clemsons level in terms of talent, they are always competitive. And, surprisingly, even after two head coaching jobs, it still feels to some like his potential remains untapped. GP has plenty left in the tank at age 62 after a bitter departure from TCU. Why It Might Not: It looks a lot like Mike Riley, doesnt it? Monken has no Big Ten or Nebraska ties. Leonhard is a brilliant defensive mind, but does Nebraska want to put all its eggs in the basket of a hot assistant who had never assembled a staff or been responsible for recruiting? In moving from the Big 12 to the Big Ten, the program lost its identity. on Sep 19, 2022, 8:38am CDT He has decent ties to the state and the Midwest which make him familiar with the local recruiting grounds. Jon Hale. 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. Hes the former head coach of the Florida Gators and, before that, the Mississippi State Bulldogs. His teams at both places have generally shown well against Big Ten opponents. Hes an Ohio guy who loves Ohio. There are some reports he prefers the job he has now and is settling in. 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. And yet he says he's not done coaching. Hes coached as an assistant at Louisville, Minnesota, Georgia, Colorado, and is now Michigan States OC, where hes done well. Less what? Why It Might Not: Lincoln might be outside his comfort zone. Closing Comment: This seems like the safest pick. The 11 games that explain the downfall of Nebraska football. With likely more than two head-coaching jobs opening up, here are some of the very best coordinators in the NFL who could be up for leading a team of the Kellen Moore, Dallas Cowboys. How committed would he be to staying at Nebraska long term if things started to work out? Like Frost, Joseph worked his way up the coaching ladder most recently at LSU where he developed what some say is the best group of wide receivers in history. Sure, but I feel like it would take a lot of rejection for Trev Alberts to dial his number. Why It Might Work: Aside from the serious blow it would deal to a division opponent, Flecks prowess as a recruiter and coach are well known by this point. He knows how to coach up players, and most importantly, he knows how to run the damn ball, damn it. Who? At this point his work at Louisville may be seen as the outlier. His experience working under Chip Kelly and Mark Helfrich at Oregon, as well as a vote of confidence from Iowa) ties and solid coaching, theres some question as to whether he could handle the style of the Big Ten. One need look no further than his performance at WI-Whitewater, where he went an astounding 109-6 in FCS Division III, including six national championships. Hell soon be looking for another chance to lead a program. LINCOLN, Neb. Hes quietly leading one of the most competitive programs in the country, causing a ton of trouble for their opponents in the Mountain West. Seven candidates ran in the Democratic primary. Nebraska would certainly expect more from him than what he did in Starkville. 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. Weve seen him be an aggressive recruiter and theres no reason to think that would not continue if he were the head coach. You cant find a more aggressive, out-of-his-mind competitor beyond him other than possibly Jim Harbaugh. His time in Ann Arbor was one catastrophe after another, and the mistakes he made set the program back significantly. Why It Might Work: Mendenhall quietly did an amazing job at BYU when they transitioned to an FBS Independent, but how he managed to find success in the salvage project he undertook at Virginiawhich had only 3 winning seasons in 10 years before he arrivedis even more impressive. I try to make the case for each one. But lets be honest, Gruden was really overrated. He has coached both a Heisman Trophy winner (Bryce Young) and the G.O.A.T. He retired suddenly after a disappointing 8-5 record in 2019 and hasnt sought any coaching opportunities since. While things can and will almost certainly change before the end of the regular season, these are five realistic names for the Nebraska opening among current He hasnt interviewed for any vacancies since his retirement. The Wisconsin stint in particular gives him Big Ten cred. Could Nebraska win a bidding war? How would he jive culturally? 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. Why It Might Work: Its Jon Gruden. The coaching carousel is always fun. Georgias current defensive coordinator has been a head coach at two different SEC teams, Florida and South Carolina. It took the Raiders committing $100 million to lure him away from Monday Night Football. His time at Arizona wasnt perfect either. Matt Campbell, Iowa State coach: Several sources have told CBS Sports that Campbell is interested in Nebraska. He might be better suited for a rebuild situation where he has time to work out the kinks. Instead, it's seen a far-flung outpost in a league that suddenly boasts a presence in New York, Chicago and soon Los Angeles. There are some in Ann Arbor who still feel he didnt get a fair shake, but his career following has borne out that Michigan probably made the correct decision. 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. After the scandal that forced Jim Tressel to leave Columbus, Meyer moved in and promptly started kicking the entire Big Tens ass. Closing Comment: I was big on Charlie Strong and thought hed kick butt at Texas. Scott Frost is out at Nebraska. Since Nebraska is going into the bye week, I figured I might as well wait until after all the post-game articles before posting this. Hes had other stops including LSU and is now the OC for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Meyer can coach college, but can he keep from becoming the focus for all the wrong reasons? Nebraska Book Co. in Lincoln shutting down; 114 to lose jobs; In a van outside OUs Lloyd Noble Center, Doc Sadler lives out another season in 45 years of Here are some candidates to watch: Nebraska Football: Coaching Candidates to Replace Scott Frost. That means 6-6 or even 7-5 might not be good enough for Nebraska, which absolutely has to hit a home run this time around. Texas snatched him up two years later, hoping for a return to greatness. Theres a pretty big crop of them right now and Nebraska should definitely exhaust all options there before looking at coordinators whove never been a head coach. Closing Comment: Jason Candles not a big name and maybe feels content flying under the radar in college football. His recruiting classes at Michigan were all very good, and he completely transformed the Wolverines defense, which had become a joke under Rich Rodriguez. His two turnarounds at Ball State and San Diego State (in his first stint) were impressive, considering what they were before he arrived. Hes also been a successful OC at Oregon from 2020-2021. Closing Comment: All the places hes led seem to have unbreakable, hard ceilings and are traditionally basement dwellers. But regardless, this is a candidate that needs to be addressed. There is no healthier coaching tree from which to pick a coach: Bill Belichick and Nick Saban. Closing Comment: Its a risk. 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. Why It Might Not: NC State still hasnt had the type of special season you would expect from someone who could be a great head coach. This isnt a Harbaugh-and-49ers situation, where the coach and ownership are on rocky terms. He has shepherded locker rooms accustomed to winning championships each season. Nebraska football has a new head coach and heading into the 2023 season, here are three breakout candidates for the Huskers. Second tier is "May Generate Excitement." Second, Im bugged by the Mississippi State thing. He knows the Midwest and the Big Ten well. OBriens experience coaching quarterbacks both in college and the pros make him very appealing as a developer of talent. 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. Traylors offense was among the best in the country in 2021 and they steamrolled through most of their schedule, stumbling in the regular season only to North Texas. A former Husker quarterback (sound familiar? How could it not? 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 might be the defensive version of Scott Frost. There is some question whether he has the temperament to lead a program. His stints at Toledo (where he succeeded Tim Beckman) and Iowa State have been impressive relative to their place in the college football pecking order. You probably have an opinion on this person. Could that be the recipe? As an alumnus in the coaching field, he may have the highest possible pedigree, and candidates like this simply dont grow on trees. Why It Might Work: He has head coaching experience from his time at Indiana and is at least familiar with the challenges of running a Big Ten program. Why It Might Not: Theres no question that the shine has worn off of Tom Herman. A big paycheck might make him reconsider. Nothing worked to the point Georgia Southern sealed the deal Saturday night by gaining 642 yards in hallowed Memorial Stadium where Heisman Trophy winners and national champions used to dwell. Unless Iowa State suffers a total collapse this year, hes going to be the top target for most major open head coaching jobs. The next hire must hit because the hamster wheel of coaches since Osborne is worn and rusted. 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. Not every place is going to be set up like that. 1. It could be fun. Like many coaches of SEC blue bloods, he got run out of town when the results started to taper off. Would he be up to it? Taking on the Nebraska job would place him squarely in the limelight. Well, it may surprise you to learn that Matt Entz has a Masters Degree in Education from Wayne State College in Nebraska. Why It Might Work: Johnson has quietly built up an impressive resume as a coordinator. Why It Might Work: Monkens teams practice great fundamentals and rarely if ever beat themselves, which would be a welcome change from the Scott Frost era. Hes got a history in the Big Ten, which he matches in terms of style. +, (Introductory note: So, I initially had this written and ready to post last week, but there was a technical glitch with the New Fanpost button which I had to contact SB Nation support about. WebA Day in the Life of an Account Analyst Intern. Its not for everybody. Jerry Kill: If Nebraska wants to poach a head coach from another school, Jerry Kill seems like a logical direction to go. A program at the level of Nebraska seems above his competency, and at his age hed be seen as nothing more than a bridge coach. Why It Might Not: Setting aside the baggage that Malzahn allegedly would bring with a reportedly outspoken wife who creates drama, this guy seems entrenched in the deep South. 6-keys: media/spln/collegefootball/reg/free/stories, at He may have reached his ceiling. The headlines would be juicy. Why It Might Work: Hes still young at 47, and its not like his career has been a complete failure. Why It Might Work: Hes a Husker who happens to be an NFL head coach, almost won a Super Bowl, and hes only 39. A 54-22 record is solidly in the plus category, and he went 5-0 in bowl games as a head coach. He went 11-2 at Army in 2018. Why It Might Work: Canada did a remarkable job as Marylands interim HC. 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. How they do in replacing him will Poaching him from the NFL would be a similar coup that would grab headlines across the country. It would all be judged on his staff. Strong was quickly given a chance to redeem himself after Texas, and it could not have gone worse. (Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports) Capel would become Krzyzewski's point guard for four years, leading Duke to a national title appearance as a freshman. You may also remember him as the former OC of the New England Patriots once upon a time. They'd be back. Does Nebrsaka really want to try that again? Native son Scott Frost was fired Sunday having gone 16-31 three games into his fifth season. And to be fair, though there is potential, his head coaching tenures with both the Nittany Lions and the Texans were not exactly spectacular. Maybe he could be worth considering, but rest assured there would be a lot of skeptics. 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. Why It Might Work: Strong was a top candidate at Texas for a reason. Hes considerably more experienced than Monken and has a longer record. Experience in training, coaching, and/or mentoring experience. Why It Might Not: OBrien bolted for the NFL at the earliest opportunity. March 3, 2023 7:00 am ET. He also appears to be one of the better assistant coaches in Lincoln. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Klieman appears to lack key knowledge of the Big Ten, and the Big 12 isnt great to prepare you for that. Fleck has since elevated Minnesota to a level of competition that no one would have thought possible. Closing Comment: Les Miles may have been interesting as a replacement to Mike Riley or Bo Pelini, but that window has long since closed. Instead he kept the team competitive when it could have easily imploded. His time at Ohio State gives him an edge in recruiting knowledge, and at Texas he had no problem pulling in top classes. The Huskers lost 45-42 to Georgia Southern at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. The guy who led his offense, Barry Lunney, left to be the OC at Illinois. Nebraska education officials are one step closer to axing the basic skills test that keeps some new teachers out of classrooms. Some people are pounding the table for this guy, but to me, this is a fairly un-sexy pick. Closing Comment: Despite some Husker fans pounding the table for Chadwell, I think he more than likely ends up in the SEC or ACC. While he wasnt spectacular in the SEC, he might find an easier time in the Big Ten. All eyes will be on his performance as the interim coach. I may do a follow up article as the year goes on. That changed when he brought in Tom Allen, who took over after Wilson was oustedpartly from clashing with the community, among other things. 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. Closing Comment: Its a think-outside-the-box hire like Monken if it happens. Why It Might Not: Fit and longevity. By Chris Vannini. For right now Ive got three basic tiers. Hes now at Wyoming, where his record is more mediocre. 7, quickly became a disappointment and they finished 7-6 with a loss in the bowl game. He was the DC at Wisconsin and LSU and is now coaching the Baylor Bears. Stoops may be even better than that without the baggage. Nebraska Book Co. in Lincoln shutting down; 114 to lose jobs; In a van outside OUs Lloyd Noble Center, Doc Sadler lives out another season in 45 years of coaching His record going into 2022 was 90-54, having coached at a couple spots at the FCS level. Hes a household name and hes crazy. Bill O'Brien, Alabama offensive coordinator: "Obie" already has Big Ten experience as the first Penn State coach in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. He struggled (to put it mildly) to develop a quarterback. Hes known as an offensive mastermind and stands among college footballs brainiest schemers. Jon Hale is the University of Kentucky football beat writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. Hes nuts. There are many who would see this hire as a bit of a desperate move. The program was plagued by the scandal involving Joe Paterno and Jerry Sandusky, most big-time recruits and players jumped ship, and OBrien took the job with no previous head coaching experience and under the auspices of a two-year bowl ban. Nebraska Football: Mike Rileys Breakout Group Comments At Big Ten MediaDays, The 2007 Nebraska Football Season: Booing, Big Holes, and BrokenHopes, Flakes: Auto Play Videos Should BeBanned, Nebraska Football: Mike Rileys Remarks At Big Ten MediaDays, Shawn Eichorst: Nebraska Obliged To Do One Home Friday Night Football Game Every ThirdYear, Nebraska Baseball: Bolts Boys Knock Off #7 Vanderbilt 5-3, Nebrasketball: Iowa Hawkeyes Game Preview, Nebraska Baseball Brunch Date with #7 Vanderbilt Game Thread, Wrestling: Your Big Ten Championships Primer, Friday Flakes: Turner Gill Played Some Shortstop for Nebraska and Ernest Schackleton. Hes now in his fourth year, and the Wildcats are firmly looking like a bowl team, which theyve been in at least two of Kliemans seasons thus far. Hes certainly a good coach, but is he elite? He might not want to take the risk himself. But they also end there. Husker message boards and Facebook groups are littered with Closing Comment: Given all the candidates out there with head coaching experience, even the flawed retreads, it would almost seem disappointing to pick an unproven coordinator instead. ), he was the Big 12 offensive player of the year in 2006. Frost is a Husker legend who would surely be a popular hire with Nebraskas loyal fan base. And dont forget, hes built a program from scratch. Meghan Hall. The Gophers have no business being this good, and it is still mind-boggling how Fleck fell into their lap. Plus hes another triple-option coach. At the end of each candidate I include a Closing Comment, which is basically my personal take on what I think of the candidate. He fell behind at LSU and seemed to coast on his championship laurels. He flamed out of the NFLtwice. 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. We know who he is. He has steadily turned NC State, one of the ACCs most lowly also-rans, into an ascending program. Nebraska after Scott Frost: Huskers coaching job pluses, minuses and candidates. Nebraska is not the same quality of job it used to be. Feldman believes Campbell, Leipold, and Chadwell are the leading Nebraska football head coaching candidates to replace Scott Frost. Creighton has taken his programs as far as they realistically could go, so he could be worth a look. Like Frost, he has a national championship ring (LSU, 2019). Even his one year at Oregon looked promising. These are the coaches with far more pros than cons, generally speaking, who the majority of fans would probably be on board with, and other than that its exactly what it says on the tinmay generate excitement. Youre going to hear a lot of names. He is obsessed with winning and is known for relentless coaching, sometimes to unhealthy levels. Hes never been a head coach but Johnsons acumen as an assistant makes him someone likely to get an offer soon. Closing Comment: So Im skeptical about this. But his most impressive feat is going an insane 83-9 (54-4 in conference) as Ohio States head coach, during which he won 3 Big Ten titles and 1 national championship. If you don't want to call him the new Bo Pelini, fine, but don't forget Pelini's legacy (67-27 in seven seasons) looks damn good right now. He got all that and then some at USF, and good lord, what a disaster. And unlike Frost, he has no Nebraska ties to save him if he starts losing early. Why It Might Not: Taggart was presumably given every help and benefit at Florida State and his failure there was not just the result of impatient boosters. Before that he was Notre Dames offensive coordinator, and before that he was the head coach at Grand Valley State and won multiple Division II national championships, posting a record of 74-7. Closing Comment: Given the state of Pittsburghs and Nebraskas programs, some might consider this a lateral move. Meyer didn't even make it through a full season in 2021 with the Jags. Closing Comment: The most impressive part of his resume is his time at GVSU, but how much of that can translate to Nebraska? And would he stick around, even if things go well? It also worked out pretty well the last time the Huskers hired a Buckeye. Mickey Joseph, Nebraska interim coach:Joseph has a lot of support as Frost's associate head coach and a fellow former Huskers quarterback under Osborne. And hes still young at 47. Here is a look at five early candidates for the vacant Nebraska head coaching job. Thats impressive for a guy with no guarantee of longevity beyond a single season. 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. After going 32-18, way below the Longhorns standards, he got the boot. Web/real-sports/ncaa-football/nebraska-cornhuskers-coaching-candidates 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. That guy was Scott Frost. Its an exciting time, right? Before being Michigans head coach, he was the head coach at Ball State and San Diego State, where he turned around both programs. Nebraska Cornhuskers coaching candidates Jeff Monken, Army Black Knights head coach Jeff Lebby, Oklahoma Sooners offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, He has a respectable head coaching record overall at 87-53. He was BYU's head coach from 2005 to 2015, going 99-43, and so it was a surprise when he left that job for a flailing Virginia program, which he promptly turned around and had them going to bowl games. Maybe hes learned a lot and would want to take a crack at it again, in the Big Ten? It's certainly more highly resourced than Iowa State, especially with the Big 12 moving down in the pecking order with the forthcoming departures of Texas and Oklahoma. An understated, under-the-radar coach who seems to do more with less? That fact is both a surprising and depressing trend. -- Urban Meyer has been contacted by Nebraska as the team continues its process of determining candidates for its head coaching vacancy, sources told CBS Sports on Saturday. Corn Nation, a Nebraska Cornhuskers community, By Silantro Is he waiting for Ryan Day to leave Ohio State? How realistic are they? Nebraska Coaching Candidates -Matt Rhule Former Carolina Panthers and Baylor Bears Head Coach. The former head coach of Penn State and the Houston Texans is now enrolled in Nick Sabans rehabilitation program as an assistant coach for the Crimson Tide. He might be all flash. Can the Huskers rebound? This seems like a Southern-oriented guy. Nothing against Stoops, but no one is beating Georgia anytime soon. Why It Might Not: Everything went south in the second half of the 2021 season and Mullen got the ol ax from the Florida boosters. He'd have much better access to the Big Ten Championship Game (as opposed to the SEC Championship Game) playing in the Big Ten West. Coming off one of his biggest wins Saturday at Florida, there is evidence Stoops may have peaked with the Wildcats. Traditional recruiting grounds in Texas and California were either ignored or eventually shriveled up. Other FBS programs have gone after FCS champion coaches and the hit rate is usually low. He orchestrated Cam Newtons Heisman season when serving as Auburns OC in 2010. All Rights Reserved. Known for building Temple and Baylor into double-digit win teams despite difficult circumstances, Rhule is now trying to do it in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers. The former head coach at Indiana, hes now Ohio States offensive coordinator, and doing an excellent job there. To no ones surprise, hes doing well as Alabama OC and can now boast having coached a Heisman-trophy winner. So without further ado, lets get into it. The decline in his fourth season was truly stunning. 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. Then he went to Kansas and did the same as every coach who went to Kansas after Mark Mangino. Assuming everyone could get past the controversy, it would be utterly fascinating to see Gruden coach on the sidelines in the Big Ten west. But here it is as written around September 12, with minor edits.).