Coaching Carousel (Oregon Ducks)

Ohio State, Texas, USC, Florida, and Notre Dame might be the top jobs in college football.  But Oregon is right behind them.  The Ducks had always seemed to be an after thought in the Pac 12, but it when Mike Bellotti took over when the Ducks 1995 things began to change.  They won a share of the Pac 12 in 2000 and in 2001 the Ducks should have played for a National Title (Nebraska sneaked in).  But in 2006 Bellotti hired an unknown Chip Kelly to be his offensive coordinator from New Hampshire.  The rest is history. 

Kelly's uptempo offense jump started the Ducks, Bellotti was forced out, Kelly took over and turned the Ducks into the hippest program and a regular National Title Contender.  With Kelly's uptempo spread offense paired with Phil Knight's Nike money the Ducks are a very popular team.  They seem to be on the cutting edge of what's cool. And that has transformed the Ducks from a Pac 12 doormat to one of the top programs in the nation. 

Kelly's departure is going to hurt, but he's set the Ducks up for success.  Add in that Phil Knight's money and influence isn't going anywhere, the Ducks should be in a good situation to continue their success.  But to do so, they need to make a good hire here.  Luckily they've have some qualified candidates.

Listed below are the people I think have a shot to get the job.  I've only listed three people because I honestly think that they'll hire on of these three people.  I'd be shocked if they went outside of this group.

Potential Candidates

Mark Helfrich (Oregon Offensive Coordinator)
He has the be the odds on favorite.  Mainly because the Ducks want to keep some continuity and Helfrich has been Kelly's OC since he took over.  Kelly has endorsed Helrich and believes he can keep the program rolling.  But the concern is that Helfrich didn't call the plays and now that Kelly is gone, will he be as dynamic of a play caller?  But you can't ignore that their AD publicly stated that Helfrich would take over if Kelly left.  All signs point to him.

Nick Aliotti (Oregon Defensive Coordinator)
Here is another in house candidate that could get the job if they feel that Helfrich isn't the guy.  Unlike Helfrich, Aliotti has actually made the calls on his side of the ball and has had more control.  His defenses haven't been at the elite level, but because of the offense that the Ducks run it's probably never going to be the guy.  But Aliotti is probably at best the 2nd choice here.

Chris Peterson (Boise State Head Coach)
If the Ducks are going to go to the outside the first person they have to call is Chris Peterson.  Even though his name gets thrown out for every big job opening, this is one that he would probably think long and hard about.  Everything about this job fits what Peterson would like.  Add in that Peterson has coached at Oregon previously and it makes it all the more tempting.  If anybody is going to be hired from the outside it's him.  But that's if Oregon wants him and if he wants to go to Oregon. 

Coaching Carousel (Wisconsin)

Wisconsin Badgers

It's safe to say that nobody really saw Bret Bielema leaving.  Bielema has had a ton of success at Wisconsin.  The Badgers have won the Big 10 three straight years and will also be playing in their third straight Rose Bowl.  Bielema has won 68 games in his seven years and has made it a bowl game year in and year out.  He's lead the Badgers to three top 10 seasons and in 2011 he was two hail mary throws away from competing for a National Title.  Why would Bielema leave a program that had a chance to win the Big 10 every year and getting to a National Title every couple of years?  But Bielema left because he thought he'd have a better chance of winning a National Championship in the SEC and at a school like Arkansas.  Add in that they paid him some good money and he was tired of being in Barry Alvarez's shadow and it becomes no longer a surprise why he left.

One thing is for certain.  Who ever is hired as the next Wisconsin coach is going to be walking into a good situation.  The foundation is set.  Current AD Barry Alvarez built the program and a lot of what he has done has continued.  The team loses some key players (Monte Ball, Ricky Wagner, and Mike Taylor) but still return a deep team that knows how to win.  Alvarez has done a great job of keeping the search close to the vest, but the Badgers should be able to get an accomplished coach who can carry on the tradition of Wisconsin football.  Here are a few names that are in the running.

Potential Candidates

Paul Chryst (Pittsburgh Head Coach)
It was Chryst's name that came up right away when the job opened.  And why not, Chryst was born in Madison, played at Wisconsin, and was a coach for the Badgers on two separate occasions (most recently as their OC).  Chryst is considered an offensive guru and it showed in his final season with the Badgers.  He just finished up his first year as a head coach at Pitt.  Chryst has openly said that he is committed to Pitt and has no interest in the Wisconsin job.  But with the fact that the job search has been so quiet, it's hard not to think that Chryst is actually considering it.  He would still be my favorite to get this job.

Mel Tucker (Jacksonville Jaguars Defensive Coordinator)
Tucker is another alumn of the school who is getting a lot of attention for the job.  Tucker is currently the defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars and has been a coordinator in Cleveland and with Ohio State.  Tucker's teams have always statistically been regarded as the best in the NFL.  Tucker has stated that he's not interested, but reports have been out that he's actually interviewed for the job.  Both Alvarez and Bielema had defensive backgrounds, that could help in Tucker's favor.  If Chryst is serious about him not wanting the job, it could be Tucker's to lose.

Darrell Bevell (Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator)
Here is another former Badger player that could be the next Wisconsin head coach.  Bevell is a former QB for the Badgers who helped current AD Barry Alvarez win the first Rose Bowl in the school's history.  For the past seven year's he's been the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings and now currently with the Seattle Seahawks.  Bevell is a West Coast Offense guy and in Seattle he's help develop a team that is a physical smash mouth rushing attack.  Something that fits in well in Madison.  The problem with Bevell is that he's spent a majority of his time in the NFL and has little experience coaching in college.  Bevell also has never been a head coach.  But with Tucker and Chyrst both openly saying that they aren't interested, Bevell could be the top choice if Alvarez wants to hire somebody with connections. 

Matt Campbell (Toledo Head Coach)
One name that has been floated out there is Matt Campbell from Toledo.  Campbell is young (33) and has only been a head coach for a year.  But he is a hot name in the coaching circles and probably won't be at Toledo for many years.  But there has been talk that Alvarez has talked with Campbell and that could give the program somebody that will be around for a while.  However you have to wonder how good of a fit would Campbell be.  Campbell is known for a spread offense and that doesn't fit with Wisconsin so well.  He has also only coached for a year and that along with age make it difficult for him in the Big 10.  Campbell is probably a long shot, but with reports of Alvarez possible coaching next year too, he could have Campbell come in and  be the "coach in waiting,"

Chris Peterson (Boise State Head Coach)
I'm not one to just throw Peterson's name out there like a lot of other people do.  Peterson is a west coast guy and probably won't take another job unless it is the perfect fit and likely on the west coast.  However Wisconsin might be the job that doesn't fit his desire to coach out west but is a good fit for him.  Although some may feel that Wisconsin's style of play doesn't fit Peterson, that isn't true.  Peterson has run a run based offense that uses a lot of motion and different formations.  That's exactly what the Badgers have been over the past couple of years.  Madison is also relatively tucked away and has the Packers that takes most of the attention in the state.  That fits into Peterson who isn't a big fan of the media.  Does Peterson take this job?  Probably not, but I wouldn't be shocked if he did.

Mountain West Predictions

1. Boise State Broncos, 12-0 (7-0)
Even though they are moving into a tougher conference, the Boise State Broncos should find themselves as conference champions again. On offense they do loose their top two receivers in Austin Pettis and Titus Young, but 4 year starting QB Kellen Moore is the key to the offense and they should miss a beat. Defensively they return seven starters and should be solid in all three levels. If Boise State can get by Georgia in the opener and TCU at home they should have no problem running the table.

2. TCU Horned Frogs, 9-3 (6-1)

Under Gary Patterson the Horned Frogs have turned themselves into one of the primer non-BCS teams in all of college football. This year shouldn't be any different. Just like every other year their defense will be ranked in the top 5 nationally. They are lead by LB Tank Carder who is all over the field. However offensively they could have some struggles. Gone are Andy Dalton and Jeremy Kerley who were so crucial to their success. Casey Pachall will take over for Dalton at QB and he does have experience. But its going to be hard to replicate Dalton's success. Look for the Horned Frogs to be good this year, but they won't be challenging for any BCS games.

3. Air Force Falcons, 9-3 (5-2)

Troy Calhoun is one of the best coaches in the country and the problem is a lot of people don't really know that. This year the Falcons return 14 starters and should challenge for a top spot in the conference. A big game to watch is when TCU comes to Colorado Springs 2nd week of the season. They could catch the Horned Frogs still transitioning on offense and take a win. If they do that they could be in place to challenge Boise State for the conference title. If not they'll be right back in 3rd place in the conference.

4. San Diego State Aztecs, 8-4 (4-3)

In only two years Brady Hoke turned San Diego State around and had them pointed in the right direction. However Brady Hoke is the new HC at Michigan. Rocky Long who was the DC is now the HC. He is very familiar with the Mountain West when he had some success as the HC at New Mexico. SDSU is lead on offense by talented QB Ryan Lindley. He has to find some new targets on offense, but much like Kellen Moore at Boise State he'll be fine. However they have to replace a lot of starters on defense and could run into some issues there. But if Long can keep SDSU on the upswing, this could be a sleeping giant in my opinion.

5. Colorado State Rams, 7-5 (3-4)

After three mediorce seasons, HC Steve Fairchild has to be on the hot seat. After going 7-6 in his first season he has had two 3-9 seasons in a row. However this might be Fairchild's best team yet. They return 14 starters and for the first time in Fairchild's tenure a returning quarterback in Pete Thomas. The Rams also get both Air Force and San Diego State at home, so if they can pull off wins against those two teams they could have their best season in a while.

6. Wyoming Cowboys, 5-7 (2-5)

When former Missouri OC Dave Christensen was hired I thought it was a great move. His high octane spread offense could do wonders for the Cowboys. He took them to the New Mexico Bowl in his first season, but they fell back to a 3-9 record last year. But they were a lot better than their record indicated. This year they return 14 starters and have some of the best defenders back. But they will probably be starting a true freshman at quarterback and that alone could cause them struggle. Once Christensen can get a quality quarterback in they could really take off. But until then I don't see them improving much.

7. UNLV Rebels, 4-8 (1-6)

I did like the hiring of Bobby Hauck who was very successful while the HC at Montana. However the UNLV team he inherited is short on talent that won only 2 games last year. This year they should improve their overall record, but fall back in conference play. Last year they were able to beat both New Mexico and Wyoming, but this year they have to face both of those teams on the road. Look for the Rebels to endure another long season.

8. New Mexico Lobos, 2-10 (0-7)

Being a highly regarded recruiter and a good offensive mind would think that he'd have better success than they have. But this year is the crucial year for the Lobos. They return 15 starters including 9 on defense. Add in some highly regarded transfers and they could have some improved success. However don't expect much. New Mexico will be looking for a new coach for the 2012 season.

Offensive Player of the Year: Kellen Moore QB Boise State

Defensive Player of the Year: Tank Carter LB TCU
Freshman of the Year: LaDarius Brown WR TCU
Coach of the Year: Chris Peterson, Boise State


QB: Kellen Moore, Boise State
RB: Ronnie Hillman, San Diego State
RB: Doug Martin, Boise State
TE: Lucas Reed, New Mexico
WR: Josh Boyce, TCU
WR: Phillip Payne, UNLV
T: Nate Potter, Boise State
G: Kyle Dooley, TCU
C: Weston Richburg, Colorado State
G: AJ Wallerstein, Air Force
T: Paul Madsen, Colorado State

DE: Stansly Maponga, TCU
DT: Billy Winn, Boise State
DT: Jerome Long, San Diego State
DE: Josh Biezuns, Wyoming
LB: Tank Carter, TCU
LB: Carmen Messina, New Mexico
LB: Mychal Sisson, Colorado State
CB: Leon McFadden, San Diego State
S: Jon Davis, Air Force
S: George Iloka, Boise State
CB: Tashaun Gipson, Wyoming

K: Ross Evans, TCU
P: Pete Kontodiakos, Colorado State
KR/PR: Jonathan Warzeka, Air Force