Coaching Carousel (Remember these Names)

Now that the coaching carousel has ended (unless something unexpected comes up) we can go ahead and look to the future.  Next year, like every year, we have coaches who lose their jobs and schools are looking for the next great coach.  We all know about the big names like Chad Morris (Clemson OC) and Kirby Smart (Alabama DC) but what about the guys we don't know about?  Here is a list of coaches who may not be as hot of names now, but could easily be leading their own programs within the next few years.

Doug Nussmeier (Alabama Offensiver Coordinator)
After Alabama won the National Title, Nussmeier got a lot of love.  And why not.  All Nussmeier has done is take what Jim McElwain did before him and make the offense that much better.  They are a running team, but he's developing QB AJ McCarron into an elite college QB and giving a once pedestrian offense into a valid threat.  You also can't ignore what he did at Washington with Jake Locker and Keith Price.  Add in that schools love to hire Nick Saban assistants and that makes Nussmeier all the more attractive.


Scott Frost (Oregon Offensive Coordinator)
A lot of people may not know who Scott Frost is, but he has one heck of a resume.  He played at Stanford under Bill Walsh and then transferred to Nebraska and won a National Championship as a QB under Tom Osbourne.  He played safety in the NFL and was on teams coached by Bill Parcells, Bill Billicek, and Monte Kiffin.  As a coach he's worked with Bill Synder and Chip Kelly.  Add in that he was the defensive coordinator at Northern Iowa also.  Frost is a coach in the making.  He's a good recruiter and has now been promoted to offensive coordinator under Mark Helfrich.  It's only a matter of time before he gets a head job.  He reportedly was interviewed for the Louisiana Tech job this past season.  Don't be surprised if he gets hired at a Non BCS job soon and then works his way up to a BCS level school.


Tim Beck (Nebraska Offensive Coordinator)
What Beck has done for the Nebraska offense is nothing short of spectacular.  He's built an offense that can hurt defenses in multiple ways and allows QB Taylor Martinez to flourish in spite of some deficiencies.  That is pretty good considering how bad Nebraska's offense was before he took over.  Beck also benefits from having a defensive minded head coach and has been given the free reign to run what he wants.  He only has two years as a play caller under his belt but he has improved each year.  Add in that he was a former high school coach in Texas and a good recruiter, it's now wonder why UTEP was interested in him as their next coach. 

Eddie Gran (Cincinnati Offensive Coordinator)
The former RB coach for the Florida State Seminoles was a rumored name for a couple lower tiered schools, but he ended up going to Cincinati to be Tommy Tuberville's offensive coordinator.  Gran is known for being an ace recruiter and has done so at Ole Miss and Florida State.  He's highly respected and the players love him.  It's only a matter of time before he gets a shot.  But going to Cincinnati to be a coordinator will only help his case.





Neal Brown (Kentucky Offensive Coordinator)
Brown almost wasn't included on this list because he was rumored to be on the short list with a few schools openings.  However after Tubberville left Texas Tech, Brown decided to go his alma mater Kentucky and be their new offensive coordinator.  Brown is a spread guru who learned his trade under Tony Franklin while at Troy.  At Tech he not only helped the Red Raiders keep their high flying offense, he was instrumental in the development of QB Seth Droege and leading them to a top 10 offense.  If he can jump start the Wildcat offense he would be even more enticing for schools looking for a new coach.


Jeremy Pruitt (Florida State Defensive Coordinator)
Here is a name that unless you are an Alabama or Florida State fan, you really don't know who he is.  Or maybe you recognize him from MTV's 2 a days where he was Hoover High's defensive coordinator.  But Pruitt is the new FSU DC after spending the past past two years as secondary coach for the Crimson Tide.  Pruitt is going to inherit a very talented Seminole defense and he'll have to chance to really impress a lot of people.  With some very good success, he could parlay that into a head coaching job in the future.

Bob Stitt (Colorado School of Mines Head Coach)
Unlike the previous coach listed, Stitt is actually a head coach.  But it's at the Division II level.  However it could be a matter of time before he lands in the FBS level.  Stitt is considered to be an offensive innovator and has influenced many of the top offensive minds in college football, including Dana Holgerson.  Stitt's name even got thrown about for the Colorado opening this year.  Now we may see Stitt as an offensive coordinator first, but schools are looking for the next Chip Kelly and the next great thing could go the unconventional route and hire Stitt to be their guy.

Coaching Carousel (Grading the Hires)

Arkansas Razorbacks
In:  Bret Bielema
Out:  John L Smith
Analysis:  There were plenty of names that gone thrown around.  But when Arkansas finally hired Bret Bielema away from Wisconsin, everybody was shocked.  It wasn't that Bielema wasn't a good coach, just that nobody saw it coming.  The hire was also intriguing because Bielema has always coached in the Midwest and has no real recruiting ties to the South.  That and he won't be able to find huge lineman like he had up in Cheese Land.  This is a boom or bust hire in my opinion.
Grade:  B+


Auburn Tigers
In:  Gus Malzahn
Out: Gene Chizik
Analysis:  This is a home run hire in my opinion.  After having defensive coach after defensive coach the Tigers broke the mold and got an offensive mind.  You had to know that when Malzahn left Auburn to Arkansas State he was just doing so to prep for his next job.  Who knew that he'd be right back at Auburn.  Malzahn brings his exciting brand of football back and even hired DC Ellis Johnson whose been a great DC in the SEC for years.  Look for Auburn to be back on the rise.
Grade:  A


Boston College Eagles
In:  Steve Adazzio
Out:  Frank Spaziani
Analysis:  At one point Boston College was a consistent top 25 program.  But after winning only two games this past season there needed to be a change.  Adazzio was a surprise hire, but he makes a lot of sense.  Adazzio is form the Northeast and has recruited the area in the past at Temple and with Florida.  His big challenge will be keeping the talented players in the area to start coming back to BC.  This wasn't an exciting or sexy hire, but Adazzio was a good choice.
Grade:  B+

California Golden Bears
In:  Sonny Dykes
Out:  Jeff Tedford
Analysis:  Much like what they did when they hired Tedford, the Bears went back to the well and brought in another offensive guru.  This time they went out and plucked Sonny Dykes from Louisiana Tech.  But the big change is that Dykes has head coaching experience prior to coming to Cal.  Add in that he was a successful coordinator at Arizona and he should fit right in.  I really like this hire.
Grade:  A+

Cincinnati Bearcats
In:  Tommy Tuberville
Out:  Butch Jones
Analysis:  Not a fan of this hire at all.  The Bearcats have had some good coaches over the years.  Mark Dantoni, Brian Kelly, and Butch Jones.  They could have easily gotten a good MAC coach or coordinator looking to get their first job and been fine.  But you have to believe that their AD wanted somebody who might look to be there for a while.  Well if he believes that then he's failed because Tuberville is a lot like Bobby Petrino in that he's always looking for the next job and wants back into the SEC bad.  The Bearcats will be looking for a new coach in three years.
Grade:  D

Colorado Buffaloes
In:  Mike MacIntrye
Out:  John Embree
Analysis:  Colorado has enjoyed some success in their past, but they've been just terrible ever since 2001.  They need somebody to come in and build it from the ground up and they might have gotten the right guy to do so.  Mike MacIntrye build the San Jose State job from one of the worst in FCS, to a BCS ranked team.  His ties to California will be big, but he has to keep the likes of Collin Klein, Cain Kolter, and Kenny Bell's instate if he wants to be successful.
Grade:  A

Kentucky Wildcats
In:  Mark Stoops
Out:  Joker Phillips
Analysis:  I'll have to admit I wasn't a big fan of this hire when I first heard about it.  But the more and more that I look the Wildcats could have made a great decision.  Much like his brothers, Mark Stoops is a defensive guru and did a great job rebuilding Florida State's defense the last couple of years.  Kentucky's defense lately has been atrocious.  But Stoops made a great decision of hiring Neal Brown as his offensive coordinator.  Brown was being talked about as a head coach for some jobs, but will bring his spread offense he ran at Texas Tech last year.
Grade:  A-

North Carolina State Wolfpack
In:  Dan Doren
Out:  Tom O'Brein
Analysis:  Doren comes to NC State from Northern Illinois after leading them to the MAC's first every BCS game.  Doren is a defensive coach who was the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin before.  My concern about Doren is that he's only been a head coach for two years and he took over a great situation that Jerry Kill left him.  But he is bringing Matt Canada (former Wisconsin Offensive Coordinator) with him to run the offense and Canada is a very bright mind in my opinion. 
Grade:  B-

Purdue Boilermakers
In:  Darrell Hazell
Out:  Danny Hope
Analysis:  Purdue kept the Big 10 tradition of hiring MAC coaches to fill their openings.  They did so by hiring former MAC coach of the Year, Darrell Hazell from Kent State.  Under Hazell's leadership the Golden Flashes were one win away from a BCS appearance.  Hazell is an offensive minded coach and the Boilermakers want to get back to their offensive prowless they use to be under Joe Tiller.  This was a pretty good hire in my opinion.  Hazell did wonders with the Kent State program, but he'll have an upward battle trying to win the Leaders Division with Ohio State and Wisconsin in the same division.
Grade:  B

South Florida Bulls
In:  Willie Taggert
Out:  Skip Holtz
Analysis:  Out of all the recent hires, this is one of the ones I like the most.  Taggert has shown that he can coach by leading Western Kentucky from a transitional team to their first bowl game.  Taggert is a great fit in Tampa because he is from the state of Florida, has recruited the state while at Western Kentucky, and has the respect of the top coaches in the state.  Taggert will succeed at USF and will probably be at an even better job in the future.
Grade:  A+

Tennessee Volunteers
In:  Butch Jones
Out:  Derek Dooley
Analysis:  The problem that I have with the Vols hiring Butch Jones is that he's never really proved that he can rebuild a program.  In both previous jobs that Jones has had he's taken over for Brian Kelly.  In both spots he inherited good teams.  But in both spots he didn't really improve the teams much.  Heck at Cincinnati they were coming off a BCS appearances and Jones never won the conference.  How is he going to do at Tennessee and in the SEC.  Let's just say I'm not optimistic.
Grade:  C-

Texas Tech Red Raiders
In:  Kliff Kingsbury
Out:  Tommy Tuberville
Analysis:  This was a bold move for the Red Raiders.  they need to replace Tommy Tubberville and in my opinion went the route of getting somebody they hope would stick around for a while.  That normally backfires.  But Kingsbury was a hot name because of the success Texas A&M and Houston's offenses had while he was the offensive coordinator.  But you wonder how much of that was Kingsbury and not Kevin Sumlin who in his own way is a great offensive mind.  Plus Kingsbury is still very young in his coaching career with only five years under his belt.  Can he run his own program and recruit against some of the best?  We'll find out.
Grade:  D+

Wisconsin Badgers
In:  Brian Anderson
Out:  Brett Bielema
Analysis:  It seemed like an entirety, but when Wisconsin was finally ready to make a hire they knocked it out of the park.  Anderson was a hot name in coaching circles  who name popped up for jobs at Colorado and California.  After being an coordinator at Utah under Urban Meyer he built the Utah State program into a WAC champion.  Now he takes over the best job open this year and a team that is loaded.  The thing to watch is what type of offense he'll run.  He hired Andy Ludwig as his offensive coordinator who has been a spread guy in the past.  But with the type of lineman and running backs it will be interesting to see what they do.  But they should be fine either way. 
Grade:  A

Coaching Carousel (South Florida)

South Florida Bulls

A couple of years ago, Skip Holtz was an up and comer in the college football coaching circles.  After winning the Conference USA title two years in a row at East Carolina Holtz got his first crack at a BCS conference job.  Holtz took over at South Florida for Jim Leavitt who was fired for alleged abuse of players.

It started out well for Holtz.  His first year in Tampa was alright.  They won 8 and beat Clemson in the Mieneke Car Care Bowl.  However the success of that initial season didn't last.  They only won 5 games last year and only 3 games this season.  His best year was with Leavitt's players.  They've gotten worse every year.  At the end of three years the administration felt that they needed a change.

The South Florida job is one that many thought could be a sleeping giant.  They are in the fertile Florida recruiting grounds and even though Florida State, Miami, and Florida rule the state the Bulls can still get plenty of players.  They've improved their facilities and play in an NFL stadium which can be enticing to prospects.  Let's remember that Leavitt had them all the way up to #2 in the nation at one point before he was fired.  So the potential to have success is there.

Potential Cadidates
Mario Cristobal (Florida International Head Coach)
It was Cristobal that was a hot name last year and was reportedly offered the Rutgers, Penn State, and Pittsburgh jobs.  Cristobal turned down all those jobs hoping that his veteran team would allow him to get a better job this next year.  Well injuries ruin their season and Cristobal isn't as hot of a name anymore.  But he is still a good coach and would be a perfect fit for the Bulls.

Willie Taggert (Western Kentucky Head Coach)
Unlike Cristobal, Taggert is a very hot name for available jobs but he has been very selective on where he wants to go.  He wants to find the right fit for himself.  That might be at South Florida.  Taggert is a Florida native and has had success recruiting within the state.  Most importantly he has the support of a lot of top high school programs within the state.

Chad Morris (Clemson Head Coach)
Morris' name hasn't been thrown around too much for this job.  Mainly because he's been rumored to higher profile jobs.  But this could be a great first head coaching job for him.  He can bring his spread offense to South Florida where he can get the fast athletes he is use to at Clemson.  But his lack of head coaching experience could hurt him.

Gus Malzahn (Arkansas State Heach Coach)
Much like Morris, Malzahn would bring an exciting style of offense to South Florida.  But also unlike Morris, Malzhan has experience running a program and that could give him an edge.  He is an up and coming name having success where ever he has been.  Malzahn could be interested in this job because it would be a step up job wise and give him a shot at a BCS level job.

Coaching Carousel (Boston College)

Boston College

The hiring of Frank Spaziani was a curious one.  Boston College had just lost Tom O'Brien who left for North Carolina State (also was just fired) and then a couple of years later Jeff Jagodzinski was fired for interviewing for the New York Jets opening.  Because they had two coaches (basically) leave, Boston College wanted a coach who wanted to be there.  So instead of going out and finding the best qualified coach, they chose to go with somebody they felt was safe and would be there for the long term.  Unfortunately for them, the safe choice ended up being a bad decision and now they are looking for a new coach again.


Spaziani enjoyed some early success winning 8 games his first year, but his wins went down each year.  Spaziani lost both bowl games he took the Eagles to.  But when you only win 4 games and then follow that up with with 2 wins and it's no surprise that Spaziani is gone.

Boston College isn't one of the primer openings in college football, but it still underrated.  The Eagles have had success and have had their share of NFL talent come through.  Heck they were even ranked #2 in the nation at one point under Jeff Jagodzinski.


Potential Candidates
Al Golden (Miami Head Coach)
Golden is the hot name in this search and the rumor is that Golden has talked with BC Administration.  Golden is a Northeast guy who was an assistant at Penn State and turned Temple into a respectable program.  Him being at Miami doesn't seem like a good fit to me and then when you add all the sanctions they'll likely have, I see him wanting to get out.  This might be a great opportunity to do so.  This is likely their home run hire and he'd be the best case scenario.

Pete Carmichael Jr. (New Orleans Saints Offensive Coordinator)
Carmichael is a Boston College alumn who has helped engineer one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL.  The Eagles had success under Jagondzinski who was also a offensive guru, so they could be looking to getting back into that frame.  But Carmichael hasn't had any head coaching experience, so that could hurt his chances. 

Bob Diaco (Notre Dame Defensive Coordinator)
Diaco's name has been talked about quite a bit lately and reports are he has talked with BC administration.  Diaco has done a great job of building an Irish defense into one of the  best in the nation.  He has ties to the Northeast from his days at Virginia.  As it looks now, he is the front runner.

Pete Lembo (Ball State Head Coach)
Lembo isn't getting a lot of attention, but he could be the sleeper candidate for this job.  Lembo is a program builder and has done it at Lehigh, Elon, and now Ball State.  He might be perfect for what BC needs.  Lembo has the ties to the Northeast and is a native New Yorker.  This hire might not win fans interest, but it might be the best choice.

Coaching Carousel (Auburn)

Auburn Tigers

To say that Gene Chizik's tenure at Auburn was a roller coaster is an understatement.  Fans were unhappy that Auburn hired Chizik (who had a 5-19 record at Iowa State) and felt there were better coaches out there.  Chizik answered a lot of critics with a National Championship season in his second year.  Lead by Heisman Trophy winning QB Cam Newton the Tigers went undefeated and beat Oregon in the National Championship Game.  So it's hard to imagine how a coach who won a National Championship two years ago can be fired two years later.

However it was what happened after the National Title season that caused Chizik to be fired.  In year three things started to slide.  Auburn only won 7 games during the regular season, but was dominated by the top teams in the conference.  Without Cam Newton the offense struggled and it was clear there wasn't a lot of talent.  Defensively it wasn't much better.  It was clear that Chizik wasn't brining in the top talent needed to compete in the SEC.
Chizik could have had another year to get things on track, but this year was just flat out awful.  Auburn finished the season with only 3 wins and didn't win a single game in conference.  You can't do that in the SEC and expect the administration to just stand by.  It was a time for a change.

Potential Candidates
Bobby Petrino (Former Arkansas Head Coach)
Remember when Petrino was at Louisville and Auburn tried to hire him before they fired Tommy Tubberville?  Well they wanted him then, they can sure get him now.  For all the crap that Petrino has caused he is a proven winner and would be a great hire for the Tigers.  But do they want to deal with all the headaches associated with that?

Kirby Smart (Alabama Defensive Coordinator)
Smart has been a hot head coaching candidate for the past couple of years.  And Auburn would be wise to kick the tires and see if he is interested.  Smart has coordinated the Crimson Tide defense which has been one of the top defenses in the nation.  But you have to wonder how much of that is him or is it Saban.  Plus you wonder if Smart would be willing to go to Alabama's big time rival and have to compete against Saban.  Doesn't seem to likely.

Charlie Strong (Louisville Head Coach)
Rumor is that Strong has already interviewed for this job.  Don't know if that is true because that usually doesn't take place till after the season.  But Strong would be a great choice.  He has built the Louisville program back up that they are returning to the BCS.  He is a good recruiter and has experience in the SEC.  It's only a matter of time before he gets a better job.

Gus Malzahn (Arkansas State Head Coach)
Another popular name in the coaching search is former Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.  It was Malzahn who guided the Tigers offense that won the National Title.  Without Malzhan the Tigers struggled this past season.  Auburn also has a history of hiring defensive minded coaches and may want to bring in an coach whose speciality is offense.  Malzahn also went to Arkansas State to get some head coaching experience which should help when he gets to a BCS job.

Larry Fedora (North Carolina Head Coach)
Fedora has only been at North Carolina for a year, but your sure to hear his name come up in coaching searches.  Mainly because the NCAA is going to be laying down some punishment on the Tar Heels and Fedora may not want to deal with all those sanctions.  He is a very good coach and a proven winner at Southern Miss.  His first year at North Carolina he lead them to the Coastal Division Title, but they can't compete because they are on a bowl ban. 

Coaching Carousel (Not Going Anywhere Coaches)

This is where I want to be!

Every year when head coaching jobs open up there are several names that are thrown about.  A lot of times it's coaches who are on the rise, maybe it's somebody that has connections to that program, and then maybe it's somebody that is just a great job that wants a better job. 

However there is always a few coaches names that get thrown about that everybody thinks would be a great fit, but they just don't realize that certain coach isn't going to leave his current job.  For whatever reason it is, they aren't leaving. 

Here is a list of guys that will more than likely stay at their job until they retire or somebody forces them out.

Gary Patterson, TCU
For the longest time whenever a high profile job has come available, a common name has appeared as a potential candidate.  TCU's Gary Patterson.  And why not?  All Patterson has done is turn TCU into a consistent winner and even took them to BCS Bowl games when they were in the Mountain West.  But don't look for Patterson to be going anywhere.  He has turned down jobs before, and even turned down his Alma mater Kansas State on two separate occasions.  Also factor in that TCU is now a member of the Big 12 and he is in the middle of very fertile recruiting grounds.  All the pieces are there to be successful.  Heck Patterson is even building a house less than five minutes away from his office.  You don't do that if your looking to eventually leave.

Paul Rhodes, Iowa State
With the Auburn job likely opening up, one name that is sure to be brought up is this current Iowa State head coach.  And why not?  All Rhodes has done is turn the mess that Gene Chizik left and turn the Cyclones into a yearly giant killer.  A lot of people think that he'll eventually leave is because the Cyclones will rarely if ever contend for the Big 12 title and if Rhodes wants to win one, he'll have to go somewhere else.  But don't look for Rhodes to go anywhere.  Rhodes is happy right where he is.  He's from Ankey Iowa which is a stones throw from Ames.  He's from the area, he likes to be around his family.  Plus he's comfortable.  He knows that there isn't a lot of pressure to be ultra successful.  As long as he takes the Cyclones to bowl games on a yearly basis and gets a huge upset the fans and administration will be happy. 

Pat Fitzgerrald, Northwestern
Here is another coach whose name gets thrown around a lot wheneve there is an opening in Big 10 country.  And why not?  All Fitzgerrald has done from day 1 is instill a sense of toughness and competitiveness in a program that is often an afterthought in their conference and in Chicago.  Fitzgerrald has the Wildcats competitive in the Big 10 with shots to win their division on a yearly basis.  Why won't Fitzgerrald leave Northwestern?  He's from the area and was a star for the University.  Fitzgerrald bleeds purple.  He knows that Northwestern can have success and wants to be there when they do.  Plus he has never given any indication he'd leave.  He has family in the area and doesn't want to leave that.

Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
You don't really see Mike Gundy's name too frequent for job openings, but I recently saw his name linked to the Arkansas job so I thought I'd throw his name into the mix.  All Gundy has done at Oklahoma State is continue what Les Miles started and then take it to the next level.  He has turned the Cowboys into a contender for the Big 12 Title and even won it last year.  Heck they should have been in the National Title game last year instead of Alabama.  But don't look for Gundy go be leaving Stillwater anytime soon.  Why not?  Well he is already coaching at his Alma mater.  Gundy is a former Cowboy QB from the 80's.  He has the Cowboys as a big time player in one of the top conferences and Oklahoma State is right in the middle of some good recruiting areas.  And don't forget that he has a booster named T. Boone Pickens that is just willing to load up a dump truck full of money and bring it to him.

Coaching Carousel (Kentucky Wildcats)

What was longer rumored to happen has finally come true.  It was announced that Joker Phillips would no longer be the head coach after the season was over.  Phillips was the "Head Coach in Waiting" under Rich Brooks and took over in 2010.

But much like other "HCIW" Phillips hasn't had much success.  His career record is 12-23 and never won more than 6 games in a season.  Joker's best year was his first where he took the Wildcats to the Compass Bowl where they lost to Pittsburgh. Phillips has been known as a offensive mind, but his offensives at Kentucky have been relatively pedestrian.

The Kentucky job isn't the greatest gig in college football, but it isn't terrible.  They play in the marquee conference (SEC) but are in the East Division which is easier (relatively speaking) than the West.  They've been able to attract talent, so that won't scare too many coaches away.

Potential Candidates
Bobby Petrino (Former Arkansas Head Coach)
Petrino is the top name in the search and would be the best case scenario for the the Wildcats.  Petrino is a proven winner and has had success in the blue grass state before.  He turned Louisville into a BCS team before leaving for the Atlanta Falcons.  He'd bring instant credibility to the Wildcats with the recruits. However he has some baggage.  But as we've seen with Kentucky and John Calipari, they're not afraid of that if you win.

Dirk Koetter (Atlanta Falcons Offensive Coordinator)
Since Phillips has been in a sense fired, one name that has surfaced is Koetter's.  Koetter has head coaching experience at Boise State and Arizona State.  He had success at both spots, but couldn't sustain it at ASU.  He is the current OC with the Falcons who are enjoying a breakout season from Matt Ryan.  Koetter might not be the biggest name or even the Wildcats top choice, but he could be their fall back guy if their top choices decline.

Willie Taggert (Western Kentucky Head Coach)
Ever since Western Kentucky came into Lexington and knocked off the Wildcats people have had their eye on Taggert.  Taggert is an up and coming coach who is in his first gig as a head coach.  He was the RB coach at Stanford before.  He's been trained under Jim Harbaugh and that is a good thing.  Plus he has experience recruiting in the Kentucky area.  The draw back is that Taggert is coaching at his Alma Mater and may hold out for the perfect job to come up.  This may not be it.

Sonny Dykes (Louisiana Tech Head Coach)
Another up and coming name to consider is the current Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Dykes.  Dykes has the Bulldogs at 9-1 and will likely win the WAC and have an outside shot at a BCS Bowl.  Dykes is a spread offense guru who learned his trade under Mike Leach and Hal Mumme.  Before taking over at LaTech he was the offensive coordinator at Arizona and Texas Tech.  Dykes also was an assistant for two stints at Kentucky when Hal Mumme.  He probably won't be their first choice, but it would be hard to find a better coach who would want this job than Dykes.

David Cutcliff (Duke Head Coach)
An under the radar coach who could do well might be the current Duke head coach.  Cutcliff is no stranger to the SEC after he was the OC for Tennessee in the Peyton Manning era and then was the Mississippi HC also.  Even though Cutcliff was fired from Ole Miss the Rebels were relatively successful and haven't gotten back to the level of success he had there.  Now at Duke he has turned this doormat program into being bowl eligible for the first time in over 15 years and are still in the race for the Division Title.  If Cutcliff can do that at Duke, what could he do at Kentucky?

Coaching Carousel (Arkansas Razorbacks)

Arkansas Razorbacks

Unlike most of the schools that are looking for coaches, the University of Arkansas have know all season long that they would be hiring a new coach at the end of the season.  The Razorbacks are in this predicament because successful HC Bobby Petrino's incredibly dumb off the field decisions.  Arkansas tabbed John L. Smith to be the interim coach for the season.  Smith likely knew that he'd only be the coach for the year, but was going to use this year as a try out.


Everything was set up for success for Smith.  he had a veteran roster with a stud QB in Tyler Wilson, a returning star RB Knile Davis and an improved defense.  This team was built around the offense and Bobby's brother Paul was the offensive coordinator who many thought would pick up where older brother left off.

Instead this year has been a nightmare in Fayetteville.  It all started when they lost to Louisiana-Monroe.  Losing to a Sun Belt school isn't very good, but little did everybody know that it was going to go downhill from here.  In their match up against #1 Alabama the Razorbacks got blown out 52-0.  Two more games later they were sitting at a 1-4 record.  Arkansas rallied to win 3 of 4.  However with three games remaining against ranked team it doesn't look like they'll win another game.

Arkansas is sitting in a good spot.  They play in the tough SEC West, but the program has a ton of talent in it and there is a history of success.  Add in that they sit in a good recruiting spot and the Razorbacks are most likely the top job that will be open.  We know that John L. Smith won't be the coach next year, but who will?

Possible Candidates

Charlie Strong (Louisville Head Coach)
It's likely that Strong could have this job if he wanted it.  Strong has done a great job of rebuilding the Louisville program (ironically that Petrino also came from) into a team that will likely go undefeated in the regular season.  Strong is an excellent defensive mind who is a strong recruiter and has experience in the SEC (former Florida DC).  Add in that he is an Arkansas native and it all adds up.  But Strong could be holding out for a better job.

Gus Malzahn (Arkansas State Head Coach)
Another popular, but underrated name for this job is a former Arkansas coordinator.  Malzahn was a former Springdale High football coach who became the offensive coordinator under former HC Houston Nutt.  Malzahn has gone on to win a National Title at Auburn (offensive coordinator) and is now the current Arkansas State head coach.  Malzahn left a cushy OC job to take a Sun Belt HC job.  Likely to get some HC experience before a better job comes calling.  Why not a school where he has a lot of connections?

Butch Davis (Former North Carolina Head Coach)
Another Arkansas native that could be in the running is former Miami and North Carolina HC Butch Davis.  Davis has had success where ever he's gone.  But there is the whole NCAA violates situation at North Carolina that he has to deal with.  That could scare off the Arkansas administration.  But a lot of that wasn't necessarily his fault.  A lot of that can be blamed on John Blake and other academic staffers.  But the administration could go with Davis because he is a proven winner.

Tommy Tubberville (Texas Tech Head Coach)
One name that always seems to come up when their is an SEC opening is Tommy Tubberville.  The former Auburn and Ole Miss head coach wants badly to get back in the SEC and he isn't shying away from it.  This was the same coach that went undefeated at Auburn.  After a couple of so so season at Texas Tech he's shown that he can still build a team and has the Red Raiders actually playing some good defense.

Mike MacIntyre (San Jose State Head Coach)
A lesser name that has been tossed around is the current San Jose State HC.  You may be asking why MacIntrye?  Well despite San Jose State not having much success, MacIntyre has fielded some competitive teams and he is highly regarded in coaching circles.  But the main reason is that the former Dallas Cowboys assistant has a big fan in Arkansas alumn Jerry Jones.  Jones has a lot of sway and could thrown the Spartans HC's name in the mix.  Crazier things have happened.

College Football Kickoff (Week 11)

Games of the Week

#15 Texas A&M Aggies (7-2) at #1 Alabama Crimson Tide (9-0)
This is a big game for both teams.  A&M is coming off a big win at Starkville and looking to show everybody they are a player in the SEC.  What better way then to knock off the Tide.  In Alabama's case, a win here would clinch their spot in the SEC Championship game and help pave teh way for an undefeated season.  The battle to watch is to see how QB Johnny Manziel does against the fierce Crimson Tide defense.  If Manziel can eliminate turnovers that hurt him against LSU the Aggie offense can put up points.  But you have to wonder what blitzes and schemes Saban will use to confuse the freshman signal caller.  A&M is also going to have to try and get to AJ McCarron while slowing down the power rushing attack.
Prediction:  A&M 13  Alabama 31


#4 Kansas State Wildcats (9-0) at TCU Horned Frogs (6-3)The big story line of this game is the health of KState QB Collin Klein.  Klein suffered some form of a concussion in last weeks game and his status is uncertain.  If Klein can't go, this game is a toss up.  Sure KState has RB John Hubert and some other weapons, but they aren't the same without the Heisman Front runner.  If Klein plays the Wildcats aren't a guaranteed winner.  TCU has a ton of talent and before QB Casey Pachall left the team they were a regular in the Power Rankings.  TCU also has a strong defense that will give the Wildcat offense fits.  Add in that TCU HC Gary Patterson is a KState alumn, they have extra motivation on their side.
Prediction:  KState 38  TCU 20


#23 Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-2) at #9 LSU Tigers (7-2)
Both of these teams are coming off losses and hoping to get back on track.  Mississippi State is on a two game losing streak and looking to show the nation that they didn't jump out to a 7-0 record only because they played crappy teams.  LSU is looking to avoid a 3 loss season and keep their chances of getting to a BCS Bowl.  Miss State got gashed last week by Texas A&M and they need to shore up some holes to prevent the LSU offense from exploiting them too.  QB Zach Mettenberger is coming off his best game of the year and the Tigers could really use him to have another one.  If he can do that the Tigers should roll with a victory.  It will also be interesting to see how Miss State QB Tyler Russell does with the talented LSU defensive line.  He did have issues last week against the Aggies.  Don't look for this one to be that close.
Prediction:  Miss State 6  LSU 24


#14 Oregon State Beavers (7-1) at #16 Stanford Cardinal (7-2)
Although neither of these teams will probably go to the Pac 12 Title game, this is a huge game for both teams.  The winner of this game could realistically make it to the Rose Bowl if Oregon stays undefeated.  The problem is avoiding having 3 losses.  Because you can't qualify for the BCS if you have three losses.  Both teams will bring good defenses to the game.  Stanford's physical defense will look to stop the passing attack of Oregon, while Oregon State's defense will have to deal with the power running of Stepfan Taylor.  The winner will likely be the team whose offense makes the fewest mistakes.  This game is also a battle of backup QBs as Cody Vaz took over for Sean Mannion when he got hurt and Kevin Hogan took over for Josh Nunes who has struggled to replace Andrew Luck.
Prediction:  Oregon State 17  Stanford 14


Penn State Nittany Lions (6-3) at #17 Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-2)
This game isn't getting a lot of nation hype, but it is still a very good game against two quality teams.  Penn State was the talk of college football for their 5 game winning streak, but are all forgotten about now.  All they did was lose to a good Ohio State team.  Nebraska in on a three game winning streak with two of those games had them coming from a double digit deficit.  Nebraska is in the drivers seat in the Big 10 Legends Division, but need to win out to control their own destiny.  But this will be tough against a physical Penn State defense that will look to slow down QB Taylor Martinez and the Husker rushing attack.  Penn State QB Matt McGloin has had a good season and is throwing the ball all over the field.  He'll test the blackshirt defense.  But HC Bo Pelini has a ton of success against immobile QBs and McGloin is your prototypical pocket QB.  This should be a fun game to watch.
Prediction:  Penn State 17  Nebraska 24

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Coaching Hot Seat

Derek Dooley
Record at Tennessee:  32-39
Bowl Appearances:  1

When Lane Kiffin left Tennesse after only serving one year on the job the administration chose to go in a different direction hiring Louisiana Tech Head Coach Derek Dooley.  The decision to hire Dooley was a cause for concern because he wasn't a hot coaching name and his 17-20 record at LaTech wasn't very good.  Heck he was 4-8 in his last year.  Not too impressive of a record coming into the premier college football conference.  You have to wonder if the AD hired Dooley with the thought he wouldn't leave for the next best job.

As many expected, things haven't gone very well for Dooley.  His first year was his best.  He ended with a 6-7 record and made it to the Music City Bowl.  In year two they finished with only 5 wins and only won one SEC game.  His hot seat was getting pretty warm in year 2.

This year looked like it could go pretty well.  The Vols entered the season with a ton of talent on the offensive with QB Tyler Bray and WRs Justin Hunter, Da'Rick Rodgers, and Cordalle Patterson.  However Rodgers was kicked off the team.  Tennessee started the season with a big win over NC State, but once SEC conference play started the wheels fell off.  They lost a 2nd half lead to Florida, lost by less than 10 points to Georgia, Miss State, and South Carolina but all of them are losses.  They haven't won a game in the SEC yet and almost lost to Troy.  The Vols only have 3 wins on the season and have to beat Missouri, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt just to be bowl eligible.

It doesn't look very good for Dooley.  Even if he wins out the rest of the year, the SEC is an impatient league and they'll likely be looking for a new coach.  The hot name is John Gruden who was a former GA at Tennessee and married a Tennessee alumn.  However Gruden is the hottest coaching name out there and will probably go for a better job.  Even with being in the SEC and having some tradition.  It's hard to recruit to Tennessee and that could scare some coaches off.  It will be interesting to see what they do.  The fan base wants more, but they might not get it.

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What happened to....

Iowa Hawkeyes
Going into this season the expectations for the Iowa Hawkeyes weren't great.  They were not favored to win their division and getting to 8 wins was seen to be their ceiling.  Heck some places even predicted them to be the second worse team in their division.  So why are they here?

If you remember back to the 2009 season the Hawkeyes finished with an 11-2 record and a win over Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.  Although not a super power the Hawkeyes have a history of competing for the Big 10 Title and regularly posting 9 win seasons.  However the Hawkeyes won 7 games in both 2010 and 2011.  This year Iowa has only 4 wins on the season with three remaining.  That means they'll have to beat Purdue and then either Michigan or Nebraska just to be bowl eligible.  That's a long ways from this team winning a BCS game three years ago. 

One of the biggest reasons the Hawkeyes have struggled is their offense.  They have always put out good offensive lines, but the skill positions haven't had the same impact that they did in previous years.  The running back position has been a mess.  Since the 2009 season the Hawkeyes have had a revolving door at RB.  Marcus Coker was a stud in 2011 but left the team.  This year their star is former Air Force FB Mark Wiseman.  But even he has missed games because of injuries.  Iowa fans have focused their criticism on former OC Norm Parker for his conservative style.  Parker retired and the Hawkeyes hired former Texas OC Greg Davis.  Davis was known for his spread offenses, but the Hawkeyes have continued to run the same style of offense that Parker did. 

Don't look for HC Kirk Ferentz to be on the hot seat.  He's owed over $20 million dollars on his contract and the University isn't ready to buy that out.  But some changes need to happen or the Hawkeyes could go from being on a bad stretch to being a forgotten program.

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How about....

Indiana Hoosiers
When you think of successful Indiana programs your first reaction is going to be towards their basketball program.  Not the football one.  But with the season that the Hoosier Football team is having, people do have to take noticed.

Last year Kevin Wilson took over a program that hasn't had hardly any success.    Wilson came from Oklahoma where he was the OC and a big part of some high powered offenses.  Wilson also won the Broyles Award for top assistant coach in the nation.  His first season was rocky at best.  He finished with a 1-11 record and was more famous for his exchange with Fox Radio hosts "Zach and Jack."  At one point Wilson had secured a commitment from top QB prospect Gunner Kiel, but Kiel later decommitted and ended up going to Notre Dame.

It was safe to say that the second year of Wilson's tenure wasn't very highly anticipated.  But this year has not only exceeded expectations, but blew them out.  Indiana has 4 wins so far and 2 of them are in conference.  Because Penn State and Ohio State cannot compete in the Big 10 Title Game the Hoosiers are tied with Wisconsin for the lead in the Leaders Division.  Indiana's offense has also taken a big jump this year.  They are currently 3rd in the Big 10 in total offense and 1st in passing yards per game.  Add in that the Hoosiers have 3 four star commitments and the future looks good for this once doormat program.

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Player Spotlight

William Gholston

Height:  6'6
Weight:  280
School:  Michigan State
Year:  JR
Position:  Defensive End

Going into the season there were some high hopes for Gholston.  He had the frame and physical skills to be a dominant defensive end.  He is your prototypical get off the bus first player.  He looks the part.  As a sophomore he was inconsistent and had the tendency to disappear at times.  Going into his junior year many were looking to see Gholston become more consistent and dominate more.

So far as a junior it's been too much the same as last year.  At times he's looked as a top 5 pick, then the next game he disappears and you forget he is on the field. Gholston does a great job taking on blockers and still being able to make plays.  With skills like this he'd be a good fit as a LDE in a 4-3 defense, but he could also fit well as a 5-technique defensive end in a 3-4 defense.  Teams could use him a lot like Arizona does with Calias Campbell.  Gholston might be better off staying at Michigan State for his senior year, but he does come out some team in the 2nd round will likely pull the trigger on him.

Coaching Carousel (Idaho Vandals)

Normally the coaching carousel doesn't start going till after the season starts, but the Idaho Vandals wasted little time in making a decision.  Idaho fired Akey in the middle of his 7th season with the Vandals with a  20-50 record with the school and only one bowl appearance.

Akey came to Idaho to replace Dennis Erickson who left after spending 10 months at the school.  Before coming to Idaho Akey was the defensive coordinator at Washington State.

His best year came in 2009 where they went 8-5 and won the Hummanitarian Bowl in a thrilling game against Bowling Green.  However the Vandals only won 6 games the next year before a miserable 2-10 year and then a 1-7 start to this year.   Administration stated that they did so they could start immediately to find his replacement. 

The biggest problem that Idaho is going to have when finding their next coach is they won't have a conference to call their own.  Idaho is currently in the WAC, but because of conference expansion the Vandals have been left out in the cold.  Nobody wanted them and they will become a Independent after this season.  Being an Independent will be very hard for Idaho who will have no bowl tie ins and might struggle to schedule games.  This may also cause some candidates to pass on the job.

Possible Candidates

Dan Hawkins (Former Colorado and Boise State Head Coach)
This would probably be their top choice and a great hire.  Hawkins had a ton of success at Boise State and knows how to recruit to the area.  However there is a lot of talk that Hawkins isn't interested in the job and would prefer to go somewhere where it is easier to get recruits to.

Jason Gesser (Current Interim Head Coach)
Gesser is the Vandals offensive coordinator and was tabbed as the interim coach when Akey was fired.  Gesser is the former Washington State QB who lead the Cougars to the Rose Bowl in 2003.  Given Idaho's situation as an Independent the best strategy to find a young energetic coach who can get players to Moscow.  Add in that Gesser played at WSU he is fimilar with the area.

Beau Baldwin (Eastern Washington Head Coach)
It may be hard for Idaho to persuade a FBS coach to come there or even a coordinator.  However one route they can go is down to the FCS ranks.  It worked with Ohio State who took Jim Tressell from Youngstown State, maybe the Vandals can dip down and land a successful coach.  Beau Brown won a National Championship at Eastern Washington and would bring a wide open spread offense that might be able to attract some talent to Moscow.  However it will take a lot for Baldwin to leave a school that he's winning at a high rate.

Blaine Bennett (Central Washington Head Coach)
If they can't get one of the top FCS coaches, what about moving down to Division II?  It's not ideal, but the Vandals aren't in the most ideal situation.  Just because it's DII doesn't mean there isn't good coaches there.  Brian Kelly was a former DII coach before making his way up to Notre Dame.  Bennett has done a great job of building the Central Washington program up.  He's won the conference title three out of four years he's been there.  Bennett was also an assistant at Purdue and Michigan State before returning to his home state of Washington. 

Paul Wulff (Former Washington State Head Coach)
One name that isn't getting a lot of attention, but could be a great sleeper candidate.  You may remember Wulff from his horrible four years at Washington State where he only won 9 games.  Now he wasn't succesful there, but when he was at Eastern Washington he was a regular in the FCS playoffs.  He isn't a big name, but he could be looking at a second chance at being a head coach.

Coaching Carousel (Gus Malzahn)

One of the hottest names in college football coaching the past few years is Gus Malzahn. Through stints at Arkansas, Tulsa, and most recently Auburn Malzahn's offenses were some of the best. His offense was run perfectly by Cam Newton and that allowed Newton to win the Heisman and Auburn to win a National Title. With all the notoriety, Malzahn was rumored to be the favorite for jobs at Vanderbilt, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Kansas. However it was Malzahn that "shocked" everybody and took a job at Arkansas State of the Sun Belt. This was the same guy that turned down Vanderbilt in the SEC for a job in the Sun Belt???? Now it was a surprised, but I'm not shocked by this. Let's take a look at why this makes perfect sense.

Gain Head Coaching Experience

Look at all the successful coaches in college football now. All of them got their start as a head coach at a lower level or another job. Urban Meyer was at Bowling Green and Utah before he want to Florida. Les Miles was at Oklahoma State before LSU. Brady Hoke was at Ball State and San Diego State before Michigan. By going to non BCS conference coaches are able to work through mistakes or a bad year without having too much pressure on them. Malzahn will be able to have years of practice running a FBS program before he takes his next job.

Talented Team

Malzahn is taking over an Arkansas State team that just won the Sun Belt with a 8-0 conference record and 10-2 overall. Now they don't necessarily have BCS caliber talent, but they have the ability to contend for the conference for the next couple of years. Plus previous coach Hugh Freeze ran a spread offense that has similarities to the system that Malzahn runs. Arkansas State also has junior QB Ryan Aplin who also lead the team in rushing. And we know from his time already, Malzahn system works when he has mobile QBs.

Location, Location, Location

Malzahn has a long history in the state of Arkansas. He grew up in the state, walked on at Arkansas, coached and won state titles in Arkansas, and was the offensive coordinator at the University of Arkansas. So it's safe to say that Malzahn knows the state. It is where he is the most comfortable. This allows him to have vital recruiting ties within the state and area to better his chance to be successful.

Future

We all know that Malzahn isn't going to coach at Arkansas State for the rest of his career. He is preparing himself for the next job. Whether that job is his "dream job" or another stepping stone. I don't have any sources, but I see one place that I feel he would take in a heart beat. The University of Arkansas. Currently Bobby Petrino is the head coach, but we all know that he isn't known for sticking around at a school for too long. Malzahn probably is aware of that and could be taking the steps to prepare himself for that job. He can be at Arkansas State and gain his head coaching experience, develop even more recruiting ties, and then when Petrino leaves he is ready to take over.

But who knows, maybe he just really likes Arkansas State. But he isn't as crazy as others might think.

Coaching Carousel

With only a week left of the College Football Regular season, we are seeing several coaches being fired, and even have a few hired. Let's take a look at which schools are still open.

Arizona State Sun Devils

After the free fall that the Sun Devils took, it was no surprise that Dennis Erickson is gone. But who will they get to lead them? That's a good question. Their top target is Kevin Sumlin. ASU was actually rumored to have Sumlin negotiating a contract, but then the A&M job came available. Sumlin would go to A&M before ASU, so they may have to wait if they really want him. But if they don't, they could go up to Oregon and try and get OC Mark Helfrich or go to Eastern Michigan and get former ASU assistant Ron English. Bears OC Mike Martz is another former ASU assistant.

Prediction: Kevin Sumlin (Current Houston HC)

Akron Zips

Rob Ianello was let go after only 2 seasons, but those two season were pretty bad. But only winning one game in the MAC doesn't help your cause. Without much talent or recent history of success you would think that Akron wouldn't be too ideal of a place. However the Zips do have arguably the best facilities in the conference. This looked like a perfect spot for Ohio State interim HC Luke Fickell, but with him staying at Ohio State with Urban Meyer, this opens this up for anybody. There was also some talk that Jim Tressel could be the guy. But we all know that won't happen. Look for a Big 10 position coach, FCS, Division II, or MAC coordinator to take this job.

Prediction: Paul Winters (Current Wayne State (Division II) HC)

Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois was looking like a Big 10 sleeper after six games, but then they just fell flat on their face. This collapse and the lack of success the previous couple of years it was no surprise that Ron Zook was fired. However Zook was able to bring a lot of talent to Illinois and leaves them better off than when he got there. It will be interesting to see where the Illini go with this hire. They went with a flashy recruiter in Zook last time around. This time they might be better off going with an X's and O's guy with some ties to the Midwest or Big 10.

Prediction: Paul Chyrst (Current Wisconsin OC)

Kansas Jayhawks

It is unfortunate that Tuner Gill was fired because what he did at Buffalo was nothing short of amazing. But when you struggle as bad as Kansas has the past two years, you can't blame them more making a change. Where Kansas goes is up in the air. Mike Leach was thought to be a candidate, but he is now at Washington State. Jim Levitt the former South Florida HC is a guy to watch. Yes he got fired at South Florida because he allegedly struck a player and Kansas had their own issues with coaches mistreating players. But Kansas' AD was an assistant at South Florida under Levitt at one point. Former Arizona HC Mike Stoops wouldn't be a bad choice either, but he'll hold out for a better job.

Prediction: Dave Christensen (Current Wyoming HC)

Memphis Tigers

Yet another coach who was fired after only 2 years on the job. Larry Porter came to Memphis and looked like a great hire. The former start recruiter for LSU, had ties to the area, and was a Memphis Alum. However his time at Memphis was a disaster going 3-21. Now they look to move forward. I don't see them going after another assistant. They'll more than likely go after somebody with HC experience. I really think that Hugh Freeze would be a great fit. He really did wonders at Arkansas Sate this past year and has coaching contacts in Memphis. Or will they go with a Tommy Bowden who has a bigger name?

Prediction: Hugh Freeze (Current Arkansas State HC)

Mississippi Rebels

The Ole Miss job is very interesting. It is an SEC job with a lot of talent with close proximity. However they are in the same division as Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, and Auburn. I don't care who you hire. That would be tough to win that division on a regular basis. So don't look for any big names to get this job. This job will come down to either Kirby Smart, Gus Malzahn, or Larry Fedora. Malzahn or Smart are more than likely their top choices. But Fedora would be a good fallback choice.

Prediction: Larry Fedora (Current Southern Miss HC)

North Carolina Tar Heels

Under normal circumstances this would be a top place for a lot of coaches. North Carolina has good facilities, fertile recruiting grounds, high level talent on the roster and a winnable conference. However with possible NCAA sanctions on the way, there is a level on uncertainty. Gus Malzhan is the popular name, but he could have about any job he wants. A name to consider is Skip Holtz who has ties to their AD and North Carolina.

Prediction: Gus Malzahn (Current Auburn OC)

Penn State Nittany Lions

The Penn State job is one of the most difficult job to predict. People like Al Golden and Greg Schiano would normally be high on the list, but with the whole Sandusky situation look for Penn State to bring somebody in who has no ties to the program. But who is out there that would take this job and be a great fit? There isn't too many people. But one makes a ton of sense to me and has been rumored to be a target. Dan Mullen. The current Miss State HC has had success in the SEC and would bring a lot to the Nittany Lions. Mullen is a good leader, strong recruiter, and has ties to the Northeast. Mullen was born in Philly and grew up in the Northeast.

Prediction: Dan Mullen (Current Mississippi State HC)

Texas A&M Aggies

This is the most recent job that is available and should now be the most desirable. Not only is A&M in the fertile recruiting grounds of Texas, but also moving to the elite conference in college football in the SEC. Add in the huge fan support and tons of money within the program and they should be able to get who they want. But we thought that last time when they ended up hiring Mike Sherman. Kirby Smart might be a good fit with their need for a defensive presence. But the hot name is Kevin Sumlin. However a name that not a lot of people are talking about is Art Briles. The current Baylor coach would love to move up to a better job and he has won every where he has gone. It makes too much sense, so it probably won't happen. But I'll take a risk.

Prediction: Art Briles (Current Baylor HC)

Tulane Green Wave

The Green Wave haven't been much of a contender in Conference USA lately, but they are a team that has the potential to be a Conference USA power. The state of Louisiana has too much talent and them being in New Orleans only helps. There was a thought that they could get their former OC Rich Rodriguez to run the program, but he went to a much better job at Arizona. So with Rich Rod out of the picture where do they go? Mike Haywood (former Miami OH HC) has interviewed and would be good. But do they want to deal with his baggage? Jeff Jagodzinski wouldn't be bad either. But Mark Hudspeth would be better than both. Hudspeth is a former Miss State assistant and is the current Louisiana Lafayette HC and has really turned that morib program around. His experience in the state would be help out too.

Prediction: Mark Hudspeth (Current Louisiana Laffayette HC)

UAB Blazers

the UAB job has to be the least desirable job that is open. Not only has UAB not has any success lately, but their facilities are awful. So don't look for anybody worth while to be wanting this job. You'll more than likely see a BCS position coach or a lower level coach taking this job. There are a few names being rumored for this job. But look for a name out of nowhere to get hired.

Prediction: Jeff Monkin (Current Georgia Southern HC)

UCLA Bruins

UCLA should be a good college football program. They sit in the middle of one of the best recruiting areas. But former HC Rick Neuhisel was unable to take advantage of USC's NCAA sanctions and is now gone. UCLA fans think that Chris Peterson is coming, but he isn't. Kevin Sumlin is a rumored name, but look for him to stay as close to Texas as he can. Look for them to have to settle. One player to really watch out for is June Jones. Jones has won at every stop and has done so without much resources. Put him in LA and he could turn the Bruins into a contender.

Prediction: June Jones (Current SMU HC)