As the Coaching Carousel Turns: Head Coaches Ready to Make a Move

As the Carousel Turns 11/6/15

 

Head Coaches Ready to Make a Move

Here is our updated look at which coaches around the nation are in the best position to make a move this off season. There are currently 10 jobs open in the FBS ranks alone, so the movement should be healthy this winter.

Matt Ruhle, Temple

Ruhle has largely been up and down, and I am not entirely sold on him just yet until he can put a small run of these kinds of seasons together. That being said, I fully expect someone to jump the gun and make a move at him this year, rather than waiting to see how things play out at Temple over time. Ruhle’s resume for me has been too up and down at this point for me to buy in full, but the era of patience and waiting for development has been long gone for a bit now, so someone will jump because they need to make a splash.

Justin Fuente, Memphis

Fuente will be taking Memphis to their 2^nd straight bowl this season, and nobody has been able to say that about this program for a very long time. For Fuente, building Memphis has been more consistent than what Ruhle has managed at Temple, and he seems more a sure thing than Ruhle at this point. Fuente has the makings of a guy who can move in and build up a program, and it wouldn’t take him long to do so. He will be a heavily sought after commodity, but he has built a nice empire in Memphis, and fan support has begun to swell as has support from the administration. He may be better suited to stay where he is, depending on the job.

Doc Holliday, Marshall

Unless Holliday loves Marshall beyond anything, he really has nothing left to prove there. There are plenty of folks that should be lining up for his services as we speak, and none bigger than Miami, although Miami may be going in a different direction, which would make no sense. Holliday also fits the bill at Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Virginia, Maryland, amongst others. He knows the recruiting circuit well in South Florida, so anywhere he goes, talent will follow.

Jeff Brohm, Western Kentucky

Brohm stepped in where Willie Taggert and Bobby Petrino left off with this program, but the program has not missed a beat during his tenure, and some would say that he has increased the Hilltopper profile nationally, which I would agree with. WKU is an offensive fireworks show, which is all the rage these days, so he should fit in several areas. I believe that where he best fits is Maryland, where there is a clamoring for a high powered offensive attack. They tried to hire Mike Leach before, but ended up with Randy Edsell, which is the exact opposite of high powered anything. Maryland is done with vanilla, go nowhere attacks, so Brohm would fit right in with what is desired there.

Scott Satterfield, Appalachian State

It certainly did not take long for Atterfield to get the Mountaineers up and running in FCS football. App State is unbeaten n Sun Belt play, and has but one loss all season. The Mountaineers will go bowling this season, and the program is moving up fast. Nobody is calling his name publicly yet, but people in certain places are noticing what’s going on in Boone, and his name may become a commodity sooner than later.

Tom Herman, Houston

Herman is just in his first year at Houston, but he may not be there much longer. Rumor on the street is that USC already has an interest in him if they do not retain Clay Helton, which is never a foregone conclusion. Herman has already complained about lagging fan support at home games this season, so he may be feeling a little underwhelmed with his situation, despite having Houston undefeated and rocketing like crazy. Expect him to be a short timer at UH.

Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M

Despite Sumlin being the most high profile of this group, word is that he has been considering a jump away from the Aggies since last season. The only question at this point is whether he stays in the college game, or he takes a shot at the NFL, where the Houston Texans job may come open due to lagging success and a total breakdown between coach Bill O’Brien and the ownership group there. USC is higly interested, as they were when they hired Steve Sarkisian, but there is not a ton of interest for Sumlin in that job. One thing that may drive a decision is that it is very difficult for the Aggies to win in the SEC West, at least enough to win a division and conference title. Maybe another locale may be a better fit if he feels he can more easily win titles.

Willie Fritz, Georgia Southern

Fritz was long one of my favorite coaches in FCS football, and he went for the ride with the Eagles when they moved up to FBS football. Fritz has done for GSU what he did for Sam Houston State, make them a winner quickly. Fritz is a quiet, off the grid type who suddenly shows up, and if you haven’t heard about him, look into him. He is a great coach, and a really good guy that deserves a shot to move up again.

Kyle Whittingham, Utah

Whittingham has hardly been in hiding, and everyone knows who he is and what he has done at Utah. The truth is that what he has done at Utah has been incredibly difficult to pull off. The area is hardly rich with recruits, and he has had constant battles with the administration about assistant salary pools, and other issues as well. Whittingham is also on the USC short list, and they could take a stab if they do not retain Helton. There are other programs who may come calling as well, and life could get easier in the right spot.

Dino Babers, Bowling Green

Babers won big at FCS Eastern Illinois, and now is winning regularly at Bowling Green. Bowling Green is suddenly becoming a coaching cradle, much like Miami (Ohio) was back in the 60s. Babers prefers an up tempo attack, and would be able to recruit just about anywhere. His name isn’t hot on the circuit just yet, but it will be soon, and trust me when I tell you that he is a better candidate than his predecessor, Dave Clawson.

Rod Carey, Northern Illinois

Carey is moving on sooner than later. If Illinois does not come calling immediately, then they are fools. Carey has picked up where Dave Doeren left off, and Jerry Kill before him. Despite a slow start, NIU has gone hot the last several weeks, and the Huskies beat undefeated Toledo after their starting QB went down with a season ending injury. This guy can flat out coach.

Matt Campbell, Toledo

Maybe one of the hottest names in the business right now, Campbell is sure to be lining up for another gig for as soon as next season. South Carolina and Virginia Tech are just two programs that are sure to be calling his name, and if Minnesota does not hire Tracy Claeys (they likely will), he would be a big name there, as he would at Illinois and Rutgers as well. One thing is for certain, and that is that Campbell may likely start a bidding war.

Bryan Harsin, Boise State

Harsin can win all he wants at Boise State, but he may not be as attached to the place as Chris Petersen was all those years. Harsin is yet another name on USC’s list of hopeful candidates, and he may be one to jump if he gets the right offer. Whichever opening occurs, look for Harsin’s name to be in play.

Matt Wells, Utah State

Wells is yet another young coach who is ready to move up the food chain as soon as next season, as he has kept up the winning ways at Utah State that were started under Gary Anderson. Wells has been connected on some level with South Carolina’s opening in certain circles, but that is quiet speculation. Look for Wells to come up at some point, as when the first ten jobs are filled, there will be a domino effect thereafter.

FCS Candidates

Ed Lamb, Southern Utah

If Matt Wells were to somehow leave Utah State, Lamb would be an excellent promotion to move into the job. Lamb has won at a solid clip at Southern Utah, and he has very little resources to do so there. Lamb could also be an interesting candidate for several higher profile FCS jobs that could open.

Beau Baldwin, Eastern Washington

His name has been coming up for some time in recent years, but he has stayed at EWU despite being mentioned for jobs at Washington State and Oregon State. It’s only a matter of time before he gets an offer that he will not be able to turn down.

Jamey Chadwell, Charleston Southern
If you can win here, you can win anywhere, and Chadwell is a winner. He may not leave right away, as he’s only been at CSU for 2 seasons, but his future is bright.

Joe Moglia, Coastal Carolina

The former investment banker has put the Chanticleers on the map, but will he stay at CCU as the program transitions to FBS football, or will he seek a better opportunity right away?

Danny Rocco, Richmond
Richmond has been an FBS launching pad for years now (Mike London, Dave Clawson) and that trend could continue with Rocco, who has been with the Spiders since 2012. He may be a candidate for better gigs sooner rather than later.

Everett Withers, James Madison

The former Ohio State assistant has brought the Dukes back from oblivion, and they are a lock for the FCS playoffs as of now, and could make a run for that title. True, the Dukes have dropped their last two games, but this program has come to life, and Withers has already had his name tossed around in recent days, specifically at North Texas.

Tim Murphy, Harvard

OK, Murphy isn’t a young gun who is just getting noticed. He has been at Harvard since 1994. His name has been up for numerous jobs over the years, including Notre Dame and Boston College. The clock is ticking, and he could win anywhere, but maybe he is a Harvard lifer.

Brock Spack, Illinois State

Spack has built ISU from the ground up, and the RedBirds are now an FCS title contender every season. If Rod Carey leaves Northern Illinois, Spack could be the key candidate, but he could also be the candidate at Illinois. Expect his name to be active.

John Stieglemeier, South Dakota State

The Jackrabbits may have several MVC titles if it weren’t for rival North Dakota State. Stieglemeier would not make a splashy hire, but he’d be a good one.

John Grass, Jacksonville State

He almost beat Auburn, and that is still his lone loss. Grass should have his name up for some decent interviews, and some smart AD would do the right thing to bring him on.

Joe Moorhead, Fordham

Moorhead had his name in play at a few jobs last fall, but ended up staying at Fordham. His time is coming, and it will come soon.

Rick Chamberlain, Dayton

All Chamberlain has done is win. He would seem a perfect fit for any MAC job, but ma move up in the FCS ranks first.

Dale Lindsay, San Diego

USD has been a coaching hot bed lately (Jim Harbaugh, Ron Caragher), so it isn’t strange to think that Lindsay is the next to move up to the FBS ranks, as he is winning just as much with the Toreros.

Kerwin Bell, Jacksonville

Bell has won big with the Dolphins, and may be ready to go to a higher profile job. He has little to no resources at JU, and still manages to win like crazy, and the Dolphins turned a corner by beating an FCS power conference team in Delaware this season. It’s time.

Russ Huisman, Chattanooga

With the departures of Appalachian State and Georgia Southern from the SoCon, Huisman has built the Mocs into the dominant program in the league the last couple of seasons. He is ready for
whatever may come his way, and he deserves a shot.

Mike Houston, Citadel
If you can win at the Citadel, you can win anywhere. Houston took this wreck of a program and has the Bulldogs moving in the direction of a playoff bid. That was deemed impossible here for decades.

Matt Viator, McNeese State

Viator has brought the Cowboys back to the promised land, and has been there since 2006. He is the perfect candidate for a job like North Texas, and is absolutely ready for a move.