Why It Might Work: It only took Urban Meyer two seasons to coach Utah to an undefeated 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. Four of them were regarded as serious contenders for the nomination. 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. It would be a huge step up in expectations if Traylor came to Lincoln. Why It Might Not: On the flip side, maybe hes stayed at the same place for eight years because his phone isnt exactly ringing off the hook. If Nebraska is facing rejection from experienced candidateswhich itself would be alarmingthis is a solid emergency option, assuming he takes the call. But Campbell has to get to a certain level this season to be in the mix. His turnaround of Eastern Michigan in particular was stunning, but that might be more attributable to the consistent failures of their previous hires. LINCOLN, Neb. He brought Western Kentucky out of the basement and did the same at USF. Why It Might Not: The Huskers have had mixed results with first time head coaches who needed to learn the job on the fly. 2:45 am ET, Charges dropped against Georgia WR Rara Thomas, UCLA, Kelly agree to extension through 2027, Four Pac-12 programs renew contact with Big 12, NCAA committee approves new college football rules, Saban sounds off on proposed permanent opponents. Nebraska Cornhuskers coaching candidates Jeff Monken, Army Black Knights head coach Jeff Lebby, Oklahoma Sooners offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, Mark Stoops, Kentucky coach: Stoops has spent a decade methodically developing the Wildcats into an above-average, competent SEC program. An Air Force grad who is coaching Air Force, Calhoun is in his 16th season there and has a record of 111-75 after 15 of them. Scott Frost is out at Nebraska. But that kind of long term thinking and recalibration of expectations seems very unlikely in todays trigger-happy arms race of college football. Once considered a paltry candidate after floundering to 6-7 as Ohio States interim head coach in 2011, Fickell has since proven to have massive coaching chops by quietly building Cincinnati into one of the G5s powerhouses and crashing the CFP as the first non-Power Five program to do s to get more serious about football, but now that they have, the results are showing. Web2023 Commercial Intern Career Services | Nebraska Nucor www.nucor.com 2023 Commercial Intern Posted on: March 1, 2023 Apply Now Internship Expires March 17, A steady program builder with no flash means that hed be a complete unknown when it comes to recruiting. If nothing else, Kliemans teams have been solid and that would be a huge upgrade to the shoddy job Scott Frost has done. He tried his hand in the NFL with Jacksonville and face-planted so hardexacerbated by a truly staggering amount of off-the-field dramathat the owner fired him before he could even complete his first season. He knows how to coach up players, and most importantly, he knows how to run the damn ball, damn it. The 11 games that explain the downfall of Nebraska football. If youre looking for a Husker with head coaching experience who is likely to take the job and do at least moderately well, this is it. Why It Might Work: Theres no doubt in Bohls ability to coach and win. Closing Comment: Les Miles may have been interesting as a replacement to Mike Riley or Bo Pelini, but that window has long since closed. His record going into 2022 was 90-54, having coached at a couple spots at the FCS level. Yes, fresh faces do seem to be chosen often over known entities, but given the state of Nebraskas program, they would probably be better suited to pursue at least a former head coach. Nothing against Stoops, but no one is beating Georgia anytime soon. 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. Husker message boards and Facebook groups are littered with Entz could be riding on the coattails of North Dakota State, which finds it rare to not win the FCS national title. Why It Might Work: Canada did a remarkable job as Marylands interim HC. Why It Might Not: Its Jon Gruden. Hes currently "coaching" the Dallas/Arlington Renegades in the XFL, a relatively low-profile job. Hes Miami of Ohios head coach, where hes been since 2014. How would the fan base react? The state of Colorado isnt that far from Nebraska. His record at Washington is a somewhat less stellar 55-26, but he finished (or tied) first in the Pac-12 north division for three straight years, and won the conference championship twice. Hes very much an old-school style coach and appears more stubborn than most. His time in Ann Arbor was one catastrophe after another, and the mistakes he made set the program back significantly. He retired from both Florida and Ohio State for nebulous reasons. Mike Locksley, Lane Kiffin, and Luke Fickell all got another chance after doing some "rehab" at a successful program. But regardless, this is a candidate that needs to be addressed. Then he got booted for off-the-field allegations from his time at LSU. The former Raiders and Bucs head coach is one of the sports biggest characters, and also one of the most controversial. Why It Might Not: OBrien bolted for the NFL at the earliest opportunity. Closing Comment: All the places hes led seem to have unbreakable, hard ceilings and are traditionally basement dwellers. 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. Why It Might Not: Was Fickells rejection of MSU a signal he wants to stay put long term, or is he leery of Big Ten competition and high expectations which he knows all too well? Doerens time in Raleigh has been good but not great, and he hasnt lived up to the hype that came when he arrived after shocking everyone by going 12-2 at NIU. It also worked out pretty well the last time the Huskers hired a Buckeye. His recruiting classes at Michigan were all very good, and he completely transformed the Wolverines defense, which had become a joke under Rich Rodriguez. Hes also been a successful OC at Oregon from 2020-2021. A competent athletic dept. His unique motion-heavy style is sometimes difficult for quarterbacks to grasp, and there were times, as with all OCs, where the play-calling was suspect. The meltdown in Minneapolis would be legendary. The move ended weeks of speculation about Ventrones status with the organization and left a significant void to fill both on the field and in the locker room. Here is a look at five early candidates for the vacant Nebraska head coaching job. Some of these names are crazy, some are not even remotely realistic, and some are legitimate targets. What gives? Herman could be primed for a redemption. And dont forget, hes built a program from scratch. Plus hes another triple-option coach. How could it not? Overall the body work from Martin appears only slightly above average. Four candidates are vying for each of the other two district seats. Toledos head coach, he took over when Matt Campbell left for Iowa State. Jim Leonhard, Wisconsin defensive coordinator: Like Oklahoma's Brent Venables, Leonhard has turned down a lot of interest from head coaching opportunities. 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. 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. 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. Everyone has their favorites. Im sure youve heard of him. 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. If Nebraska missed on Matt Campbell but wanted a similar type of coach, Candle is as close as you can get without the turnaround job at Iowa State. Hes certainly a good coach, but is he elite? 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. Does Nebraska really want to take a chance on someone with that kind of baggage? Why It Might Work: Rodriguez created the quintessential Cinderella program at West Virginia, where he would probably still be coaching today had he not taken Michigans offer and left so controversially. Hell soon be looking for another chance to lead a program. He has coached both a Heisman Trophy winner (Bryce Young) and the G.O.A.T. He knows exactly the caliber of players the NFL wants, and flashing a Super Bowl ring might be enticing to recruits, too. Malzahns record is proven but hes far from perfect. Why It Might Work: He's got an impressive record, and to have the country talking about Coastal Carolina when most people have never even heard of them is quite an accomplishment. On the other hand, theres a case to be made that maybe Nebraska should go that way. That fact is both a surprising and depressing trend. Why It Might Not: At 64, Bohl is definitely on the tail end of his coaching career, and it might be asking a lot for the guy to completely rebuild his alma mater into something respectable. Why It Might Work: Hes 42 and is clearly seen as one of college football up-and-comers, as Campbell was before him. Some might find this hire head-scratching since these days the option is only run by service academies. Hes known as an offensive mastermind and stands among college footballs brainiest schemers. Hes coached as an assistant at Louisville, Minnesota, Georgia, Colorado, and is now Michigan States OC, where hes done well. A couple years removed from college football may be enough to make everyone forget about the struggles in Austin. Closing Comment: Mark Stoops would be a solid hire. In both cases, he made them successful by his third season. 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. Trev Alberts would probably prefer someone who knows what hes doing. 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. Why It Might Work: Absolutely no one expected UTSA to go 12-2, but the fact that the Roadrunners did has to count for something. So Ive compiled an exhaustive list below of virtually every coaching candidate I think Nebraska could pursue. Ah, yes. 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. Why It Might Work: Strong was a top candidate at Texas for a reason. Why It Might Work: Hoke knows the Big Ten and the Midwest very well. 13 coaching candidates to watch. It took the Raiders committing $100 million to lure him away from Monday Night Football. Its highly unlikely anyone else was considered. There may be a candidate who emerges who is not on this list, something thats very likely to happen. The next hire must hit because the hamster wheel of coaches since Osborne is worn and rusted. It would be a jarring cultural change for him to come to Big Ten country. He got all that and then some at USF, and good lord, what a disaster. Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell Campbell has built Iowa State into a consistent winner. Then he went to Kansas and did the same as every coach who went to Kansas after Mark Mangino. He will have many suitors. Closing Comment: Its a risk. Aside from 2021, hes had an impressive coaching career and Nebraska should definitely consider him. Why It Might Work: The jobs he did at Temple and Baylor were nothing short of spectacular. Why It Might Work: A lot of people attribute Tom Osbornes success to his degrees in educational psychology. He built USF into a serious challenger despite its perennial underdog status. Moving within the division to suddenly chase his old boss, Paul Chryst, and alma mater doesn't seem like an ideal move. Could he follow NCAA rules? Why It Might Not: Theres not a lot to knock, but theres not a lot to get excited about, either. 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. At both places he was ultimately a disappointment. In addition, while his teams have done well overall, there are times when his ability as a play-caller has been costly. Why It Might Work: OBriens two years at Penn State were really good given the circumstances that he walked into. Second, Im bugged by the Mississippi State thing. As an alumnus in the coaching field, he may have the highest possible pedigree, and candidates like this simply dont grow on trees. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Barring a stunning breakthrough this season, hes just about reached the end of his rope and is likely to return to the field of college coaching. And it begs the question, why has no one given him a serious look before now? February 26, 2023 4:11 pm ET. And how motivated would he be? Like many coaches of SEC blue bloods, he got run out of town when the results started to taper off. Kill has decades of experience as a head But isnt that what Nebraska tried with Mike Riley? He hasnt interviewed for any vacancies since his retirement. Finally, aside from Bowling Green and Utah, hes mostly been at places with an advantage for success thats practically built-in. Nebraska football has received three crystal balls total for Raiola, but Wiltfong, the lead expert for 247 sports, still has his crystal ball on Georgia. He seems like a solid head coach, but its hard to project him being either wildly successful or a disappointing failure. This seems like a Southern-oriented guy. 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. Who? Seven candidates ran in the Democratic primary. Why It Might Not: Urban Meyer is weird. He had an up-and-down career thats been mostly down, at least at the head coaching level. Being a true triple-option team in the Big Ten would be fascinating. While his program has yet to reach the level of Georgia or Alabama, hes built them to be competitive in the SEC, which is saying a lot, since Kentucky is generally considered a basketball school. Sep 11, 2022. +, (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. Taking on the Nebraska job would place him squarely in the limelight. Both are filled at the moment. That cost Meyer a three-game suspension at the beginning of the 2018 season, his last with the Buckeyes. Instead he kept the team competitive when it could have easily imploded.