Let the coaching carousel begin!
Jed Jacobsen/Getty Images
In 5 seasons as the Sun Devils head coach, Dennis Erickson compiled an overall record of 31-30. After starting 6-2, Arizona State finished with a four game losing streak that ultimately led to the firing of head coach Dennis Erickson
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As the end of the college football season nears, so has the tenure for many coaches at their respective schools. While many retail stores this time of year hang up the seasonal hiring sign, many college football programs will also be cleaning the front window to post the “now hiring” sign … but they aren’t looking for someone to fill the job just for the holiday season.
For many of us, it is our favorite time of the year, the holiday season where we always find creative ways to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas and then New Year’s. We all seem to find ways to spend to much money on gifts and food, and most of us have also put together a Christmas list of things we’d like. College football doesn’t appear to be much different. Schools will have their wish lists … but which universities will overpay for the latest gadget, and which schools will get the best bargains?
There has been a Santa Claus sleigh-full of firings around college football. Let’s take a look at the coaches who might be out there this year.
Dennis Erickson, Arizona State: Erickson is a well traveled coach, and will now travel to his home for the holiday season and might just end up there for good. After a 6-2 start this season, the Sun Devils appeared to be BCS-bound. That changed as Erickson failed to lead his team to even another victory. Arizona State went on to lose its final 4 games of the season and fall from the rankings. It appeared that the final blow to Erickson’s tenure came as the Sun Devils endured a horrible home loss to rival Arizona. Yes, it was time for Erickson to go. His best coaching days are years behind him, and it might just be time to hang ‘em up for good. When you’re in the PAC 12, you cannot afford to finish 6-6. Now, Arizona State will look to make a splash landing in its next hire for head coach.
Candidates for the position: Chris Petersen, Boise State; Mike Leach, former Texas Tech head coach; Kevin Sumlin, Houston; Mike Martz, Chicago Bears offensive coordinator and former ASU assistant; Kirby Smart, Alabama defensive coordinator.
Whom they should hire: Mike Leach. Although it might be a controversial hire, he knows his stuff and is an offensive guru. He has coached in a big program and knows how to recruit. The only concern might be some of his past baggage.
Rick Neuheisel, UCLA: It appears as though Neuheisel is out as the coach at UCLA even though he will take the Bruins this weekend to play for the conference title against the Oregon Ducks. Even a win here doesn’t appear to be enough for Neuheisel as he has struggled to bring his alma mater alive again. The crowning blow came this past weekend when UCLA got the doors blown off them 50-0 to rival USC. Now, UCLA and their athletic director are under large amounts of pressure to find a coach that can restore tradition and turn things around. It won’t be an easy task for them, but it might be one that many coaches take a look at if their number is called.
Candidates for the position: Chris Petersen, Boise State; John Gruden, current ESPN analyst and former NFL coach; Kevin Sumlin, Houston; Tom Cable, current Seattle Seahawks offensive line coach; Mike Belotti, former Oregon head coach.
Whom they should hire: Mike Belotti. He is a well known college football coach and also a former athletic director at Oregon. He led the Ducks to numerous winning seasons and also is not afraid to install discipline in the program. Belotti knows what it takes to make a winning program, and UCLA has the money and is working to improve facilities. This might be just what it takes to lure Belotti back to the PAC 12.
Ron Zook, Illinois: Things finally went wrong for the Zookster. Just last year, fans were calling for him to be fired. His team showed signs of a good season as they started out 5-0 and ranked in the top 25. That all came crashing down as the Fighting Illini seemed to have virtually no fight left in them. Illinois tumbled the rest of the way and ended the season with an awful 0-6 finish.
Candidates for the position: Larry Fedora, Southern Miss; Tim Beckman, Toledo; Greg Schiano, Rutgers; Vic Koenning, interim Illinois coach.
Whom they should hire: Vic Koenning. He has head coaching experience as the top guy at Wyoming years ago. Also, his ability to recruit is an asset. A concern: he’s been the defensive coordinator the past 2 seasons at Illinois, and his defense struggled down the stretch of the season.
Joe Paterno, Penn State: Of course there is no news flash here anymore as Paterno was fired weeks ago amid a child sex scandal. We all know the story, and truthfully it was probably time for Paterno to be done anyway. While he may have not done the right thing, Penn State officials did as they fired Paterno and replaced him with Tom Bradley, who has been a coach at Penn State throughout most of Paterno’s tenure. The question: does Penn State clean house entirely, or does it make a complete outside hire and start with a clean slate?
Candidates for the position: Tom Bradley, interm head coach at Penn State; Al Golden, Miami; Greg Schiano, Rutgers; Chris Petersen, Boise State; Kirby Smart, Alabama defensive coordinator.
Whom they should hire: This is a tough one but it probably is between two candidates: current Miami coach Al Golden and current Rutgers coach Greg Schiano. Both have a Penn State background: Golden played there, and Schiano was an assistant years ago. I would give the edge to Al Golden for one reason: of course he is a great coach, but he has been in the middle of a scandal at Miami that he basically inherited and has pledged that they will get to the bottom of it and has stood firmly throughout it. Penn State needs a guy who has no fear and is bold and can stand tall in hard times.
So, while many schools would love to appear in a bowl game by getting to that magical 6-win level, sometimes just getting to the postseason doesn’t work too well.
Petersen has led the Boise State Broncos to two BCS bowls and numerous conference championships. Perhaps the time is now for Petersen to listen to offers from BCS conference schools that have head coaching vacancies.
As you may have noticed, Boise State head coach Chris Petersen will be a hot commodity. The question: will Petersen listen at all to any offers? He has stated time and time again that he is very content in Boise. It makes sense that there is a specific blueprint out there as to what Petersen wants in another program for him to even consider looking at an offer from another school. One would think that after just recently turning down Stanford last year, he surely would not be itching to leave Boise for Southern California.
Other schools that have recently fired their head coach or their current head coach might be on the hot seat:
FIRED:
Paul Wulff: Washington State
Turner Gill: Kansas
HOT SEAT:
Mike Riley: Oregon State
Rob Akey: Idaho
Mike Sherman: Texas A&M
Pat Hill: Fresno State
Houston Nutt: Ole Miss
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Ryan J. McDonald
I would also say Jeff Tedford is on the hot seat. I think who ever lost the California vs. Arizona State game was going to be fired while the other would be placed on the hot seat. Tedford won but really has never done anything at Cal… if Tedford goes 6-6 or 7-5 next year (or loses this years bowl game badly) I believe he will be replaced.
Nick Anderson
Thanks for the comment Ryan, I looked at Tedford as a possible hot seat candidate, but I think he has one more year. He appears to be in the same situation that Zook was last year at Illinois, in that if he does not produce better results next year, then he will be in the same situation that many are now, unemployed! The difference with Erickson to me is no doubt the loss to rival Arizona, who was just an awful football team and had already fired their head coach.
catfan1
College football coaches make the really big bucks now days so it is little wonder fans become impatient when their favorite team is losing. Fans vote for their favorite teams and who they will support with their hard earned dollars when they buy their tickets. When ticket sales drop because of the poor team the coach is putting on the field, then changes have to be made. Coaching college football may be a well paid position but there is definitely no job security. Nice article Nick!