2012 NCAA Coaching Searches
 

This isn't as fun without MJ4H, but alas.

Will Petersen leave for Cal? Oregon? Texas?

Apparently Tennessee has all but talked themselves into thinking Mora wants to go to the SEC

Jon Gruden owns land in East Tennessee

Will UNLV please fire Hauck?

UNLV would be smart to hire Noel Mazzone

OMG, what a horrifying thought.

The trainwreck of Mr. Personality might be more amusing than the Bill Callahan rumor I heard earlier, but the end result seems likely to be the same: another repeat of the search in 3 years, except this time under a new AD.

Heh, I see there's a rumor on an Arkansas site claiming they're going to hire Sark. No offense to Arkansas fans, because that's a strong program with a lot going for it, but I just don't see Sark jumping there. He doesn't strike me as an Arkansas kind of guy. And with the way things are coming together for him here at Washington (especially with the rebuilt stadium opening next year), I can see only a handful of college jobs that might be tempting enough for him to leave. And Arkansas isn't one of them.

Other than NFL stops, Mora is a West Coast guy. Plus he's got a first round pick at QB for another couple years, so I doubt he leaves for a few years. I think he rides UCLA back to the NFL

We'd be smartest of all to finally get that on-campus stadium built they've been talking about for years.

But yes, getting a coach other than Perpetually Lost Look Hauck would be fantastic as well.

To be fair, Hauck wasnt a bad choice at the time

I disagree. I'd rather have a coordinator from an FBS school than an FCS head coach.

Now I will admit you were right on the Dave Rice hire and I was wrong. No chance Theus would have been this good, I think.

It was a wrong fit, but I do believe he deserved a chance. Just like Dan Hawkins and Dirk Kotter were good hires when they were made, just couldnt replicate previous success.

Coach Peterson is an enigma, he may just stick it out at Boise St, but Oregon and Cal could be intriguing considering Boise St's shaky conference situation and modest step back this year without Kellen Moore. But they'd have to pay him a shit ton. $2 million in Boise goes a long, long, long way. $3 million in UCLA couldn't get him to walk, I think it will take much more than that in Cal for sure. His history in Eugene though, seems like more of a wild card, that wouldn't shock me if he made the jump there. His son's medical situation creates an inertia to just stay where is, but he's got a ton a familiarity with Eugene and the medical facilities available there.

My Dad has a conspiracy theory that Kirby Smart is going there. Seriously, that's why 'Bama's D gave up so much against LSU and A&M. He's had Smart going there for most of the season.

Quite honestly, I'd turtle up my fanhood with Tennessee if Callahan were to coach there. When rumors had Callahan joining the staff with Kiffin I said the same thing. I just can't cheer for my team if he's part of it. I have no respect for him. That said, I'm sure ESPN will now do a 30 for 30 on the life of Callahan and I will feel terrible for resenting the guy all these years.

Anyone thinking Mora leaves UCLA has lost their mind, but for some reason, he has been a small part of the talk of being the head coach. Mind you, it's probably the same percentage of fans that mention Hugh Freeze (Ole Miss), Mike Gundy, and Bob Stoops. I used to put Jimbo Fisher in this pile but apparently he could leave Florida State. Times have changed, that's for sure.

Gruden is what the fan base wants. Anything less than Tennessee coming out and saying, "we tried our best and he turned us down" will lead to some deflation of a sagging fanbase.

Besides Gruden, the more prominent names I've heard are Fisher, Al Golden, Gundy, Larry Fedora, Charlie Strong, James Franklin, Dan Mullen, and Petrino.

I can't help but think Fisher and Gundy are pipe dreams. Fisher would have much more interest in Auburn and Gundy is an OSU alum. Get real.

Golden's in a mess at Miami but stated earlier that he's in it to win it.

Fedora's just wrapping up his first season at UNC. It boggles my mind why you would want a coach that would be coaching his third (or fourth in the case of Freeze) team in as many years.

I actually really like the idea of Strong.

Franklin is a no thanks for me. I'm not sure how you can hire Vanderbilt's guy and look yourself in the mirror the next day.

Mullen is another no thanks for me. I've learned enough about him via my Mississippi St family to know I don't want him around. He's a jerk from what I'm told, and it's been amped up this year. Plus, he's got potential NCAA garbage coming.

Petrino. I'd need half a dozen showers. This guy ranks up there with Callahan with me. I'm not sure I can support him. I'd certainly wouldn't have to for long. Lord knows he'd leave for whatever 'dream' job would be out there for him after a year or three.

My wish list would include Gus Malzahn (Arkansas St), but there's no chance I'd get him.

The AD suggested that head coaching experience is important, which may leave people like Greg Roman and Kirby Smart outside. Smart wouldn't want the job anyhow. I mean, after all, he's Smart.


I had a little hope that maybe Tennessee would try and wrap this up quickly, despite the AD suggesting it could wind it's way through December. Forget the recruiting aspect. My bigger concern is that other schools are now going to be after Gruden and the other targets.

I just hope Tenn and Ark keep their eyes out of Clemson, SC and Mr. Morris.

If I were Clemson and someone wanted to hire Morris away, I think I would fire Dabo and promote "The Chad"...but thats just me.

I don't know why but I've heard more Dabo talk than Morris, which is crazy.

Embree gone at CU

Pinkel next?

Saw this on another site and it seems like a good starting point for discussion (some are certainly stretches):

School - Top Candidate - Backup
Arkansas - Gus Malzahn (Charlie Strong)
Auburn - Charlie Strong (Mario Cristrobal)
Boston College - Steve Adazzio (Chuck Amato)
Cal - Kyle Whittingham (Bronco Mendenhall)
Colorado - Gary Anderson (Chris Ault)
Kentucky - Sonny Dykes (Chad Morris)
NC State - Butch Jones (Kirby Smart)
Purdue - Darrell Hazell (Frank Solich)
Tennessee - David Cutcliffe (Kirby Smart)
USC - Chris Petersen (Art Briles)

Louisville - Chad Morris (Kirby Smart)
Duke - Bud Foster (Larry Coker)
Ark State

I cant see Cal pulling either of those two guys

For Purdue, I could see Hazell but not Solich (age issues there and there is a lot about why he only came back for Ohio). I would guess one of two other MAC coaches as the back-up: Dourin or Lembo.

Cutcliffe just signed an extension and has been out of most Tennessee talk conversation since then.

As for Purdue, there's talk in UT circles of Cheney returning to Purdue as a head coach. Cheney is a good guy. If the next coach doesn't retain him, I'll be sad to see him go.

Re: Mizzou

I still haven't seen the St. Louis beat writers suggest it's true that Pinkel may retire. I have a hard time believing it to this point.

Cutcliffe can't leave duke. The medical benefits are untouchable for him.
Louisville, I don't think, can/willing to afford Morris. He really wants to go back to Texas, so Arkansas scare me.

Louisville could afford Morris from what I hear. Their AD has reportedly threatened to match (or beat? I can't recall) any offer for Strong.

The site Swaggs is referring to is suggesting that Strong is gone so Morris would be next in line.

Cutcliffe says he's going nowhere & I believe him. And the AD said very plainly that head coaching experience was a must for the new hire, so Smart really isn't an option (unless the AD was simply full of shit).

And I don't think hiring a UGA alum with Saban ties is something that the UT fan base would be comfortable with on the heels of the last UGA+Bama connected guy.

I don't see Malzahn returning to Arkansas, either. He was a polarizing figure when he was there as an offensive coordinator.

Honestly I'd say there's a better chance of Chizik getting the UT job than it going to a guy with no head coaching experience.

Well to be clear, he'll make 2million next year as Clemson of, and there is that pesky 5m buyout for a non hot list school. I'm not saying he isn't worth it, I'm on record wishing we'd have fired Dabo and promoted Morris, I just doubt most will pay that for a first time head coach only 3 years removed from high school football.

[quote=JonInMiddleGA;2747809]Cutcliffe says he's going nowhere & I believe him. [/YQUOTE]

Cut has some health issues that he is receiving experimental treatment for from dukes research facility. These are serious supposedly terminal health issues, according to some friends inside duke, and the treatments would exceed his salary there "by ten fold" if he had to pay for them.

I don't know exactly what it is Cut is facing, but supposedly it puts duke in a comfy position for a coach for a while.

From I what I can see, the buyout only pertains for other coordinator and/or assistant jobs.

Louisville's athletic department generates more revenue than any Pac 12 or ACC school because their new basketball facility has been a ridiculous moneymaker. I think the last report I saw, they were in the top 20 of any AD in the country, despite their horrendous Big East TV contract, because their basketball program generates surplus revenue similar to a lot of football programs.

Strong makes about $2.3M now and I'm sure he'll get a raise whether he stays or goes. I'm sure they could easily go to $3M for their next coach. If they can end up finding a landing spot outside of the Big East and erase the non-AQ liability in recruiting., it will become a very, very attractive job

+1

Colorado fans are mentioning that Charlie Strong and Jack Del Rio are interested in the position.

Ya,
right

They're delusional on Strong. DelRio might not be so far-fetched though...

JDR could be in line for another NFL job.

And there is that USC job..

Colorado fans are also mentioning Nick Aliotti too, so they probably are crazy

There was a rumor on the Dawgman.com boards earlier today from someone who claimed to know someone who knows Aliotti saying he was a candidate to be the head coach there, and this was before it got reported that Embree had been fired. People scoffed at first, and then Embree was fired and now that rumor doesn't look quite so out of left field.

It seems a bit odd to me that Aliotti would be a head coaching target, but if serious sanctions are on the way at Oregon, Aliotti has much longer ties with most of that staff there than the presumed replacement for Kelly (OC Helfrich) - he might actually be able to pull a pretty good staff together.

I cant see CU hiring a first year guy after the Embree experiment.

Me too, but at least Aliotti has experience as a coordinator. I'm just surprised that AD is going to get another chance to hire a football coach there...

Embree was a push by the alums

Rumors, and that's all they are that I know of (no local writer suggesting it that I know of) that Gary Pinkel is resigning at Mizzou.

Part of the issue might be upcoming divorce. Soon to be ex-wife will be paid roughly 23k a month while Pinkel is head coach of Mizzou.

Cal has a chance at Kyle but Bronco is long term at BYU. His contract expires next season but I see it getting renewed this season.

The BOT's (The Mormon Church) and BYU's President love Bronco and his approach of making the schools unique qualities a recruiting stick. Based on top of the fact he was replacing Crowton and probably the worst PR nightmare BYU has ever had, consecutive Bowl Seasons, Winning Seasons and all that jazz....it's his to lose and he has stated when he is done at BYU he is done with coaching.

Agreed, just wish he would do a better job of evaluating friggin quarterbacks!!

I hope the Bearcats can keep Butch Jones

He really should wait for a better job than Kentucky.

That being said, his 4th and inches play call last week against Rutgers was one of the dumbest I've ever seen, so I wouldn't be surprised if he does go.

Sark to Ark?

Pinkel is the reason Mizzou is in the SEC. Pinkel is staying. I won't go all MJ4H if I am wrong but firing him after one poor season after what he has done would have to make think other coaches think twice about coming to Mizzou right? Plus with Tenn, Ark, and Auburn open in the SEC what exactly would they be able to get as the 3rd/4th most desirable opening in just the conference?

Tressel to Tennessee? Just something I heard...

Can't coach until 2016 I think.