3 great names to consider

[Quaoarsking]

Disclaimer: I want us to keep Dan Mullen. 5 years ago we were thrilled to be 8-4. Today we're pissed. That's a testament to how good of a job he's done. I'd rather keep Mullen than hire any of these 3, because you just never know when hiring a new coach. But I think all 3 of these would be home run hires, and I think they're all realistic.

Philip Montgomery (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Montgomery) - head coach, Tulsa
Former OC at Baylor from 2006-2014, developing QBs like Robert Griffin III (Heisman winner) and Bryce Petty.
Was able to modify his offense for an elite mobile QB and a stationary one.
Baylor built up to over 600 yards/game under him.
Tulsa went 2-10 last year without him, now they're 6-6 and averaging over 500 yards/game.
43 years old
Willie Fritz (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Fritz) - head coach, Georgia Southern
Mainly a defense guy, but has always run a "pistol triple option," which is similar to Navy/Georgia Tech but also has a lot of shotgun and pistol snaps. May be the perfect system for Fitz.
40-15 at Sam Houston State, with two championship game appearances
Now 17-6 at Georgia Southern. Georgia Southern transitioned from FCS to Sun Belt and immediately has dominated, only losing 1 conference game
Tom Herman (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Herman_(American_football)) - head coach, Houston
Former OC for Urban Meyer at Ohio State, so already runs a similar offense.
Has Houston 11-1 after the previous coach was 20-17 over the last 3 years
Supposedly turned down South Carolina to hold out for a better job, but it may turn out that no better jobs come open and he'll look at a school like us
40 years old

[Todd4State]

I agree that all are great choices. Great list.

[Dawgfan77]

Please no triple option. Add sonny dykes and mat wells to your list

[BrunswickDawg]

You guys would like Willie Fritz. Lots of energy. Has his guys prepared. Now that GSU is FBS, his recruiting will kill GT, and possibly start impacting UGA on depth.

Eta - I had to edit Fitz to Fritz, I've typed Fitz so much over the past3 years my phone autocorrected it.

[Treemydawg]

Good list. If Dan does actually leave Herman would be my choice to go after.

[Blackout]

Yes to all 3. It will be hard to **** this hire up but I won't put it past Strick

[Saltydog]

coming. If he turned down USCe, he won't come here.

[Blackout]

coming. If he turned down USCe, he won't come here.

If USCe offered 2.1 million and we offered 2.8 million he would.

[Coach34]

Herman turned down SC- can't see him taking ours. Waiting on a bigger gig

[Boya]

I don't want Dan to be let go but I think he may want to leave. So...I'll add Larry Fedora to the list. Makes 1.9M at UNC.

[HancockCountyDog]

Herman turned down SC- can't see him taking ours. Waiting on a bigger gig

Herman is the only name mentioned that would be considered a home run hire.

[HereComesTheSpiral]

Herman turned down SC- can't see him taking ours. Waiting on a bigger gig

Doesn't Herman have a relationship with the AD at MIZZOU? Not saying that is a better job and is probably not attractive with all that has gone on there.

[Blackout]

Herman turned down SC- can't see him taking ours. Waiting on a bigger gig

Or mo $$$$$$$

[MetEdDawg]

I would consider Kyle Whittingham a pretty damn good hire. He would be my first choice. Not sure if there is any mutual interest, but I would go there first. Surround him with the right people and this is a successful program. We need to be committed to shelling out some damn money though. Malzahn makes less than Mullen and he does that on purpose. He wants his assistants to make a lot of money so he can get the best ones. We need to commit to the same. Pay the next coach 3-3.5, then spread some around to assistants. We need our assistants to make really good money for this to work. The head coach is a huge factor, but the quality of assistants is extremely important.

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

We have had one elite assistant staff member and he got promptly snatched up by Florida state.

[Behrdawg]

Larry Fedora? Is that a joke? And no to Hud. He has too much going on with the NCAA at ULL. Whittingham is my first choice. Fuente would've been a good pick, but he's gone.

[Blackout]

Mullen is a greedy know it all troll which is why we have new DC's every year with the same scheme.

[Treemydawg]

Herman is the only name mentioned that would be considered a home run hire.

Exactly why we should start with him. Throw an obscene amount at him. Make him a offer he can't refuse.

[Sacrifice]

We'll have to offer 4 mill or over to get Herman. Hell Houston is offering him 3 mill right now as a starting point.

[UMCDawg16]

Rich Rod

[Blackout]

We'll have to offer 4 mill or over to get Herman. Hell Houston is offering him 3 mill right now as a starting point.

So upgrade the coach and keep the pay the same as we have been paying?

Yes all day

[Blackout]

Rich Rod

6-6 this year.

[Todd4State]

Larry Fedora? Is that a joke? And no to Hud. He has too much going on with the NCAA at ULL. Whittingham is my first choice. Fuente would've been a good pick, but he's gone.

Whitingham is Morman. That's a huge issue when we're talking recruiting in MS and the south. Especially with Hugh Swaggert in Oxford.

[Sacrifice]

So upgrade the coach and keep the pay the same as we have been paying?

Yes all day

Hell yeah, to me he'd be worth every penny.

[BhamDawg]

Rich Rod

17 no. He beat up a bunch of nobodies in the Big East and has been .500 since. Would be a terrible hire.

[Political Hack]

I would consider Kyle Whittingham a pretty damn good hire. He would be my first choice. Not sure if there is any mutual interest, but I would go there first. Surround him with the right people and this is a successful program. We need to be committed to shelling out some damn money though. Malzahn makes less than Mullen and he does that on purpose. He wants his assistants to make a lot of money so he can get the best ones. We need to commit to the same. Pay the next coach 3-3.5, then spread some around to assistants. We need our assistants to make really good money for this to work. The head coach is a huge factor, but the quality of assistants is extremely important.

Yes.

[msstate7]

Should we call rhule?

[Todd4State]

Yes.

Why do y'all want Whittingham so badly? I think he is a good coach but I'm not sure he is a good fit.

[Quaoarsking]

Herman is on this list because I suspect LSU, Texas, Georgia, etc., aren't coming open. Supposedly he turned down South Carolina to hold out for something better, but if that doesn't happen, he may look at us.

However, we could hire Montgomery or Fritz today -- not a lot of buzz on those two for whatever reason. We'd probably have to wait a few weeks on Herman if he's looking for a top job.

[Quaoarsking]

Why do y'all want Whittingham so badly? I think he is a good coach but I'm not sure he is a good fit.

I echo this question. He'd be fine, but he hasn't had a lot of success since Utah joined the Big Boys table. I'd much rather have Herman, Fritz, or Montgomery.

[msstate7]

Why do y'all want Whittingham so badly? I think he is a good coach but I'm not sure he is a good fit.

We say we want a recruiter... Kyle has consistently had Utah at the bottom of the pac12 in recruiting

[Quaoarsking]

We say we want a recruiter... Kyle has consistently had Utah at the bottom of the pac12 in recruiting

He's also 20-25 in Pac-12 games. That's not a splash or home run at all.

[Todd4State]

We say we want a recruiter... Kyle has consistently had Utah at the bottom of the pac12 in recruiting

I think he would be Dan 2.0 but actually Morman. I don't know if some of our more vocal posters

[Quaoarsking]

Year
Team
Overall
Conference
Standing
Bowl/playoffs
Coaches#
AP-


Utah Utes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Utes_football) (Mountain West Conference (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_West_Conference)) (2005-2010)


2004 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_NCAA_Division_I_FBS_football_season)
Utah (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Utah_Utes_football_team)*
1-0
0-0

W Fiesta (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Fiesta_Bowl)-
5
4


2005 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_NCAA_Division_I-A_football_season)
Utah (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Utah_Utes_football_team)
7-5
4-4
T-4th
W Emerald (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Emerald_Bowl)




2006 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_NCAA_Division_I_FBS_football_season)
Utah (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Utah_Utes_football_team)
8-5
5-3
T-3rd
W Armed Forces (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Armed_Forces_Bowl)




2007 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_NCAA_Division_I_FBS_football_season)
Utah (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Utah_Utes_football_team)
9-4
5-3
T-3rd
W Poinsettia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Poinsettia_Bowl)




2008 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_NCAA_Division_I_FBS_football_season)
Utah (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Utah_Utes_football_team)
13-0
8-0
1st
W Sugar (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Sugar_Bowl)-
4
2


2009 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_NCAA_Division_I_FBS_football_season)
Utah (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Utah_Utes_football_team)
10-3
6-2
3rd
W Poinsettia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Poinsettia_Bowl)
18
18


2010 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_NCAA_Division_I_FBS_football_season)
Utah (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Utah_Utes_football_team)
10-3
7-1
2nd
L Las Vegas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Maaco_Bowl_Las_Vegas)
23



Utah Utes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Utes_football) (Pac-12 Conference (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pac-12_Conference)) (2011-Present)


2011 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_NCAA_Division_I_FBS_football_season)
Utah (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Utah_Utes_football_team)
8-5
4-5
T-3rd (South)
W Sun (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Sun_Bowl)




2012 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_NCAA_Division_I_FBS_football_season)
Utah (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Utah_Utes_football_team)
5-7
3-6
5th (South)





2013 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_NCAA_Division_I_FBS_football_season)
Utah (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Utah_Utes_football_team)
5-7
2-7
5th (South)





2014 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_NCAA_Division_I_FBS_football_season)
Utah (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Utah_Utes_football_team)
9-4
5-4
5th (South)
W Las Vegas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Las_Vegas_Bowl)
20
21


2015 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_NCAA_Division_I_FBS_football_season)
Utah (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Utah_Utes_football_team)
9-3
6-3
T-1st (South)





Utah:
94-46
55-38
* Was Co-head coach with Urban Meyer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_Meyer) of the Fiesta Bowl (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Fiesta_Bowl)[5] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyle_Whittingham#cite_note-Co-head-5)


Total:
94-46

[Blackout]

I echo this question. He'd be fine, but he hasn't had a lot of success since Utah joined the Big Boys table. I'd much rather have Herman, Fritz, or Montgomery.

Absolutely

[cheewgumm]

Todd, sadly you're right about KW. I'm not sure who we should get but you have to take that aspect into account. Especially recruiting kids in MS. Freeze will take advantage of that.

[Quaoarsking]

Philip Montgomery is a Freeze-style super Christian: http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/tusportsextra/the-philip-montgomery-file-faith-family-football-are-focus-of/article_d6b5391e-a1c5-5d6d-846e-4deda8dd8b88.html

[Todd4State]

Todd, sadly you're right about KW. I'm not sure who we should get but you have to take that aspect into account. Especially recruiting kids in MS. Freeze will take advantage of that.

It's Southern culture. It is what it is. Momma's like it when they see the entire Ole Miss team pray in the end zone before kickoff.

[Coach34]

So after an adjustment period into a major conference for the 1st time- he has won 9 games the last 2 seasons? And this is bad why??

He is a proven HC in a P5 conference. 9-3 this year with recruiting limitations and very little talent in his home state.

[War Machine Dawg]

I think he would be Dan 2.0 but actually Morman. I don't know if some of our more vocal posters

I'll say what I've always said: We're hiring a football coach, not a Sunday School teacher.

[SDDawg]

I'll say what I've always said: We're hiring a football coach, not a Sunday School teacher.

It won't be a problem for you or me because we're decent educated people, but it will be a problem for many. It's a step backwards honestly, you think recruiting is tough now just wait. I don't wish ill for the man, just stating the facts that he would really struggle recruiting in MS/AL/GA which are essential to our program.

[Quaoarsking]

So after an adjustment period into a major conference for the 1st time- he has won 9 games the last 2 seasons? And this is bad why??

He is a proven HC in a P5 conference. 9-3 this year with recruiting limitations and very little talent in his home state.

No one said he's bad. He's just ho-hum and most likely a downgrade from Mullen. We could do much worse obviously.

Montgomery, Fritz, and Herman are all potentially upgrades, and two of them could be hired today.

[BankerDog]

Monken
Fedora
Herman
Fritz

[Quaoarsking]

What do Robert Griffin III, Case Keenum, Kevin Kolb, and Bryce Petty have in common?

Answer: Very little, as they are all completely different style QBs. The common link is Philip Montgomery.

[TrapGame]

What Monken has done at USM is just short of miraculous. After he got some transfers and juco guys with talent to fill some holes it was on. We have more talent than USM just think what he could do here.

[civildawg]

What do Robert Griffin III, Case Keenum, Kevin Kolb, and Bryce Petty have in common?

Answer: Very little, as they are all completely different style QBs. The common link is Philip Montgomery.

I agree, he is on top of my list

[Really Clark?]

Dino Babers, Montgomery, Scott Frost, Rhule, Greg Schiano, Herman you call but he is not coming. If USC goes a different direction Clay Helton may be a good back up. D J Durkin

Matt Cambell is headed to Iowa State (good hire for them). Fedora is about to get a pay raise. He is not leaving NC coming here unless there is even more NCAA problems coming down. Monken needs to prove it again next year. Like him but took a little too long to be competitive in the CUSA. His recruits were not getting it done so had to bring in a bunch of transfers. Worry about talent evaluation.

[Quaoarsking]

Add Richt to the list as #4. Not sure if he still has the fire, but Stricklin needs to check into it and see.

[PassInterference]

I'll say what I've always said: We're hiring a football coach, not a Sunday School teacher.

When you recruit in the Deep South, it matters. This is a big part of why Freeze is so strong at crootin. More than being Christian he talks and sounds like a Baptist minister.

[War Machine Dawg]

What do Robert Griffin III, Case Keenum, Kevin Kolb, and Bryce Petty have in common?

Answer: Very little, as they are all completely different style QBs. The common link is Philip Montgomery.

The more I think about it, the more I think Montgomery should be our #1 choice. Unless by some miracle we could convince a guy like Chip Kelly or Dabo to come here. And even I'm not crazy enough to think there's a chance in hell of that happening.

[PassInterference]

Alright, let's see what Montgomery's crootin strategy is. Right now I've got him first of the clubhouse leaderboard.

[Political Hack]

Y'all want to hire a young coach like Diaz was when he bolted after a singl season to Texas? These boys (yes, BOYS) have stars in their eyes. You hire someone that's going to be here for 10 years unless we choose to fire them.

If Mullen goes, this is our chance of solidify ourselves as a major program. You don't do that by turning your head coaches my job into a springboard for young talented coaches. You hire someone that will be a Mark Richt, Frank Beamer, or Les Miles. No flash. Just substance and consistent results.

Whittingham and Herman are the two I like. I think both would potentially stay for a long time and both will be productive.

[Todd4State]

Y'all want to hire a young coach like Diaz was when he bolted after a singl season to Texas? These boys (yes, BOYS) have stars in their eyes. You hire someone that's going to be here for 10 years unless we choose to fire them.

If Mullen goes, this is our chance of solidify ourselves as a major program. You don't do that by turning your head coaches my job into a springboard for young talented coaches. You hire someone that will be a Mark Richt, Frank Beamer, or Les Miles. No flash. Just substance and consistent results.

Whittingham and Herman are the two I like. I think both would potentially stay for a long time and both will be productive.

I disagree. Dan was here seven years and look at the state of our program. It's in great shape for someone to take over and do a great job again. 5-7 years is about long enough for coaches nowadays anyway unless you land a legend.

We shouldn't hire someone just because they'll stay around.

[Political Hack]

Agree that shouldn't be the main criteria Todd, but if they're going to be looking at spot number 2 as soon as they get here we need to avoid them. A lot of the names on that list would see this as a temporary spot before they ever stepped foot on campus. I don't want that mentality on our campus.

[Behrdawg]

Whitingham is Morman. That's a huge issue when we're talking recruiting in MS and the south. Especially with Hugh Swaggert in Oxford.

And what is Mullen?

[Behrdawg]

When you recruit in the Deep South, it matters. This is a big part of why Freeze is so strong at crootin. More than being Christian he talks and sounds like a Baptist minister.

Ole Miss money talks more to parents than Freeze's blasphemy.