Quaoarsking
09-15-2013, 05:06 PM
I'm not on board the "Fire Mullen" bandwagon, and I honestly don't think there's any way he gets fired after this season. Of course, I thought that about Croom in 2008, even as late as the 11th game of the season, and I wouldn't be completely stunned if Dan made a lateral move to a similar-level program in another conference.
Even though I think Mullen is pretty likely to be our head coach in 2014, I've compiled some names we should keep in mind. I'm going to try to keep the list to coaches who would plausibly take the job, although this can be very difficult to judge. We don't always know how happy a coach is at his job -- I was shocked when Arkansas hired Bret Bielema last year, so it's possible the SEC pull may attract a similar hire for us. But if we know a coach is at his dream job (Kliff Kingsbury), I won't bother listing him. These are in no certain order:
Current head coaches who have had success and we could probably hire
Rob Ambrose, HC Towson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Ambrose) (turned around a terrible Towson program)
Craig Bohl, HC North Dakota State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Bohl) (he may be a Petersen, but I can't imagine him turning down the SEC)
Dave Clawson, HC Bowling Green (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Clawson)
Mark Hudspeth, HC Louisiana Lafayette (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Hudspeth) (the favorite)
June Jones, HC SMU (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Jones) (formerly HC Hawai'i)
Mike Leach, HC Washington State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Leach_(coach)) (formerly HC Texas Tech)
Bobby Petrino, HC Western Kentucky (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Petrino) (Stricklin, the SEC, or the boosters might veto)
Bob Stitt, HC Colorado Mines (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Stitt) (has been called the best offensive mind in football)
Longshots, but maybe the SEC would appeal to them. Couldn't hurt to ask.
Art Briles, HC Baylor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Briles)
Sonny Dykes, HC California (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Dykes) (Does he fit into the culture of Berkeley, CA?)
Mike Gundy, HC Oklahoma State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Gundy) (he flirted with Tennessee and Arkansas last year. With the SI story, he may get fired or want the hell out of dodge)
Bronco Mendenhall, HC BYU (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronco_Mendenhall) (I doubt we lure a Mormon away from BYU, but he's a great coach and worth a call)
Chris Petersen, HC Boise State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Petersen) (not happening)
Mark Richt, HC Georgia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Richt) (obviously only a possibility if Georgia moronically fires him)
Rich Rodriguez, HC Arizona (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Rodriguez)
Charlie Strong, HC Louisville (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Strong)
Head coaching experience, but too little to actually judge. Were good coordinators
Tim DeRuyter, HC Fresno State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_DeRuyter) (been decent at Fresno, but a former Big 12 DC is scary)
Bryan Harsin, HC Arkansas State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Harsin) (formerly OC Boise State and Texas. Arkansas State is SEC coaching factory.)
Jim McElwain, HC Colorado State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_McElwain) (formerly OC Alabama)
Todd Monken, HC Southern Miss (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Monken) (formerly OC Oklahoma State)
Good coordinators. Should be able to hire any of these unless someone "better" does first.
Major Applewhite, OC Texas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Applewhite) (The moral guardians might veto. May have stigma of Texas's recent slide)
Mike Bobo, OC Georgia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Bobo)
Bob Diaco, DC Notre Dame (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Diaco)
Bud Foster, DC Virginia Tech (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud_Foster) (he may just not want to be a head coach)
Tony Franklin, OC California (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Franklin_(coach)) (Literally copyrighted the Spread Offense. Not very good at Auburn as OC though)
Chuck Martin, OC Notre Dame (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Martin_(American_football)) (74-7 as HC Grand Valley State)
Philip Montgomery, OC Baylor (http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/philip_montgomery_350366.html) (Elijah Staley could be the next RG3)
Chad Morris, OC Clemson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad_Morris)
Brent Pease, OC Florida (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Pease)
Kirby Smart, DC Alabama (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirby_Smart)
Justin Wilcox, DC Washington (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Wilcox_(American_football_coach)) (formerly DC Tennessee. Not involved with that 67-56 bowl game.)
Retreads
Jeff Bower, former HC Southern Miss (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Bower_(American_football))
Manny Diaz, former DC Mississippi State and Texas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manny_Diaz_(American_football_coach))
Phil Fulmer, former HC Tennessee (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Fulmer)
Lane Kiffin, HC USC (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lane_Kiffin)
Jim Tressel, former HC Ohio State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Tressel) (Does he have a show cause penalty?)
Tommy Tuberville, HC Cincinnati (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Tuberville)
Even though I think Mullen is pretty likely to be our head coach in 2014, I've compiled some names we should keep in mind. I'm going to try to keep the list to coaches who would plausibly take the job, although this can be very difficult to judge. We don't always know how happy a coach is at his job -- I was shocked when Arkansas hired Bret Bielema last year, so it's possible the SEC pull may attract a similar hire for us. But if we know a coach is at his dream job (Kliff Kingsbury), I won't bother listing him. These are in no certain order:
Current head coaches who have had success and we could probably hire
Rob Ambrose, HC Towson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Ambrose) (turned around a terrible Towson program)
Craig Bohl, HC North Dakota State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Bohl) (he may be a Petersen, but I can't imagine him turning down the SEC)
Dave Clawson, HC Bowling Green (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Clawson)
Mark Hudspeth, HC Louisiana Lafayette (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Hudspeth) (the favorite)
June Jones, HC SMU (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Jones) (formerly HC Hawai'i)
Mike Leach, HC Washington State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Leach_(coach)) (formerly HC Texas Tech)
Bobby Petrino, HC Western Kentucky (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Petrino) (Stricklin, the SEC, or the boosters might veto)
Bob Stitt, HC Colorado Mines (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Stitt) (has been called the best offensive mind in football)
Longshots, but maybe the SEC would appeal to them. Couldn't hurt to ask.
Art Briles, HC Baylor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Briles)
Sonny Dykes, HC California (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Dykes) (Does he fit into the culture of Berkeley, CA?)
Mike Gundy, HC Oklahoma State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Gundy) (he flirted with Tennessee and Arkansas last year. With the SI story, he may get fired or want the hell out of dodge)
Bronco Mendenhall, HC BYU (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronco_Mendenhall) (I doubt we lure a Mormon away from BYU, but he's a great coach and worth a call)
Chris Petersen, HC Boise State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Petersen) (not happening)
Mark Richt, HC Georgia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Richt) (obviously only a possibility if Georgia moronically fires him)
Rich Rodriguez, HC Arizona (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Rodriguez)
Charlie Strong, HC Louisville (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Strong)
Head coaching experience, but too little to actually judge. Were good coordinators
Tim DeRuyter, HC Fresno State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_DeRuyter) (been decent at Fresno, but a former Big 12 DC is scary)
Bryan Harsin, HC Arkansas State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Harsin) (formerly OC Boise State and Texas. Arkansas State is SEC coaching factory.)
Jim McElwain, HC Colorado State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_McElwain) (formerly OC Alabama)
Todd Monken, HC Southern Miss (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Monken) (formerly OC Oklahoma State)
Good coordinators. Should be able to hire any of these unless someone "better" does first.
Major Applewhite, OC Texas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Applewhite) (The moral guardians might veto. May have stigma of Texas's recent slide)
Mike Bobo, OC Georgia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Bobo)
Bob Diaco, DC Notre Dame (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Diaco)
Bud Foster, DC Virginia Tech (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud_Foster) (he may just not want to be a head coach)
Tony Franklin, OC California (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Franklin_(coach)) (Literally copyrighted the Spread Offense. Not very good at Auburn as OC though)
Chuck Martin, OC Notre Dame (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Martin_(American_football)) (74-7 as HC Grand Valley State)
Philip Montgomery, OC Baylor (http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/philip_montgomery_350366.html) (Elijah Staley could be the next RG3)
Chad Morris, OC Clemson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad_Morris)
Brent Pease, OC Florida (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Pease)
Kirby Smart, DC Alabama (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirby_Smart)
Justin Wilcox, DC Washington (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Wilcox_(American_football_coach)) (formerly DC Tennessee. Not involved with that 67-56 bowl game.)
Retreads
Jeff Bower, former HC Southern Miss (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Bower_(American_football))
Manny Diaz, former DC Mississippi State and Texas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manny_Diaz_(American_football_coach))
Phil Fulmer, former HC Tennessee (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Fulmer)
Lane Kiffin, HC USC (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lane_Kiffin)
Jim Tressel, former HC Ohio State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Tressel) (Does he have a show cause penalty?)
Tommy Tuberville, HC Cincinnati (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Tuberville)