📡 Nebraska’s considering hiring a triple-option head coach, plus loads of coaching news on other teams

[Max]

College football’s hiring and firing season is in full swing. Heading into the final weeks of the regular season, here’s some inside chatter on lots of big searches (and potential searches), per various sources within the coaching industry.

Nebraska
The Huskers haven’t fired Mike Riley yet, but that’s likely to happen soon.

Scott Frost, the current UCF head coach, remains Nebraska’s first choice. A previous version of a possible deal with Frost was believed to be 10 years and "about $5 million" per year, though the following has since been reported:

After UCF’s win over Temple, Frost denied the news reported in that tweet.

Nebraska is also considering coaches who run the triple-option, flexbone offense, specifically Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo. Sources indicate that if Nebraska approached Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson, he would recommend Niumatalolo or Army’s Jeff Monken, both his former assistants.



Scott Frost is perfect for a possible Nebraska opening, but here’s who should be No. 2 on the list

Florida
The Gators want Frost. But Florida is worried about the Heartland native’s ability to build out a staff of SEC recruiters, and the Gators are wary of him bringing his entire UCF staff with him to Gainesville. If Frost were to take the job, Florida would want to include current interim Randy Shannon and perhaps other current Gators on the defensive staff.


Florida has spoken with USF head coach Charlie Strong, a former UF defensive coordinator before his time as head coach at Louisville and Texas.

Chip Kelly
He’s talked with Florida, is also known to be eying West Coast jobs, and is interested in UCLA.

Tennessee
Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden has met with athletic director John Currie about the vacancy. This was a procedural move, and it helped Currie with factions of Tennessee fans and boosters who have long been obsessed with Gruden.

Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen and Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano are candidates.

Current interim head coach Brady Hoke is not considered a candidate, and could go to the NFL for a position job.

Arkansas, Auburn, and Florida State
The Razorbacks will move on from head coach Bret Bielema after the season.

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn is interested in returning home to take that position once it’s open, though his status might depend on this week’s Iron Bowl. He’d also have a hand in picking Arkansas’ new AD.

Memphis coach Mike Norvell will also be a candidate for the Arkansas job, once it’s open. Norvell is from the state and his two years recruiting for Memphis are considered a plus to boosters.

If Malzahn leaves, expect Auburn people to push for Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher. If Fisher were to land at Auburn, he’d hope to retain at least current Tigers defensive coordinator Kevin Steele and associate head coach Rodney Garner.

If Fisher stays at FSU (Texas A&M and Tennessee are also interested), expect him to change at least half of his coaching staff.

Ole Miss
Ole Miss has spoken to a large number of candidates while trying to position a job that could be very good or very bad. With the NCAA’s final ruling on the Rebels still TBD, candidates don’t know exactly what kind of roster they’ll be inheriting. Ole Miss has interest in Norvell, Strong, and Oregon’s Willie Taggart.

[Editor’s note: A preemptively published version of this story described Taggart as having received and turned down an Ole Miss offer. It’s been corrected. My fault. — Jason Kirk]

Regardless of sanctions, AD Ross Bjork could make a move similar to Baylor’s hire of Matt Rhule: bringing in a proven head coach with no prior connections. Mississippi state law prevents the Rebels from offering a long-term, six-to-seven-year contract, but sources indicate an incentivized deal could compensate for guaranteed years.

Oregon
There is a strong level of interest in Taggart at multiple SEC schools. If the Oregon job were to come open, Mullen could be a candidate with the Ducks, who courted the Mississippi State head coach last year.

If the choice arose, Frost might prefer Oregon, where he used to be the offensive coordinator, to Nebraska.

Mississippi State
Could make a push for Memphis’ Norvell, in the event Mullen leaves. The perception of Mississippi State as a tough job doesn’t match the reality, in coaching circles; the Bulldogs can and will pay, and Mullen has shown that the right developer of talent can win in the West.

Hugh Freeze
If the embattled former Ole Miss head coach isn’t hit with a show-cause by the NCAA, he’ll try for a head coaching job this cycle, potentially at the Sun Belt or C-USA level.

Oregon State
The Beavers contacted recently fired Tennessee coach Butch Jones. Other names around the job include former Florida head coach Jim McElwain, Niumatalolo, and Virginia’s Bronco Mendenhall, an alumnus.

UCF and USF
Aside from Houston, Florida’s AAC directionals are widely considered the best jobs in the Group of Five. Oregon’s Cristobal, the former FIU head coach, will be of interest if either position opens. USF would also have interest in Tennessee OC Larry Scott, an alumnus and former interim head coach at Miami.

Georgia Southern
The Eagles are interested in Army offensive coordinator Brent Davis for their open head coaching job. Davis is a Georgia native and a former Eagles assistant. Fans in Statesboro revere the Johnson/Monken under-center triple option that Davis would install.

A group of decision-makers has interest in Tee Martin, the former Tennessee quarterback and current USC offensive coordinator.

College football coaching search news: New notes on loads of teams - SBNation.com

 

[alabama mike]

I think Nebraska will continue to pursue Frost hard and the Veer may make a return. If not, do you go the route of the service academies? Maybe, maybe not. The bottom line is you have to have someone that can come in a recruit. It’s going to be a tough job no matter who is hired.

If Chip Kelly was the first choice at UF, an announcement should have already been made IMO. He is not coaching this season and could fulfill his ESPN duties while getting a staff together. Charlie Strong could end up in Gator land. Dan Mullen was OC back in the day as well.

Forget Gruden! Why would a former NFL coach and current announcer go th college route with limited practice time? He’s not. I haven’t heard the name Tee Martin, former UT national champion QB mentioned much. He could unite the home front and would be given some extra time to build the program. Schiano will get another shot at a college had job but not sure what he could do with his east coast mentality.

Arkansas may go after Charlie Strong. If I am not mistaken, he is from there. I am not sure Gus has the support in Arkansas that many think he does.if he interviews at Arky, the folks on the Plains are going to be livid, especially if h pulls off a win against Bama this week. Auburn is a train wreck waiting to happen if Gus goes home. I could be wrong but I do not see Jimbo knocking down th doors to go to Auburn.

Ole Miss better stay with who they have with NCAA sanctions looming. Who would want to walk into that mess with both hands tied behind your back?

If I happen d to be th AD looking for a coach, Starkville, Mississippi would be my first call. Mullen can flat out coach and develop players.

 

[TerryP]

One person I think should be getting some serious looks is Pat Fitzgerald. He fits that Rich Brooks mold as I see him. If he falls at the right place...