Okay, so how is this Nebraska news and why is it worth talking about? Because there is no other profession where the six degrees of separation plays a bigger role. And while it’s often hard to see who a firing or hiring effects, unsuspecting names often pop out of the woodwork.
As of now, it’s hard to imagine there is anyone at Nebraska that could be affected by a head coach’s firing. However, hiring is another issue. Looking through Nebraska’s staff there isn’t anyone that sets off alarm bells, but if there were two names of interest it would be Dana Hologorsen and Addison Williams.
I don’t think Holgorsen is a realistic head coaching candidate. For one I’m not convinced he wants to be a head coach in today’s NIL world. And frankly, his body of work over the last few years hasn’t had anybody beating down his door. But you never know.
As for Addison Williams, he was the defensive coordinator at UCF under Gus Malzahn. In my opinion he’s underutilized at Nebraska and could be a defensive coordinator target for almost anyone. He’s also a tremendous recruiter. So, pay attention, Husker fans.
The Cycle Starts
Other than a couple of defensive coordinators getting the axe in Tyson Summers at Colorado State and Bobby Hauck at Illinois, the coaching carousel sat still until last week when the first firing was announced.
Maryland fired Mike Locksley during their bye week. Locksley was in his 8th season with the Terrapins and was 2-5 at the time of his firing. He had an overall record of 39-54 and was 2-20 in conference games over the last three seasons. He went 8-5 and won bowl games in both his 2022 and 2023 seasons. Locksley has a $9.75 million buyout.
All it took was that first click of the wheel to get things moving and Locksley was that click.
On Saturday, North Carlonia State fired Dave Doeren after a 31-28 loss to Stanford on Friday night. Doren was in the middle of his 14th season and finished with a record of 98-73 while leading the Wolfpack. He only had four losing seasons while at Raleigh and just a few seasons ago Doeren’s name came up on multiple hot boards for coaching hires. Doeren has a $10.3 million buyout.
Sunday Baylor fired Dave Aranda after losing to Kansas 25-24. Aranda was in his 7th season and finished with a record of 40-40. With only two winning seasons he started the year as a probable hotseat coach. Aranda was defensive coordinator for Ed Orgeron at LSU in 2019 during their national championship season. His buyout is $12 million.
While it doesn’t move the wheel, it’s also worth mentioning Dan Lanning at Oregon let offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer go on Sunday. Mehringer was in his first year as offensive coordinator after replacing Will Stein. Mehringer had been with Oregon since 2022 as a tight end coach and co-offensive coordinator.
Jump Start
We are now in week 9 of the season, and once the firings begin you will see the carousel pick up momentum. If you’re a school looking to make a coaching change you don’t want to be outside looking in. You want your name in the hat for the next group of new hires. So, look for the wheel to pick up speed.
With NIL and the transfer portal, the hiring of a new head coach has as much to do with access to players as it does coaching ability. That will play a role.
Player Connections
Of the firings so far, that makes Mike Locksley interesting. While Locksley may not be in the running for many head coaching jobs, there’s a good chance he’ll land somewhere as an offensive coordinator. He was part of Nick Saban’s staff in 2017 when they won a national championship and the following season he became the offensive coordinator, winning the Broyles Award, which is given to the nation’s top college football assistant.
So, why am I talking about Locksley? Remember this, after a breakout season as a true freshman 6’5”, 227-pound QB Malik Washington stayed at Maryland for another season because of Locksley. It’s hard to say after the firing, but there was a strong relationship between the two. Whoever hires Locksley could be in the running to get Washington as well.
In the new 5-for-5 world Washington has three years of eligibility remaining after this season. And to make things even more interesting, 5’11”, 175-pound WR Chris Durr and Washington have shown a connection this season, making them a duo multiple teams would like to have. Durr has 52 receptions for 580 yards, an 11.2 yard per reception average and 4 TDs after seven games.
Whoever pursues Locksley may be looking to acquire more than just a coach.
Candidates
Along with firings the names of potential replacements have also started flying around. Of course, names like Brian Kelly and Jimbo Fisher are mentioned right out of the gate.
But current head coaches probably have the most value as they will more than likely bring players with them, and if they are having enough success to be a potential hire, then the talent level they bring is usually high. The names of hot coach’s schools will target include:
Wake Forest’s Jake Dickert
New Mexico’s Jason Eck
Duke’s Manny Diaz
Memphis’s Charles Huff
UNLV’s Dan Mullen
Boise’s State’s Spencer Danileson
North Dakota State’s Jason Polasek
UTSA’s Jeff Traylor
Texas State’s G.J. Kinne
I’m also going to list a trio of wildcard coaches who aren’t necessarily on the hotseat or tearing the college football world up but may be looking to make a change.
Clemson’s Dabo Swinney
Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck
USC’s Lincoln Riley
Some schools may go the hot coordinator route in hopes they find another Will Stein at Kentucky. Those names include:
Florida’s OC Buster Faulkner
Miami’s OC Shannon Dawson
Miami’s DC Corey Hetherman
LSU’s OC Charlie Weis Jr
Indiana’s OC Mike Shanahan
Indiana’s DC Bryant Haines
Georgia DC Glenn Schumann
Hot Seats
Don’t forget coaches that are on the hotseat either. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. One example of that could be Joey McGuire at Texas Tech. It may be premature, but McGuire may be on the hotseat due to a hothead. Big time booster Cody Campbell wasn’t happy with Tech’s loss to Cincinnati Saturday, stating on social media, “There is no excuse or reason to lose a game like this. We have to be better at Texas Tech. It’s unacceptable.”
It’s a given McGuire would be Baylor’s top target if he were available.
Other names on firing watch include:
Florida State’s Mike Norvell
South Carolina’s Shane Beamer
North Carolina’s Bill Belichick
Kansas’s Lance Leipold
Colorado’s Deion Sanders
Rutgers’s Greg Schiano
It’s early in the coaching carousel, but I’ve listed over thirty names that will more than likely be on the move or pursued before it’s all said and done. Hang on to your seats college football fans it appears it’s going to be another busy off season.
GO BIG RED!! SIMPLE, FAST, VIOLENT!!
Art worked designed and owned by Lyle Harmon and ‘Off the Cob’.
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