http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=21504520Adam Rittenberg, Chris Low and Mark Schlabach discuss the coaching vacancies in college football and break down the most likely candidates to fill the slots.AR: Sense on where this is heading with Chip Kelly?
MS: I think he's gonna be deliberate. The fact he hasn't taken the Florida job by now perhaps isn't a good sign for Florida. He made it clear he'll weigh his options. I don't know if he's waiting to see if Texas A&M opens. There's been some rumblings about a big Big Ten job opening by the head coach going to the NFL. Is he waiting on that? Florida is a great opportunity for him. UCLA might be a better fit. We saw how Jim McElwain & some others have wilted in that spotlight down in Gainesville when it's the only show in town. There's a lot more freedom to be yourself & go places in LA because not everyone recognizes the UCLA football coach.
AR: ... How do you look at this as far as what Florida has done in pursuing Kelly?
CL: You take your shot. That's what the Gators have done. I know what that fan base wants: they want someone to come in & light up scoreboards again. Yeah, they want to win & win national championships but want to do it a certain way. That's what Chip Kelly has done offensively. If he doesn't take the job, I don't think there will be egg on their face as long as they get someone that fits there, wants to be there & can handle being in that fish bowl.
AR: If this doesn't work out with Kelly, feels like almost phase 3 of the search. Phase 1 was Scott Frost, then shifted to Chip Kelly as there were rumors of a massive offer to Scott Frost at Nebraska. That obviously hasn't happened yet. It does feel like if Kelly says no, there's phase 3. Is that Frost again? Dan Mullen? What is phase 3 of that search?
MS: I've struggled to figure out if Frost told Florida he was going to Nebraska so they moved away from him & went to Chip Kelly or did Scott Stricklin & others decide Kelly was a better fit than Frost, so now do they go back to Frost. If it's not Frost or Kelly, I think Mullen comes into the picture. Maybe Willie Taggart comes into the picture. Those two & then from there, we'll have to see. I'd be surprised if Taggart or Mullen turned it down. It's a job both would love to have.
AR: Appetite for Mullen? Would there people be standing in the way of Mullen going to Gainesville? He seems to make sense but he hasn't been the focus of the search.
CL: I would not rule Scott Frost out at Florida. That's a possibility. As for Mullen, business is business. If he's the best guy out there, any past issues with Jeremy Foley or others & we've heard Scott Stricklin would feel bad about pulling a guy away from his school, you set all that stuff aside. Absolutely I think Mullen could still get into that. Let me give you a wild card: Dana Holgorsen. Is that a guy they would talk to? I wouldn't rule out them speaking to Holgorsen.
AR: That'd be an interesting move. Let's shift to Tennessee. What are you hearing is the latest in their search?
CL: John is spreading a pretty wide net. He's talked to a lot of people. Coaches in the NFL(not necessarily head coaches), people who are coordinators(some with Tennessee ties), & more than anything, just vetting people trying to get a feel for what Tennessee needs. You talk about fit, Tennessee much more than any of these schools needs the right fit. Someone who can handle what Tennessee is right now. It's a fan base that expects to win 10+ games every year & go to SEC championship games & win them on a regular basis. Over the last 10 years, none of that has happened. I think Mullen is right there. I'm not sure he'd leave Mississippi State for Tennessee. Not saying he wouldn't but certainly not a slam dunk. Matt Campbell at Iowa State is a guy I keep my eyes on if I'm Tennessee. He has a big buyout but Tennessee likes him & I think he'd listen. I would not rule him out at all for that Tennessee job.
AR: I've heard that too. $9.4M buyout. I do know if he leaves there, he wants to take a job where he can compete nationally. Tennessee might be that place. I don't think he'd want to move within the Big 12 & don't think he'd move to a Big Ten job that isn't Michigan or Ohio State. In many ways, Tennessee might be a good spot for him. Thoughts on Campbell/Mullen/Tennessee search?
MS: I'm still trying to remember the words to Rocky Top so when they hire Gruden, I can sing it. I think Mullen would be a great fit. I don't know that Dan would leave Mississippi State for Tennessee right now. He has a really good team coming back next year. They're not losing much. I tried to tell Tennessee people it's a tough job. You have to recruit nationally. That's part of it. Matt Campbell would be a great fit. Mullen would be good. People talk about his record against top 10-15 opponents not being good but 9 out of 10 times, they have better talent than he does. He'd be fine. Norvell, we'll see. I think Matt Campbell, look at what he did at Toledo & one year at Iowa State. If they can get Matt Campbell even with the buyout, I find a way to make it happen.
AR: (Mullen) I know he has a good team coming back but if he doesn't move this cycle with the number of jobs open in the conference or even UCLA or Nebraska, safe to say he may never move if he doesn't move now?
MS: Has to be the right fit. He's been smart about it. He tried for Florida when McElwain was hired & Miami when Richt was hired. He's been selective & hasn't jumped at the next opportunity to get out of Starkville. He's making good money. His wife seems to be happy there. People at Florida who I've talked to over the last couple weeks described him as a bull in a china shop when he was there under Urban & didn't sit well with a lot of people but feel like he has matured and may be better equipped to come back. If it gets beyond Chip Kelly & Scott Frost, I'd be surprised if it wasn't Mullen. He worked with Scott Stricklin. Stricklin likes him & they had a good working relationship. They didn't go out to parties & dinners together but they got along. If Stricklin believes he's the best fit, I think he'll go get him.
CL: If you're Mullen, why leave to go anywhere unless you think you're going somewhere with a really, really good chance to win a national championship. Florida would be that place. UCLA? Texas A&M? I don't blame him. He's been selective, maybe picky. He's had chances but is making a lot of money. If he goes 9 wins, 9 wins and then 5 or 6, he's fine (at Mississippi State). At Tennessee? You'll be where Butch Jones is: unemployed. You can't do that at Tennessee. You're on the proverbial hot seat every year. Who thought 10 years ago, Mississippi State would be paying their head coach $5M a year? No way. Comfort, family, fit, quality of life matters more than they ever have. Kudos for Dan Mullen picking his spots.
AR: Agree. You have to ask yourself as a coach, am I more worried about keeping my job or more worried about winning a national championship? Maybe Dan believes he can win one next year. I find it hard to believe but he's there. Another SEC West coach in a somewhat similar situation but reversed: he's at a school where he can win a championship but may be moving to one where he has comfort & appreciation that Mullen has at Mississippi State: Gus Malzahn at Auburn. Arkansas still has a coach but it doesn't look like he'll keep it too much longer. There's a lot of talk Arkansas is preparing to make a run at Malzahn. Chris, what do you think will happen with Gus/Arkansas/Auburn?
CL: If they beat Bama, he's not going anywhere. Where he's going is up in salary; he'll get an extension & raise. Then it's a one game season for Auburn. Is this as SEC as it gets? 3 weeks ago, most of the chatter around Gus & that program was he's gonna get fired. Now he has a chance to take that team to the playoff. If he beats Alabama, they'd play Georgia, win that, in the playoffs. If they lose, then it could get interesting. Does Auburn drag their feet on an extension & raise? If they do, it's very possible he can be in play at Arkansas. It just depends on what happens Saturday. Arkansas is home for him & his wife. If you go back, you restart your clock. I don't think you'll see it happen if they win Saturday.
AR: I do wonder if he wins Saturday & loses the SEC title game.
MS: I don't know if it changes much. So much rides on the Iron Bowl. If he loses to Alabama for a 4th straight time, odds are greater he takes the Arkansas job. Arkansas fired their AD. He'd be taking the job without knowing who is boss is which would be a risk. He knows that he's a 2-game losing streak away from being on the hot seat at Auburn. They expect him to compete & beat Alabama on a consistent basis. If he can beat Alabama & get one win away, someone close to him told me earlier this week Auburn will have to step up & step up and pay him. He's 44-20 at Auburn but it's been kinda boom or bust. Either really good (NC 2013) or not great the other 3 years(losing at least 5 games). Auburn fans would like more consistency. It's not the greatest of options. It's pretty dysfunctional at Auburn right now with Jay Jacobs stepping down. There's still some questions about how much he or Chip Lindsey is calling plays. At Arkansas, Jeff Long is gone. It'll be interesting to watch.
(23:41)
AR: There's a couple jobs we aren't talking about that could be open that are huge jobs because of surprise movement. One is Auburn, the other is Florida State. Kevin Sumlin has another winning record but likely won't be good enough to keep his job, even if he wins this week vs. LSU. Feels like A&M has been motivated long before the season to make a change. If that job opens, much of the speculation is surrounding Jimbo Fisher & would he want to leave a good situation at Florida State for a new situation in College Station. Why would he leave? There's questions about the administration at Florida State & his relationship there & wanting more, wanting a greater commitment. I spoke to an ACC head coach who said Jimbo gets frustrated in that league. 'Hey, we compete with the SEC everywhere but financially.' That would not be a problem at A&M. Mark, how likely is it we see Jimbo decide to leave for Texas A&M or even Auburn?
MS: It's a possibility. Something has happened down there to where everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. I saw them in the opening game against Alabama & they looked like a top 5 team before Deondre Francois was hurt but no excuse for the way they collapsed this year. Florida State fans' patience is starting to wear thin. He's been accused of being too loyal to his assistants. Charles Kelly, DC, has been on the hot seat last couple years & end up giving him a 5-year extension. The buyout is not huge. It's structured to where he'd have to pay the remaining salaries of his assistants, which comes out somewhere between $5M-$7M. I think it's an option. He's always kinda not been completely satisfied coaching in the ACC. He called it a basketball conference his first few years there. It's gotten better. It seems to be a constant battle between him & the administration and Stan Wilcox, his AD. He wants more, more, more. He's never satisfied with the facilities. He's made some comments here in the last couple of weeks.
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AR: Where does Lane Kiffin coach next season?
CL: FAU. He won't jump to just jump. Someone will hire him. Too good of a coach. He'll be Lane but he can coach, recruit & kids relate to him in a big time way. He'll get another job, just not after this first year.
AR: Nebraska Scott Frost or bust?
MS: If Scott were to take Florida, I don't know where they go. Bret Bielema? Craig Bohl? I don't know where they go. They have to make the right hire. Scott Frost, it'll be difficult to turn down Tom Osborne & not return to his alma mater. Ken Niumatalolo? I think it's Scott Frost or bust right now.
AR: And they'll back up the truck for him, I've been told. ... UCLA?
CL: You better bring in someone proven & established. The fascinating guy not mentioned is Mike Leach. Does he fit anywhere?
AR: Heard him a little bit at Arkansas but that would be fascinating, Mike Leach in Hollywood. Ole Miss job?
MS: A lot depends on what the NCAA delivers. A 2nd bowl ban becomes a less attractive job. Willie Taggart's name has come up there. Neal Brown at Troy could be a possibility. Chad Morris at SMU if he's not in play at Texas A&M. Joe Moorhead at Penn State, could he be in the mix? Ole Miss is an attractive job but depends on what the NCAA does.
CL: What about Charlie Strong & Willie Taggart? Neal Brown is another one. Those are some guys that would like to get back into the SEC.
AR: Les Miles, haven't heard a whole lot about him. Any path for him to get back in this year?
CL: College football is better with Les in it. He wants back in it. He thinks there is a place but I'm not hearing a lot of buzz anywhere right now about Les.
