With USC, South Carolina & Miami Jobs Open, the Coaching Carousel Could Still Be Boring
By Ty Duffy
The 2016 coaching carousel has the ingredients to be crazy. Seven Power 5 jobs opened before November, including tantalizing, national title caliber USC and Miami. End of season firings could create more openings come November. Toss in a bottle of lighter fluid if Georgia parts ways with Mark Richt.
Alas, this is all happening in a coach’s market. There are few established coaches not ensconced – Rich Rodriguez, Dan Mullen, Tom Herman – and those guys aren’t coming for cheap. The shallow pool may keep the hinges on. Early reports and actions suggests programs may be worryingly practical.
Minnesota appointed interim head coach Tracy Claeys, the logical move. The Gophers have a ceiling: being a tough, competitive team. Jerry Kill was doing an excellent job there. While one could leap down a rabbit hole of coaching errors that cost Minnesota against Michigan, the Gophers’ greatest expected utility is keeping Kill’s staff together. Bonus: Claeys comes equipped with the cold weather package.
Illinois may follow suit with interim Bill Cubit. The Illini have defied the turmoil, and been surprisingly competitive at 5-4. Cubit has ample head coaching experience. He was cleared in the athletic department’s investigation. It would be an easy, popular decision for an interim athletic director.
Even Miami may be sensible. A report suggests current Alabama offensive line coach Mario Cristobal is top of the list. The 45-year-old is a bilingual former Miami player and assistant, has credible head coaching experience, and was just named national recruiter of the year. Miami high school coaches love him. He checks almost every box, and, importantly for Miami, he’s cheap.
Purdue, per a report, will stick with the status quo. Darrell Hazell is coming back for a fourth year despite a 3-27 mark against FBS teams and 2-19 in the Big Ten. Virginia may still be holding its candle for Mike London to turn things around in year seven.
While we doubt USC AD Pat Haden is trading contract offer texts with Clay Helton after his 3-1 start. Virginia Tech bumping loyal, longtime defensive coordinator Bud Foster up to the big job seems plausible if not probable.
Nick Saban should be bound for the college football playoff. Chip Kelly is building momentum with the Eagles. Jon Gruden’s preclusive ESPN contract is in the open. December could become quite perfunctory. Long suffering fans may finally get that gift certificate to buy matching side tables.