Breaking down the head coach candidates
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Just one week into the search for a new head football coach at the University of Florida, Inside the Gators was able to talk to someone who while they may not have the final say, they will offer input to Florida athletics director Scott Stricklin.
What we have been told is that Stricklin is still in the fact finding stage of the search. No coaches, agents or those associated with either have been called or spoken with in order to do anything other than find out background information.
The list of candidates is still being built by gauging the interest level of certain coaches.
When that task is finished, then a pecking order will be established and serious talks will begin.
We are still looking at a hire being at least a month away -with the first two weeks of December as the target date if possible.
With that being said, we have built OUR OWN Florida coaching candidates board. The Inside Scoop comments are from our unnamed source.
*I have altered a couple of their responses slightly in order to protect who the person is.
TOP OF THE BOARD
Current: UCF | Age: 42 | Record: 14-7
The Reason Why: Last Sunday you heard Scott Stricklin say that he wants Florida football to be fun, well here is the coach who has the No. 1 scoring offense in the nation. He took over a team that went 0-12 in 2015 and immediately started righting the ship. Frost led UCF to a 6-7 record in 2016 and currently has the Golden Knights at 8-0. Though he is young, he has a solid resume and now has two years experience recruiting and building relationships in the Sunshine State. He checks every box that you would want in a coach being brought in to turn around a program quickly.
The Reason Why Not: There aren't many, but if you are really looking for something, he doesn't have a signature win. He has only played one ranked team in his first two seasons as a head coach and that end result was Michigan blowing UCF out of the water last year. Also, do you potentially want to get into a bidding war with Nebraska for a coach with such a thin resume?
The Scoop: "I only have one main concern about him and that is how he comes across at times. Maybe he has reason to be, but you can only be so brash and cocky to a point and then it goes from a positive to a negative. Steve (Spurrier) could be the same way, but he also humbled himself in a loss. I don't see that from afar with Frost. If he toned that down a little he would be great. He has a fun, youthful personality that players and recruits would love."
Current: Mississippi State | Age: 45 | Record: 66-44
The Reason Why: Don't let the record fool you, Mullen is a top tier college coach who is one of the top offensive minds in the SEC and perhaps the top quarterback coach when it comes to developing players at the position. His overall record doesn't jump out at you because in the Bulldogs, he heads up what is, historically speaking, the 12-13 best program in the conference - while having to go through the SEC West gauntlet year in and year out. Because of their built in disadvantages, winning 9-10 games at MSU is like winning 12-13 at Florida.
The Reason Why Not: He isn't a top notch recruiter by any stretch of the imagination. While at MSU he has outperformed what the Bulldogs would historically consider good seasons, but he hasn't taken them to the next level. That being a SEC Championship or a playoff berth. That is about it. If it were my list, he would be in the top 1-2 candidates.
The Scoop: "Forget what his wife said about Gainesville or any background issue he has with Scott [Stricklin], Mullen would be a great hire. He would be to Florida what Mark Richt was to Georgia. A good guy coach who will will average 10 wins a year for the next decade.He'll bring home a few SEC trophies and have the Gators contending for the playoffs each year and get in them at least half those seasons. He will have Florida entrenched in the top 10. Is he the guy to contend for it all every year? I don't know but there are only three coaches who currently do that. If that is your criteria, good luck. Another problem he will have is, even after being at Florida and Miss State for a decade, he still has a northeast snootiness about him that doesn't always play well with the money men that are the economic engine that drives schools in the southeast."
Current: Memphis | Age: 36 | Record: 16-6
The Reason Why: In 2015 Justin Fuentes, who gets credit for building the program, rode first round draft pick quarterback Paxton Lynch to a 9-4 record and a job with Virginia Tech. Norvell took over in 2016 and dropped back just one game (8-5) while breaking in a new quarterback. He has the Tigers rolling along this year at 8-1 and a top 25 ranking. Perhaps as importantly is he has a fun, productive offense (currently ranked 11th in the nation).
The Reason Why Not: From his very first coaching job as a GA with Central Arkansas until today he has been in the business for just over a decade and a head coach for just under two years. That is such a small sample size to entrust someone with such a prestigious job. Also, he has no ties at all to the Southeastern Conference. He would need to hire a couple of experienced, older, coaches to help guide him through what football means in the SEC at first.
The Scoop: "I haven't met him, but from what I have seen, personality wise he is a better fit than Frost if you ask me. He has accomplished just as much but isn't anywhere near as brash. I haven't studied him, but I have heard that he is a better recruiter than the man he replaced (Fuentes). Long term he could be the best of the group of candidates but you have to wonder if he has enough of a name to be considered the home run hire Florida needs."
Current: Oregon | Age: 41 | Record: 45-50
The Reason Why: While his overall record doesn't jump out at you, that is because he took over downtrodden programs at Western Kentucky and South Florida so he suffered through some growing pains. However, he had both programs trending up and on the rise when he left. This year at Oregon, he is taking over a program that went 4-8 last year, and has them on schedule to make a bowl game this season. Like all four coaches here in the top tier, he has an offensive background and will light up the scoreboard. Another plus for him is that he has ties to the Southeast and the state of Florida.
The Reason Why Not: His current record may not be good enough to create the overall 'wow' factor that Florida needs for this hire. He also has had a couple of missteps this, his first year in the northwest.
The Scoop: "Since he hasn't stayed at any one place long enough to build a program, he is a wildcard as a hire. That issue with his strength coach is a big red flag. I personally wouldn't take a chance with him, but I do see why he is a desirable candidate."
A STEP BEHIND
| COACH | WHY/WHY NOT | INSIDE SCOOP |
|---|---|---|
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Matt Campbell ----- Current: ISU Age: 37 Record: 9-12 |
Why: The hot new name as far as future top coaches goes. Why Not: No ties to Florida, or the Southeast. Likely take a bigger job in the Midwest and he is a defensive minded coach. |
No comment offered |
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Justin Fuente ----- Current: VT Age: 41 Record: 43-29 |
Why: Just look at his record. He turned the Memphis program around and is on his second straight 10 win season at Virginia Tech. Why Not: Two negatives here, can he leave VT so soon and he has limited ties to the southeast. |
"His work with quarterbacks stands out but I really love his back story. How he came up and his linage. It wouldn't hurt Florida to give a minority - whether it be an African American or an Hispanic - a chance to head one of the major sports programs like football or basketball. I know you are thinking that shouldn't play a part in it, but yes it should. It is telling how he came to be where he is based on his background. Men like that will always give you everything they've got." |
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Mike Gundy ----- Current: OSU Age: 50 Record: 111-52 |
Why: His Cowboys take a backseat in the Big 12 and instate to Oklahoma, but Gundy has quietly built a program that contends for top 15 status year in and year out. That is no small feat considering his recruiting base and second class citizen status in his own state. Then you add in his ability to turn out a top offense year in and year out, you can see why he is an attractive candidate. Why Not: Sure, he is a former player who is having success as the head coach at his alma mater, but one reason I believe Gundy is still at OSU is that he comes across as an unlikable person. Football is supposed to be entertaining and hopefully fun. Who wants to deal with someone like him on a day to day basis? |
No comment offered |
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Charlie Strong ----- Current: USF Age: 57 Record: 61-38 |
Why: Going strictly by former Florida football players, this is their go-to guy according to their social media postings. He would have that support behind him without question. Though he is a defensive minded coach, at both Louisville and USF he has featured top offenses. Why Not: If he had continued at Louisville and the Florida job opened up last week, he would probably be the top guy on the board. Failing at a top 10 program such as Texas is hard to overcome though. |
"Florida would be his dream job but I don't know if he can leave South Florida so soon. Even with as well as he has done this year I don't think the 'stink' from Texas is off him enough to make him a viable candidate for Florida. I do think he could build a championship level program in Gainesville but I don't think he will get the chance because he is getting to the point age wise where teams want younger coaches and he is coming up on (being) 60 years (old)." |
KEEP DREAMING
| COACH | WHY/WHY NOT | THE INSIDE SCOOP |
|---|---|---|
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Chip Kelly ----- Current: TV Age: 53 Record: 46-7 (28-35 in NFL) |
Why: If the hire was based just off of his record at Oregon and his entertaining offense, he would be named Florida's next head coach tomorrow. Why Not: He left Oregon with the Ducks under NCAA investigation, which resulted in Kelly receiving a 14 month show cause penalty. He basically never served his 'sentence' since he was in the NFL. |
"If you though Jim McElwain was a poor fit from a personality standpoint then you don't want to go back to that well once again. At least Jim came across as a good guy who you wanted to like. Kelly is a little stranger with no where near the likable personality." |
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Bob Stoops ----- Current: Retired Age: 57 Record: 190-48 |
Why: The biggest absolute swing for the fences hire Florida could make. A defensive minded coach that doesn't mind featuring an exciting, uptempo offense. Why Not: He isn't coming back. |
"Steve said he didn't return his call. That is all you need to know. If you have to talk him out of retirement, how long before he is ready to call it quits again? If his heart isn't in it anymore, no amount of talk or money is going to change that. This should have been the hire, no matter the cost, after Steve or after (Urban) Meyer and Florida would have a couple more trophies." |
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