Texas Longhorns Coaching Candidates: Briles, Franklin, And Strong The Top Choices To Replace Mack Brown? getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Texas Longhorns Coaching Candidates: Briles, Franklin, And Strong The Top Choices To Replace Mack Brown?

The search for a new head football coach at the University of Texas is expected to come to an end in the next two weeks, as the list of candidates for the prestigious position begins to dwindle.

On Monday, athletic director Steve Patterson made his first public comments about a coach since the announcement of Mack Brown’s retirement after 16 years with the program. Patterson said he would like to name a new coach before the recruiting dead period ends on Jan. 15.

The most prominent name linked with a move to Austin had been Alabama head coach Nick Saban. The highly successful coach was rumored to be interested in the Texas job, but signed a long-term extension in December to stay in Tuscaloosa. Gus Malzahn of Auburn was also considered a top target, but most indications suggest he will stay with the Tigers.

Attention has now shifted to Art Briles. The Baylor head coach has compiled a 44-32 record since taking over the program in 2008. Baylor lost to Central Florida in the Fiesta Bowl on Wednesday, 52-42, but the Bears entered the game as the No. 6 team in the nation and finished with an impressive 11-2 record.

Briles, 58, is a Texas native with several years of experience in Texas. He previously served as the head coach of Houston, and as a running backs coach with Texas Tech.

Prior to coaching in college, Briles worked in the Texas high school ranks for roughly two decades. He has a strong reputation as a recruiter and is highly respected in coaching circles. Under Briles, Baylor earned their first Heisman Trophy winner when Robert Griffin III took home the award in 2011.

According to the Dallas Morning Star, a major Baylor donor claimed Briles had indicated that he would stay with Baylor and not accept the Texas job or a possible Washington Redskins offer, which would reunite him with Griffin. A selling point to remain in Waco could be Baylor’s new on-campus football stadium, which will open next season.

Louisville head coach Charlie Strong is another strong candidate to fill the Texas vacancy, and has reportedly interviewed for the position. The Cardinals are coming off a strong showing in the Russell Athletic Bowl, defeating the Miami Hurricanes, 36-9. Strong, who helped the Florida Gators win two national championships as an assistant coach, has a 23-3 record the past two seasons in Louisville, and has turned around a program that struggled under Steve Kragthorpe.

Strong was signed to an eight-year contract in January following Louisville’s victory over the Gators in the Sugar Bowl. Like Briles, Strong has done an excellent job of recruiting for a program that struggled to land top players in previous seasons. He was able to lure Teddy Bridgewater, a top high school quarterback recruit from Miami, who is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.

James Franklin might be the candidate most interested in accepting the Texas position. The Vanderbilt head coach is not locked into a long-term contract with the program, and a move to Austin would be considered a major upgrade.

The 41-year-old is considered a hot commodity after leading the Commodores to a 23-15 record and three bowl appearances in three seasons. He was linked to the USC opening, and there has already been speculation that Franklin could be the frontrunner for the Penn State job with Bill O’Brien accepting the Houston Texans offer.

Other possible candidates that might be on Patterson’s radar include Mark Dantonio of Michigan State and David Shaw of Stanford. The two coaches squared off on New Year’s Day in the 2014 Rose Bowl, with Michigan State edging Stanford, 24-20.

Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis confirmed on Wednesday that Dantonio agreed to a new contract with the Spartans. Shaw is expected to stay with the Cardinal despite possible interest from NFL teams.

"I have no desires to pursue another job," Shaw said, this week. "As I said, I have not and don't plan on interviewing with anybody. I think it's really nice that my name gets batted around and that's great, and part of it is because I do have nine years of NFL experience, so it seems like an easy transition for some people."

Texas Longhorns Coaching Candidates: Briles, Franklin, And Strong The Top Choices To Replace Mack Brown?

USC Next Coach: Del Rio, Petersen, Franklin, And Roman Emerge As Top Candidates; Jim Tressel A Possible Hire By Pat Haden? getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® USC Next Coach: Del Rio, Petersen, Franklin, And Roman Emerge As Top Candidates; Jim Tressel A Possible Hire By Pat Haden?

Following the firing of Lane Kiffin, athletic director Pat Haden wants to keep the USC head coaching search private. However, that doesn’t mean that the public can’t bet on which candidate he’ll choose.

When Kiffin was let go, Bovada.lv set odds for the most likely replacements. The website has set Jack Del Rio as the favorite to become USC’s next football coach. Rumors about Haden targeting Del Rio quickly began to surface when the news broke. As a result, his odds lead the pack at 3/1.

Del Rio’s recent NFL success and USC pedigree make him an ideal candidate for the job. He hasn’t had any experience coaching in college, but that hasn’t seemed to matter in the past. Prior to Kiffin, who coached the Oakland Raiders two years before returning to the Trojans, Pete Carroll and Paul Hackett went from the NFL to USC.

San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman has been linked to the Trojans with 6/1 odds. He has never been a head coach, but unlike Del Rio, has experience at the college level. He was the offensive coordinator with Stanford from 2009-2010 and left with Jim Harbaugh in 2011.

If the school decides to go with a current college coach, they might hire one who is at his first head coaching job and looking to make the leap to his first major program. Both Boise State’s Chris Peterson and Vanderbilt’s James Franklin have been given 5/1 odds.

Peterson has had years of success with the Broncos, leading them to a bowl game in every season since he took over in 2006. In that time, he’s lost just 10 total games and had two undefeated seasons. He’s turned down jobs from bigger schools in the past, choosing to stay at Boise State over UCLA and Texas A&M.

Franklin has helped turn around a football program that was, historically, one of the worst in Division 1. In 2012, Vanderbilt finished with nine wins, their most ever since joining the SEC. Even their 6-7 season in 2011 was a four-win improvement from 2010. His biggest obstacle in getting the job might be his lack of experience as a head coach. He bounced around as an assistant until two years ago.

One potential candidate that was not given betting odds by Bovada is Jim Tressel. There have been no reports that the former Ohio State coach is being seriously considered by Haden, but he might be the best candidate available. Before resigning when it was discovered that many of his players had received improper benefits, Tressel was one of the most successful coaches in college football, having won at least 10 games in his last six seasons with the Buckeyes.

Tressel was suspended for five games prior to leaving the Buckeyes. If USC were to hire him in 2013, he could be ready to be on the sidelines for the start of next season. Following the embarrassing incident at Ohio State, Haden can expect Tressel to be on his best behavior at a high-profile program that has had more than their share of NCAA scrutiny. Tressel has a strong background in developing good quarterbacks, helping Craig Krenzel and Troy Smith win Big Ten Player of the Year awards under his tutelage. He also was consistent in producing one of the best defensive teams in the nation.

Current interim coach Ed Orgeron wasn’t given very favorable odds at 20/1. Retired NFL coaches and current ESPN broadcasters Jon Gruden and Herm Edwards come in at 8/1 and 15/1, respectively.

USC Next Coach: Del Rio, Petersen, Franklin, And Roman Emerge As Top Candidates; Jim Tressel A Possible Hire By Pat Haden?