Honestly, I have no idea if any of these guys would take the KU job but my list of possibilities (so not including guys with zero chance (e.g., Brent Venables) - maybe most of these guys are zero chance guys as well but you make them say no!)
(1) Tom Herman. He's 45 and has won a lot of football games at Houston and UT. He is a special projects coach and analyst for the NFL Bears right now - no way he wants that job. Obviously, he can recruit and has tremendous ties to Texas high schools and with his Houston background, surely has some NOLA connections. Grand Slam. Slim odds of him taking the job. Pipe Dream.
(2) Luke Fickell. He's 47 and he just signed an extension at Cinci until 2026. Maybe he wants to prove himself in a Power 5 Conference. Grand Slam. Slim to no odds of him taking the job. Pipe Dream.
(3) Billy Napier. He's 41 and has the Ragin Cajuns rocking. Maybe he wants to prove himself in a Power 5 Conference. He has turned down some pretty good spots. Slim to none.
(4) Jason Candle. He's 41. Toledo has had some success and it is a pretty solid place to groom a coach to learn how to recruit because of Toledo's pecking order for recruits. You have to be able to evaluate talent and develop talent. He's done a great job there. I'd love this hire.
(5a&b) The Ultimate All-in Gambles on rocket ships (WTF do we have to lose?) Will Healy and Sean Lewis. Healy and Lewis are 36 and 34. Neither of them has quite proven their "concepts" over the course of 5 or 6 years at a school, but both have showed an upward trend and Healy has had some success at a couple of places. Lewis is making like $400k and Healy is making like $750k, so we could throw some life changing money at them. Outside shot at either. They come here and prove they can win here.... they are leaving for a really big job.
(6) Lance Liepold. He's 56. Won a bunch at Wisky Whitewater including national titles (they were very successful when he took over and he kept it going). Buffalo wasn't that good when he got hired and they have really had some success at UB with mostly his recruits. More of a Northern part of the Midwest guy, but I think he would be a great hire for KU. Little long in the tooth, but I could see him trying to see what he could do at KU to resurrect the program for his final go.
(7) Curt Cignetti. He's 59 and has been a few places, but he has done awesome at James Madison and won at his two prior head jobs before JMU. Guy appears to be able to coach. No real ties to area. Not sure how he would recruit here.
(8) Skip Holtz. He's 56 and he's gone to a bunch of bowl games at a bunch of different places. He's been at La Tech since 2013, and he has had success quickly and with his own recruits. I think he has been tied to the KU job like the last 3 hires. We should have just hired his ass at least once. That ship has probably sailed.
(9) Bill Clark. He's 52. He has done a great job at UAB, but he also has deep roots in the South. Not sure he would leave UAB to head to the Midwest. Dude can coach. I assume we could give him a raise. Slim to none.
(10a, b & c)) Jeff Monken/Ken Niumatalolo/Troy Calhoun. I'll lump these guys in together but I would put Monken at the TOP of the list if he had interest - I really think his offense would play here and it would be so unique to the Big 12, that I think we would beat some teams we weren't expected to beat. Monken, Calhoun and Ken are basically the same age... 53, 54 and 55. All have taken the academies to a bunch of bowl games. If they can win at those places, I would think both could attract talent to KU as well. I do think the Military Academies are a different animal, but I would be happy if any of these dudes took the job. I don't see it happening with any frankly.
(11) Willie Fritz. He's 60 and still churning out .500 seasons at Tulane. If he'd take the job, it would be a pretty darn good hire. Has ties to Louisiana and Midwest. I believe he has campaigned for the job a time or two. But, not to discriminate based on age, but I am hoping we get someone younger with more of a long term career in front of him. How cool would it be to have a young guy coach here and win so many games that he gets hired away? That would be awesome. Fritz isn't necessarily that guy, but he can coach ball.
(12) Jay Norvell. He's 57 and got his first head job in 2017.... He looks to have Nevada on the right path, but hasn't quite proven his concept our over 5 or 6 years or at different jobs. He'd be a good hire IMO though. Guy is a former QB so hopefully he could identify one or two that could lead KU to some wins! We could give him a pretty big raise, he's making like $750k.
These guys are the head coaches - I’ll stick to these for now. I haven’t looked at the assistants that might be good candidates yet....
(1) Tom Herman. He's 45 and has won a lot of football games at Houston and UT. He is a special projects coach and analyst for the NFL Bears right now - no way he wants that job. Obviously, he can recruit and has tremendous ties to Texas high schools and with his Houston background, surely has some NOLA connections. Grand Slam. Slim odds of him taking the job. Pipe Dream.
(2) Luke Fickell. He's 47 and he just signed an extension at Cinci until 2026. Maybe he wants to prove himself in a Power 5 Conference. Grand Slam. Slim to no odds of him taking the job. Pipe Dream.
(3) Billy Napier. He's 41 and has the Ragin Cajuns rocking. Maybe he wants to prove himself in a Power 5 Conference. He has turned down some pretty good spots. Slim to none.
(4) Jason Candle. He's 41. Toledo has had some success and it is a pretty solid place to groom a coach to learn how to recruit because of Toledo's pecking order for recruits. You have to be able to evaluate talent and develop talent. He's done a great job there. I'd love this hire.
(5a&b) The Ultimate All-in Gambles on rocket ships (WTF do we have to lose?) Will Healy and Sean Lewis. Healy and Lewis are 36 and 34. Neither of them has quite proven their "concepts" over the course of 5 or 6 years at a school, but both have showed an upward trend and Healy has had some success at a couple of places. Lewis is making like $400k and Healy is making like $750k, so we could throw some life changing money at them. Outside shot at either. They come here and prove they can win here.... they are leaving for a really big job.
(6) Lance Liepold. He's 56. Won a bunch at Wisky Whitewater including national titles (they were very successful when he took over and he kept it going). Buffalo wasn't that good when he got hired and they have really had some success at UB with mostly his recruits. More of a Northern part of the Midwest guy, but I think he would be a great hire for KU. Little long in the tooth, but I could see him trying to see what he could do at KU to resurrect the program for his final go.
(7) Curt Cignetti. He's 59 and has been a few places, but he has done awesome at James Madison and won at his two prior head jobs before JMU. Guy appears to be able to coach. No real ties to area. Not sure how he would recruit here.
(8) Skip Holtz. He's 56 and he's gone to a bunch of bowl games at a bunch of different places. He's been at La Tech since 2013, and he has had success quickly and with his own recruits. I think he has been tied to the KU job like the last 3 hires. We should have just hired his ass at least once. That ship has probably sailed.
(9) Bill Clark. He's 52. He has done a great job at UAB, but he also has deep roots in the South. Not sure he would leave UAB to head to the Midwest. Dude can coach. I assume we could give him a raise. Slim to none.
(10a, b & c)) Jeff Monken/Ken Niumatalolo/Troy Calhoun. I'll lump these guys in together but I would put Monken at the TOP of the list if he had interest - I really think his offense would play here and it would be so unique to the Big 12, that I think we would beat some teams we weren't expected to beat. Monken, Calhoun and Ken are basically the same age... 53, 54 and 55. All have taken the academies to a bunch of bowl games. If they can win at those places, I would think both could attract talent to KU as well. I do think the Military Academies are a different animal, but I would be happy if any of these dudes took the job. I don't see it happening with any frankly.
(11) Willie Fritz. He's 60 and still churning out .500 seasons at Tulane. If he'd take the job, it would be a pretty darn good hire. Has ties to Louisiana and Midwest. I believe he has campaigned for the job a time or two. But, not to discriminate based on age, but I am hoping we get someone younger with more of a long term career in front of him. How cool would it be to have a young guy coach here and win so many games that he gets hired away? That would be awesome. Fritz isn't necessarily that guy, but he can coach ball.
(12) Jay Norvell. He's 57 and got his first head job in 2017.... He looks to have Nevada on the right path, but hasn't quite proven his concept our over 5 or 6 years or at different jobs. He'd be a good hire IMO though. Guy is a former QB so hopefully he could identify one or two that could lead KU to some wins! We could give him a pretty big raise, he's making like $750k.
These guys are the head coaches - I’ll stick to these for now. I haven’t looked at the assistants that might be good candidates yet....
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