WKU Football: Coaching Big Board 1.0

Mike Sanford’s two-year tenure as the Head Coach of WKU Football is now over. While we can all lament what went wrong with his tenure, we now turn our focus on the future as we anxiously await Todd Stewart’s decision on who will take the WKU program forward.

Stewart has stated he’s going to direct the search and not use a search firm. He wants to get a coach that will re-energize a program that has fallen flat since back to back conference championships. Early signing day is December 19th and Todd Stewart will have to hurry in order to salvage the current class (if the new coach wants to keep Sanford’s commits).

Until the announcement is made we’ll keep a running list of the big board of potential candidates for the job. We’ll adjust as new information comes available and denote when candidates are no longer viable. With that in mind here’s a deep list of candidates that are interested or may be interested in the WKU Football job:

Top Candidates With WKU Ties

Tyson Helton — Offensive Coordinator, Tennessee

Quick Resume: 18 years as an assistant coach. Offensive Coordinator at Tennessee (2018), Passing Game Coordinator at USC (2016–17), Offensive Coordinator at WKU (2014–15).

Pros

• Knows WKU program
• Was Offensive Coordinator during 2015 Championship season
• Good coaching pedigree (Brother Clay is head coach at USC. Dad, Kim Helton was a head coach at Houston for seven seasons)
• Knows recruiting area
• Brohm disciple but also independent
• Would bring buzz
• Would probably be able to assemble a good staff
• Long career as an assistant

Cons

• Only has called plays for one season
• 2018 Tennessee offense struggled, only averaging 24.83 points per game
• Some doubt on if he’s ready

Conclusion

Helton probably should have been the coach that Todd Stewart hired two years ago. He was a valuable part of the Brohm glory years that might have been able to keep the success going. Helton has a long resume of experience outside of WKU that will help him attract quality assistant coaches. With him, you’ll probably be able to replicate the up-tempo offensive style that we became accustomed to under Brohm but wouldn’t have to go with an inexperienced hire to accomplish that.

Helton is 41, knows the area and probably will be able to bring talent to the Hill. Tennessee’s offensive struggles this year do cause a slight pause for concern but a lot of that can be attributed to a porous offensive line and very few playmakers in year one of a new scheme. Tennessee’s quarterbacks did have a respectable 15-to-5 touchdown/interception ratio. There is risk in hiring a coach like Helton, Stewart will evaluate that against the other candidates but if you’re going with a coach without baggage he may be the guy. He was recently mentioned as the frontrunner by ESPN.com’s Chris Low.

Nick Holt — Defensive Coordinator, Purdue

Quick Resume: 32 years of coaching experience. Head Coach at Idaho from 2004–05 going 5–18. Defensive Coordinator at USC, Washington & WKU (2013–16). Interim Head Coach during 2016 Boca Raton bowl win.

Pros

• Knows WKU Program
• Head Coaching Experience
• Players coach
• Son is on the team (Ben Holt)
• Itching to be a head coach again
• Would bring Brohm-style offense back to WKU
• Potential to be a long-term coach at WKU
• Would probably be able to assemble a decent staff

Cons

• Bad head coaching record (though that was 13 years ago)
• Defensive-first coach (against WKU’s track record of success)
• Inconsistent defenses at Purdue, WKU and Washington
• Wouldn’t cause a lot of buzz
• 56 years old (not a huge concern but worth mentioning)

Conclusion

Two years ago, Holt went for the WKU job and didn’t get it. He was passed over for Mike Sanford and I’m curious to see if he’s an actual candidate this time around. I haven’t seen him on either of the lists that I’ve seen floating around. With Holt, you’re going with an experienced coach who will be motivated to redeem his past failures. Having been with Brohm for the last five years, he’d probably run a Brohm-type system on offense to compliment his aggressive blitzing defenses. Holt’s son is still on the team and he is said to like the Bowling Green community a lot. With him, you’re probably limiting the ceiling of where the program can go. Concerns about recruiting were a major reason why he didn’t get the job the first time. With Holt, you’re going with the exact opposite of Sanford. With him, you may see immediate results as he has proven he can motivate the team but long-term prospects may be mixed.

Brian Brohm — Co-Offensive Coordinator, Purdue

Quick Resume: Three years as an assistant coach. Two years as the Co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Purdue. One year as Co-offensive coordinator/QB coach at WKU. Eight years as a quarterback in NFL (Packers/Bills), UFL & CFL.

Pros

• Knows WKU program
• Name recognition
• Knows Brohm offense
• Would create buzz (to certain members of the fanbase)
• Knows recruiting area

Cons

• Only has been an assistant for three seasons
• Has always been a co-offensive coordinator
• Doesn’t call plays (Jeff does)
• Only one season at WKU (like Sanford)
• Only 33 years old

Conclusion

If it was up to me I wouldn’t put Brohm on my list as a serious candidate. Though Stewart interviewed him two years ago, there hasn’t been enough proof that he can step out of Jeff’s shadow and coordinate an offense, let alone lead a program. He is way less qualified than Sanford was to take over the program and it would be a massive risk to turn over the program at this pivotal point to a candidate so green. Unlike Jeff, who had 11 years as an assistant to groom himself for the opportunity to become a head coach, Brian only has three seasons in college football and would immediately have to take a massive jump to manage an 82 man roster and a 13+ man coaching staff. Giving the keys to Brian Brohm would be like handing the keys of a nice car over to a teenage driver just learning what he’s doing. With the recent struggles, the program has faced we need a level of competency that he just hasn’t proven at this point. I’d be more than happy for a Holt or Helton to bring him on as Offensive Coordinator and let him call the plays but Brohm would be a massive risk at this juncture, let’s hope that Stewart realizes his mistake with Sanford and doesn’t make it again.

Secondary Candidates With WKU Ties

Zach Azzanni — Wide Receivers Coach, Denver Broncos

Quick Resume: Wide Receiver Coach in NFL last two years (Broncos/Bears). Tennessee Passing Game Coordinator/WR coach (2013–16). Wisconsin Wide Receiver coach 2012. WKU Offensive Coordinator 2011. 19 seasons as an assistant coach.

Pros

• Knows WKU program
• Offensive Coordinator on a successful team (2011)
• G5 & P5 experience
• Known recruiter

Cons

• Hasn’t been in the college game in two seasons
• Never became an offensive coordinator after WKU
• Only at WKU for one year (like Sanford was)
• Wouldn’t create buzz

Conclusion

Azzanni is a coach I’ve followed for a few years since he left WKU. He’s got a solid resume but is in a similar boat to many of these secondary candidates because he has a lot of holes in that resume. I question why he left the college game and whether or not he’d be able to transition back easily. His inexperience running offenses and being an upper-level assistant make his a risky hire that I don’t think Stewart will try.

JaMarcus Shephard — Co-Offensive Coordinator, Purdue

Quick Resume: Co-Offensive Coordinator & Receivers Coach at Purdue. One season as Wide Receivers coach at Washington State. Five years as an assistant at WKU from 2011 to 2015 working way up from analyst to wide receivers coach.

Pros

• Knows WKU Program
• Worked during Taggart, Petrino and Brohm eras
• Brohm disciple
• Good recruiter
• Knows area

Cons

• Only been a full staff assistant since 2014.
• Only one year as co-offensive coordinator (with Brian Brohm)
• Doesn’t call plays for Purdue
• very little overall top-level experience

Conclusion

Shephard is another candidate that I was surprised to see on some lists. I think he is an up and comer and probably has a better resume than Brian Brohm if we’re being honest. I think he could be a good head coach someday but it would be very hard for Todd Stewart to bring on a coach that is that inexperienced to follow Sanford. He’s one to keep an eye on one day especially if he is given a chance to call plays down the road. If he ended up being the play caller for one of the front runners then I would be very excited.

Steve Spurrier Jr. — Wide Receivers Coach, Washington State

Quick Resume: 2017 Associate Head Coach/Quarterbacks Coach at WKU. Former offensive coordinator at South Carolina.

Pros

• Knows Program
• Name Recognition
• Good coaching pedigree
• Some success at South Carolina

Cons

• Associated with Sanford era
• South Carolina slipped during the end of tenure there
• Only a position coach right now

Conclusion

I don’t see Spurrier Jr. being a serious candidate. There are many higher-ceiling candidates out there and he’s unfortunately associated with an era that WKU is trying to move on from. WKU would have to strike out with a lot of candidates before he became one to look for.

Logical Outside Candidates

Hugh Freeze — Offensive Coordinator, Arizona Hotshots (AAF)

Quick Resume: 69–32 record in eight seasons as a Head Coach at Lambuth, Arkansas State and Ole Miss (39–25 in five seasons). Fired after multiple scandals at Ole Miss.

Pros

• Proven Head Coaching Experience
• Seven winning seasons
• Two 10-win seasons
• High Scoring Offenses
• G5 Experience (Arkansas State)
• Knows region (Tennessee, Mississippi ties)
• Beat Nick Saban twice
• Waiting for an opportunity at redemption

Cons

• Recruiting sanctions at Ole Miss
• Personal scandals that will bring negative attention
• Bible thumping nature that might rub some fans the wrong way

Conclusion

Freeze has been seriously mentioned as a possible candidate. If Todd Stewart decided to go this route he’d try to copy the same playbook as the Bobby Petrino hire in 2013, buying low on a talented but damaged coach. By hiring Freeze you get instant fan excitement, indignant media reaction and a similar feeling around the program to FAU (with Lane Kiffin). With Freeze, the buzz would be there especially with his proven track record of high scoring offenses. The question for Stewart will be if he’s worth his baggage and the scrutiny the hire would bring turning WKU into coaching Rehab U.

Matt Canada — Interim Head Coach, Maryland

Quick Resume: 5–7 this year as interim coach at Maryland. Prior to that OC at LSU, Pittsburgh, NC State, Wisconsin, Northern Illinois and Indiana. Interviewed for WKU job in 2016.

Pros

• Head coaching experience
• Interest in WKU job before
• Offensive guy
• Knows region (albeit probably the northern edge of WKU’s base)
• Has taken over a tough situation before (see Maryland scandal)
• Beat Texas

Cons

• Losing record in one year at Maryland
• Lost last four games with bowl berth on the line
• Offenses have been inconsistent at times (great at Pitt/NC State)
• Was fired at LSU recently
• Probably won’t create a lot of buzz

Conclusion

Matt Canada would be a sneaky good hire for WKU. Given the circumstances that he inherited during this year’s Maryland football season, it’s a miracle that he won five games. His offenses at Pitt, Wisconsin and NC State might match Sanford’s players better than the other coaches given the hard nose style he likes to play. With Canada, there could be other suitors and he’s still in the running at Maryland. I haven’t seen him on any lists yet but given his interview two years ago, I wouldn’t be surprised if his name gets tossed around at some point before the search is over.

Butch Jones — Analyst, Alabama

Quick Resume: 84–54 Head Coaching in 11 seasons at Central Michigan, Cincinnati & Tennessee. Rehabbing on Nick Saban’s staff

Pros

• Experienced Head Coach
• G5 experience
• Know’s geographic area
• Generally successful with eight bowls in 11 seasons
• Two nine-win seasons at Tennessee (best since 2007)
• Offensive Coach

Cons

• Ugly ending at Tennessee was fired mid-season
• Corny sayings that have made him but of jokes in the industry (brick by brick, etc.)
• Might have better opportunities than WKU

Conclusion

I think Jones would be a very divisive hire for Todd Stewart. Most fans know how his tenure at Tennessee ended and that would probably start him off on the wrong foot. I think he’s actually a good coach that probably couldn’t handle the scrutiny of a high profile and demanding job like Tennessee. He did coach them to their best seasons in a decade and was really good at Cincinnati and CMU. I think at the end of the day he’ll probably get another head coaching job during this cycle at a lower P5 school or maybe back at Central Michigan (if desperate).

Kevin Wilson — Offensive Coordinator, Ohio State

Quick Resume: Former Head Coach at Indiana. 26–47 record in six seasons. Offensive coordinator for Ohio State for last two seasons

Pros

• Head Coaching Experience
• 34 years of coaching experience
• Offensive Guy
• Some geographic experience

Cons

• Resigned at Indiana under controversial circumstances
• Mediocre head coaching record
• Two six-win seasons are signature moments at IU

Conclusion

Wilson might be a better head coach than his record indicates (IU is a tough job) but he’d be a hard sell for Todd Stewart. I think he’d probably be a better coach than Sanford but would have a hard time recruiting to the level he needs to at WKU. If WKU ends up with a coach like Wilson it would be an attempt to try to replicate the Skip Holtz/Rick Stockstill model that you’ve seen at Louisiana Tech and Middle Tennessee.

Long Shot Candidates:

Kliff Kingsbury — Former Head Coach, Texas Tech

Quick Resume: 35–40 record in six seasons at Texas Tech. Former Offensive Coordinator at Houston/Texas A&M

Pros

• Head Coaching experience
• High Scoring Offenses (Five years in top 25 in scoring)
• Would bring excitement to the program
• Proven track record at developing quarterbacks

Cons

• Mediocre at Texas Tech, only going to three bowl games in six years
• Texas only experience
• NFL could be an option

Conclusion

I’d love to have Kingsbury on the Hill and I’ve seen several fans on twitter throw his name out there. I think he’ll have plenty of options and I doubt he’d like to go out of his geographic comfort zone to take a reclamation project at WKU. I think he’ll probably become a P5 or NFL offensive coordinator and use that to springboard him to another high-level job.

Kendal Briles — Offensive Coordinator/Associate Head Coach, Houston

Quick Resume: Has been an offensive coordinator since 2015 for Baylor, FAU and Houston. Teams that went a combined 36–16 while he was in charge of offenses

Pros

• Proven track record with high scoring offenses
• Teams have averaged 43.17 points per game
• Would energize the fan base
• Conference USA experience (FAU)

Cons

• Linked to Baylor scandal
• Primarily a Texas guy
• About the same age as Sanford

Conclusion

Briles would bring similar scrutiny as Freeze would. There would be bad press and some stink from the Baylor scandal. If you can get past that, you’re getting one of the up and coming offensive minds in college football. He has already interviewed for the Texas State job, so someone is probably going to take the risk. I don’t see Todd Stewart going for this one, his lack of ties in the area probably won’t make him an obvious candidate but you never know.

Larry Fedora — Former Head Coach, North Carolina

Quick Resume: 79–62 Head Coaching record in 11 seasons at Southern Mississippi & North Carolina

Pros

• Proven track record as a head coach
• Nine bowl eligible seasons in 11 seasons
• Offensive oriented coach
• Conference USA coaching experience
• Championship winning experience (2015 ACC Coastal, 2011 C-USA)
• Probably affordable after $12 million buy-out

Cons

• North Carolina struggled mightily last two seasons, going 5–18
• Not many ties to the area (closest was MTSU OC in 99–01)
• May want to take a year off after UNC tenure

Conclusion

Fedora would be a great hire but at this time I just don’t see any ties that would pull him to Bowling Green. He is seen as a Texas guy and will also probably be sought out as an offensive coordinator if he doesn’t get another job as a head coach.

Will Healy — Head Coach, Austin Peay

Quick Resume: 13–21 in three seasons at Austin Peay

Pros

• Resurrected a dumpster fire of a program at nearby Austin Peay
• Broke the nation’s longest losing streak of 29 games
• Took Austin Peay to 8–4 record in 2017

Cons

• Very Young, still only 33 years old
• Austin Peay slipped to 5–6 in 2018
• No FBS coaching experience

Conclusion

Healy probably isn’t a serious candidate at this point of his career. What he’s done at Austin Peay has been amazing but it will be impossible for Todd Stewart to ditch one young inexperienced coach for another no matter how promising. Healy is one to keep your eye on down the road.

Non Candidate:

Bobby Petrino — Former Head Coach, Louisville

Quick Resume: 14 years as Head Coach (Louisville, Arkansas, WKU) 119–56 overall record. Recently fired during the middle of 2–10 season at Louisville

Pros

• Coached WKU to a 8–4 record in 2013
• Proven track record as a head coach/offensive coach
• Probably would be affordable after $14 million buy-out from Louisville

Cons

• Louisville quit on him this season, there was a mutiny of players threatening to transfer
• Underachieved despite having Heisman trophy winner (4.5 losses per season with Lamar Jackson)
• Can’t hire quality assistants. Had three family members on staff
• His WKU tenure wasn’t seen as warm and was a marriage of convenience. WKU broadcaster Leo Peckenpaugh recently said he “was the most hated man in the 100-year history of WKU football”.

Conclusion

I’ve seen several people throw his name out on Twitter and Facebook. It’s not going to happen. There is a lot of WKU’s leadership that was around for Bobby’s one year on the Hill and they won’t forget how he treated people. He has left a crater at every job that he’s been at (besides WKU). Louisville’s team quit on him and they had the worst season in 20+ years. I don’t see how anyone that was paying attention to this year (or what has transpired at other jobs) would want to hire that stone cold a**hole again.

Interviewed 2 years ago, doubt they’re a candidate this time

Tony Levine — Franchise Owner, Chick Fil A

Quick Thought: Former Houston head coach and WKU staffer under Brohm has left the coaching business and is now running a Chick-fil-A franchise in suburban Houston. He appears to have gotten burned out on coaching and wants to be around his family. Would have been a continuity hire two years ago, hard for Stewart to hire someone that just left the industry last year.

Paul Petrino — Head Coach, Idaho

Quick Thought: Has a 23–48 record at Idaho including a 4–7 record in 2018 after they dropped down to FCS. His career is on the downslope and his last name does him no favors. Probably got an interview last couple of times because of ties to Bobby.

Ed Warriner — Offensive Line Coach, Michigan

Quick Thought: Has Kentucky ties and interviewed two years ago. Left Ohio State after five years as an offensive coordinator (2012–16) and has only been able to get offensive line jobs since (Minnesota and Michigan). Very experienced (34 years) across FBS level but I don’t think he would bring the excitement level that Todd Stewart mentioned that he’s trying to rekindle during Sunday’s press conference.

Jason Michael — Tight Ends Coach, Arizona Cardinals

Quick Thought: 2002 1-AA national championship quarterback for WKU, has been on coaching lists the last few times that WKU has looked for coaches. He has been an assistant coach for 16 years mainly in the NFL. He hasn’t been in the college game since 2008 (Tennessee TE’s Coach) and went from an offensive coordinator (Titans 2014–15) down to a tight ends coach. After the Sanford tenure, I don’t see Todd Stewart rolling the dice on someone that would obviously need time to reacclimate to the college game.

We’ll update this list as more information begins to trickle out. This hire is probably the most crucial hire for WKU since Willie Taggart was hired in 2009 to replace David Elson. If Todd Stewart makes the right call then WKU is right back on track if he misjudges again then the program might revert back to the poor FBS transition days. Only time will tell.