Right now there is no hot shot name beside that of Gary Patterson. There is no Urban Meyer, Brian Kelly, Dantonio or Butch Jones. What I mean by that is there is no hot coach that has won or dominated at two different locations like the coaches mentioned above. Below I will give a list of some of the top candidates and guys/teams to watch this season:
1st on the list is of course TCU HC Gary Patterson:
He just signed a new contract in December 2014 that pays him $3.5 mil/yr. this is important because even after the year they had he still makes less than both Charlie strong of Texas and Kevin Sumlin of TAMU. He is far more accomplished then both but still even just fresh of signing an extension he still makes less. Getting Patterson would be a home run marriage. A accomplished HC who does more with less. It would not only be a great fit schematically offensively and defensely but it would also be a fit personality wise as well. Gary has major swag and coaches that way. He takes raw talent and he coaches/develops it into all conference/all Americans/ NFL draft picks. This is important because besides getting the 4-5 star players a coach at Miami has to have the ability to turn those 3stars raw athletes into all conference performers. The only negatives with Gary is that he has only had success at one institution and that he does not recruit on an elite level despite having so much success and being at TCU so long. Good news though is he is trying to address the recruiting thing. He is spending time in Tuscaloosa with nick saban to learn and study how Alabama and nick recruit.
The next names on the list are all good as well but they also carry questions. These are not hot guys right now but could hear up after season.
Greg Schiano - been out of coaching for 3 yrs. took Rutgers from bottom ran to respectable program that was invited to join the big ten. He is 5-1 in bowl games with 5 straight bowl wins. He produces top 10 defense. Offense is a question mark for though as is the fact that even though he beat some of the top teams in the big east ( cincy, Louisville, WV) he never dominated the conference like they did.
Mario Cristibal- he would recruit like a rock star. Would assemble a good staff as well. Took fiu from probation/sanctioned bottom dwelling laughing stock to conference champion and bowl game winner. Something FIU did not do before or has done after he left. He currently is the best recruiter in the nation. Negative about him is his record the last yr he was at FIU before getting fired and his success, while short lived, was only at once location. He also does not have a offensive or defensive identity or back ground like a Meyer or Patterson
Mark stoops- Kentucky HC has produced the best recruiting classes in Kentucky history. Produced dominate top ten defenses at 2 previous jobs( Arizona and FSU). Top recruiter. Put together a good staff. Coached under winners and comes from a coaching family. Compared to brother bob stoops. Negatives are he has not been too succesful yet. They did beat South Carolina and started ou the season 5-1 but they lost the next 6 and failed to become bowl eligible. this upcoming year will be year 3 for stoops. If he is able to make noise in the sec east, get his team ranked and reach/bowl game then he should be a hot name come December.
Mark Hudspeth HC Louisiana Laf- has been succesful at 2 different spots but both have been on a very small level. Has a winning record at La-Laf. Has won 9 games each season and has 4 straight bowl victories. Negative is he has not won more than 9 games there and has no outright conference championship nor does he dominate the sunbelt.
Rich Rod HC Arizona - has produced great offenses almost everywhere he has been. Starting at Clemson with Woodrow dantzler, then WV and now Arizona. Has made Arizona a consistent ranked team and competitor in th me second best conference in college football( pac 12). Two of the best offensive coaches in football ( urban Meyer & chip Kelly) studied Rich Rod system. Negative for him is mich job. Passed over Alabama for mich and failed hard. Another succussful season at Arizona could push rich Rod to the top of the list. He would recruit like a beast and offense would def apeal to south fla talent.
Justin Fuente Memphis HC - Gary Patterson disciple who has been apart of TCU winning program including the rose bowl win over Wisconsin. In year 3, this past yr, he had Memphis finish with a 10 win season, a conference championship, , a ranking in the AP & coaches poll and a bowl game win. Yes at Memphis. Another year like that could see him being that name on everybody tongue. I personally think he needs to get another gig before hitting the big time but u can't knock what he has done so far at Memphis by year 3. Negatives are not really many. This is his first HC job.
Tom Herman HC Houston - urban Meyers OC has been succesful at every stop( rice, Iowa st & Ohio st) . Mensa member and top recruiter is def one to watch in 1st year. Negative on him is that this will be his 1st HC job and year 1 at that. Could he follow the path of Guz Malzahn , form ark st for 1 year as HC to Aub HC? Possibly but not likely , prob def not Miami but he and Houston is still one to watch.
Chad Morris HC SMU - another highly succesful OC who has been succesful at numerous locations ( Tulsa & Clemson) he is a top recruiter and was one of the ACC best. Recruited fla and offense would excite fla players. This is will also be his 1st HC job and year 1. Many think he will not want to leave Texas because of his background as a Texas HC coach but there are others who feel he is going to be like his mentor, Guz Malzahn, and bounce to the big time after year if a big time job becomes available. He has an exciting offense and has put together a young hungry recruiting staff.
Todd graham Arizona st HC- many people have mixed fillings on him. He is successful every where he goes. He can flat out coach. He produces succesful high octane offenses every and has employed some really good coaches who go on to be Hc's. He runs a spread offense and a aggressive 4-3 defense. He does not stay anywhere long but may have found a home at Arizona st.
1st on the list is of course TCU HC Gary Patterson:
He just signed a new contract in December 2014 that pays him $3.5 mil/yr. this is important because even after the year they had he still makes less than both Charlie strong of Texas and Kevin Sumlin of TAMU. He is far more accomplished then both but still even just fresh of signing an extension he still makes less. Getting Patterson would be a home run marriage. A accomplished HC who does more with less. It would not only be a great fit schematically offensively and defensely but it would also be a fit personality wise as well. Gary has major swag and coaches that way. He takes raw talent and he coaches/develops it into all conference/all Americans/ NFL draft picks. This is important because besides getting the 4-5 star players a coach at Miami has to have the ability to turn those 3stars raw athletes into all conference performers. The only negatives with Gary is that he has only had success at one institution and that he does not recruit on an elite level despite having so much success and being at TCU so long. Good news though is he is trying to address the recruiting thing. He is spending time in Tuscaloosa with nick saban to learn and study how Alabama and nick recruit.
The next names on the list are all good as well but they also carry questions. These are not hot guys right now but could hear up after season.
Greg Schiano - been out of coaching for 3 yrs. took Rutgers from bottom ran to respectable program that was invited to join the big ten. He is 5-1 in bowl games with 5 straight bowl wins. He produces top 10 defense. Offense is a question mark for though as is the fact that even though he beat some of the top teams in the big east ( cincy, Louisville, WV) he never dominated the conference like they did.
Mario Cristibal- he would recruit like a rock star. Would assemble a good staff as well. Took fiu from probation/sanctioned bottom dwelling laughing stock to conference champion and bowl game winner. Something FIU did not do before or has done after he left. He currently is the best recruiter in the nation. Negative about him is his record the last yr he was at FIU before getting fired and his success, while short lived, was only at once location. He also does not have a offensive or defensive identity or back ground like a Meyer or Patterson
Mark stoops- Kentucky HC has produced the best recruiting classes in Kentucky history. Produced dominate top ten defenses at 2 previous jobs( Arizona and FSU). Top recruiter. Put together a good staff. Coached under winners and comes from a coaching family. Compared to brother bob stoops. Negatives are he has not been too succesful yet. They did beat South Carolina and started ou the season 5-1 but they lost the next 6 and failed to become bowl eligible. this upcoming year will be year 3 for stoops. If he is able to make noise in the sec east, get his team ranked and reach/bowl game then he should be a hot name come December.
Mark Hudspeth HC Louisiana Laf- has been succesful at 2 different spots but both have been on a very small level. Has a winning record at La-Laf. Has won 9 games each season and has 4 straight bowl victories. Negative is he has not won more than 9 games there and has no outright conference championship nor does he dominate the sunbelt.
Rich Rod HC Arizona - has produced great offenses almost everywhere he has been. Starting at Clemson with Woodrow dantzler, then WV and now Arizona. Has made Arizona a consistent ranked team and competitor in th me second best conference in college football( pac 12). Two of the best offensive coaches in football ( urban Meyer & chip Kelly) studied Rich Rod system. Negative for him is mich job. Passed over Alabama for mich and failed hard. Another succussful season at Arizona could push rich Rod to the top of the list. He would recruit like a beast and offense would def apeal to south fla talent.
Justin Fuente Memphis HC - Gary Patterson disciple who has been apart of TCU winning program including the rose bowl win over Wisconsin. In year 3, this past yr, he had Memphis finish with a 10 win season, a conference championship, , a ranking in the AP & coaches poll and a bowl game win. Yes at Memphis. Another year like that could see him being that name on everybody tongue. I personally think he needs to get another gig before hitting the big time but u can't knock what he has done so far at Memphis by year 3. Negatives are not really many. This is his first HC job.
Tom Herman HC Houston - urban Meyers OC has been succesful at every stop( rice, Iowa st & Ohio st) . Mensa member and top recruiter is def one to watch in 1st year. Negative on him is that this will be his 1st HC job and year 1 at that. Could he follow the path of Guz Malzahn , form ark st for 1 year as HC to Aub HC? Possibly but not likely , prob def not Miami but he and Houston is still one to watch.
Chad Morris HC SMU - another highly succesful OC who has been succesful at numerous locations ( Tulsa & Clemson) he is a top recruiter and was one of the ACC best. Recruited fla and offense would excite fla players. This is will also be his 1st HC job and year 1. Many think he will not want to leave Texas because of his background as a Texas HC coach but there are others who feel he is going to be like his mentor, Guz Malzahn, and bounce to the big time after year if a big time job becomes available. He has an exciting offense and has put together a young hungry recruiting staff.
Todd graham Arizona st HC- many people have mixed fillings on him. He is successful every where he goes. He can flat out coach. He produces succesful high octane offenses every and has employed some really good coaches who go on to be Hc's. He runs a spread offense and a aggressive 4-3 defense. He does not stay anywhere long but may have found a home at Arizona st.
