A lot of names are being speculated on including five former highly successful coaches perhaps looking for work, Gary Barnett, Mike Leach, Mark Mangino, Phil Fulmer and Mike Bellotti. I guarantee the University won’t spend a lot of time studying the resumes of Barnett, Leach and Mangino. Too much controversy associated with their names, and Leach’s pass happy style isn’t the best of schemes for Minnesota talent.
Fulmer, 60, won a national championship at Tennessee during an impressive 17 year career as head coach. Bellotti put the pieces in place for the Oregon program that under second year coach Chip Kelly is ranked No. 1 in the country. Belloti reportedly wants to coach again, although he is almost 60 years old. Fulmer has been outspoken about his interest in a return to coaching. Would they have the energy and will to turn around the Gophers? It’s a big mountain to climb.
The energy and commitment issue is a potential red flag with retread coaches. That’s why I breathe easier when talking about younger head coaches who seem to be in or nearing their primes.
The best hire is either Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh or Boise State’s Chris Petersen. Chances of signing either to a contract? The answer is a four letter word: Slim. The sales pitch to Harbaugh is the opportunity to return to the Big Ten where he was an All-American quarterback at Michigan playing for legendary coach Bo Schembechler. Also, the U might be able to outbid Stanford on a contract for Harbaugh.
Petersen is probably the better bet to show interest, if only by a little. Boise State plays in the WAC and it may take an act of Congress to get the Broncos into the national championship game. A Big Ten job is more of a direct route to the national title game if you can develop a great team. Petersen reportedly earns about $1.5 million at Boise State, evidence that despite his extraordinary success the school and boosters have real limitations on how much they can pay. The Gophers might get him for $2.5 million.
Petersen and Harbaugh have shown they can work miracles at Boise State and Stanford, two schools with limited football resources and (stop me if this sounds like Minnesota) built in disadvantages. Identifying under the radar high school talent, then coaching them to the max is something badly lacking at Minnesota. Master teachers and motivators Petersen and Harbaugh are just what are needed for a Minnesota program that at times during the last 40 years has been on life support.
The next tier of coaches who deserve every consideration for the job are Air Force’s Troy Calhoun and Temple’s Al Golden. You gotta go get a coach who has shown he’s a winner and has done it at places where those programs aren’t loaded with so many resources and advantages, that if I were coach I could win half my games.
The excuse makers and apologists love to whine about why it’s so difficult to win at Minnesota. It’s no picnic at the service academies. Calhoun, 44, has won 30 games at Air Force since taking over in 2007. He is also known as a man with the right kind of values, and the Gophers will place a premium on character as they review candidates. And don’t typecast Calhoun as a coach who can only use the running game as emphasized at Air Force. Before taking over the Falcons he was offensive coordinator for the NFL’s Houston Texans.
Think Air Force is a challenge? I would rather coach there than Temple, a slum of a program that for decades was a constant loser. Golden, 41, has made steady progress at Temple, a program that couldn’t even surpass high school crowds for some home games. His team last season was 9-4, the first winning year since 1990 and first bowl appearance in 30 years. Now in his fifth season rebuilding Temple, the Owls are 5-2 and Golden has received praise for not only winning but lifting the GPA’s of his players. The Gophers job would be a big step up for Golden, a former tight end at Penn State and defensive coordinator at Virginia.
Who will the Gophers have as their final four candidates? I am guessing Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin, who was an assistant here under both Jim Wacker and Glen Mason, will be one finalist. He’s made news with his high scoring teams but the defensive report card isn’t so hot during his three seasons as head coach. The Cougars are ranked 96th in the country for points allowed per game and previous defenses were leaky, too. That’s not impressive when you consider coaching in Houston is a place where potential college players are more plentiful than just about any area in the country.
Behind mystery door No. 2 could be Marc Trestman, the former Gopher quarterback who has coached in both the pros and college as an assistant. As head coach he led Montreal to Canada’s Grey Cup title last year. The St. Louis Park High grad has the largest bandwagon of local supporters among the potential candidates and presumably they will dial up the pressure on the U to bring Trestman home if he’s interested.
Finalist No. 3 could be Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst. He received serious consideration in 2007, has a relationship with Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi and is highly regarded. Many college football experts see him as a big time coach in waiting. He would bring a deep understanding of the Wisconsin success formula, although hiring a coordinator is riskier than hiring a successful head coach from another program. And by the way, those who would oppose Chryst because he works for hated rival Wisconsin are silly.
I have a hunch that No. 4 will be Bellotti who dazzled at Oregon winning about two-thirds of his games, often being in the hunt for the Pac 10 title and helping turn Autzen Stadium into one of the most intimidating venues in the country.
I sure hope the U decides to put Harbaugh, Petersen, Calhoun, Golden or Bellotti behind mystery door No. 1. Gopherville will be happy with any of those names on the office door at the football complex.
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