Mac(k) Problems

Despite winning this weekend, Texas head coach Mack Brown is still firmly entrenched in the hot seat. After a bye this week to prepare for the lowly Iowa State Cyclones, the Longhorns should be 2-2 heading to Dallas for the Red River Shootout (I don't care what anyone says, this just sounds better). After what is almost certainly going to be another embarrassing loss to Oklahoma, Brown's backside will be habanero on the sun in July toasty. He figures to make it to the end of the year but this loss will signal the beginning of the end and a changing of the guard in Austin. Who could be his replacement? Let’s take a look at the candidates, some of them stronger than others:

Tier 10:  The “I-have-no-shot-because-I’m-a-coordinator-and-I-won’t-waste-my-time-writing-about-them” category

·         Kirby Smart- Alabama Defensive Coordinator

·         Cam Cameron- LSU Offensive Coordinator

·         Chad Morris- Clemson Offensive Coordinator

Tier 9: The “Wishful-thinking” category

·         Nick Saban- Alabama Head Coach- Saban should politely decline, hang-up, laugh hysterically before accepting a major pay raise at Alabama. No one has embodied the hound's-tooth better since Bear Bryant and anyone who tells you UT has a shot at Saban is either high or a Texas fan. Potentially both.

Tier 8: The “Just-not-sexy-enough” category

·         Bill Blankenship- Tulsa Head Coach- Blankenship took over for Todd Graham at Tulsa and has done an outstanding job and would be a good fit for Texas. The problem is he’s too “small potatoes” for the Longhorns. If they are truly making a run at Saban then there is no way the Longhorn faithful would “settle” for Blankenship, the name just isn’t sexy enough…

Tier 7: The “One-that-got-away” category

·         Kliff Kingsbury- Texas Tech Head Coach- If they wanted sexy, then the Horns might have waited a year too long. They should have grabbed Kliffy last year, and they would have had one the games great young minds, in a fantastic college town, with endless resources. Unfortunately for the ‘Horns, I think the backlash of leaving his alma mater for an in-state, conference foe is too much, despite all the TV time this Ryan Gosling wannabe would get on the Longhorn Network. This call will still be made and if King can stand getting pelted with batteries and tortillas when he returns to Lubbock every other year, maybe the central Texas kid makes the jump. He did grow up a Longhorn fan…

Tier 6: The “Call’s-that-should-be-made-but-wont” Category

·         Rich Rodriguez- Arizona Head Coach- Rich Rodriguez has bounced back after the Michigan debacle and is in-line for another promotion. He has the Wildcats off to a 3-0 start this season and is the type of big name that Texas would want. Still with the Michigan-thing lingering over his career, it would be tough for the ‘Horns to justify this one to the fan base. You know, unless they started winning again.

·         Dana Holgorsen- West Virginia Head Coach- Just kidding. I would just love to see the headlines and photos of good ol’ Dana after some time on 6^th street.

·         Todd Graham- Arizona State Head Coach- Two years in Tempe?  Graham must be itching to leave after being a serial abandoner at other programs. Maybe Texas could convince him to stick around for a while because he has done well everywhere he’s coached, albeit for a short period of time. I hate to admit it but he would probably be near-perfect for the job.

·         Mark Helfrich- Oregon Head Coach- To me this is probably one of the more intriguing names out there. Helfrich has done a great job to keep the ball rolling for the Ducks, who recruit the state of Texas heavily anyway. Why keep bringing it to Oregon when you can just go straight to the source? Helfrich would have his pick of the litter out in Texas for one of the most exciting offenses in the country. It would be tough to get him to leave Oregon after only a year but Texas has the resources to make it happen. 

Tier 5: The “Call’s-that-will-be-made-but-shouldn’t” category

·         Will Muschamp- Florida Head Coach- This one is intriguing for all parties. Muschamp, the former DC for Texas, would get to go back to the school he was originally named the Head Coach in waiting. Instead he got to wear a different shade of orange, getting better on the job training. Would he leave Gainesville for an Austin reunion? Possibly but he will probably be one of the first calls despite being ho-hum at Florida.

·         Mike Gundy- Oklahoma State Head Coach- With some of the recent investigations going on in Stillwater this “man” may want to jump ship like it was a Pac-12 school. He’s done well with Pickens-money so he could certainly do some damage with Texas-money. Still I’m not as sold on him as everyone else is. He was just a slightly above- average coach until the “Air Raid” came to Stillwater.  

Tier 4: The “Yes-I-am-interested-but-no-I-couldn’t-justify-it”category

·         Art Briles- Baylor Head Coach- The former Stephenville HS football coach has been one hell of a recruiter at every stop he’s made but he seems happy with the program that he’s building in Waco. It wouldn’t be a long trip down the I-35 for Briles and it doesn’t get more glamorous for a Texas native.

·         Bill O’Brien- Penn State Head Coach- O’Brien deserves a lifetime achievement award for the season he led the Nittany Lions to last year. Once again he has the team on the right track and looks like he could be a hot name, especially with all the trouble in Happy Valley. He seems too committed to leave Penn State already though. 

Tier 3: The “Always-mentioned” category

·         Chris Pederson- Boise State Head Coach- Boise State is struggling this year and despite turning down numerous other offers, could this be the one that prys Pederson away from Idaho? Maybe but Texas might not even make an offer with the way former Boise St. OC Bryan Harsin performed in Austin.

Tier 2: The “Just-too-soon-to-tell” category

·         Hugh Freeze- Ole Miss Head Coach- Freeze has been a revelation at Ole Miss, pulling in top recruits and pulling out of the SEC cellar. Does he want to see through what he’s started in Oxford? Who knows but I’m sure he would answer if the ‘Horns came calling and he’d be hard-pressed not to take it.

·         Larry Fedora- UNC Head Coach- Texas wouldn’t go for another Tar Heel would they? The school ties alone may keep Fedora out of the running but if he has another solid year in Chapel Hill he could be a candidate. He would have to have a year like Brown did back in 1997 though, but that means he can’t lose another game.

·         James Franklin- Vanderbilt Head Coach- Franklin is another one of these guys where he could end up being a fantastic coach but it’s just too soon to tell. He would be an interesting hire but not enough seasoning to make it onto the short list of candidates. 

Tier 1: The “Wheelhouse” Category

·         David Shaw- Stanford Head Coach- Shaw took over for Jim Harbaugh and has kept Stanford alive and well, perhaps even better. Shaw has Stanford in the top 5 after taking them to a conference championship and back-to-back BCS bowls. California and Austin endure pretty much the same type of people so Shaw would just have to decide if he wanted to trade the beach for an extra couple million a year. I think the answer is yes.

·         Charlie Strong- Louisville Head Coach- Now would be the perfect time for Strong to move on to one of the premiere jobs in College Football. Bridgewater will leave after this year and he has essentially maxed out Louisville in their current state. I’m not as sold on him as some of the other candidates but it would definitely be an upgrade for Strong and probably the Longhorns too.

·         Kyle Whittingham- Utah Head Coach- Whittingham has been the Head Coach at Utah since 2005 and the Utes have been successful during his time there. He seems like a perfect candidate but, while minor, Whittingham has spent his entire coaching career in, or near Utah. And would the member of the Church of Latter Day Saints, really want to go to the “People’s Republic of Austin?” I think he would have a couple million reasons to get past it all.

·         Al Golden- Miami Head Coach- Golden has been somewhat of a savior of the “U” since all of the allegations came down back in 2010. He is still a little green as a head coach but the Longhorns need to either make a splash with an already big name or an up-and-comer. Maybe they find a happy medium in Golden?

The Verdict

After reviewing the candidates, my top 4:

1.      Will Muschamp

2.      Charlie Strong

3.      Hugh Freeze

4.      David Shaw

For better or worse, Will Muschamp will finally succeed Mack Brown in Austin. The name has the allure of a big-time coach the Longhorn faithful need and he has been successful there before. It wouldn’t be their best hire, in my opinion that’s Mark Helfrich of Oregon, but it could be worse. It could be Mack Brown again.