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FSU91Oct 21, 5:43 PM

Who are Head Coaches that we might be interested in hiring? Hot Board?

I'm going to list folks that I think could be possibilities for various reasons. I'm not going to include guys like Smart and Lanning and Day and some others huge names that are set up now in good spots where they are happy. I will include a couple of big names of guys who might not be as happy as some might think in their current gigs. And this is only a list of current head coaches ... and one guy who was recently fired:
  • James Franklin - available; proven program builder and winner; con is that he almost always lost to Ohio State and Michigan
  • Marcus Freeman - it has been rumored that he's not high on the academic recruiting hurdles at ND; he's certainly on Penn State's list
  • Lane Kiffin - UF and LSU (if they open) will certainly have interest here
  • Lincoln Riley - rumors are that he's not happy living in LA and that a move somewhere else is possible; likely going 9-3 this year
  • Eli Drinkwitz - certainly interest from UF and LSU could be interested if they open up (about to be 5-4 if they lose to both Aggie and Bama in next 2 weeks)
  • Rhett Lashlee - seamless move with Gus already on board; happy at SMU and alma mater sasnakrA is calling; ceiling is higher at FSU than SMU long term
  • Manny Diaz - alum who certainly can run a defense
  • Jeff Brohm - Louisville alum that might not be available; won some at Purdue and is winning some at Louisville; seems like a perfect fit at his alma mater
  • Kenny Dillingham - another alum at his alma mater; not sure that he'd be interested in coming back East
  • Dan Mullen - the dude can win and knows what it takes to recruit big in Florida ... but that is the thing ... will he do what it takes?
  • Alex Golesh - former OC at UCF and Tennessee for Heupel; went 7-6 last two years at USF and is 6-1 this year
  • Jon Sumrall - HC at Tulane; was great at Troy; Kentucky alum and former assistant; will be hot commodity for UK, Auburn and Ole Miss if they all open up
I'm sure that there are more, but this is a quick run down of some guys that could be targeted. There are obviously a bunch of coordinators that are likely candidates, but my hope is that we land an experienced head coach that knows how to recruit and win at the P4 level. I'd certainly hope that our representation ... whomever is putting out feelers in the back-channels ... is reaching out to those that rep the likes of Franklin, Freeman, Kiffin, Drinkwitz and Lashlee. I'd want to get a no from each of these guys before I moved on to the next group. Lots of time to work behind the scenes. I read elsewhere that a big part of the decision to not fire Norvell now has to do with roster management and the portal window. Guys can enter the portal and sit down when you fire a coach ... even mid-season. We don't want that. Ideally, even if Norvell is a dead man walking, we want to delay when guys that we want to keep who are on our roster can enter the portal. If Norvell is fired at season's end and we already have the next guy lined up (but not announced, obviously) then the idea would be that he might have time to recruit the guys that we actually want to keep from the JR, SO and FR groups. And if a new coach wants to retain either Gus or White then that might work out as well in an effort to keep the guys that we want to keep.
129 Replies
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Lombago6

Oct 21, 5:48 PM

Freeman. The biggest pipe dream. But consider me a dreamer. He would be an awesome get. I think he is only scratching the surface of what he can be as a head coach.
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FSU91

Oct 21, 5:54 PM

Lombago6 said:
Freeman. The biggest pipe dream. But consider me a dreamer. He would be an awesome get. I think he is only scratching the surface of what he can be as a head coach.
The only way that he is "gettable" is if he truly does have issues with ND's academic restraints to recruiting. That said ... they rank #4 in the current team rankings in recruiting. I doubt that either us or PSU get him, but I'd make him say no.
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Spence904

Oct 21, 5:58 PM

Franklin, Diaz, Brohm, and Golesh are the only real possibilities there
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2nd Generation Nole

Oct 21, 5:58 PM

Whatever recruiting hurdles there used to beat notre dame appear to be gone
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alexmartin9197

Oct 21, 5:58 PM

Sumrall would be my top choice, followed by either Golesh or Franklin. A reach for me would be Eli, but he's more likely to go to UF than here... if he even decides to leave.
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Hocaptok2

Oct 21, 5:59 PM

I think the 30 day rule got changed on October 8th. No longer opens upon departure of a head coach.
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HB_Seminole

Oct 21, 6:00 PM

I think Diaz is the most realistic option on this list. He's gotten some great experience, can run a good defense, can recruit in Florida and South Georgia and is an Alum.
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TheTruth_

Oct 21, 6:01 PM

More than half that list is a pipe dream
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CoachConrad

Oct 21, 6:04 PM

Both Lane and Freeman would crush it here. Great call. Love Eli too - dude wins games consistently at a place he shouldn't be winning games consistently at in what is arguably the toughest conference in the nation. Also a big Brohm fan - dude puts out some salty teams. Franklin just doesn't do it for me - hiring a guy you know cannot win the big one is tough - comes in with an attached stigma.
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IraBroffel1

Oct 21, 6:04 PM

Buster Faulkner Brent Key (I know he’s a GT alum but the ceiling at GT is what it is)
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FSU91

Oct 21, 6:05 PM

Spence904 said:
Franklin, Diaz, Brohm, and Golesh are the only real possibilities there
I'm going to guess that we don't actually know what is real and what isn't real. We only think that we know. It's amazing sometimes who is interested in things that we would never think are interested. I say this because I have a close friend who is a former AD (I went to the Stanford game with him) and I have known two other ADs well enough to know that it is CRAZY who reaches out to find out about open jobs.
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FSU91

Oct 21, 6:06 PM

Hocaptok2 said:
I think the 30 day rule got changed on October 8th. No longer opens upon departure of a head coach.
That's great news if that is the case!
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WildmanO

Oct 21, 6:07 PM

Marcus Freeman would be an absolute home run.
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CashNole

Oct 21, 6:10 PM

I think an offer from their current school, with the right amount of money, none of those coaches are coming. You would be better off going and getting Gruden.
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Awolfe

Oct 21, 6:10 PM

Goelish is just Mike Norvell 2.0 really
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Mattybnole

Oct 21, 6:12 PM

FSU91 said:
I'm going to list folks that I think could be possibilities for various reasons. I'm not going to include guys like Smart and Lanning and Day and some others huge names that are set up now in good spots where they are happy. I will include a couple of big names of guys who might not be as happy as some might think in their current gigs. And this is only a list of current head coaches ... and one guy who was recently fired:
  • James Franklin - available; proven program builder and winner; con is that he almost always lost to Ohio State and Michigan
  • Marcus Freeman - it has been rumored that he's not high on the academic recruiting hurdles at ND; he's certainly on Penn State's list
  • Lane Kiffin - UF and LSU (if they open) will certainly have interest here
  • Lincoln Riley - rumors are that he's not happy living in LA and that a move somewhere else is possible; likely going 9-3 this year
  • Eli Drinkwitz - certainly interest from UF and LSU could be interested if they open up (about to be 5-4 if they lose to both Aggie and Bama in next 2 weeks)
  • Rhett Lashlee - seamless move with Gus already on board; happy at SMU and alma mater sasnakrA is calling; ceiling is higher at FSU than SMU long term
  • Manny Diaz - alum who certainly can run a defense
  • Jeff Brohm - Louisville alum that might not be available; won some at Purdue and is winning some at Louisville; seems like a perfect fit at his alma mater
  • Kenny Dillingham - another alum at his alma mater; not sure that he'd be interested in coming back East
  • Dan Mullen - the dude can win and knows what it takes to recruit big in Florida ... but that is the thing ... will he do what it takes?
  • Alex Golesh - former OC at UCF and Tennessee for Heupel; went 7-6 last two years at USF and is 6-1 this year
  • Jon Sumrall - HC at Tulane; was great at Troy; Kentucky alum and former assistant; will be hot commodity for UK, Auburn and Ole Miss if they all open up
I'm sure that there are more, but this is a quick run down of some guys that could be targeted. There are obviously a bunch of coordinators that are likely candidates, but my hope is that we land an experienced head coach that knows how to recruit and win at the P4 level. I'd certainly hope that our representation ... whomever is putting out feelers in the back-channels ... is reaching out to those that rep the likes of Franklin, Freeman, Kiffin, Drinkwitz and Lashlee. I'd want to get a no from each of these guys before I moved on to the next group. Lots of time to work behind the scenes. I read elsewhere that a big part of the decision to not fire Norvell now has to do with roster management and the portal window. Guys can enter the portal and sit down when you fire a coach ... even mid-season. We don't want that. Ideally, even if Norvell is a dead man walking, we want to delay when guys that we want to keep who are on our roster can enter the portal. If Norvell is fired at season's end and we already have the next guy lined up (but not announced, obviously) then the idea would be that he might have time to recruit the guys that we actually want to keep from the JR, SO and FR groups. And if a new coach wants to retain either Gus or White then that might work out as well in an effort to keep the guys that we want to keep.
Fran Brown and Clark Lea.
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FLTXNole

Oct 21, 6:13 PM

Sumrall/Jimbo/Freeman (doubt he comes here) then Franklin... Don't think Eli or Lane would work here... Based off this list, Lincoln Riley I think would do great but I don't see him coming to FSU either. I am not impressed with the rest or just don't see a reason for them to come here.
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Dmar3636

Oct 21, 6:13 PM

If Kelly or Dabo were fired do any of these guys make the cut?
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Gfall

Oct 21, 6:13 PM

FSU91 said:
I'm going to guess that we don't actually know what is real and what isn't real. We only think that we know. It's amazing sometimes who is interested in things that we would never think are interested. I say this because I have a close friend who is a former AD (I went to the Stanford game with him) and I have known two other ADs well enough to know that it is CRAZY who reaches out to find out about open jobs.
Price tag for this list is substantial. Is the administration ready to spend this kind of money. Next coach up needs to have proven record in power 5. Tough to pick.
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nole2soul

Oct 21, 6:19 PM

Spence904 said:
Franklin, Diaz, Brohm, and Golesh are the only real possibilities there
@Spence904 ...I like your posts but NO to any of these guys. JMO.
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nole2soul

Oct 21, 6:23 PM

Awolfe said:
Goelish is just Mike Norvell 2.0 really
Mattybnole said:
Fran Brown and Clark Lea.
No to Fran Brown. Lea is a Vandy grad and from Nashville.
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BadgerNole

Oct 21, 6:25 PM

HB_Seminole said:
I think Diaz is the most realistic option on this list. He's gotten some great experience, can run a good defense, can recruit in Florida and South Georgia and is an Alum.
You and your Manny-crush.
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Mattybnole

Oct 21, 6:26 PM

nole2soul said:
No to Fran Brown. Lea is a Vandy grad and from Nashville.
Ah, so Lea, Brohm and Dilly kinda the same sitch.
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FSU91

Oct 21, 6:27 PM

Mattybnole said:
Fran Brown and Clark Lea.
Fran Brown is 3-4 at Syracuse today and is 1-3 in the ACC. Sure, that's 1 game better than Norvell's 0-4 mark this year, but ain't nobody going to get happy about that kind of record.

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