ESPN lists 11 candidates for Colorado head coaching job following Karl Dorrell firing

Karl Dorrell was the latest college football coach to fall off the carousel, as it was reported Sunday that Colorado had dismissed him as head coach after two-and-a-half seasons. With the search to find his replacement now underway, ESPN released a list of candidates for the job.

Dorrell compiled just an 8-15 record in his time with the Buffaloes, including an abysmal 0-5 start to this season. He is owed an $8.7 million buyout per the terms of his contract and offensive coordinator Mike Sanford will take over as interim coach for the remainder of 2022.

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Colorado has enjoyed just one winning season since 2006, so whoever takes over will have a massive rebuilding job on their hands. Below are the candidates to become the next Buffaloes head coach, per ESPN.

11 candidates to be the next Colorado head coach

Ryan Walters, Illinois defensive coordinator

The Fighting Illini rank as the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense (8.4 points allowed per game) under Walters, who is in his second season as defensive coordinator. He also has a connection to the program as a former Colorado safety from 2004-08, and his father, Marc, is a former Buffaloes quarterback.

Troy Calhoun, Air Force head coach

Calhoun is a well-known name in the state of Colorado, as he has been the head coach Air Force — his alma mater — for the past 16 seasons. In that time, he has compiled a 115-76 record, including 13-2 against the Buffaloes. An opportunity at a Power 5 program could be waiting for him if he wants it, and he wouldn’t have to go far to get it.

Bryan Harsin, Auburn head coach

Many believe it is only a matter of time before Harsin is out at Auburn, and his name has also come up for the opening at Arizona State. Harsin knows the area well, as he previously spent seven seasons as the head coach at Boise State in the Mountain West Conference.

Alex Grinch, USC defensive coordinator

The Trojans defense has improved drastically under Grinch this season, going from 31.8 points allowed in 2021 to just 19.6 in 2022. They also went from forcing 1.6 turnovers per game to 3.2. He also brings Pac-12 experience after serving as the Washington State defensive coordinator from 2015-17.

Kasey Dunn, Oklahoma State offensive coordinator

Dunn has spent the past 10 seasons with the Cowboys, working his way up from receivers coach to associate head coach and offensive coordinator. He has coached two Biletnikoff winners during that span in Justin Blackmon and James Washington. He is also familiar with the region after playing his college ball at Idaho and serving as an assistant at several Pac-12 program in his early career.

Eric Bieniemy, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator

A former Buffaloes running back and later offensive coordinator, Bienemy has spent the past 10 seasons in the NFL with the Chiefs. He has previously expressed disappointment over failing to land an NFL head coaching job, and a chance to return to his alma mater could be tempting.

Brent Brennan, San Jose State head coach

In six seasons at San Jose State, Brennan has compiled just a 23-38 record. However, he led the Spartans to their first Mountain West title in 2020 and is off to a 3-1 start this year.

Donte Williams, USC defensive backs coach

Williams is just as big a part of USC’s defensive transformation as Grinch. He served as the interim head coach for the Trojans in 2021, leading them to a 3-7 record, and Lincoln Riley saw enough out of him to retain him in 2022. ESPN also noted his recruiting connections in the Los Angeles area, which is another plus for his candidacy.

Willie Fritz, Tulane head coach

Fritz has a 35-44 record in seven seasons at Tulane, including a 4-1 start to this season. If the Green Wave make a bowl, it will be their fourth appearance in the past five seasons under Fritz.

Matt Entz, North Dakota State head coach

In his fourth season as the Bison head coach, Entz has amassed a 41-5 record and won two FCS national titles. Craig Bohl and Chris Klieman made the jump to FBS before him, and he will have an opportunity to follow in their footsteps given his success.

Aaron Roderick, BYU offensive coordinator

A Utah native, Roderick has spent his entire coaching career in the state at both BYU and Utah. He has the Cougars averaging 293.2 passing yards per game this season, tied for 24th in the country.