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Bryant Haines, Clint Killough, and Dino Babers: Top Candidates for Ball State’s Next Coach

Could Bryant Haines, Clint Killough, or Dino Babers be the next head coach at Ball State?

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Sep 17
Sep 17

By: Mike Huesmann

The Mike Neu era at Ball State has come to an expected end. As I wrote not so long ago, this move was one we saw coming a mile away. This season was his ninth in charge of the Cardinals and only one of those ended with a winning season. That simply isn’t good enough or acceptable at the collegiate level. I think Neu is a decent coach who did some good things, but Ball State is a tough place to win and ultimately, he didn’t do it enough. Here are five candidates to replace him.

Bryant Haines

Defensive Coordinator, Indiana

Bryant Haines followed Cignetti from James Madison, and those guys haven’t put a foot wrong in a long time. He coached elite defenses at JMU, earning recognition as a Broyles Award semifinalist in 2023 for the nation’s top assistant coach. The Hoosiers have already eclipsed their preseason win total of 5.5 sitting at 6-0. Haines, a Ball State alumnus, will be a top contender for this job, which I recently wrote about.

Tyler Stockton

Defensive Coordinator, Boise State

Tyler Stockton is in his first year as Boise’s DC after spending multiple years at Ball State as DC and LB coach. He was mentioned as a possible UConn head coach before Jim Mora was hired. This year, he is leading a Bronco defense that has them in the hunt for a playoff appearance. He will likely be a head coach soon.

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Clint Killough

Head Coach, Incarnate Word

Clint Killough, still only 31, took over at UIW when G.J. Kinne left for Texas State. He led Incarnate Word to an 8-2 record last year. Currently, they are 6-2, ranked in the top 10 in the FCS, and will likely be a playoff team. He had been an assistant here under multiple head coaches before that and at Bowling Green. Combining his success offensively, wins as head coach, and coaching tree, I don’t expect him to be at the FCS level much longer. His MAC experience and head coaching success make him appealing.

Jason Eck

Head Coach, Idaho

Another former Ball State assistant on the list, Jason Eck has been the Vandals’ boss since 2022. He took over a program that hadn’t had a winning season since 2016 and has taken them to back-to-back playoff appearances, including a quarterfinal trip this past fall. Eck has FBS experience at Wisconsin, Colorado, Ball State, and Idaho when they were still a member. If he wants to go to the FBS now, he’s a guy I would look at.

Dino Babers

Offensive Coordinator, Arizona

Dino Babers would be a solid hire for a team in limbo, like any lower-level G5 team is. He was deservedly let go at Syracuse; his end-of-season collapses and lack of ability to win conference games were his downfall. However, he was a heck of a coach at Bowling Green, winning 18 games in two seasons before going to Syracuse. His star is low now, but he has shown the ability to win in the MAC and built teams that have succeeded. If he wants back in and the money is right, he could be a bargain for Ball State. 

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