By: Mike Huesmann
The writing is on the wall. The slim chance Billy Napier had to save his job appears to be gone. He was always unlikely to mount a successful season against that gauntlet of a schedule. I’m not here to talk about how that could’ve happened or if there is salvation – I’m here to talk about the next guy and who it could be. I’ll break it down into five strong candidates and five to monitor who could be in the mix. We typically see teams hire the opposite of the guy they just fired, meaning I believe Florida does not initially look at G5 coaches. I think P4 success is a requirement to make the top five.
Lane Kiffin
Head Coach, Ole Miss
If there is a current coach with the attitude and persona of the Old Ball Coach, it’s Kiffin. His team, and this is a pattern we will see, is far better than Florida now, but the Gators are still probably a bigger job with a higher ceiling. Doubters will point to the Alabama job and say he didn’t leave last year. I don’t think he was offered that one. He will at least listen and have his agent field calls.
WATCH: Ole Miss head coach Lance Kiffin noted Wake Forest opted out of its return game to Oxford next season.
“These guys called over this week and (Wake Forest AD John) Currie said we’re not playing you guys next year and bought out of the game.”
-Head coach @Lane_Kiffin pic.twitter.com/mY0o52tW3X
— Brad Logan (@BradLoganCOTE) September 15, 2024
Eli Drinkwitz
Head Coach, Missouri
Another fellow SEC head coach. Drinkwitz did a good job at Appalachian State and now has done great at Mizzou. His team is far better than Florida right now, but Mizzou still isn’t as big of a job. I have to believe he’s near the top of this list when calls start being made.
Adversity isn't always fun, but it sure is important.
No. 6 #Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz says it was good to see how this team responded to a fist fight."It's great to be 3-0 but there's got to be a lot of improvement in order for us to take on the SEC." pic.twitter.com/sdVIaTjO8Z
— Nathalie Jones (@NathalieABC17) September 14, 2024
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Jedd Fisch
Head Coach, Washington
A former Gator assistant under Steve Spurrier, does he want to come back to Gainesville? If he was coming from Arizona I’d say it’s a lock, but being in year one at Washington complicates things. Leaving so soon is not something some guys want to do. His brand of football – building from the trenches – may be what the Gators need. The Apple Cup loss yesterday was bad, but if they rebound it’ll be in the rearview mirror. Personally, I don’t think he gets the job but some in this field think he’s a favorite.
Jedd Fisch on 4th-and-1 call: “That’s on me” pic.twitter.com/KFn32FiuGa
— Ty Gilstrap (@ty_gilstrap) September 14, 2024
James Franklin
Head Coach, Penn State
Every year we hear rumors about Franklin leaving and contract talk; one of these years it’ll actually happen. I don’t know if this is it, but it could be the job that finally pulls him away from the Nittany Lions. He has them a consistently Top 10 squad, recruits well, and wins the games that he should win. Florida would take all three of those things in a second. Like Lane Kiffin, he might decline the opportunity.
There’s James Franklin icing the kicker to try to preserve a 56-0 shutout, and then there’s this… hilarious and I encourage it! https://t.co/b9MmsDJLmn
— Cole Here! (@colebartradio) September 15, 2024
Fran Brown
Head Coach, Syracuse
Like Fisch, it may be too soon for him to leave his job. Only in year one with Syracuse, they look to be playing tough football and will be competitive in the ACC. A former DB coach at Georgia, he’ll be familiar with the conference, recruits, and could adapt quickly. He appears to be a rising star.
Fran Brown and Kyle McCord have played two games together. And everything around the program feels different.
Read about it in my latest for @mfarrellsports https://t.co/ts3PErqN2W
— Alec Nederveld (@nederveldcfb) September 9, 2024
Honorable Mention Five
Alex Golesh
Head Coach, South Florida
One of the most impressive two-year turnarounds in recent memory. The former Tennessee OC got the Bulls to a bowl game in year one after the horrendous Jeff Scott years. A P4 job comes soon.
Alex Golesh will fire you up pic.twitter.com/URd4OHZwJq
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) September 8, 2024
Dan Lanning
Head Coach, Oregon
He’s worth monitoring. I don’t think he wants the job, but if he does he immediately becomes a favorite. Is the pull of the SEC this strong?
Dan Lanning and the Ducks entering Reser Stadium for the 2024 Civil War pic.twitter.com/rNTjHhoNnd
— Keith – OSU (@GoBeavs2k) September 14, 2024
Jake Dikert
Head Coach, Washington State
The Cougars may not lose a regular-season game after winning the Apple Cup. If he’s sitting at 11 or 12 wins later this year, he becomes appealing to P4 schools with more stability.
“We were going to win this game not because we hated them but because we loved each other.”
LEGENDARY LINE from Coach Dickert. pic.twitter.com/aAZd8cgxub
— Dylan Haugh (@Dylanhaugh) September 14, 2024
Glenn Schumann
Defensive Coordinator, Georgia
He’ll get a good head coaching job soon. Could this be it? Similar to the situation Kirby Smart and Dan Lanning were in as DCs, he looks set for a top job even without head coaching experience.
Georgia needed every little advantage it could get to scrape by Kentucky on Saturday, and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann knew he needed to be ready to take risks to get them.https://t.co/NCD23aJ3h7
— Owen McDaniel (@OwenMcDanielRB) September 15, 2024
Kenny Dillingham
Head Coach, Arizona State
With the Sun Devils sitting at 3-0 so far, he looks to have performed a nice turnaround in year two. History at Auburn and Florida State will make him familiar to the SEC and state.
How can you not love Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham 🔱
“I’m only out here right now so I don’t get fined.”pic.twitter.com/f8OozhOojm
— PHNX Sun Devils (@PHNX_SunDevils) September 13, 2024
