By Mike Huesmann
Mel Tucker has officially been fired as of yesterday and we are already seeing lists, including my own, of possible replacements. Some I really like and some I do not. I believe this search goes 1 of 2 ways; they either hire a practical (safe) candidate for a fraction of the money Mel got, or they reinvest the money they saved in Mel’s buyout (roughly $80 million) and target a top level candidate. What they do at that fork in the road will dictate who the candidates are. Thus, I will give you 5 practical candidates and 5 dream candidates.
The 5 Practical Candidates
Pat Narduzzi
Head Coach, Pittsburgh
Veteran coach Narduzzi might be a long shot, but he’s worth approaching. The former Spartan DC led a turnaround at Pitt and has won an ACC title. He is 63-41 at Pitt, only having 1 losing season out of 8. His stability and attitude could do well to take over in the wake of a scandal. The fact that he’s a familiar face would also go over well. I think if he wants the job, he’s the guy.
Jim Leonhard
Defensive Analyst, Illinois
Leonhard checks every box you could want here, with the exception of prior head coaching experience. The longtime Badger assistant and 2022 interim head coach knows the Big Ten better than most. He went 5-3 last year in his 8 games as boss after Paul Chryst was let go. He is working with Bret Bielema at Illinois this year. His time to become a head coach will come soon.
Mike Tressel
Defensive Coordinator, Wisconsin
Tressel’s name may sound familiar; he is the nephew of Jim and son of Dick. The Badger DC spent the last two seasons with Fickell at Cincinnati, but prior to that, he was a Spartan assistant from 2007-2020. Tressel would bring experience, defensive knowledge, a vast network of contacts, and more familiarity in East Lansing than anyone.
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Sean Lewis
Offensive Coordinator, Colorado
The former Kent State head coach knows that part of the country well. The Flashes were below average this year, but Lewis remains a guy who gets mentioned in these conversations, especially with what we are seeing from the Colorado offense so far this year. His experience in the MAC, as well as Syracuse, combined with the offensive outburst his team has shown make him a guy who could be on the radar for a P5 program, like Michigan State, who needs a new boss.
Harlon Barnett
Interim Head Coach, Michigan State
A Michigan State alumni, a locker room favorite, and a highly experienced coach with stops at Florida State, LSU, and Cincinnati. Barnett is a guy I am warming to. He has a lot going for him. That being said, you don’t often see an internal candidate take over on a permanent basis after a scandal. In addition to that, the Spartans were not lighting the world on fire before this fiasco went down. If they win 8-9 games this year, he has a shot at the job, but I don’t see that happening. I think he gets an interview, and if the right people like him, he’s got a puncher’s chance.
Despite the turmoil, acting head coach Harlon Barnett likes what he sees in his team.
“We’re close, we’re very very close," Barnett said. "I told them after practice today, I really like this team. They just keep moving forward."https://t.co/EW928OL3rw
— Spartans Illustrated (@SpartansRivals) September 26, 2023
The Five Dream Candidates
*Note- Chris Klieman would have been on this list before removing his name from contention and stating he’ll stay at Kansas State.
Kalen DeBoer
Head Coach, Washington
I initially said DeBoer would be one of my first calls, and I stand by that statement. He did wonders at Fresno State and in his first year at Washington. Not to mention his domination at NAIA Sioux Falls, including 3 national titles. His tutelage of Michael Penix Jr., combined with his high-powered offense and proven track record, will put him on most lists of elite programs looking for a job. He is making north of $4 million a year, MSU could double that without batting an eye. If I’m the Spartans, I throw him an offer and make him say no.
Mike Elko
Duke, Head Coach
College Gameday will be in Durham, NC, in two days to watch an undefeated Duke team……..in football. Elko is 13-4 in his second year at Duke, with a huge win over Clemson this year. His defenses have always been stout, having previously served as DC at Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Wake Forest, and Bowling Green. Elko is another guy who is lining himself up for an elite payday soon and would be near the top of my call list.
Lance Leipold
Kansas, Head Coach
Leipold has both won and improved every school he’s coached at. What he is doing at Kansas is truly impressive, and people are noticing. His offenses are very creative, and find unique ways to attack the weaknesses of opposing defenses. At Wisconsin-Whitewater, he won 6 national championships and finished runner-up once, in 8 seasons. He improved Buffalo and went to 3 bowl games in 6 years there. Now, in his 3rd year at Kansas, he has won enough and proved himself so much that we may not see a 4th year in Lawrence.
Jonathan Smith
Oregon State, Head Coach
This is the most interesting one on the list to talk about. On one hand, Oregon State is in Smith’s blood. He played there and has been an assistant and head coach there. On the other hand, that’s basically all the Beavers have going for them. They pay him a pittance, relatively speaking, for a P5 head coach, at 2.4 million a year, they face conference and future insecurity, and they aren’t the attraction he may warrant. Michigan State would triple his salary and offer a better recruiting base.
P.J. Fleck
Minnesota, Head Coach
Could we be rowing the boat in East Lansing? I’d put Fleck on the list, anyway. He led Western Michigan to a 13-1 season in his final year at Western Michigan. Since coming to Minnesota, he has brought stability, culture, and a consistent run game to a team that needed all three. He is 48-28 since coming to Minneapolis with 4 bowl appearances, winning each of them. The Spartans could certainly offer a higher salary than Minnesota currently pays him. I think that would be enough to pull him.
