Mike Farrell Sports

College Football Recruiting, Opinion, and Analysis

Bill Clark, Cadillac Williams, and More: Potential Head Coach Candidates for Jacksonville State

Head coach options for Jacksonville State to replace Rich Rodriguez.

Avatar photoMike Huesmann
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By: Mike Huesmann

Rich Rodriguez has left Jacksonville State to return to West Virginia. This will be one of the more difficult coaches to replace this cycle, in my opinion. What he did here can’t be underestimated. Helping the team transition from FCS to FBS and winning the conference in year two. This could go south quickly if the Gamecocks don’t make a good hire here. I certainly hope they do. They’ve been a revelation in Conference USA and a very fun team to watch.

Bill Clark

UAB, Former Head Coach

Few men know the nuances of coaching a G5 team in the state of Alabama better than Clark. UAB hired Bill Clark away from Jacksonville State and he built them into a competitor, going to a bowl game in year two. He stepped away from UAB after the 2021 season, where he led them to a 9-4 record, because of back problems. Corrective surgery has supposedly done the trick and he is ready to coach again. If he has any interest in getting back in the game, he’s a no-brainer for me. One of the most underrated coaches of the past decade and he has a history here. One rumor I am hearing as a possible hiccup is an issue with his Alabama state retirement, but that’s all I know.

Cadillac Williams

Las Vegas Raiders, RB Coach

Alabama native and Auburn legend Cadillac Williams could be a coach to look at here. He was the Auburn RB coach for multiple years before taking over as interim head coach during the 2022 season. In those four games as interim he outperformed expectations and went 2-2. He is currently in his first season as an NFL assistant with the Raiders, and there are some doubts about if head coach Antonio Pierce will be retained. Williams would be a guy who has a name, the resume as a player and coach, and excitement to keep the success going here.

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Casey Woods

SMU, Offensive Coordinator

Casey Woods just finished his third season with SMU and also has coached with Rhett Lashlee at Auburn. A former Bill Clark assistant at UAB, as well, he has coached at multiple colleges in Alabama and multiple SEC schools. He is a name on the rise, especially after helping guide SMU to the playoffs this year. Will the timeframe hurt him if Jacksonville State wants him right now? His work with Kevin Jennings and the Mustang offense has been impressive.

Jonathan Brewer

Duke, Offensive Coordinator

Talk about connections, in 2022 and 2023, Jonathan Brewer was QB coach and co-OC with Woods at SMU. Prior to this season Manny Diaz hired him as OC at Duke and the Blue Devils won nine games. Another former Auburn assistant on this list, he has also coached at Miami and UConn. His work in having a balanced run and passing attack was a big part of the year-one success for Diaz and co.

Brennan Marion

UNLV, Offensive Coordinator

Brennan Marion is in year two here as Odom’s OC. He has had offensive success everywhere he’s coached at. He’s been rumored to be a candidate for a few G5 openings. Since 2018 his stops have included William & Mary, Hawaii, Pittsburgh, Texas, and now UNLV. He is as innovative as they come and his team’s ability to run the ball out of the Go-Go offense is assured. He would bring continuity to a place that finally wants it. He is on many of these lists for a reason, he’s very close to being a head coach. Does he want to follow Odom to Purdue is another question on the table here. 

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