Mike Farrell Sports

College Football Recruiting, Opinion, and Analysis

Jerry Mack, Dino Babers, and Head Coach Candidates for Rice

Jerry Mack, Dino Babers, and other possible Head Coaching candidates for Rice

Pin
Sep 9
Sep 9

By Mike Huesmann

After a 2-6 start and a career 24-52 record, Mike Bloomgren is out and Rice is looking for a new coach. Few schools in the FBS are as success-starved as Rice. Their wins and bowl appearances have been sporadic. The last four Rice head coaches have all been relatively known names in Ken Hatfield, Todd Graham, David Bailiff, and Bloomgren and all had a mix of success and failure. This tells me that the place is a challenging fix. If I was Rice I’d go for an experienced veteran in the way New Mexico, Middle Tennessee, and FIU have, but we are seeing that isn’t a cure-all, either. Here are five names for Rice.

Jerry Mack

Jacksonville Jaguars, RB Coach

Mack, the former Rice offensive coordinator could make a return with the Owls. As head coach of North Carolina Central, he won three conference titles in four at the FCS level. He is a known recruiter and has coached many stellar offensive players at Memphis, South Alabama, Rice, and Tennessee before bolting for the NFL this year. He’s taken an odd career path from being a very young and successful FCS head coach to FBS and NFL assistant, but his time as an FBS head coach will come. He could be a candidate for other jobs too.

Dino Babers

Offensive Coordinator, Arizona

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 Babers has shown offensive acumen in the past and built teams that have succeeded. If he wants back in and the money is right, he could be a bargain for Rice. he is no longer calling plays for Arizona, which makes me wonder if he wants to be a head coach again and oversee a program. 

More Sports News

Drew Mehringer

TE Coach, Oregon

As a Rice alumnus and former QB, Mehringer is quickly moving his way up the coaching ranks. Stops so far in his career include Iowa State, James Madison, Ohio State, Houston, Rutgers, Texas, FAU, New Mexico, and now Oregon. That’s impressive for a guy who is 36.

Mehringer has been with Dan Lanning since the beginning in Oregon and this season looks likely to culminate in a playoff appearance. He’ll be intriguing as an alumni and a young name, and if I was him, I would be hesitant to take this job unless the pull to go home is too much. There is a chance this stunts his career as opposed to accelerating it. 

Clint Killough

Head Coach, Incarnate Word

Killough, still only 31, took over at UIW when GJ 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 there under multiple head coaches before that and at Bowling Green.

Combining his success offensively, wins as head coach, and the UIW coaching tree, I don’t expect him to be at the FCS level too much longer. His Texas roots make him appealing. If budget is an issue, and it might be for Rice, he’s probably cheaper than most. Like Mehringer, I would have to think hard about accepting if I was him.

Gary Patterson

Former Head Coach, TCU

Patterson won 181 games at TCU over 21 seasons. He built them from a poverty program to a national brand. Few coaches are respected more than he is. If Rice wants to hire a veteran coach, he should be the first call. His teams are tough, disciplined, and always improve. There aren’t many negatives to this move if you could convince him to take the job. At his age and with his pride, he’d probably retire if it doesn’t work. He’d be my first inquiry. 

Category: , Tag: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Pin

You’ll Also Like