10 candidates for Miami coaching job: Will Mario Cristobal head home?
Mark Richt was a bad hire at Miami. When he skulked out of Georgia, there was a feeling he’d lacked the capability, motivation and savvy to exploit to the fullest one of the top jobs in college football. And when he left, Kirby Smart did just that.
When Richt was at UGA, he led a program with Amazon potential to Walmart results. So when Miami hired Richt, few expected a coach who’d underachieved to suddenly take over at an underachieving program and help it overachieve.
This was especially risky because so much of the Miami staff revolved around Richt, as he called plays and his son, Jon, coached quarterbacks. (Let’s check back in six months where Jon Richt ends up, likely somewhere near the level of where Bobby Petrino’s son is coaching.)
Apathy and nepotism ended up undoing Mark Richt, whose demise seemed inevitable when star defensive coordinator Manny Diaz left for Temple. But until rumblings began percolating the past few weeks, few could have imagined it coming this fast.
Credit Richt for retiring, not bilking the university for more compensation for his lack of motivation. But Miami’s collapse since that rollicking victory over Notre Dame in November 2017 – the Hurricanes have gone 8-9 since – puts a ton of pressure on athletic director Blake James for the next hire. Richt never felt like a long-term answer, and it turns out he wasn’t.
Here’s a list of candidates for Miami, which could be whittled quickly because of the school’s notoriously tight budget.
1. Mario Cristobal, Oregon
He’s a Miami native, Miami graduate and is arguably the most prolific recruiter of South Florida in all of college football. The problem here is a $10 million buyout at Oregon that drops to $8 million on Jan. 31. Miami would have to pay up, but a deal could be structured where Cristobal’s contract pays off some of the buyout. But that would mean Miami paying top dollar for a coach. Could an influx of ACC Network money make this feasible? The boosters will be behind Cristobal, but will their wallets follow?
2. Manny Diaz, Temple
He was the heartbeat of the program during Richt’s tenure. He recruited like a dynamo and consistently produced elite defenses. He’s also from Miami and has strong ties. He’d have been a strong candidate as a successor if this decision was made before he left for Temple. His buyout is $4 million, which is still not insignificant for the Hurricanes.
3. Greg Schiano, Ohio State
He was runner-up to Richt and brings a coaching style that weaves through Miami both as a defensive coordinator and having recruited the area prolifically at Rutgers. The unproven and uncorroborated third-hand accounts linked to him from his time at Penn State have had some schools shy away, which is why he’s available. Not having a buyout is a huge plus here.
4. Matt Campbell, Iowa State
This is a funny cultural fit, but he’s one of the top rising coaches in college football. The conversation about Campbell would likely be a quick one, as he’s got a $7 million buyout. If Miami is going to pay big upfront for a coach, they’d likely do it with one who has stronger familiarity with the local area.
5. Dino Babers, Syracuse
This would be a home-run hire for Miami, but Babers just completed an extension at Syracuse. The school didn’t release the length of the extension, never mind the terms. So the buyout, which had been prohibitive, is still not known. Babers went 10-3 after back-to-back 4-8 seasons and will be in play for the highest-end jobs next season. His offensive acumen, history of quarterback development and consistent explosive offenses would be intriguing for Miami.
6. Mike Leach, Washington State
This wouldn’t be Leach’s first time dancing with Miami, as he’s long had an affinity for that area. Leach has a history of bringing instant success, credibility and drastic upticks to the offense and quarterback position. He’s quirky, though, which has always kept him from applying his considerable skills at a high-profile spot. Buyout isn’t prohibitive as it rolls to $2.2 million on Monday.
7. Mike Norvell, Memphis
Norvell is the most logical up-and-comer to get a look. He’s been consistently good at Memphis and his offense would generate some buzz for a program that’s lacked it. He’s a dynamic recruiter and his personality would fit well if Miami decided on an outsider.
8. Butch Davis, FIU
There’s certainly history here. He went 71-51 at Miami over six seasons from 1995 to 2000. He’s had a good run at FIU, going 17-9 there. (He has a much better chance here than Lane Kiffin, the sexier Conference USA candidate.) But Davis is 67, not the longterm solution that Miami is looking for after wading in the wilderness of irrelevancy the past two decades.
9. Rob Chudzinski, former NFL coach
Chudzinski spent the season out of football and living in suburban Boston. He was the Browns head coach in 2013 and did stints as the Browns, Panthers and Colts OC in his career. He was also the OC at Miami from 2001-03 and is beloved at Miami and would be a strong choice of former players. He’s been considered a candidate for Miami in the past, but the issue here is he’s been out of college football for 15 years.
10. Luke Fickell, Cincinnati
He went 10-2 at Cincinnati last season and has flipped the roster to where he’s expected to have another strong season. (A lot of eyes will be on his bowl game against Virginia Tech on Monday.) Fickell has a strong history of recruiting south Florida, but his future is likely more in the heartland.
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