College football insider comes up with Northwestern coaching search list
If there is a coaching search in major college football, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman will have a list of candidates.
Feldman released his initial list of candidates for the Northwestern head coaching job after Pat Fitzgerald was fired on Monday.
“It’s never been an easy place to win, and that won’t get any easier with the Big Ten going away from divisions, meaning the Wildcats will no longer reside in the West Division — the one that doesn’t have to face Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State every year.
“But this is still a Big Ten job in a conference with deep pockets in a place a lot of folks would love to live. The sense here is that Northwestern will have an interim coach for 2023 and ramp up its search into November. It should have some solid options, but Fitzgerald leaves behind big shoes.”
Let’s look at Feldman’s list and then add a few notes of our own on this Big Ten coaching search. USC plays at Northwestern in Evanston, Ill., next season, its first year as a Big Ten program.
MIKE KAFKA
Giants’ OC MIke Kafka considered top candidate for Northwestern head-coaching job after Pat Fitzgerald firing https://t.co/qnzqXWjG1n
— Big Blue View (@bigblueview) July 11, 2023
Kafka would be Northwestern’s No. 1 choice in all likelihood, but Kafka might be able to get an NFL head coaching job in the next few years, so he might not want to go to NU for what would be a total rebuild.
MATT CAMPBELL
Matt Campbell was discussed as a possible candidate at Michigan a few years ago, when Jim Harbaugh was in trouble and had not yet turned around the Wolverines. Campbell’s name again surfaced at Michigan when Harbaugh came very close to becoming the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings in his latest NFL flirtation.
Would Campbell really want to coach at Northwestern when Michigan was a possibility a few years ago?
Get more Michigan news, analysis and opinions at Wolverines Wire.
DAVE CLAWSON
Clawson is the classic “do more with less” coach. Working at Wake Forest in the ACC while Clemson, Florida State, and Miami exist in the conference is a good parallel with being at Northwestern in a Big Ten with Ohio State, USC and Michigan. This would be a good fit for Northwestern, but would Clawson leave Wake for NU? Doubtful.
MIKE ELKO
Duke football has only been lead by @CoachMikeElko for one year, but he’s well on his way to building them into a force in the ACC: #BLEEDBLUEhttps://t.co/GZcg9SVzdm
— Wide Open Football (@WideOFootball) July 5, 2023
Much like Clawson at Wake Forest, Elko is already in a job where he is trying to fight against powerful, prominent programs. Maybe he would make more money at Northwestern than at Duke, but he has Duke in a good place. At Northwestern, he would be starting all over with far less leverage in terms of handling the competition in his conference. This is another case in which the school needs the coach a lot more than the coach needs the school.
WILLIE FRITZ
Remember this guy? He’s the coach who beat USC in the Cotton Bowl. He’s pretty good. This might be a situation where the coach could find the program attractive. Fritz would finally get a Power Five coaching job and a substantial raise. This could be beneficial for both parties.
CHRIS CREIGHTON
Chris Creighton & EMU:
•First back to back winning seasons since '88-89
•Tied for most winning seasons of any EMU coach at FBS level
•Taken EMU to 4 of its 5 Bowl games
•Since 2016 has gone 40-40 at 13th worst program in FBS (win%)Chris Creighton: Miracle Worker pic.twitter.com/cjiydRdoCN
— Sidelines Sports Network™ (@Sidelines_SN) November 17, 2022
The Eastern Michigan coach would probably love the chance to get a Big Ten job. If Northwestern can’t land a higher-profile candidate, this would be a good fallback plan.
SHERRONE MOORE
Michigan OC/OL coach Sherrone Moore breaking down their 12P Load Power play. Front side kickout + wrap two through the hole. Great scheme vs Bear Front.
Emphasis on the strain/mentality necessary to create explosive runs like this. pic.twitter.com/bWs9UsAVtn
— James Light (@JamesALight) July 4, 2023
Michigan’s offensive coordinator will probably have multiple jobs to choose from in December. Northwestern would likely compete with other schools in search of a coach.
TOMMY REES
This is a fascinating story. Rees left Notre Dame to become offensive coordinator at Alabama under Nick Saban. Rees will coach Tyler Buchner, the transfer who — like Rees — left the Irish for the Crimson Tide. Rees gets to continue to coach a quarterback he is familiar with.
If Rees thrives at Alabama this year, his stock value will soar, but if he fails, it’s hard to see Northwestern wanting Rees.
Get more Notre Dame news, analysis and opinions at Fighting Irish Wire.
Get more Alabama news, analysis and opinions at Roll Tide Wire.
PAUL CHRYST
Would the previous Wisconsin coach want to return to the Big Ten and see if he can stick it to the Badgers? This would be an amazing plot twist.
Get more Wisconsin news, analysis and opinions at Badgers Wire.
OUR ADDED NOTES ON THE NORTHWESTERN SEARCH, PART ONE
Michigan State coach Mel Tucker is on the hot seat in East Lansing. How Tucker’s 2023 season unfolds is a plot point worth noting as we consider Northwestern’s coaching situation.
INDIANA HOT SEAT
Little 500 Mens Tom Allen
Indiana head coach Tom Allen is definitely on the hot seat. Guys who might be thinking about taking the Northwestern job might also have the Indiana job open in the Big Ten this December.
NATIONAL POTENTIAL JOB OPENINGS
The West Virginia job could be open this December. Neal Brown is squarely on the hot seat in Morgantown. Coaches might look at WVU before they look at Northwestern.
JIM LEONHARD
The former Wisconsin defensive coordinator is a free agent. Northwestern could do a lot worse than hiring Leonhard as its next coach. If USC’s 2023 defense doesn’t perform well, Leonhard should be Lincoln Riley’s first call as Alex Grinch’s replacement. Leonhard’s next coaching stop is a big topic in the football coaching industry.
