I couldn’t care less how unlikely it is that Drink is gone after this year. If the rumors are true that he wants out, maybe it happens, but he’s obviously not done anything here to warrant any better jobs looking at him.
So, if I’m DRF and I’m compiling a coaching hotboard, here are a few guys I’d focus hard on (in no particular order):
- Dave Clawson - Wake Forest
Clawson’s career W/L is nothing great on the surface, but when you dig further into the numbers, his coaching career has been quite outstanding. Every stop he’s been, he took a team that had a recent tradition of losing and 3/4 jobs he’s taken over were with teams coming off 4 or fewer win seasons, with Bowling Green being the one outlier with a 6 win season before Dawson took over.
At every single stop, he’s produced a season with double digit wins, including an 11–3 season last year with WAKE FOREST (only the 2nd double digit win season of WF’s 115 year history, and tied for most wins by a WF team).
- Matt Campbell - Iowa State
I lobbied hard for Campbell before Odom was hired and I’ll continue to do so even though he’d be a candidate at schools far better than Missouri. Campbell has a new contract with ISU and also has NFL teams calling for his services, so this is nothing but a pipe dream.
- Charles Huff - Marshall
Formerly at Alabama as the AHC/RB coach, Huff is an elite recruiter and player developer. In his first season with Marshall, he took Marshall to a Bowl game (which they’d been on a decent little run of bowl games, so not a huge accomplishment). Yesterday, his Thundering Herd went into South Bend and took down an overrated, but still ranked 8th, Irish squad which is better than any win Drink has ever had. Similar story as Drink — young, energetic coach who’s a monster on the recruiting trail but has yet to show whether he can build a program. I’d take my chances, as he appears to already be a better HC.
- P.J. Fleck - Minnesota
Minnesota is probably at worst, a lateral move in regards to Mizzou, but I’d certainly go all out for Fleck. He’s shown what he can do with limited resources in a conference full of teams with tradition.
- Alex Grinch - Oklahoma
We all know his past. He’s been very successful at every stop but has never been a HC. Could be the next Matt Campbell or he could be the next massive underachiever in a very long list of star coordinators who fall flat at the highest level of CFB. He’s earned the chance at getting a HC gig, but I’m not sold that it should be at the P5 level. Could be worth the risk if he’s willing to take lower dollars and assemble a star cast of assistant coaches.
- Bobby Petrino - MO State
Another coach we all know about. Slime ball who can flat out coach. Do you stoop low enough at a chance for a couple years of a coach that can maybe bring you back to somewhat relevance in the SEC?
- Jeff Traylor - UTSA
Another guy who’s in his 3rd year as a HC with a background heavy at the P5 level, with some SEC coaching experience. Lost yesterday to a very good Houston squad in 3 OTs and led the Roadrunners to a 12-win season in 2021. Another man who can flat out coach but hasn’t proven to be able to build a program.
- Jamey Chadwell - Coastal Carolina
Chadwell has made CCU into the “next” Utah, Boise St, TCU, etc of the old BCS era. They’re incredibly well-coached, have been nationally ranked now for I believe 2 full seasons and have knocked off some good teams in the process. Already recruits within the SEC footprint.
So, if I’m DRF and I’m compiling a coaching hotboard, here are a few guys I’d focus hard on (in no particular order):
- Dave Clawson - Wake Forest
Clawson’s career W/L is nothing great on the surface, but when you dig further into the numbers, his coaching career has been quite outstanding. Every stop he’s been, he took a team that had a recent tradition of losing and 3/4 jobs he’s taken over were with teams coming off 4 or fewer win seasons, with Bowling Green being the one outlier with a 6 win season before Dawson took over.
At every single stop, he’s produced a season with double digit wins, including an 11–3 season last year with WAKE FOREST (only the 2nd double digit win season of WF’s 115 year history, and tied for most wins by a WF team).
- Matt Campbell - Iowa State
I lobbied hard for Campbell before Odom was hired and I’ll continue to do so even though he’d be a candidate at schools far better than Missouri. Campbell has a new contract with ISU and also has NFL teams calling for his services, so this is nothing but a pipe dream.
- Charles Huff - Marshall
Formerly at Alabama as the AHC/RB coach, Huff is an elite recruiter and player developer. In his first season with Marshall, he took Marshall to a Bowl game (which they’d been on a decent little run of bowl games, so not a huge accomplishment). Yesterday, his Thundering Herd went into South Bend and took down an overrated, but still ranked 8th, Irish squad which is better than any win Drink has ever had. Similar story as Drink — young, energetic coach who’s a monster on the recruiting trail but has yet to show whether he can build a program. I’d take my chances, as he appears to already be a better HC.
- P.J. Fleck - Minnesota
Minnesota is probably at worst, a lateral move in regards to Mizzou, but I’d certainly go all out for Fleck. He’s shown what he can do with limited resources in a conference full of teams with tradition.
- Alex Grinch - Oklahoma
We all know his past. He’s been very successful at every stop but has never been a HC. Could be the next Matt Campbell or he could be the next massive underachiever in a very long list of star coordinators who fall flat at the highest level of CFB. He’s earned the chance at getting a HC gig, but I’m not sold that it should be at the P5 level. Could be worth the risk if he’s willing to take lower dollars and assemble a star cast of assistant coaches.
- Bobby Petrino - MO State
Another coach we all know about. Slime ball who can flat out coach. Do you stoop low enough at a chance for a couple years of a coach that can maybe bring you back to somewhat relevance in the SEC?
- Jeff Traylor - UTSA
Another guy who’s in his 3rd year as a HC with a background heavy at the P5 level, with some SEC coaching experience. Lost yesterday to a very good Houston squad in 3 OTs and led the Roadrunners to a 12-win season in 2021. Another man who can flat out coach but hasn’t proven to be able to build a program.
- Jamey Chadwell - Coastal Carolina
Chadwell has made CCU into the “next” Utah, Boise St, TCU, etc of the old BCS era. They’re incredibly well-coached, have been nationally ranked now for I believe 2 full seasons and have knocked off some good teams in the process. Already recruits within the SEC footprint.
