All right, so we’re back for another day. Second full day of the search. To be honest, we’re not expecting a whole lot of concrete news over the next few days. We believe that there are coaches playing next weekend that Missouri will want to talk to. So unless they are absolutely blown away in an interview this week, we expect the search to go at least until next Monday or Tuesday.
UPDATED AT 11:54
First of all read the Ten Thoughts. Lot of coaching stuff here.
Willie Fritz and Will Healy are names rising up my board. I'm trying to confirm an interview scheduled with Healy. I haven't been able to yet. I think they'll talk to Fritz if they haven't already. I'm confident they'll talk to Bryan Harsin (and probably already have although not in person) and I think they're going to talk to Lane Kiffin if they haven't yet.
I'm also more and more open to the idea that there's a wild card out there that Sterk feels good about that I haven't thought about. No, I don't think it's Bob Stoops or Urban Meyer. But I'm wondering if there is one.
UPDATED AT 9:35
First, Mike Norvell is out. I've got solid information that Missouri checked his interest and he doesn't have any. So one of the perceived hot names and favorites is out. I've got to believe that was known before they fired Barry Odom. I don't know that for a fact, but we will be taking him off our hot board next time around (and you don't really need to read the candidate profile). I think he'll end up at Florida State. Wherever he ends up, it isn't going to be here.
I'm still confident there is interest in Bryan Harsin and Lane Kiffin. I believe Missouri has at least spoken to representatives for both. I do not know if there has been anything in person or not. I think it's possible. I think it could happen today. But both play this weekend. So if those guys are as high on the list as we think they are, the contact needs to have happened by the end of today or you're talking next week. And I don't think they go into next week without a pretty good idea where they stand.
Beyond that, I'm starting to think there's got to be a guy we don't know about. Or a guy that is on our list that they're a lot higher on than we initially thought. We'll do some digging and see what we can find.
One other note here: I've been told that there is a Mizzou connection with Lane Kiffin. Apparently Warren Powers is his godfather. I know Monte Kiffin coached at Nebraska with Powers and they've known each other for a long time so it makes some sense. Not that that would really have any impact on the hire, just an interesting note.
Speaking of interviews, as we said, we are led to believe they started yesterday and are likely continuing. We also have reason to believe, through our super clandestine detective work, that Sterk flew to Atlanta on Sunday. Parker Executive Search is located in Atlanta. It would also be a good location to conduct interviews with multiple candidates because it’s an easy place to get to from just about anywhere. With the SEC title game in town next weekend, it’s very possible Sterk simply stays in Atlanta all week.
Who’s he talking to? We’d love to know. But we don’t.
The buzz around Missouri’s search is currently the sound of the Lane Train. Yes, we added Lane Kiffin to the hot board today. Yes, we think he’s on the short(ish) list. Yes, we think there’s a possibility.
Initially, we just didn’t see it as a personality fit with Jim Sterk. But here’s what we’re thinking: Sterk didn’t make this move to go make a blah hire. If you’re firing Barry Odom to hire just a guy, why fire Barry Odom? Also, we’re not big on the splash hire. But Missouri needs some excitement. The current poll on the message board has Kiffin with an 85% approval rating. You’re not going to get that with any other candidate. It’s different. It’s exciting. It’s so not what Missouri fans expect Missouri to do.
As one person said to me today, “It’s like hiring Quin Snyder if he was ten years older.”
There are some connections here. FAU athletic director Brian White used to be at Mizzou. He helped Sterk on the Cuonzo Martin search. Sterk has known him his entire life. There are a few other former Mizzou staffers that followed White to Boca Raton. The relationship can’t hurt. It’s not going to get Missouri Kiffin, but it might be a way to give them an idea if they have a real shot or if they’re wasting their time.
I’m putting out some feelers to people that know Kiffin. The early feedback I’ve gotten is “Yeah, I could see that” as far as the Mizzou job. But there’s a long way to go.
Most believe the Razorbacks to be focused on Kiffin, Matt Campbell and Justin Fuente (personally I hope it’s Fuente and he hires Odom as his defensive coordinator cause man would that be a story). There may be other names, but those are the three that seem to have most of the attention. Most don't think Campbell makes the move. Hunter Yuracheck nearly hired Kiffin when he was at Houston and Tom Herman left.
So let’s talk about Arkansas vs Missouri.
Arkansas probably has a little more money (again, I don’t think Jim Sterk makes this move if finances are a real problem, but the Razorbacks have deeper pockets). Arkansas, even though attendance was dreadful this year, has a reputation of a more dedicated fanbase as the Razorbacks are the state’s pro team.
Missouri is in the East. It’s the easier division to compete and win in right now. It would offer Kiffin a chance to play Tennessee every year and given his penchant for poking the Vols on Twitter, that’s not something to just be dismissed. Perhaps the biggest thing in Missouri’s favor is that it’s just a much better situation to walk into right now. The Tigers were disappointing this year, but they went 6-6 and could have played in a third straight bowl game. There is some talent on hand, particularly if you believe in Shawn Robinson and/or Connor Bazelak at quarterback. There’s not much of it in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks went 2-10 and weren’t particularly close to being better. They’ve lost every SEC game they’ve played since October of 2017. You take over at Arkansas, you know it’s probably three years before you’re talking about a bowl team. You take over in Columbia and there’s no reason you shouldn’t think you can finish third in your division next year.
I’m not sure it comes down to a Mizzou vs Arkansas decision for Kiffin. I’m not sure he’s the top candidate at either place. But I’m confident he’s among them at both. Arkansas has interviewed him. If Missouri hasn’t, I believe it will.
Of course, now there’s a third team here. Ole Miss fired Matt Luke last night. From what my friend Neal McCready, who broke the news, said, Missouri firing Odom opened some eyes and lit a fire in Oxford. And they’re interested in Kiffin too. I think there’s about to be a bidding war in Boca Raton. Other crossover candidates with Ole Miss figure to be Mike Norvell, who will be a high priority for both, Willie Fritz (who is also potential at Arkansas) but I think he’s down the list for both and Billy Napier, who I’d say is more likely to end up in Oxford than CoMo.
As of right now, we’d put Mike Norvell, Jeff Monken and Bryan Harsin in that group with Kiffin as guys we feel pretty good about getting more than passing consideration. There will be others. That’s not the entire short list. Many continue to think Josh Heupel is a fit. Maybe he is. It doesn’t seem like the route I’d go, but I’m not involved in the hire.
I said this at the start of this process and it rings more true than it did then: When Jim Sterk made the decision to fire Barry Odom, he had to know three things:
We’ll update you with anything we get today. As I said, there may not be a whole lot the next day or two, but we’re spending every minute digging.
UPDATED AT 11:54
First of all read the Ten Thoughts. Lot of coaching stuff here.
Willie Fritz and Will Healy are names rising up my board. I'm trying to confirm an interview scheduled with Healy. I haven't been able to yet. I think they'll talk to Fritz if they haven't already. I'm confident they'll talk to Bryan Harsin (and probably already have although not in person) and I think they're going to talk to Lane Kiffin if they haven't yet.
I'm also more and more open to the idea that there's a wild card out there that Sterk feels good about that I haven't thought about. No, I don't think it's Bob Stoops or Urban Meyer. But I'm wondering if there is one.
UPDATED AT 9:35
First, Mike Norvell is out. I've got solid information that Missouri checked his interest and he doesn't have any. So one of the perceived hot names and favorites is out. I've got to believe that was known before they fired Barry Odom. I don't know that for a fact, but we will be taking him off our hot board next time around (and you don't really need to read the candidate profile). I think he'll end up at Florida State. Wherever he ends up, it isn't going to be here.
I'm still confident there is interest in Bryan Harsin and Lane Kiffin. I believe Missouri has at least spoken to representatives for both. I do not know if there has been anything in person or not. I think it's possible. I think it could happen today. But both play this weekend. So if those guys are as high on the list as we think they are, the contact needs to have happened by the end of today or you're talking next week. And I don't think they go into next week without a pretty good idea where they stand.
Beyond that, I'm starting to think there's got to be a guy we don't know about. Or a guy that is on our list that they're a lot higher on than we initially thought. We'll do some digging and see what we can find.
One other note here: I've been told that there is a Mizzou connection with Lane Kiffin. Apparently Warren Powers is his godfather. I know Monte Kiffin coached at Nebraska with Powers and they've known each other for a long time so it makes some sense. Not that that would really have any impact on the hire, just an interesting note.
Speaking of interviews, as we said, we are led to believe they started yesterday and are likely continuing. We also have reason to believe, through our super clandestine detective work, that Sterk flew to Atlanta on Sunday. Parker Executive Search is located in Atlanta. It would also be a good location to conduct interviews with multiple candidates because it’s an easy place to get to from just about anywhere. With the SEC title game in town next weekend, it’s very possible Sterk simply stays in Atlanta all week.
Who’s he talking to? We’d love to know. But we don’t.
The buzz around Missouri’s search is currently the sound of the Lane Train. Yes, we added Lane Kiffin to the hot board today. Yes, we think he’s on the short(ish) list. Yes, we think there’s a possibility.
Initially, we just didn’t see it as a personality fit with Jim Sterk. But here’s what we’re thinking: Sterk didn’t make this move to go make a blah hire. If you’re firing Barry Odom to hire just a guy, why fire Barry Odom? Also, we’re not big on the splash hire. But Missouri needs some excitement. The current poll on the message board has Kiffin with an 85% approval rating. You’re not going to get that with any other candidate. It’s different. It’s exciting. It’s so not what Missouri fans expect Missouri to do.
As one person said to me today, “It’s like hiring Quin Snyder if he was ten years older.”
There are some connections here. FAU athletic director Brian White used to be at Mizzou. He helped Sterk on the Cuonzo Martin search. Sterk has known him his entire life. There are a few other former Mizzou staffers that followed White to Boca Raton. The relationship can’t hurt. It’s not going to get Missouri Kiffin, but it might be a way to give them an idea if they have a real shot or if they’re wasting their time.
I’m putting out some feelers to people that know Kiffin. The early feedback I’ve gotten is “Yeah, I could see that” as far as the Mizzou job. But there’s a long way to go.
Most believe the Razorbacks to be focused on Kiffin, Matt Campbell and Justin Fuente (personally I hope it’s Fuente and he hires Odom as his defensive coordinator cause man would that be a story). There may be other names, but those are the three that seem to have most of the attention. Most don't think Campbell makes the move. Hunter Yuracheck nearly hired Kiffin when he was at Houston and Tom Herman left.
So let’s talk about Arkansas vs Missouri.
Arkansas probably has a little more money (again, I don’t think Jim Sterk makes this move if finances are a real problem, but the Razorbacks have deeper pockets). Arkansas, even though attendance was dreadful this year, has a reputation of a more dedicated fanbase as the Razorbacks are the state’s pro team.
Missouri is in the East. It’s the easier division to compete and win in right now. It would offer Kiffin a chance to play Tennessee every year and given his penchant for poking the Vols on Twitter, that’s not something to just be dismissed. Perhaps the biggest thing in Missouri’s favor is that it’s just a much better situation to walk into right now. The Tigers were disappointing this year, but they went 6-6 and could have played in a third straight bowl game. There is some talent on hand, particularly if you believe in Shawn Robinson and/or Connor Bazelak at quarterback. There’s not much of it in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks went 2-10 and weren’t particularly close to being better. They’ve lost every SEC game they’ve played since October of 2017. You take over at Arkansas, you know it’s probably three years before you’re talking about a bowl team. You take over in Columbia and there’s no reason you shouldn’t think you can finish third in your division next year.
I’m not sure it comes down to a Mizzou vs Arkansas decision for Kiffin. I’m not sure he’s the top candidate at either place. But I’m confident he’s among them at both. Arkansas has interviewed him. If Missouri hasn’t, I believe it will.
Of course, now there’s a third team here. Ole Miss fired Matt Luke last night. From what my friend Neal McCready, who broke the news, said, Missouri firing Odom opened some eyes and lit a fire in Oxford. And they’re interested in Kiffin too. I think there’s about to be a bidding war in Boca Raton. Other crossover candidates with Ole Miss figure to be Mike Norvell, who will be a high priority for both, Willie Fritz (who is also potential at Arkansas) but I think he’s down the list for both and Billy Napier, who I’d say is more likely to end up in Oxford than CoMo.
As of right now, we’d put Mike Norvell, Jeff Monken and Bryan Harsin in that group with Kiffin as guys we feel pretty good about getting more than passing consideration. There will be others. That’s not the entire short list. Many continue to think Josh Heupel is a fit. Maybe he is. It doesn’t seem like the route I’d go, but I’m not involved in the hire.
I said this at the start of this process and it rings more true than it did then: When Jim Sterk made the decision to fire Barry Odom, he had to know three things:
- Who he wanted
- How much he could spend
- That he could get his guy
We’ll update you with anything we get today. As I said, there may not be a whole lot the next day or two, but we’re spending every minute digging.
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