10 Possible Candidates To Replace Larry Blakeney

(Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)

It is always sad to watch a legend step down. Troy head coach Larry Blakeney may not be as notable as Paul 'Bear' Bryant, Bobby Bowden, or Joe Paterno, but make no mistake that he is a legend. The football program at Troy University is the house that Coach Blakeney built. During his tenure with the Trojans, Blakeney has helped this program transition from Division II to the FBS. He has won 175 games, 3 Southland conference championships, 5 Sun Belt conference championships, and he is a member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

There is a sad truth to the phrase, "All good things must come to an end." Following a 0-5 start to the 2014 season, Larry Blakeney announced his retirement effective at the conclusion of this season. It was a hard decision, but it had to be done. From 2006-2010, the Trojans won 5 consecutive conference championships, 2 bowl games, and had an overall 41-23 record. Since that time, they have had one winning season, zero bowl appearances, and have gone 14-27 overall.

Now where does Troy go from here? Following the footsteps of a coach that has been at the same school for the last 24 years is no easy task. There are a few things that the school should keep in mind when searching for Blakeney's replacement.

1. YOU MUST BRING EXCITEMENT BACK TO THE PROGRAM! Troy cannot afford to pay a Nick Saban-esque salary, but they may have to go a bit over budget to bring that excitement back to the school and start putting butts in empty seats. For example, Kentucky paid former coach Joker Phillips 1.7 million dollars a year. After Phillips was fired, the Wildcats hired Mark Stoops and his salary started at 2 million a year. So why pay him more? Following Stoops' hire Kentucky sold more season tickets than ever before. Seeing that Kentucky is making significant strides in the SEC, you could say that it was all worth while.
2. They have to hire someone who can win on the recruiting trail. Troy cannot continue to lose recruits to in-state schools like UAB and South Alabama. Missing a recruit means loss of talent which equals disappointing results.
3. The new hire has to understand that this program needs a defense. With all due respect to Blakeney, Troy has been one or two good defenses short of upsetting SEC powerhouses. Since 2009, this team has finished no higher than 89th nationally in total defense. That has to change.

Note: Many coaches on this list may never even get a phone call from Troy. All coaches on this list are ones that the school should consider. It never hurts to ask. Right?

10. Maurice Harris 
Current Position: Ole Miss Tight Ends Coach/ Offensive Recruiting Coordinator 

Maurice Harris is probably not the most notable name on this list. That does not mean he would not make a good head coach. Harris has helped the Rebels recruit some of the nation's top talent in his tenure there. Before his move to Oxford, Harris held the same coaching position at his alma mater Arkansas State meaning that he knows the ins and outs of the Sun Belt Conference. More importantly, he has previously coached at Alabama State, so he knows the state of Alabama and where to recruit. Troy athletic director John Hartwell was an assistant athletic at Ole Miss before coming to Troy, so he knows how to get in touch with the good folks in Oxford.

(Photo courtesy of Scout.com)

9. Derek Dooley

Current Position: Dallas Cowboys Wide Receivers Coach

Derek Dooley seems like an odd candidate for Troy. He has no direct ties to the school or the Sun Belt Conference. Then again, if those are requirements then Troy should not have to search too far to find a coach. There are plenty of negative things to say about Dooley, but would it not be a big hire for the Trojans? He has recruited SEC territory and has enough connections to bring in a good coaching staff. This is also the type of notable hire that will get ticket sales to go up. Dooley would probably look nice in pants with Troy's school colors.

(Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)

8. Brady Hoke

Current Position: Head Coach of Michigan (For Now)

It is true that Brady Hoke has not technically been fired from Michigan. It would be a miracle if Hoke kept his job with the Wolverines. Recent events tell us that maybe Michigan is just a really hard school to coach. Remember how Michigan fired Rich Rodriguez? Rodriguez is now at Arizona where his team is undefeated. Hoke had tremendous success at San Diego State and Ball State before leaving for Michigan. He definitely has the mechanics to turn Troy around. While he has no direct ties to the southern part of the United States, Hoke did a great job of recruiting players from Florida to come to Michigan.

(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

7. Frank Wilson

Current Position: LSU Running Backs Coach/ Recruiting Coordinator

Frank Wilson is best known for being Les Miles' right hand man on the recruiting trail. LSU consistently finishes with one of the best recruiting classes in the country, and most of that is because of Wilson. He has been named National Recruiter of the Year on two separate occasions. He has never even been an offensive or defensive coordinator at the collegiate ranks, so making the jump to head coach would be asking a lot. However, his continuous success with recruits, especially in the south, makes you think he may be worth the risk. Working under coach Les Miles is also good experience. It should also be noted that if Les Miles happens to bolt for Michigan in the near future, Wilson may want to try to stay a little bit closer to home.

(Photo courtesy of NOLA.com)

6. Lincoln Riley

Current Position: East Carolina Offensive Coordinator

Lincoln Riley is probably another name not recognized by most. He currently coaches an offense that averages over 581 yards per game. His starting quarterback at East Carolina, Shane Carden, averages over 375 passing yards per game. He has produced some of the best offenses in the country over the last few seasons. Not bad for someone who just turned 31. Bringing in a young coach with a great offensive mind would be great for Troy. Because he is younger than most coaches, Riley has not been around the coaching carousel enough to know how to put together a good coaching staff, which means hiring him may be risky. However, numbers do not lie so may be he would be worth the risk.

(Photo courtesy of NFL.com)

5. Tommie Robinson

Current Position: Texas Running Backs Coach

Tommie Robinson is the first coach to be listed that has a direct tie to the Trojans being that Troy is his alma mater. He never played under Blakeney, but he is a very important name to remember in this coaching search. Robinson is currently at Texas, but he has had stints at many programs in college and the NFL. He has had incredible success as a running backs coach and would be a great hire for Troy. He has enough connections to put together a coaching staff that could turn this program around. Robinson also knows the state of Alabama very well and would recruit well in the area.

(Photo courtesy of 247sports.com)

4. Rhett Lashlee

Current Position: Auburn Offensive Coordinator 

Rhett Lashlee is someone that Troy should definitely consider calling. Lashlee is currently the right hand man to Gus Malzahn at Auburn. Not a bad mentor to have considering the tremendous amount of success the Tigers have had on offense. One may think that Lashlee will try to hold out for a bigger job than Troy, but because of his young age and lack of head coaching experience, it would be smart for him to start out at a Sun Belt school. It worked for Malzahn. Lashlee knows the conference after working under Malzahn at Arkansas State. Prior to that, Lashlee was an offensive coordinator at Samford. Troy would be smart to get this young coach before another school grabs him.

(Photo courtesy of scout.com)

3. Gene Chizik

Current Position: Unemployed
Gene Chizik is a name floating around Troy as the possible replacement for Blakeney and it is not a crazy idea. Chizik still resides in Auburn and being that Auburn is only roughly 75 miles from Troy, it would not be a big move for him and his family. There is only one thing that may hold Chizik back: Auburn is currently paying him a 7.5 million dollar buyout in monthly installments, which is scheduled to end in 2016. If he becomes a head coach, his current buyout would decrease. Chizik has expressed that he is very interested in coaching again, so he should not let the money hold him back. He should consider the position, if offered, because there may not be many more opportunities. This is probably the only chance Troy will have of landing a coach who has won a national championship.

(Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)

2. Neal Brown

Current Position: Kentucky Offensive Coordinator
Neal Brown is one of only two coaches on this list that has a connection to Troy. Brown was an assistant coach under Blakeney from 2006-2009. He is currently on Mark Stoops' staff at Kentucky where he is helping turn the Wildcat program around. He once ran the Trojan offense, so he knows what to expect out of the program and Troy. Brown should be able to put together a pretty good coaching staff considering he has new ties with the SEC and BIG 12. He has also landed some big recruits in his short time in Kentucky. So just to recap: he has ties to Troy, connections in the SEC, knows the Sun Belt, and can recruit. All of this at the young age of 34. John Hartwell would be crazy not to have Brown on his short list of potential replacements.

(Photo courtesy of kyforward.com)

1. Houston Nutt

Current Position: Studio Analyst for CBS
Landing Houston Nutt would be a long shot, but it would also be the best hire the Trojans could possibly make. There is currently speculation that SMU is looking to hire Nutt, and he even said that he would take the job if offered. If the Mustangs decide to go a different direction, it would be one of many times that Nutt missed out on a job, so Troy could at least see if he is interested. He is a long time coach in the SEC and, up until his last two seasons, was very successful. If hired, he would likely put together a better staff than any other coach on this list and would be very successful on the recruiting. More importantly, he is a notable name that would have the fan base at Troy very excited. John Hartwell was an associate athletic director at Ole Miss during Nutt's entire tenure there. He should know how to get in touch with him and should pursue him more than any other coach on his list.

(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

2014 College Football Pre-Season top 25

Pre-season college football polls can be your best friend or worst enemy. Some may feel that the pre-season polls either hype up a team too much or do not give enough credit to the underdog. These polls are rarely correct especially when it comes to picking the number one team in the country.

For example, the 2012 Associated Press pre-season poll had USC at the top of the rankings; yet, the Trojans finished the season unranked. In fact, 2004 was the last time AP pre-season #1 won the national championship (USC later had to vacate that title due to NCAA sanctions).

Regardless of how you view pre-season polls, they can also be beneficial, and above all else it is something to talk about as we very impatiently wait for the start of the 2014 season.

So here is another 2014 pre-season top 25:

25. Florida

No other team in college football suffered more from injuries than the Florida Gators. Florida will benefit from some key returning starters such as quarterback Jeff Driskel who is operating under new offensive coordinator Kurt Roper. They play Alabama and LSU out of the West so the schedule is not easy. With enough offensive production out of Driskel, the Gators will make a surprise run in the East.

24. Clemson

It is hard to underestimate the coaching ability of Dabo Swinney. While he has done an excellent job, his teams struggle in big time games. Losing Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins to the NFL will hurt the Tigers. Opening against Georgia does not help. Clemson’s record may fall off early, but expect improvement by the second half of the season because they do return serious talent.

23. Texas

The Longhorns may be working with new head coach Charlie Strong, but this is still the same team almost won the BIG 12. Strong inherits 15 returning starters. If Texas can survive their first six games then they will make a serious run in the BIG 12.

22. UCF

It is hard to say that UCF will repeat last year’s success that concluded with a Fiesta Bowl win over Baylor. The Knights have some work to do replacing quarterback Blake Bortles and leading rusher Storm Johnson. Fortunately, Cincinnati is not on their schedule so a win over Houston on Oct. 2 will almost guarantee winning the AAC conference.

21. Kansas State

Kansas State will have a tough time handling their schedule with games at Oklahoma, TCU, and Baylor plus anon-conference home game against Auburn. However, Bill Snyder does a great job getting his players ready and uses a lot of junior college transfers. The Wildcats will be dark horse contenders in the BIG 12 behind the strong arm of quarterback Jake Waters.

20. Virginia Tech

The Hokies are serious contenders in the ACC Coastal, but hey will need to play their best Beamer Ball with Ohio State and East Carolina on their non-conference schedule. On the bright side, Virginia Tech hosts most of their tough opponents. Expect the Hokies to stay in the top 25 if Beamer can replace some of last year’s leaders.

19. Marshall

 It is easy to say that Marshall should start and finish in the top 25 because an undefeated season is a strong possibility. They return a solid squad that includes their leading passer, receiver, and tackler from last season. The Thundering Herd also benefits from one of the easiest schedules in the country. Marshall will not make a large climb up the polls due to their soft schedule.

18. Ole Miss

Ole Miss will begin to benefit from Hugh Freeze’s recruiting classes this season. The Rebels have the most experienced quarterback in the SEC and also have the best defense they have had in the Hugh Freeze era. Playing in the SEC West is the biggest challenge of course, but, with one or two upsets, Ole Miss can make a run up the polls.

17. Michigan

Michigan would be a heavy favorite in their division if it were not for road games at Michigan State and Ohio State. Brady Hoke has the talent and the staff to make a run in the BIG Ten East, provided new offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier ignites a much-needed spark in the offense. The defense is poised to be the best in the Hoke era so do not sleep on the Wolverines.

16. North Carolina

North Carolina showed signs of future success by winning 5 of their last 6 games last season after starting the season 1-5. Larry Fedora’s system seemed to operate better under quarterback Marquise Williams who returns this season. The Tar Heels travel to Clemson, Notre, and Miami. They should be favored in two of those games. They will have to replace some big time players, but if they play their cards right, a 10 win season and Coastal division title is very possible.

15. Stanford

Stanford head coach David Shaw is entering his fourth season as head coach after going to three consecutive BCS Bowls in his first three seasons. Unfortunately, this looks like the year that streak comes to an end. Away games at Washington, Notre Dame, Arizona State, Oregon, and UCLA will be too much for Stanford. However, Shaw is arguably the best coach in the PAC 12 so you can expect him to get some much-needed wins down the stretch with the talent he returns.

14. USC

USC had a remarkable turn around last season after the firing of Lane Kiffin. Steve Sarkisian steps in now and inherits a lot of talent. The Trojans are poised to have the best defensive line in the country. USC returns their leading passer, rusher, and receiver from last season and only has two tough road games at Stanford and UCLA. An early win at Stanford could me a late November matchup with the Bruins will decide the PAC-12 South.

13. LSU

LSU has to replace their leading passer, rusher, and top two receivers from last season. However, the Tigers are experienced and will still be contenders in the SEC West. Their season opener against Wisconsin will set the tone for the rest of the season. If they survive road games to Auburn and Florida then Les Miles will have yet another matchup against Alabama that could decide the West if one of the Mississippi teams does not get in their way first.

12. Wisconsin

The Badgers are not only the favorites to win the BIG Ten West, but they are also underdog contenders for the playoff. Running back Melvin Gordon will help lead the offense that could end up being the best in the conference. Very little experience returns on defense so that could be the demise of the Badgers chances of winning their division. However, if the offense lives up to their expectations then Wisconsin will have a solid season.

11. Ohio State

The Buckeyes took a significant drop due to Braxton Miller’s season ending injury. Urban Meyer will have his work cut out for him, but because he is one of the best in the country he will keep this team in contention. Ohio State still has tough games at Maryland, Penn State, and Michigan State. The offense is now a huge question mark so the defense will have to take the reins and help squeak out a couple of wins.

10. South Carolina

Even with a win over Georgia on September 13^th, the Gamecocks will have a rough road ahead of them to make it to Atlanta. Road games at Florida and Auburn in the second half of the season will be difficult not to mention a non-conference game against Clemson. On a positive note, South Carolina returns running back Mike Davis who is the focal point of the offense. The Gamecocks have one of the best teams in the SEC, but also one of the toughest schedules.

9.  Auburn

Everyone knows about this historic run the Auburn Tigers made last season. The Tigers return a lot of talent so they can continue that success this season. However, he schedule is a lot more difficult this season with road games at Kansas State, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Georgia, and Auburn while also having to play South Carolina out of the East. If Nick Marshall improves his passing game, the Tigers could easily win the West despite the tough schedule.

8. Michigan State

There is one thing standing between Michigan State and a playoff run and that is an early game against Oregon. The Spartans return quarterback Connor Cook who really stepped up in wins over Ohio State and Stanford. Replacing leaders on defense will be the key to making a run to the playoff. The sky is the limit for Michigan State if they avoid upsets (the Spartans should be favored in at least 11 games).

7. Baylor

Baylor literally dominated most of the 2013 season until Oklahoma State ruined their national title hopes. The Bears will have to restructure its’ defense, but the return of quarterback Bryce Petty and wide receiver Antwan Goodley is music to the ears of Baylor fans. A November 8^th game against at Oklahoma will likely decide the BIG 12 and possibly a playoff spot.

6.  Georgia

The Bulldogs are in a nice setup to win the SEC East. Of course they have to survive a game at South Carolina, but the return of running back Todd Gurley is excellent news for Georgia. Do not overlook quarterback Hutson Mason. He has experience and will do fine leading the Bulldogs. Every SEC team has a tough schedule, and it is no different for Georgia. However, they should be the favorite to win the SEC East.

5. UCLA

If UCLA wants to make it to the playoff, this will be the year to do it. The Bruins return 17 starters including superstars Brett Hundley and Myles Jack. They play all their toughest games at home (Oregon, USC, and Stanford) with the lone exception being a mutual sight game against Texas. What is the bad news for UCLA? If they beat Oregon and Stanford in the regular season they will likely have to still play one of them again in the PAC 12 Championship.

4. Oklahoma

It is easy to get hyped on the Sooners because of beat down they gave Alabama in last year’s Sugar Bowl. It does not matter how you view that game because Oklahoma still has loads of returning talent starting with quarterback Trevor Knight. The schedule is tough, but most of the difficult games are at home. The only real concern is finding depth at wide receiver. Despite the talent level, the Sooners season will go one of two ways: playoff berth or Cotton Bowl invite.

3. Oregon

Oregon will have an early test against Michigan State in week 2. If they survive that game they will have a strong chance of making it to the playoffs. Even a regular season loss to UCLA can be redeemed in the PAC 12 Championship and get them to the playoff. The key to their success is Marcus Mariota so his health is pivotal this season (we all saw where Ohio State dropped when they lost Braxton Miller).

2. Alabama

The only thing slowing down the Tide this season is the looming question of who will start at quarterback: Sim or Coker. It should not matter who starts as long as he can find wide receiver Amari Cooper. Their slew of running backs will be the backbone of the offense while the defense needs to step up after seeing teams like Texas A&M and Oklahoma run up the score. If the Tide lives past their matchups with LSU and Auburn then you can bet on a playoff spot.

1. Florida State

It is pretty repetitive to place the defending national champion at pre-season number one. Trust me this is not just another generic pick. The Seminoles are serious contenders. If they lose in the regular season, blame the defense. The Seminoles have a few games that could turn into an upset (Clemson, Notre Dame, Louisville, and Florida), but the real competition will be in the playoff. Playoff berth? Yes. Repeat national champions? Do not get too excited.

The Best and Worst Case Scenarios For All 128 College Football Teams

College football season is almost here, and it cannot get here fast enough. The newly installed playoff has expectations high for big name programs like defending national champion Florida State. Meanwhile, smaller programs are looking for a seat at the big boy table.

Expectations may be sky high for a lot of programs, but it is not rare for those expectations not to be met. It is also not rare for some teams to exceed expectations. While it is impossible to predict an exact regular season record for all FBS teams, an attempt can me made on the best and worst case scenario for each team.

The following is a list predicting the best and worst case scenarios for all 128-college football teams:

Best Case Scenario	Team	Worst Case Scenario
8-4	Air Force	6-6
8-4	Akron	5-7
12-0	Alabama	8-4
5-7	Appalachian State	3-9
8-4	Arizona	6-6
7-5	Arizona State	4-8
5-7	Arkansas	3-9
7-5	Arkansas State	5-7
8-4	Army	7-5
12-0	Auburn	7-5
8-4	Ball State	7-5
12-0	Baylor	8-4
10-2	Boise State	7-5
6-6	Boston College	4-8
9-3	Bowling Green	6-6
7-5	Buffalo	5-7
11-1	BYU	8-4
5-7	California	2-10
8-4	Central Michigan	6-6
10-2	Cincinnati	7-5
10-2	Clemson	7-5
5-7	Colorado	3-9
10-2	Colorado State	8-4
5-7	Connecticut	3-9
9-3	Duke	6-6
8-4	East Carolina	6-6
4-8	Eastern Michigan	2-10
4-8	FIU	3-9
10-2	Florida	7-5
12-0	Florida State	8-4
7-5	Florida Atlantic	5-7
10-2	Fresno State	7-5
12-0	Georgia	7-5
5-7	Georgia Southern	4-8
3-9	Georgia State	0-12
8-4	Georgia Tech	4-8
7-5	Hawaii	4-8
10-2	Houston	8-4
5-7	Idaho	2-10
8-4	Illinois	4-8
7-5	Indiana	4-8
11-1	Iowa	8-4
8-4	Iowa State	4-8
7-5	Kansas	4-8
10-2	Kansas State	7-5
6-6	Kent State	3-9
4-8	Kentucky	2-10
9-3	Louisiana	7-5
8-4	Louisiana Tech	5-7
9-3	Louisville	7-5
11-1	LSU	7-5
12-0	Marshall	9-3
4-8	Massachusetts	1-11
7-5	Memphis	5-7
9-3	Miami, FL	6-6
4-8	Miami, OH	1-11
10-2	Michigan	7-5
12-0	Michigan State	8-4
8-4	Middle Tennessee State	6-6

8-4	Minnesota	5-7
9-3	Ole Miss	6-6
9-3	Mississippi State	7-5
8-4	Missouri	5-7
10-2	Navy	7-5
7-5	NC State	4-8
9-3	Nebraska	7-5
8-4	Nevada	5-7
5-7	New Mexico	3-9
5-7	New Mexico State	2-10
10-2	North Carolina	7-5
8-4	North Texas	6-6
10-2	Northern Illinois	7-5
10-2	Northwestern	6-6
10-2	Notre Dame	7-5
7-5	Ohio	4-8
12-0	Ohio State	8-4
12-0	Oklahoma	8-4
9-3	Oklahoma State	5-7
7-5	Old Dominion	5-7
12-0	Oregon	9-3
9-3	Oregon State	6-6
8-4	Penn State	6-6
8-4	Pittsburgh	5-7
5-7	Purdue	3-9
7-5	Rice	4-8
7-5	Rutgers	4-8
9-3	San Diego State	6-6
7-5	San Jose State	5-7
8-4	SMU	5-7
8-4	South Alabama	6-6
12-0	South Carolina	8-4
6-6	Southern Miss	3-8
10-2	Stanford	7-5
8-4	Syracuse	5-7
10-2	TCU	6-6
6-6	Temple	2-10
8-4	Tennessee	5-7
10-2	Texas	7-5
8-4	Texas A&M	5-7
7-5	Texas State	5-7
9-3	Texas Tech	5-7
8-4	Toledo	6-6
9-3	Troy	7-5
7-5	Tulane	4-8
8-4	Tulsa	6-6
5-7	UAB	3-9
10-2	UCF	7-5
12-0	UCLA	8-4
8-4	ULM	5-7
7-5	UNLV	4-8
10-2	USC	7-5
7-5	USF	4-8
7-5	Utah	3-9
9-3	Utah State	6-6
6-6	UTEP	2-10
9-3	UTSA	6-6
6-6	Vanderbilt	4-8
6-6	Virginia	2-10
10-2	Virginia Tech	7-5
5-7	Wake Forest	2-10
9-3	Washington	7-5
8-4	Washington State	4-8
8-4	West Virginia	4-8
5-7	Western Michigan	3-9
12-0	Wisconsin	7-5
6-6	WKU	3-9
7-5	Wyoming	4-8