 |
| (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.
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?
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)
|
Top headlines surrounding sports along with analysis and pedictions.
No comments:
Post a Comment