12 Mid-Major Coaches on the Rise
Here are the top 12 mid-major head coaches who could be facing tough choices the next few months:
1. Justin Fuente, Memphis: His 19–3 record at Memphis the last two years is remarkable considering the program's history of ineptitude. There's a lot to like about Fuente, including his pedigree as an offensive assistant at TCU before coming to Memphis. Now that he has a signature victory, his phone will be ringing off the hook.
2. Matt Wells, Utah State: A 52–26 upset of No. 21 Boise wasn't as surprising as the tenor of it. The Aggies forced eight turnovers and the game could mark a paradigm change in the Mountain West, especially considering Boise beat Utah State 50–19 last season. Wells is 23–11 in his third season, and he'll be a top candidate for any Pac-12 jobs—non-USC division—that open.
3. Tom Herman, Houston: He's 6–0 through his six games as a head coach. Lack of head-coaching experience makes it tricky to put him ahead of more seasoned candidates, but he could have the largest upside. Herman has Houston ranked No. 21 despite being down three starters on the offensive line. His resume includes working under Urban Meyer, who has a solid track record of producing head coaches—Charlie Strong (Texas), Dan Mullen (Mississippi State), Doc Holliday (Marshall), Steve Addazio (Boston College), Kyle Whittingham (Utah) and Gary Andersen (Oregon State).
4. Bryan Harsin, Boise State: Harsin may have been No. 1 on this list before last weekend, as Boise won the Fiesta Bowl last season. But coaching is a week-to-week business and Harsin had a bad week against Utah State. Harsin's resume includes a 17–4 record at Boise, a 7-5 season at Arkansas State and coordinator experience at Texas. He likely doesn't have the juice for USC, but will be in the mix for a lot of jobs this fall.
5. Matt Campbell, Toledo: That Campbell is this far down the list is proof how stocked this class of mid-major coaches is. The No. 19 Rockets have upset Arkansas and Iowa State this season, and Campbell is 32–13 in his fourth full season as head coach. Campbell will be high on the list of a lot of Big Ten schools, as there's a flurry of jobs expected to open in the bottom-half of that league. A MAC title would be Toledo's first since 2004 and the final polish on Campbell's resume.
6. Matt Rhule, Temple: From getting kicked out of the Big East a decade ago to the Top 25, it's been quite a swing for Temple. Rhule picked up a signature victory over Penn State earlier this season, blowing out the Nittany Lions 27–10. Rhule has built the Owls with a slow burn through careful recruiting and player development, as Temple went 2–10 and 6–6 his first two seasons. He has a few more chances at hallmark wins this fall, as Temple hosts Notre Dame on Halloween and Memphis on Nov. 21.
7. Doc Holliday, Marshall: He's 29–6 the past three seasons, 3–0 in bowl games in his career and his teams play a wide-open style that's attractive to recruits and ADs. He's also a prolific recruiter of South Florida, which should put him in the mix at USF, UCF and Miami. Marshall is 6–1 and headed for another double-digit win season.
8. Rod Carey, Northern Illinois: Carey may have improved his resume most this season by NIU's strong showing at No. 1 Ohio State in a 20–13 loss in September. His 27–9 record and last year's MAC championship make him an obvious candidate for any Big Ten jobs that open. Carey is an Indiana graduate and could end up on that school's short list if the job opens.
9. Jeff Brohm, Western Kentucky: He's 14–6 through two seasons, including a victory over Vanderbilt earlier this year. Athletic directors want offense, and WKU is in the Top 10 in scoring offense, passing offense and total offense. Brohn is 44, played seven seasons in the NFL and has a showcase game at LSU on Saturday night.
10. Willie Fritz, Georgia Southern: Fritz has a strong track of winning everywhere he's gone, including a Sun Belt title his first season. Georgia Southern (5–1) went 8–0 in the league last year and is 14–4 in his two seasons there. Georgia Southern blew out Western Michigan earlier this season, and its only loss is to West Virginia. Fritz is 55, which means he's got one more stop in him.
11. Dino Babers, Bowling Green: The Falcons's 48–27 blowout victory at Maryland opened a lot of eyes, as did their win over Indiana last season. Babers brings a strong offensive pedigree; he learned under Art Briles at Baylor and helped develop Jimmy Garoppolo at Eastern Illinois. Babers inherited star quarterback Matt Johnson at Bowling Green and has turned him into No. 1 quarterback in the country in passing yards (2,891) and No. 3 in touchdown passes (24).
12. P.J. Fleck, Western Michigan: At 34, he's the youngest coach in the FBS and perhaps the most intriguing, with his
endless stream of energy and catch phrases. His 12-19 record is offset, in part, by the best recruiting classes in the MAC the past two seasons. Western went 8–5 last year and has the talent to compete for the league title this season. It will be fun to see the Broncos play Toledo and Bowling Green in November.
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