Tim DeRuyter became the latest head coach to get the axe when Fresno State decided that it was time to part ways following a 1-7 start to the season. Offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau will serve as the interim head coach but he won’t be the long-term solution as the Bulldogs continue their search for their next bench boss. Here is a look at the top four candidates to be the next head coach at Fresno State.
Jeff Tedford
The former Cal head coach Tedford has been talked about as a favorite to land the head coach gig with the Bulldogs. Tedford played quarterback at Fresno State before moving on to the CFL and he turned around a dismal Cal program that went from 1-10 the year before he arrived to a 10-win team in his third season with that program. Tedford finished with an 82-57 mark over a decade with the Golden Bears, including four top-25 finishes. Tedford and current Fresno State AD Jim Bartko worked together for a few years at Cal and the word is that they have a mutual interest in working together to turn the Bulldogs’ football program around.
John Baxter, USC Special Teams Coach
Baxter spent over a decade on Pat Hill’s Fresno State staff where he helped build a winning football program while implementing an academic game plan that had a very positive impact on the program. Baxter’s special teams units have consistently performed at a high level but it’s his overall ability to mentor and develop talent that make him an appealing option as a head coach down the line. The Bulldogs need a reliable, character head coach with experience so Baxter could be a strong fit.
Ed Orgeron, LSU Interim Head Coach
Orgeron has spent the past couple of weeks proving why he could be the perfect fit as LSU’s long-term head coach. The Tigers have won three straight including a lopsided 38-21 win over Ole Miss and if LSU somehow manages to upset Alabama, then there will be no way the Tigers let Orgeron get away after this season.
But let’s be realistic: Orgeron probably won’t beat Alabama and he’s not a very sexy option for LSU to stick with. Will he prove deserving of a head coaching job somewhere? It looks like it but that’s still to be seen. Will he be the head coach of an SEC football school next year? Very unlikely.
The bottom line is that Orgeron’s head coaching stock has received a boost over the past couple of weeks and if LSU doesn’t want to keep him, there will be a number of teams lining up for his services. Fresno State could be one of them and they could make a strong push for Orgeron. It seems like a reasonable place where Orgeron can take over.
Lane Kiffin, Alabama Offensive Coordinator
The former head coach at Tennessee and USC has spent the past few years building up his resume as the offensive coordinator at Alabama and he has helped develop some impressive offenses over the past couple of seasons in particular. The Crimson Tide are undefeated through the first half of the college football season and the obvious betting favorite to repeat as national champions. Kiffin would be an excellent fit as head coach wherever he wants to go but the key will be whether Bartko and the Bulldogs could convince him to sign on.
Remember that Kiffin has been somewhat limited with his offensive weapons. Alabama tends to have really strong defensive players but on offense, they are a far more conservative team. The Tide haven’t had any quarterbacks that have become superstars in the NFL, yet Kiffin seems to get them ready for the big games and keeps them out of mistake situations. They are effective and efficient, and that’s all that the Tide need with such a strong defense.
The odds are that Kiffin will be one of the most popular head coach candidates out there this offseason – if he decides to leave Alabama – so it won’t be easy for Fresno State to convince him to sign on.
