28 FBS teams found have filled their head coaching jobs this offseason with even more changes occurring at the coordinator and assistant levels. The college football coaching carousel is always turning and while the head coaching positions get the majority of the attention, the coordinator and assistant roles can be extremely important as well. There are already a good number of college coordinators that are qualified to become head coaches and it will only be a matter of time before they ascend to that role. Here is a look at four college football coordinators that would be better suited for head coaching jobs.
Dave Aranda, LSU Tigers
Defensive Coordinator
Kevin Steele’s departure for the defensive coordinator job at Auburn was supposed to be a negative for LSU, but Les Miles managed to turn it in to a positive when he hired Aranda away from Wisconsin to fill the position. In three seasons with the Badgers, Aranda’s stingy defense ranked No. 1 in the country in total defense and placed in the top five in scoring defense, passing defense and rushing defense. Aranda will inherit some formidable talent in his new role and there is every reason to expect the Tigers to have one of the best defenses in the country next season. The question is how big of an impact will that have on Aranda’s reputation? If LSU returns to the SEC elite next season and it’s because their defense steps up, Aranda will be one of the hottest coordinators pursuited.
Bob Shoop, Tennessee Volunteers
Defensive Coordinator
Shoop’s move from Penn State to Tennessee was also considered among the biggest offseason coordinator coups as butch Jones managed him to lure him in to taking the same job with the Vols. Shoop spent the last five seasons under James Franklin at Vanderbilt and Penn State, and the results were impressive to say the least. The Commodores ranked in the Top 25 in the country in scoring defense in all three seasons under Shoop. The Nittany Lions finished seventh and 15th in scoring defense over the last two seasons. That kind of consistency is almost unheard of when it comes to lesser teams at the college football level. All eyes will be on Shoop to see what he can do at Tennessee. A lot of people think he should already be a head coach and one more outstanding season as the defensive coordinator of the Vols could elevate him to that role with another program.
Mike Sanford, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Offensive Coordinator
Sanford is only 34 years old, but he has already put together a solid resume at the college level. The former Boise State quarterback spent three years as an offensive assistant for the Broncos and then became the offensive coordinator there in 2014. Boise State ranked No. 9 in the country in scoring and that got the attention of Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly, who hired Sanford as his offensive coordinator. Sanford’s first season with the Fighting Irish included the loss of starting quarterback Malik Zaire to a broken ankle, but DeShone Kizer thrived after stepping in as the starter the rest of the way. Notre Dame averaged 34.8 points per game and finished in the Top 40 in the nation in both passing and rushing. Some feel Sanford will benefit from a little more experience. However, based on what he has accomplished already to this point it’s clear he has the potential to be a head coach in the very near future.
Brent Venables, Clemson Tigers
Defensive Coordinator
Clemson had the top overall defense in the country in 2014. Even after losing multiple graduates the following offseason, Venables was still able to produce a unit that ranked No. 10 in the nation in total defense. The Tigers didn’t miss a beat despite some substantial turnover and their defense was a big part of the reason why they ranked No. 1 in the AP and College Football Playoff rankings for nearly the entire season. Venables earned every cent of his $1.4 million annual salary and remains very comfortable in his current situation. However, some feel it is only a matter of time before he finds the perfect opportunity to make the jump from defensive coordinator to head coach.
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