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College Football Coaches In Positions To Succeed

The month of December means bowl season. It also means the end of the coaching hire-and-fire season. Head coaching vacancies have been filled, though coordinator positions at several schools have not been filled and probably won’t be taken care of until after the bowl games, when high-profile coordinators become fully free to concentrate on their next places of employment and no longer have to worry about game-planning in a short-term context. Here are the college football head coaches in the best positions to succeed at the end of the movement on the job board:

Willie Taggart, Oregon Ducks

The Ducks’ head coach has already proven his worth to a certain degree. Taggart hired Colorado defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt to the same position in Eugene. The move obviously benefits Oregon, but it also hurts a Pac-12 competitor at the same time. Earlier on Wednesday, Royce Freeman – a star running back for the Ducks over the past few seasons – announced that he would stay for the 2017 season. Taggart continues to create results before his team has even played a game for him. He is generating enthusiasm in Eugene and appears likely to be able to recruit at a very high level. He’s already had some success early as he convinced running back Royce Freeman to come back for one more season. In the right setting, Freeman could be one of the best running backs in the nation, so it’s a huge win for Taggart even though he just got on the job.

The Ducks might not be a great college football team in 2017, but they certainly should be an elite team in 2018 and will return to being a top contender in the Pac-12.

 Tom Herman, Texas Longhorns

There was no coaching outcome more likely or anticipated over the past season than Herman coming to Texas if Charlie Strong failed to do his best. Herman had his eye on the Texas job for a long time. The flirtation with LSU seemed like a head fake more than anything else. Herman probably banked on LSU not being willing to pay top-level money for his services. Texas, on the other hand, was more than willing to fork over the dollars needed to lure him from Houston. Herman should be able to recruit well. He should be able to scheme well. He will bring Houston defensive coordinator Todd Orlando with him to Austin, which should be a great source of help and stability. On so many levels, Herman has what he needs to succeed. He also coaches in a weak Big 12 Conference which did not make the College Football Playoff this past season. It’s all there for Herman.

Jeff Brohm, Purdue Boilersmakers

When a coach at a lower-tier school (in the Group of Five) goes to a Power Five school, it often feels like a move that won’t work out. The coach might be in over his head. That doesn’t feel like the environment surrounding Brohm at Purdue. The Boilermakers used to be good, and when they were good, under Drew Brees 16 years ago, they played the style of offense Brohm currently uses. This is a good style-based fit with personnel and culture. Brohm should be able to win seven games at Purdue, which the locals would love each season. This is going to be a prove-it type of job for him. If he succeeds here, expect him to get some look from some bigger college football programs.

Mike Sanford, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

This is Brohm’s replacement, and it’s a perfect match at WKU. This is a school which loves to pass the ball. It has a great quarterback, Mike White. WKU needs to hire offensive coaches, not defensive ones. Sanford, who had been Brian Kelly’s offensive coordinator at Notre Dame, is supremely competent. He’s a rising star in the business. He makes sense from every angle for the HIlltoppers. The Fighting Irish appear to be a bit of a mess these days, which is part of what allowed the Hilltoppers to get their man. If things were going better for the Fighting Irish, it’s possible that Sanford would have stayed – especially if Notre Dame was playing in an important bowl game.

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Written by Geoff Harvey

Geoff Harvey has been creating odds and betting models since his days in the womb, just don't ask him how he used to get his injury reports back then. Harvey contributes a wealth of quality and informational content that is a valuable resource for any handicapper.

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