Last week, Chris Stoner gave some information on four possible head coaching options for the Maryland Terrapins (Scott Frost, P.J. Fleck, Phillip Montgomery, and Matt Campbell). This week, I’ll be looking at four more possible options (Justin Fuente, Mike Norvell, Lincoln Riley, and Dino Babers). My thanks to the writers who gave their thoughts on each of these four coaches.

(Discuss this article on the BSL Message Board here.)

Justin Fuente

Current Position: Head Coach – Memphis (since 2012)
Head Coaching Record: 25-21
Resume: Head Coach – Memphis (2012-present)
Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – TCU (2009-2011)
Running Backs Coach – TCU (2007-2008)
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – Illinois State (2004-2006)
Quarterbacks Coach – Illinois State (2001-2003)
Coaching Awards: American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (2014)
Playing Career: Quarterback (Oklahoma, Murray State; Oklahoma Wranglers)

Fuente will certainly be at or near the top of every team’s list this off-season, after executing an extremely impressive turnaround at Memphis since 2012. The Tigers have lost just one game this season, with their most impressive win coming at home against Ole Miss a few weeks ago. Fuente would certainly fit the bill for the Terrapins, as he runs a spread offense and is a proven quarterback guru. However, South Carolina is said to be very high on him to replace Steve Spurrier, so Maryland would have plenty of competition for him. Last week, I spoke with Frank Murtaugh, the Managing Editor of Memphis Magazine about Fuente.

BSL: Justin Fuente has executed one of the most impressive re-builds in college football at Memphis, where his team now sits at 8-1 with a big win over Ole Miss on their resume. What has impressed you most about Fuente during his time coaching the Tigers, and do you believe he is ready for a Power-5 head coaching job?

Murtaugh: Fuente has kept a steady focus since arriving here, never wide-eyed, never promising moon and stars. Doing little things where/when he can, starting with holding the players in his program accountable (both on and off the field). We hear/read the cliche “one game at a time” far too often, but Fuente is the first coach I’ve been around who seems to actually practice the method. “Let’s go 1-0 this week.” After the Ole Miss upset, he emphasized (postgame) the need to get ready for the next week’s challenge…at Tulsa. He’ll be ready for a Power-5 gig if he remains so focused and steady on “one day/game at a time.”

BSL: Memphis has obviously had huge success offensively this season, led by their extremely talented quarterback Paxton Lynch. How much of the offense’s success is due to Fuente’s spread scheme, and how much is due to Lynch’s immense arm talent?

Murtaugh: I’d lean toward Lynch here. He’s an extraordinary talent (as much for his mobility as a tall QB as for his arm strength and judgment in the pocket). But this would go for almost any offensive system in the country (Fuente would emphasize this): talented players make a system thrive…not necessarily the other way around. Now, players have to “buy in,” as they say. The Tigers have five wide receivers who each could claim he should get the ball more, but they coexist within a rocket-fueled offense. The result: almost 50 points per game over two months.

Dino Babers

Current Position: Head Coach – Bowling Green (since 2014)
Head Coaching Record: 34-15
Resume: Head Coach – Bowling Green (2014-present)
Head Coach – Eastern Illinois (2012-2013)
Special Teams Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach – Baylor (2009-2011)
Wide Receivers Coach/Recruiting Coordinator – Baylor (2008)
Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks Coach/Running Backs Coach – UCLA (2004-2007)
Running Backs Coach – Pittsburgh (2003)
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – Texas A&M (2001-2002)
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – Arizona (1998-2000)
Quarterbacks Coach/Running Backs Coach/Wide Receivers Coach – Arizona (1995-1997)
Wide Receivers Coach – San Diego State (1994)
Wide Receivers Coach – Purdue (1991-1993)
Special Teams Coordinator – Northern Arizona (1990)
Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs Coach – UNLV (1988-1989)
Running Backs Coach – Eastern Illinois (1987)
Graduate Assistant – Arizona State (1985)
Graduate Assistant – Hawai’i (1984)
Coaching Awards: Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year (2012, 2013)
Playing Career: Running Back/Defensive Back (Hawai’i)

Babers has been a college football coach for some time, as you can tell by his resume above. He has had great success at Bowling Green over the past two years, his spread offense putting up great passing numbers. He definitely fits the bill for Maryland as far as a spread offense goes, but promoting the hot Mid-American Conference coach hasn’t exactly worked recently (see Darrell Hazell, Al Golden, and Brady Hoke). Last week, I spoke with Thomas Schmeltz, a Sports Editor for the Sentinel-Tribune about Babers.

BSL: Maryland fans obviously remember Dino Babers from Bowling Green’s big win over the Terrapins earlier this season. He seems to have done a very good job of continuing the success that Dave Clawson had before moving on to Wake Forest before this season. What is the general opinion of Babers surrounding the Bowling Green program, and do you think Maryland would be a logical fit for him?

Schmeltz: You’d be correct, I believe, in saying that Dino has done a good job of continuing the success that Dave Clawson had. The one thing that many people are forgetting is that most of these players that Babers has are Clawson recruits. Now, he has gotten a few guys, such as Roger Lewis, who have made a big difference this season. But the majority are still Clawson guys. It just shows the quality that Clawson recruited, and that they’re athletic enough to fit so well into Babers’ offensive style.

But generally I think people are happy with what Babers has done, seeing that he’s off to a 6-2 start this season. Last year the feeling wasn’t so happy, especially early in the year. Folks were complaining that Babers ignores the defense and solely loves his offense, and even after the MAC title game, people still believed the team took a step back from 2013.

Now all of the sudden people love Babers after a 6-2 start, wins over 2 Big Ten teams, and a good effort at Tennessee. You know how it is, fans being fans.

I think that Dino tends to rub some people the wrong way at times with his confidence, which is usually perceived by many as arrogance. He’s not afraid to tell anybody like it is. The feeling is probably mixed on his persona and personality — and here it’s probably because Clawson was much more reserved in what he said.

Anyway, I know this is getting drawn out, I think Babers could be a logical fit at Maryland. It seems to be about the right caliber of job for his next step, and recruiting that area wouldn’t be much of an issue for him, especially with his offense. You’d know better than I, but what I’d heard is that Maryland was looking for a bigger name, but many people don’t remember that Babers has been at big schools and on great staffs. So he’s been around, most notably being the OC at Baylor, his final year being the year Robert Griffin III won the Heisman.

BSL: Babers is obviously known as an offensive-minded coach, and his offense has been extremely impressive this season, but how successful do you believe his defense has been at complimenting such a potent offense?

Schmeltz: Dino’s defense has been under much scrutiny in his two seasons at Bowling Green. In 2014, with many of the same players, the defense saw a steep drop from a 2013 defense that was — by the numbers — one of the better defenses in the country. I think that was in large part due to the fact that he had Kim McCloud, an offensive-minded coach as well, on staff as the DC. After last season the staff was shuffled and McCloud was moved back to the offense, and Babers hired Brian Ward away from Western Illinois to be his new DC. Huge move in my eyes. The defense is much, much younger and far more inexperienced, and probably less talented that last year’s defense, but is putting up better numbers. Ward is a young guy with a lot of energy, who has proven himself at each level, and it has been obvious that what he has brought to Bowling Green is a huge asset. He seems to scheme and game plan very well, it’s just a matter of players getting used to his system. As for Babers himself, he literally has nothing to do with the defense. So when — yes, when — he takes a job after this season I assume he’ll string Ward along with him with the improvements already made this season.

Mike Norvell

Current Position: Deputy Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – Arizona State (since 2012)
Head Coaching Record: 0-0
Resume: Deputy Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – Arizona State (2012-present)
Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach – Pittsburgh (2011)
Wide Receivers Coach – Tulsa (2007-2010)
Graduate Assistant – Central Arkansas (2006)
Coaching Awards: None
Playing Career: Wide Receiver (Central Arkansas)

Norvell is one of my favorite coaches on this list, behind Scott Frost. I’ve always enjoyed watching his offense at Arizona State, and believe it would be a great fit in College Park. He is very young, but has essentially been given complete control of the Sun Devils’ offense by head coach Todd Graham, while Graham focuses entirely on the defense. He is ready for a head coaching job. Last week, I spoke with Josh Nacion, the Managing Editor and social media manager of House of Sparky about Norvell.

BSL: Mike Norvell has been coaching with Todd Graham since 2007, and has been his offensive coordinator since 2011. At 33 years old, he is one of the youngest coordinators in the country, but his offenses at Arizona State have always seemed to be very potent. Is he ready for a head coaching job, and if so, why?

Nacion: He’s ready for a mid-major job if he wants, but I don’t think he’ll settle for anything that’s not within a Power-5 conference. He’s had so much control over the offense over the last four years at Arizona State, Todd Graham is often seen leading huddles with the defense while the offense is playing. About two offseasons ago, Norvell was linked to the Arkansas State head coaching job, but ASU ended up giving him the title “Deputy Head Coach,” which we all know is a ploy to keep assistants happy.

But is he ready to take over a Power-5 school right now? Probably not.

BSL: The Sun Devils have not performed up to expectations this year, holding a 4-3 record to this point. They seem to be a very inconsistent team, winning big at UCLA, but losing big against USC and Texas A&M. How much should interested teams worry about Norvell’s role in his offense’s seeming drop-off this season?

Nacion: They should be worried. The offense has been highly disappointing this season despite having a lot of talent this season. His in-game adjustments haven’t been ideal, and he refuses to adjust his zone-read option around Mike Bercovici, a quarterback who’s not known for his rushing ability. Norvell gets way more criticism from fans than Graham since they know Norvell dominates the offense. That’s why I don’t think he’s worthy of a Power-5 job, yet.

He’s a great recruiter, though. This week, ASU just got a commitment from N’Keal Harry, the local five-star receiver here in Arizona. His ability to recruit will probably come up as a positive as teams are weighing his strengths and weaknesses.

Lincoln Riley

Current Position: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – Oklahoma (since 2015)
Head Coaching Record: 0-0
Resume: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – Oklahoma (2015-present)
Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – East Carolina (2014)
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – East Carolina (2010-2013)
Inside Wide Receivers Coach – Texas Tech (2008-2009)
Wide Receivers Coach – Texas Tech (2007)
Graduate Assistant – Texas Tech (2006)
Student Assistant – Texas Tech (2003-2005)
Coaching Awards: None
Playing Career: Quarterback (Texas Tech)

Riley comes from the Mike Leach coaching tree at Texas Tech, so you know he knows offense. He’s an Air Raid guy by trade, and was brought onto the staff at Oklahoma this season by head coach Bob Stoops to install the Air Raid. Before coaching the Sooners, he ran the Air Raid with East Carolina. He’s very young, but would certainly fit the spread offense bill for Maryland. Last week, I spoke with Rich DeCray, Sports Writer for Crimson and Cream Machine about Riley.

BSL: Lincoln Riley has been Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator for just one year, but he has completely overhauled the Sooners’ offense into a very potent Air Raid attack. Do you believe that Riley is ready for a head coaching job, and if so, why?

DeCray: I do not believe Riley is ready to take over a program as the head coach. Some may argue three years under Mike Leach at Texas Tech along with five years at ECU should do the trick. I find myself on the other side of the fence though. The reality is that Riley has one year of experience in calling the shots at a top tier program. Can the trend continue moving upward of the coach? Absolutely, but I’d like to see a larger body of work not only in the product on the field but also in the realm of recruiting before I give him the nod for a head coaching job.

Again, that’s just one person’s opinion though.

BSL: The Air Raid is obviously known as the pass-happy system that Mike Leach runs (and that Riley learned at Texas Tech), but Oklahoma’s offense has run the ball about 80 more times than it has passed. How well do you believe Riley has been able to stay balanced in his play-calling this season?

DeCray: Entering the season, the offense hoped to utilize two extremely talented backs, Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon, in the backfield. However, losing three starters along the offensive line put a halt to the idea of remaining balanced — at least up front. Inserted into the starting lineup, the Sooners used two freshman and a sophomore leading to a skewed number as Baker Mayfield received little protection forcing him to scramble for yardage often. Regardless, the coaching staff remained adament about running the ball effectively.

After losing to the Texas Longhorns, a light turned on and the offensive line clicked. The effort led to three consecutive games of 200+ yards on the ground. Finally the idea manifested itself on the field to the delight of fans. To answer the question in short, I do believe a balanced attack continues to dominate the offensive discussions throughout preparations for the week.

Zack Kiesel
Zack Kiesel

Terps Analyst

Zack is a financial analyst for a defense contractor in Washington, DC. The Owings Mills native focuses most of his efforts on Maryland Football recruiting and individual coach and player pieces; but also covers Terps Basketball. He has established relationships with Big Ten beat reporters across the conference, which he utilizes in his game previews. Now a Sr. Terps Analyst for BSL, Zack can be reached at: [email protected].

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