Updating Maryland’s Coaching Search

Ever since Randy Edsall was fired as Maryland’s Head Football Coach on October 11, 2015, rumors have been flying around College Park, MD as to who the university will choose as his replacement. While it has been over a month since Edsall’s dismissal, there is not much more clarity on the situation now as there was then. However, there have been a few names linked specifically to Maryland, so in this article, we’ll first look at the overall landscape of the 2016 coaching carousel, and then move on to look at a few specific names and what they could bring to the Terrapins’ football program.

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Coaching Carousel

So far, there are thirteen schools who will need new football coaches before next season begins. That number becomes fourteen if Les Miles is dismissed at LSU, which is expected to occur after the team’s final regular season game this weekend. Let’s look at where Maryland fits into this landscape.

First Tier 
Miami (FL)
USC

Second Tier
Illinois
Maryland
Missouri
South Carolina
Syracuse
UCF
Virginia Tech

Third Tier
Iowa State
Hawaii
North Texas
ULM

There is obviously some argument to be made about the placements of teams like Miami (FL), and Syracuse, but this is simply a rough sketch of the current landscape. So Maryland fits into the second tier of schools looking for a head football coach. They are likely ranked above schools like Illinois and Syracuse, but also likely below schools like Missouri, South Carolina, and Virginia Tech. However, this is all very ambiguous. The Terrapins are likely somewhere between 4th and 6th on a ranked list. The bigger question is which schools they are likely to compete with for the same coaches.

USC is looking for a huge splash, and will likely try to poach a coach from the NFL. Regardless, Maryland will not be competing with the Trojans for the same coach. The more likely scenario is that the Terrapins wind up competing with schools like Missouri, South Carolina, and UCF. I might typically place Virginia Tech on this list, but they are rumored to be very close to a deal with Memphis Head Coach Justin Fuente. Other rumors put Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart at the top of South Carolina’s list.

Maryland has been linked to a few specific coaches over the past month. Putting aside the Chip Kelly rumors (that’s not happening), Everett Withers, Pep Hamilton, Bill O’Brien, and Dan Mullen have all been linked to the Terrapins. Let’s look at all of these coaches in some more depth.

Dan Mullen

Current Position: Head Coach – Mississippi State (since 2009)
Head Coaching Record: 54-34
Resume: Head Coach – Mississippi State (2009-present)
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – Florida (2005-2008)
Quarterbacks Coach – Utah (2003-2004)
Quarterbacks Coach – Bowling Green (2001-2002)
Graduate Assistant – Notre Dame (1999-2000)
Graduate Assistant – Syracuse (1998)
Wide Receivers Coach – Columbia (1996-1997)
Wide Receivers Coach – Wagner (1994-1995)
Coaching Awards: American Football Coaches Association Region 2 Coach of the Year (2014)
Associated Press SEC Coach of the Year (2014)
Athlon SEC Coach of the Year (2014)
Maxwell Football Club Coach of the Year (2014)
Playing Career: Tight End (Ursinus)

The most recent rumors surrounding Maryland’s football program say that Mullen is at the top of their list, and that a deal is imminent. These rumors have escalated over the last day or so, and it’s probably safe to say that Mullen is at or near the top of Maryland’s list. He is a very successful football coach, and is one of the better offensive minds in college football. Alongside current Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer, they crafted one of the first iterations of the spread-option offense. Mullen was responsible for personally tutoring such star quarterbacks as Alex Smith (Utah), Chris Leak (Florida), and Tim Tebow (Florida).

After sticking with Meyer as his right-hand man at Bowling Green, Utah, and Florida, he left to become the Head Coach at Mississippi State after the 2008 season, which saw the Gators win the National Championship. Mullen inherited a team in Starkville, MS that was fresh off of four years of NCAA sanctions, and had not won consistently since the 1990s. He rebuilt the team quickly, and was back in the Top 25 by the beginning of his third season. Mullen has led the Bulldogs to a bowl game in every season but his first one with the team.

The 2014 season was the most successful by far for Mullen, as it saw the Bulldogs ranked #1 in the country for five weeks. Quarterback Dak Prescott, who Mullen sculpted from a raw 3-star prospect out of Louisiana, was a dark horse candidate for the Heisman Trophy. Mullen won four different coaching awards for his efforts in 2014, and was awarded with a contract extension through the 2018 season. The Bulldogs currently have a record of 8-3 in 2015, and have been ranked in the Top 25 for the majority of the year. You can watch them in action on Saturday evening in their annual Egg Bowl matchup with Ole Miss.

Mullen would be an excellent choice for Maryland’s football program. His offenses are always extremely potent, and he has a track record of being an excellent quarterback tutor. With 4-star quarterback Dwayne Haskins set to land in College Park next season, having a head coach like Mullen would ensure stellar development of the young gunslinger. He also has a track record of being a very good recruiter, which is difficult in a place like Starkville. He and his staff have made a living on recruiting 3-star players who Alabama, Ole Miss, and LSU have rejected, and coaching them up. Mullen is famous for saying that, while most of his recruits aren’t 5-star recruits when they commit to Mississippi State, his staff makes sure that they leave as 5-star players.

Bill O’Brien

Current Position: Head Coach – Houston Texans (since 2014)
Head Coaching Record: 14-12 (NFL); 15-9 (College)
Resume: Head Coach – Houston Texans (2014-present)
Head Coach – Penn State (2012-2013)
Offensive Coordinator – New England Patriots (2011)
Quarterbacks Coach – New England Patriots (2009-2010)
Wide Receivers Coach – New England Patriots (2008)
Offensive Assistant – New England Patriots (2007)
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – Duke (2005-2006)
Running Backs Coach – Maryland (2003-2004)
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – Georgia Tech (2001-2002)
Running Backs Coach – Georgia Tech (1998-2000)
Graduate Assistant – Georgia Tech (1995-1997)
Linebackers Coach – Brown (1994)
Tight Ends Coach – Brown (1993)
Coaching Awards: Paul “Bear” Bryant Award (2012)
Big Ten Coach of the Year (2012)
Maxwell Coach of the Year (2012)
AT&T–ESPN Coach of the Year (2012)
Playing Career: Defensive End/Linebacker (Brown)

Last week, some rumors circulated that O’Brien was being considered for the head football coaching job at Maryland. With the Mullen rumors springing up over the past few days, the O’Brien rumors have stalled a bit. While just 46-years old, O’Brien boasts plenty of both collegiate and professional football coaching experience. His most successful season came in 2012, when he won four different coaching awards for his work in his first year at Penn State. The Nittany Lions finished 8-4 (6-2 Big Ten) in that year, which was shadowed by the sanctions placed on the program by the NCAA following the Jerry Sandusky scandal.

O’Brien has struggled a bit in his first two seasons as a head coach in the NFL, as the Texans will likely fail to make the playoffs for the second season in a row in 2015. His most successful coaching period in the NFL was his time with the Patriots as an Assistant Coach from 2007-2011. He served as a mentor to star quarterback Tom Brady, and helped to lead the team to AFC Championships in both 2007 and 2011. He also gained invaluable experience coaching under Bill Belichick during this time.

While O’Brien is an offensive-minded coach, his offenses tend to lean towards pro-style systems. This doesn’t quite fit the bill of an “exciting offense” that Maryland has said they are looking for. However, unlike Mullen, he has experience coaching in the DMV area. Along with serving as Maryland’s running backs coach under Ralph Friedgen, his experience recruiting in the area as Penn State’s Head Coach would serve him very well. The most recent rumors surrounding O’Brien is that he will likely either stay in the NFL or head to Miami (FL) or USC.

Pep Hamilton

Current Position: None
Head Coaching Record: 0-0
Resume: Offensive Coordinator – Indianapolis Colts (2013-2015)
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – Stanford (2011-2012)
Wide Receivers Coach – Stanford (2010)
Quarterbacks Coach – Chicago Bears (2007-2009)
Quarterbacks Coach – San Francisco 49ers (2006)
Wide Receivers Coach – New York Jets (2005)
Quarterbacks Coach – New York Jets (2004)
Offensive Quality Control Coach – New York Jets (2003)
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – Howard (1999-2001)
Quarterbacks Coach – Howard (1997-1998)
Coaching Awards: None
Playing Career: Quarterback (Howard)

Hamilton’s name was linked to Maryland a number of weeks ago, but no rumors have mentioned his name recently. He has spent the majority of his career as an NFL assistant coach, and has never been a head coach at either the collegiate or the professional level. He served as the Colts’ Offensive Coordinator this season until he was fired by head coach Chuck Pagano in early November.

He has worked with quarterback Andrew Luck for the past four years of his coaching career, both at Stanford and with the Colts. While his coaching experience is certainly impressive, he doesn’t really fit the “exciting offense” bill either. He also lacks any experience coaching or recruiting in the DMV area.

Everett Withers

Current Position: Head Coach – James Madison (since 2014)
Head Coaching Record: 26-12
Resume: Head Coach – James Madison (2014-present)
Defensive Coordinator – Ohio State (2012-2013)
Head Coach – North Carolina (2011)
Defensive Coordinator – North Carolina (2008-2010)
Defensive Coordinator – Minnesota (2007)
Defensive Backs Coach – Tennessee Titans (2001-2006)
Defensive Backs Coach – Texas (1998-2000)
Defensive Coordinator – Louisville (1995-1997)
Defensive Quality Control Coach – New Orleans Saints (1994)
Defensive Backs Coach – Southern Miss (1992-1993)
Linebackers Coach – Tulane (1991)
Special Teams Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach – Austin Peay (1990)
Defensive Coordinator – Austin Peay (1988-1989)
Coaching Awards: None
Playing Career: Linebacker/Defensive Back (Appalachian State)

When Edsall was first dismissed from Maryland’s program, Withers was the first coach with his name linked to the school. However, those rumors have all but died in recent weeks. Withers is having a very successful first two years with James Madison, and has a very good chance to win the Colonial Athletic Association in 2015. He has a very extensive coaching career at both collegiate and professional levels. He served as North Carolina’s head coach in 2011 after former head coach Butch Davis was fired due to the numerous scandals surrounding the program at the time. He did a very impressive job in this difficult situation, leading the Tar Heels to a winning season and a bowl berth.

Before his current job at James Madison, Withers served as Ohio State’s Defensive Coordinator under Meyer. He is a very defensive-minded coach, with his only offensive coaching experience coming in 1990, when he served as Austin Peay’s wide receivers coach. However, he seems to prefer the spread offense that Meyer runs, as he runs a very similar version with the Dukes. Withers likely doesn’t fit the “big personality” or “big name” that Maryland desires in their next coach, and is likely to move up to a coordinator position with a Power 5 school or become the head coach of a lower-tier school.

EDIT: There was also the report today from Yahoo Sports’ s Pat Forde that Michigan Defensive Coordinator D.J. Durkin is a strong candidate for the Maryland job.

Previous BSL articles on the Coaching search:
4 More Potential Head Coaches (Justin Fuente, Mike Norvell, Lincoln Riley, and Dino Babers)
Learning More About Prospective MD Head Coaches (Scott Frost, PJ Fleck, Phillip Montgomery, and Matt Campbell)
Who Should be MD’s Next HC? (Comments from writers with ESPN, FOX Sports, Athlon, CBS Sports, Landry Football)