Washington is on the hunt for their next head coach. Can they make a major splash?
Article by WestCoastCFB
Top Names to Watch:
Bob Stoops - Fox Analyst
While this feels like a long shot at first glance, I've had quite a few sources tell me he's a legitimate option for the Huskies. Stoops went 190-48 at Oklahoma and won 10 or more games 14 times. This would be the home run hire the Huskies need. Still, I find it unlikely that Stoops finally pulls the trigger and decides to come out of retirement.
Kalani Sitake - BYU HC
Sitake is the perfect personality fit for what Jen Cohen is looking for. The former BYU player has been in the West his entire coaching career with stops at Utah from 2005-2014 and Oregon State in 2015. Washington will likely be willing to offer up to $6 million per year for the right coach and Sitake may be willing to listen in order to get him and his staff raises at BYU. At the end of the day, I would assume the Cougars open up their wallet and give Sitake $4 million or more to stay. However, UW has a chance here and this would be a home run hire after he has gone 19-3 the past two season.
Justin Wilcox - Cal HC
Justin Wilcox wants out at Cal and has expressed interest in the Washington job through his agent. The Cal Head Coach is a brilliant defensive mind and hiring him instantly gives you credibility on one side of the ball. The issue here is who does he hire at OC? He would have better resources to hire a top coordinator at UW but the offense he's run at Cal has been awful. This could end up with the Huskies maxing out around 7-6 or 8-5 every year.
Kalen DeBoer - Fresno State Head Coach
DeBoer has quickly become a hot name after leading the Bulldogs to a win over UCLA. The South Dakota native fields an exciting brand of offense and had prior success as a head coach at Sioux Falls where he went 67-3. If Washington strikes out on a few of their top candidates, this may be the next Husky head coach.
Other Names to Watch:
Joe Moorhead (Oregon OC)
Bronco Mendenhall (Virginia HC)
Kellen Moore (Dallas Cowboys OC)
Jonathan Smith (OSU HC)
Jeff Traylor (UTSA HC)
Jeff Choate (Texas DC)
Jeff Grimes (Baylor OC)
Chris Klieman (Kansas State HC)
Dave Aranda (Baylor HC)