I. SLIM TO ZERO CHANCE (30-21)
30. Les Miles, former head coach at LSU,
Oklahoma State
Not very likely at all. The only pro is that Miles bring championship experience with a national championship and a few conference titles. His lack of opening up to the passing game and boring, predictable running game offense ultimately cost him his job. He's 64 as well. He is very familiar with the SEC and Louisiana still. He lost several games in the later part of his LSU career and got beat by Houston Nutt of all folks more than once..
29. Charlie Strong, current head coach South Florida, ex head coach Texas, Louisville
This would be an excellent choice based on his defensive experience throughout football particularly the SEC while he was at South Carolina and Florida. He had big time success while HC at Louisville as well. A lot of folks think he was not given enough time at Texas and was put into a difficult situation to begin with..
Also considering Ole Miss's PR nightmare that is currently ongoing and has been for the past 2-3 years this would be a HOME RUN hire for the simple fact he is a minority head coach with experience and also Ole Miss's controversial, unpleasant history coupled with that..it wouldn't look bad.
However based on what Neal posted recently and stories of his unhappiness with his previous time in Oxford under Billy Brewer around 1990 this makes it very unlikely he returns to Ole Miss.
28. David Cutcliffe, Duke head coach, former HC at Ole Miss, ex-offensive coordinator Tennessee
Don't roll your eyes just yet...If you want a stable, reliable, predictable, seasoned HC that doesn't draw media attention for all the wrong reasons this is your man. Quite the opposite of what Ole Miss has been enduring the past 2-3 years. It would also be seen by some out there as righting a wrong because OM took a lot of criticism in 2004 when the school and then AD Pete Boone fired him after one bad season of 4-7 overall.
Now you can laugh or roll your eyes. This will not likely happen. Cutcliffe was an absolutely mediocre at best recruiter, king of the 2 stars. Without a Manning at QB Cutcliffe will only get a program like OM to the likes of the Independence, Music Cuty Bowls, a perennial 7-8 win program in the SEC. His offenses were as predictable as clock work and about as exciting as looking at paint dry. Not happening.
27. Chip Kelly, former Oregon HC, ex Eagles, 49ers head coach
Kelly is out of coaching right now and working for ESPN as a college football analyst. This would be a stretch. However factors that work in Ole Miss' favor are it's an SEC school, a Power 5 program, a program with some good tradition, personale geared toward the offenses Kelly ran at Oregon and a lot of SEC-ESPN $$$$$$$$$. It would be Ole Miss's grand slam hire similiar to the Saban hire at Alabama in 2007.
Unfortunately this is a slim to zero chance. Kelly will have his picks of top tier jobs come November, December and with the NCAA cloud still looming overheads this is a double strike against Ole Miss. Kelly is a Northeast guy and West coast guy and has stronger, deeper roots in the PAC 12 However keep in man Dan Mullen is also from New Hampshire and really had no clue where Starkville was before becoming the HC at Mississippi State so anything is possible.
Still he's very much a foreigner to the SEC and the Deep South when it comes to recruiting and familiarity of programs. Kelly probably would end up at a place like UCLA or USC ultimately.
26. Bob Stoops, former head coach Oklahoma
Just not a very likely pick. Really hardly any interest on either Stoops or Ole Miss side.
Stoops has always been linked with the Notre Dame job and has taken shots at the SEC in the past after beating Alabama, Tennessee in recent years. He has been the head coach a very good one at an elite program and been a steady, reliable guiding individual. Still he has a reputation of underachieving in big games. Plus he very well may decide to stay out of coaching for good.
25. Kliff Kingsbury, HC Texas Tech
He already has his dream job so to speak.
He's the head coach at his alma mater. Plus he plays in a less difficult league when it comes to outdoing opposing defenses and is relatively still new in Lubbock. Although he runs a similiar style offense to Freeze-Longo he probably wouldn't want to leave Lubbock even with a lot of weapons on offense at Ole Miss.
Ole Miss could offer more money and the chance to compete in a superior league but that superior league is much more renowned for its elite defenses. So why make your job more difficult at a smaller SEC program like OM. Also according to some posters on this board this is not the guy you want if you want fewer off the field distractions.
24. Mike Leach, HC Washington State
Leach has been a name mentioned in the past when Ole Miss has had job openings.
But he's older now and the challenge of leading an offense in the SEC just might not be what he really wants to do at this point in his career. Leach is unorthodox and has been a bit controversial in the past. OM probably doesn't want any shred or slight bit of unwanted publicity in the near to immediate future. He is familiar with the SEC having been the offensive coordinator for Hal Mumme at Kentucky in the late 90's.
23. Derek Dooley, former head coach Tennessee
Who remembers Dooley after having surgery sitting on a stool during football games? That symbolized Tennessee's program while he was HC. Dooley was 15-21 during his time in Knoxville and was a lousy recruiter at a program like Tennessee with deep resources. If he's lazy and can't utilize things while at Tennessee what makes you think he can keep up with HUGH FREEZE's track record of recruiting at a high level and winning big games? Dooley would be a disaster in Oxford and it would indicate OM doesn't want to compete at a high level anymore. Uhh HELL NO!
22. Sonny Dykes, former HC California,
Louisiana Tech
Dykes comes out of the Hal Mumme-Mike Leach-Dana Holgerson coaching family with
an emphasis on the up-tempo, spread offense. He turned both LA Tech and California in his 3rd seasons respectively by getting them both to bowl games. He's currently an offensive analyst on TCU's staff and was fired by Cal back in January.
Dykes would probably jump at the job but what kind of buzz would he create being the HC in Oxford? Probably not much. Also would he be able to recruit at a very high level which is required to compete in the SEC? Pass on this one.
21. Mike Shula, OC Carolina Panthers,
former HC Alabama
Shula has rehabbed his career while coaching and leading the offense with Cam Newton at the QB position with the Carolina Panthers. His NFL experience with Cam would certainly be a plus to sell to recruits.
He certainly is familiar with the lay of the land in the SEC having been Alabama's HC from 2003-2006 and keeping the Bama program afloat somewhat when the Tide were suffering NCAA probation and its effects at the time. He guided them to 3 bowl games while at Alabama even in the aftermath of sanctions and its effects. After the effects of sanctions were over with the quickly replaced him with Nick Saban.
Alabama fans would have a field day with this hire and laugh at OM. Not likely to happen.
30. Les Miles, former head coach at LSU,
Oklahoma State
Not very likely at all. The only pro is that Miles bring championship experience with a national championship and a few conference titles. His lack of opening up to the passing game and boring, predictable running game offense ultimately cost him his job. He's 64 as well. He is very familiar with the SEC and Louisiana still. He lost several games in the later part of his LSU career and got beat by Houston Nutt of all folks more than once..
29. Charlie Strong, current head coach South Florida, ex head coach Texas, Louisville
This would be an excellent choice based on his defensive experience throughout football particularly the SEC while he was at South Carolina and Florida. He had big time success while HC at Louisville as well. A lot of folks think he was not given enough time at Texas and was put into a difficult situation to begin with..
Also considering Ole Miss's PR nightmare that is currently ongoing and has been for the past 2-3 years this would be a HOME RUN hire for the simple fact he is a minority head coach with experience and also Ole Miss's controversial, unpleasant history coupled with that..it wouldn't look bad.
However based on what Neal posted recently and stories of his unhappiness with his previous time in Oxford under Billy Brewer around 1990 this makes it very unlikely he returns to Ole Miss.
28. David Cutcliffe, Duke head coach, former HC at Ole Miss, ex-offensive coordinator Tennessee
Don't roll your eyes just yet...If you want a stable, reliable, predictable, seasoned HC that doesn't draw media attention for all the wrong reasons this is your man. Quite the opposite of what Ole Miss has been enduring the past 2-3 years. It would also be seen by some out there as righting a wrong because OM took a lot of criticism in 2004 when the school and then AD Pete Boone fired him after one bad season of 4-7 overall.
Now you can laugh or roll your eyes. This will not likely happen. Cutcliffe was an absolutely mediocre at best recruiter, king of the 2 stars. Without a Manning at QB Cutcliffe will only get a program like OM to the likes of the Independence, Music Cuty Bowls, a perennial 7-8 win program in the SEC. His offenses were as predictable as clock work and about as exciting as looking at paint dry. Not happening.
27. Chip Kelly, former Oregon HC, ex Eagles, 49ers head coach
Kelly is out of coaching right now and working for ESPN as a college football analyst. This would be a stretch. However factors that work in Ole Miss' favor are it's an SEC school, a Power 5 program, a program with some good tradition, personale geared toward the offenses Kelly ran at Oregon and a lot of SEC-ESPN $$$$$$$$$. It would be Ole Miss's grand slam hire similiar to the Saban hire at Alabama in 2007.
Unfortunately this is a slim to zero chance. Kelly will have his picks of top tier jobs come November, December and with the NCAA cloud still looming overheads this is a double strike against Ole Miss. Kelly is a Northeast guy and West coast guy and has stronger, deeper roots in the PAC 12 However keep in man Dan Mullen is also from New Hampshire and really had no clue where Starkville was before becoming the HC at Mississippi State so anything is possible.
Still he's very much a foreigner to the SEC and the Deep South when it comes to recruiting and familiarity of programs. Kelly probably would end up at a place like UCLA or USC ultimately.
26. Bob Stoops, former head coach Oklahoma
Just not a very likely pick. Really hardly any interest on either Stoops or Ole Miss side.
Stoops has always been linked with the Notre Dame job and has taken shots at the SEC in the past after beating Alabama, Tennessee in recent years. He has been the head coach a very good one at an elite program and been a steady, reliable guiding individual. Still he has a reputation of underachieving in big games. Plus he very well may decide to stay out of coaching for good.
25. Kliff Kingsbury, HC Texas Tech
He already has his dream job so to speak.
He's the head coach at his alma mater. Plus he plays in a less difficult league when it comes to outdoing opposing defenses and is relatively still new in Lubbock. Although he runs a similiar style offense to Freeze-Longo he probably wouldn't want to leave Lubbock even with a lot of weapons on offense at Ole Miss.
Ole Miss could offer more money and the chance to compete in a superior league but that superior league is much more renowned for its elite defenses. So why make your job more difficult at a smaller SEC program like OM. Also according to some posters on this board this is not the guy you want if you want fewer off the field distractions.
24. Mike Leach, HC Washington State
Leach has been a name mentioned in the past when Ole Miss has had job openings.
But he's older now and the challenge of leading an offense in the SEC just might not be what he really wants to do at this point in his career. Leach is unorthodox and has been a bit controversial in the past. OM probably doesn't want any shred or slight bit of unwanted publicity in the near to immediate future. He is familiar with the SEC having been the offensive coordinator for Hal Mumme at Kentucky in the late 90's.
23. Derek Dooley, former head coach Tennessee
Who remembers Dooley after having surgery sitting on a stool during football games? That symbolized Tennessee's program while he was HC. Dooley was 15-21 during his time in Knoxville and was a lousy recruiter at a program like Tennessee with deep resources. If he's lazy and can't utilize things while at Tennessee what makes you think he can keep up with HUGH FREEZE's track record of recruiting at a high level and winning big games? Dooley would be a disaster in Oxford and it would indicate OM doesn't want to compete at a high level anymore. Uhh HELL NO!
22. Sonny Dykes, former HC California,
Louisiana Tech
Dykes comes out of the Hal Mumme-Mike Leach-Dana Holgerson coaching family with
an emphasis on the up-tempo, spread offense. He turned both LA Tech and California in his 3rd seasons respectively by getting them both to bowl games. He's currently an offensive analyst on TCU's staff and was fired by Cal back in January.
Dykes would probably jump at the job but what kind of buzz would he create being the HC in Oxford? Probably not much. Also would he be able to recruit at a very high level which is required to compete in the SEC? Pass on this one.
21. Mike Shula, OC Carolina Panthers,
former HC Alabama
Shula has rehabbed his career while coaching and leading the offense with Cam Newton at the QB position with the Carolina Panthers. His NFL experience with Cam would certainly be a plus to sell to recruits.
He certainly is familiar with the lay of the land in the SEC having been Alabama's HC from 2003-2006 and keeping the Bama program afloat somewhat when the Tide were suffering NCAA probation and its effects at the time. He guided them to 3 bowl games while at Alabama even in the aftermath of sanctions and its effects. After the effects of sanctions were over with the quickly replaced him with Nick Saban.
Alabama fans would have a field day with this hire and laugh at OM. Not likely to happen.
