Athlon: 6 Coaching Candidates to Replace Tracy Claeys at Minnesota

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6 Coaching Candidates to Replace Tracy Claeys at Minnesota

Craig Bohl, head coach, Wyoming
Bohl agreed an extension through 2023 at Wyoming earlier this offseason, but Minnesota should at least inquire about his interest in the job. The Nebraska native worked as an assistant with a handful of FBS programs (Rice, Duke, Wisconsin and Nebraska) before landing the head coaching job at North Dakota State in 2003. Under Bohl’s watch, the Bison went 104-32 and claimed three consecutive national championships (2011-13). Additionally, North Dakota State only had one losing season (2009) during Bohl’s tenure. After a 4-8 mark in his first year at Wyoming (2014), Bohl went 2-10 in 2015 but improved to 8-6 in 2016. Bohl’s style and track record of player development would fit in well at Minnesota.

Troy Calhoun, head coach, Air Force
Calhoun was connected to this job through the rumor mill in 2010 before Minnesota hired Jerry Kill. Considering Calhoun coaches at his alma mater and has a good run going in Colorado Springs, it would take a lot for the former AFA quarterback to leave. Calhoun is 77-53 at Air Force since 2007 and has guided the Falcons to bowl appearances in nine out of 10 seasons. He also spent time in the NFL with the Broncos and Texans and coached as an assistant at Ohio and Wake Forest.

P.J. Fleck, head coach, Western Michigan
Fleck is one of college football’s rising stars in the head coaching ranks and it’s only a matter of time before he gets an opportunity at a Power 5 program. After a playing career at Northern Illinois, Fleck had a short stint in the NFL before becoming a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 2006. Fleck quickly worked his way through the coaching ranks with stops at Northern Illinois (2007-09), Rutgers (2010-11) and with the Buccaneers (2012). He was hired as Western Michigan’s head coach in 2013 and went 1-11 in his debut. However, the Broncos have three consecutive winning seasons and finished 2016 as the top Group of 5 program with a 13-1 record and an appearance in the Cotton Bowl. Fleck is 30-22 in four seasons with Western Michigan. He's the early favorite for this job.

Bryan Harsin, head coach, Boise State
Harsin worked for current Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle at Boise State, so there’s a natural connection between the two parties. However, since Harsin is from Boise and coaching at his alma mater, it’s probably safe to assume he’s in no hurry to leave for a different job. Harsin worked as an assistant at Boise State from 2001-10 before taking over the offensive coordinator duties at Texas from 2011-12. He spent one year as the head coach at Arkansas State (7-5) before jumping to Boise State to replace Chris Petersen in 2014. Over the last three seasons, the Broncos are 31-9 under Harsin’s direction.

Chris Klieman, head coach, North Dakota State
Klieman has picked up where Craig Bohl left off at North Dakota State. Over the last three years, the Bison are 40-5 under Klieman’s direction and claimed back-to-back national championships in 2014-15. North Dakota State finished 12-2 in 2016 and lost in the FCS semifinals to James Madison. The Iowa native also has stops as an assistant on his resume from stints at Northern Iowa, Kansas, Missouri State and Western Illinois.

Greg Schiano, defensive coordinator, Ohio State
Schiano returned to the college ranks in 2016 and called the defensive signals for Ohio State’s standout defense. Prior to joining Urban Meyer’s staff in Columbus, Schiano was out of football for two seasons after an 11-21 record as Tampa Bay’s head coach from 2012-13. Schiano has a better track record as a college head coach, going 68-67 at Rutgers from 2001-11. Under Schiano’s direction, the Scarlet Knights went from one of the worst teams in the Big East to a consistent bowl team. From 2005-11, Rutgers made six bowl appearances. Prior to that run, the school had just one previous trip to a postseason game.

http://athlonsports.com/college-football/6-coaching-candidates-replace-tracy-claeys-minnesota

Go Gophers!!
 

Pretty sure Coyle was in Idaho this weekend
 

Not a credible list because it doesn't include either Trestman or Dungy.
 

Johnson played with Klieman at UNI. I would bet Johnson would give him the lowdown and discourage him. Plus, why would you want to leave NDSU for this current dumpster fire?
 

Johnson played with Klieman at UNI. I would bet Johnson would give him the lowdown and discourage him. Plus, why would you want to leave NDSU for this current dumpster fire?
Because you'd be coaching a big ten team in Minneapolis instead of an FCS team in Fargo?
 


Good Post. A lot of good candidates:

Information from Flightaware:
EDV3721 CRJ Minneapolis/St Paul Intl (MSP) 09:43a EST 09:47a CST

This shows a flight coming tomorrow morning from Kalamazoo MI to Minneapolis on a small jet. I was informed this suggests PJ Fleck might be coming in to interview or something! Look like this has been in the works for a while from a source in Kalamazoo: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sp...-limbo-pj-fleck-candidate-minnesota/96080410/Flight Plan KAZO to MSP.JPG
 

Johnson played with Klieman at UNI. I would bet Johnson would give him the lowdown and discourage him. Plus, why would you want to leave NDSU for this current dumpster fire?

Far more money, coaching at highest stage, increased Salary for staff
 

Johnson played with Klieman at UNI. I would bet Johnson would give him the lowdown and discourage him. Plus, why would you want to leave NDSU for this current dumpster fire?

:rolleyes:
 

Because you'd be coaching a big ten team in Minneapolis instead of an FCS team in Fargo?

And pretty much be guaranteed to be failing after 3-4 years- which will lead to a panic firing by Coyle in a desperate and hopefully unsuccessful attempt to save his job.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 



Good Post. A lot of good candidates:

Information from Flightaware:
EDV3721 CRJ Minneapolis/St Paul Intl (MSP) 09:43a EST 09:47a CST

This shows a flight coming tomorrow morning from Kalamazoo MI to Minneapolis on a small jet. I was informed this suggests PJ Fleck might be coming in to interview or something! Look like this has been in the works for a while from a source in Kalamazoo: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sp...-limbo-pj-fleck-candidate-minnesota/96080410/View attachment 4622

Stalk much?
 

And pretty much be guaranteed to be failing after 3-4 years- which will lead to a panic firing by Coyle in a desperate and hopefully unsuccessful attempt to save his job.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If he has no confidence he will succeed he would be a terrible hire anyways
 

Good Post. A lot of good candidates:

Information from Flightaware:
EDV3721 CRJ Minneapolis/St Paul Intl (MSP) 09:43a EST 09:47a CST

This shows a flight coming tomorrow morning from Kalamazoo MI to Minneapolis on a small jet. I was informed this suggests PJ Fleck might be coming in to interview or something! Look like this has been in the works for a while from a source in Kalamazoo: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sp...-limbo-pj-fleck-candidate-minnesota/96080410/View attachment 4622

That's a Delta Connection flight. Someone should line up an uber.
 




Good Post. A lot of good candidates:

Information from Flightaware:
EDV3721CRJMinneapolis/St Paul Intl (MSP)09:43a EST09:47a CST

This shows a flight coming tomorrow morning from Kalamazoo MI to Minneapolis on a small jet. I was informed this suggests PJ Fleck might be coming in to interview or something! Look like this has been in the works for a while from a source in Kalamazoo: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sp...-limbo-pj-fleck-candidate-minnesota/96080410/View attachment 4622

And I thought I was good at creeping on Facebook. This is some high quality creeping. Well done.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Johnson played with Klieman at UNI. I would bet Johnson would give him the lowdown and discourage him. Plus, why would you want to leave NDSU for this current dumpster fire?

Klieman and Coyle played high school ball together in Waterloo. Just FYI.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

This is the point where someone photoshops coaching candidates on the roller coaster at MoA.
 

Unimpressive list. Fleck and Harsin are OK, but no lock to do any better than Claeys.
 


Good Post. A lot of good candidates:

Information from Flightaware:
EDV3721 CRJ Minneapolis/St Paul Intl (MSP) 09:43a EST 09:47a CST

This shows a flight coming tomorrow morning from Kalamazoo MI to Minneapolis on a small jet. I was informed this suggests PJ Fleck might be coming in to interview or something! Look like this has been in the works for a while from a source in Kalamazoo: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sp...-limbo-pj-fleck-candidate-minnesota/96080410/View attachment 4622

the same flight came in on monday morning and on tuesday morning. MAYBE HE'S COMING EVERY DAY?
 


Pat Narduzzi. At least find out if he'd pick up the phone, have an interest in returning to Big 10?
 

Maybe people tracking flights should keep an eye on KSTP instead of MSP.
 

Because you'd be coaching a big ten team in Minneapolis instead of an FCS team in Fargo?

I hope that's how he thinks about it. I don't think he'll be comparing WMU with U of MN, I think he'll be comparing where he could go next season with our situation. IDK, I hope I'm wrong.
 

If he has no confidence he will succeed he would be a terrible hire anyways

Confidence is ubiquitous at that coaching level- all the confidence in the world won't enable the NDSU coach to be able to recruit any better than TC- the old jokes about competing with WMU for recruits will continue to go for laughs. But only because we wouldn't be able to win those battles with them if the NDSU guy is hired. Ugh.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

I hope that's how he thinks about it. I don't think he'll be comparing WMU with U of MN, I think he'll be comparing where he could go next season with our situation. IDK, I hope I'm wrong.

I was talking about NDSU guy. Fleck has a lot more to think about than NDSU guy if both got the call
 

Confidence is ubiquitous at that coaching level- all the confidence in the world won't enable the NDSU coach to be able to recruit any better than TC- the old jokes about competing with WMU for recruits will continue to go for laughs. But only because we wouldn't be able to win those battles with them if the NDSU guy is hired. Ugh.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Confidence wouldn't make him successful. Lack of confidence would definitely make him a failure
 


I was talking about NDSU guy. Fleck has a lot more to think about than NDSU guy if both got the call

Oh yeah. The NDSU guy would probably take the job. NDSU has some skeletons in their closet with this stuff and I think the loons will be examining the hire with a magnifying glass.
 

Confidence wouldn't make him successful. Lack of confidence would definitely make him a failure

What are u talking about? I never brought up a coach's confidence in regards to hiring the NDSU coach. I stated he would have no chance in succeeding at this level in terms of wins or recruiting - and you go off kilter on some nonsense about having confidence. You are truly an ignoramus.


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even with Fleck, it 3-9 next season.
 




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