Texas Athletic Director Steve Patterson and his eight-person committee are hard at work looking for the Longhorns next head coach, but there are still only a handful of candidates (out of the dozens linked with the position) with a realistic shot at the job. As of Friday morning, here are the guys with the best chance of taking over for Mack Brown in Austin:
5. Jimbo Fisher, FSU Head Coach
Fisher refused to discuss the Texas job when asked about it yesterday, which should be no surprise - even if Fisher had already signed on to be the coach at Texas, he wouldn't talk about it before the Seminoles play in the national title game. Fisher is getting a good look from the Texas search committee, and word on the street is that they've already reached out to his agent.
4. Les Miles, LSU Head Coach
The Mad Hatter has the right mix of experience, recruiting clout and sustained success. He might not have Nick Saban's resume or NFL experience, but there are very few college coaches with more going for them than Les Miles. Miles says he doesn't want his name kicked around in the coaching search, but we wouldn't put any stock in that - he'd reportedly be open to discussions if Texas came calling.
3. Gus Malzahn, Auburn Head Coach
Like Fisher, Malzahn is inaccessible until after the national championship game on January 6th. Auburn's incredible turnaround under Malzahn has made him a hot commodity, and calling Texas his "dream job" earlier this season put the UT decision-makers on high alert.
2. Jon Gruden, ESPN Analyst
Gruden is a big name with NFL experience, and if Texas wants to make a splash, he's by far their most realistic option. Gruden is publicly open to the job, and Texas has the opportunity here to snag someone who'd otherwise be headed back to the NFL this spring.
1. Art Briles, Baylor Head Coach
In 2009, Mack Brown took Texas to the National Championship game. That year was Briles' second at Baylor, and the Bears went 4-8, finishing just 1-7 in Big 12 play. Here's how each coach has done since:
Mack Brown: 30-22 (18-17 Big 12)
Art Briles: 36-15 (22-13 Big 12)
Texas generates upwards of $90 million in football revenue each year. Baylor hovers around the bottom of the Big 12 in revenue, pulling in about $15 million per year. If Briles had the resources available at Texas...well, there's a reason he's so highly rated in Austin.
Wild Card: Nick Saban, Alabama Head Coach
Texas still thinks they can get Saban. To find out whether that's wishful thinking or grounded in reality, read our exclusive story on why they were so sure they had him the first time around.
--
Additional Reading:
The Texas Coaching Wishlist
How Awful QB Recruiting Led to Mack Brown's Downfall At Texas
Back to the Texas Longhorns Newsfeed