With an announcement on Mack Brown's status expected this afternoon, rumors are swirling around the soon-to-be-vacant Texas HC job. Several candidates have reportedly been contacted, with Texas regents lining up others if their top choices fall through. As of Friday afternoon, here are the five top candidates for the Texas job...
5. David Shaw, Stanford Head Coach
Shaw is one of the first names on the list if Texas can't land one of their reach candidates. A proven winner who commands incredible respect from his players, Shaw has been linked to a variety of high-end positions in the last year. Texas wouldn't be the first to come calling, and they definitely won't be the last.
4. Gus Malzahn, Auburn Head Coach
Malzahn's status remains unchanged - he's high on the list thanks to his recent success and stated interest in the position, but Texas regents won't reach out to him unless one of their top two choices fails to pan out.
3. Art Briles, Baylor Head Coach
One thing is for sure - if the Longhorns ended up with Briles, they'd never have to worry about putting points on the board. A Texas native who turned Baylor from a whipping boy into a contender, Briles is held in very high esteem by the Texas athletic department.
2. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens Head Coach
Harbaugh is still the backup if the Longhorns don't land their top choice. His situation is complex because of Baltimore's position in the AFC playoff race, and if they end up in the postseason, he falls out of contention for the Texas job. UT officials aren't willing to wait for the Ravens to finish their playoff run, and if he's still unavailable come January, Texas will look elsewhere.
1. Nick Saban, Alabama Head Coach
Things are all quiet on the Saban front, but the fact that a contract extension from Alabama has been sitting on his desk for a week now speaks volumes. Texas remains confident they'll land Saban, and that confidence has to come from somewhere.
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