Jace put together a solid list last night, GBI did as well, and the Journal & Courier did. I am not going to make an official post for one, but here would be my top targets. Like I said on the podcast, Purdue is in a spot where they can afford a top-tier name and they should not settle for just anyone. Purdue is in a much different position than what they were in when it hired Jeff Brohm and 2016.
1. Chris Kliemann - Kansas State
Since Coach Kliemann arrived at Kansas State from NDSU, only great things have happened. This year, he reached the peak of Kansas State Football, winning the Big 12 Title Game, and defeating TCU. If you watched the game, it was a coaching clinic. Kliemann had a wrench thrown into his plans mid-season when his starting quarterback went down. With his backup, he changed the offense mid-year and still reached success. At North Dakota State, he had an overall record of 69-6, at Kansas State, has tallied an overall record of 30-19, with his only down season being the COVID riddled 2020 season. All the man does is win. In terms of programs, I would say Purdue and Kansas State are similar. He makes just under $4 million a year at Kansas State, something Purdue can supersede.
2. Dave Clawson - Wake Forest
Coach Clawson is an offensive innovator, his "Slow Mesh" offense is often imitated at other colleges, at the high school level, and elsewhere, but is never as great as what he has done at Wake. Wake Forest is a tough place to win, a small private school, with limited funding and tough academic requirements forces Coach Clawson to be creative in all aspects of his program. Before Coach Clawson took over Wake, he led a rebuild at Bowling Green, in his last year, they were 10-3. At Wake, he has an overall record of 58-53, winning 11 games last year, which probably is the peak of Wake football. Again, it is a tough place to win. A plus could be bringing back Defensive Coordinator Brad Lambert, who was great in his 1 season at Purdue.
3. Guz Malzahn - UCF
Guz Malzahn wins football games. When he was the OC at Auburn, they won a national championship. In his first year as the Auburn HC, he lost in the national championship game, setting the standard very high for his tenure. After that year, they only won 10 games one more time during his time at Auburn. Since he became the HC at UCF, he has led them to back-to-back 9-4 seasons. He has an overall career record of 95-45, all he does is win football games. He also has an exciting brand of offense, a spread option offense which includes the RPO game as well.
4. Tyson Helton - Western Kentucky
If we want to continue this pass-first offense, Helton may be the guy we want in West Lafayette. During the 2022 season, Helton's QB had over 4000 yards passing this season and 36 touchdowns to add to it. WKU has been Helton's only head coaching job thus far, but he will be one for a long time, IMO. He was the OC for Tennessee in 2018 and the Passing Game Coordinator at USC before that. At 45 years old, he is still relatively young for a head coach.
5. Matt Campbell - Iowa State
Sure, you can look at Coach Campbell's 4-8 record this year and scoff. But he rebuilt both Toledo and Iowa State. After his victory in the Fiesta Bowl in 2020, Campbell was interviewed for NFL jobs and other college coaching jobs. He chose to return to Iowa State and sign an extension. He has an overall coaching record of 81-57. He has a tough-nosed approach to football, he wants his defense to play well and loves to run the ball. Breece Hall, the highly regarded rookie running back for the Jets comes from Iowa State.
6. Pat Narduzzi - Pitt
Coach Narduzzi has been at Pitt for 8 years. 7 of his 8 years there, they have had 6 wins or more. Only in one season, they won 5 games. He has had his Pitt teams ranked in the AP Top 25 for six of the eight years. Pat Narduzzi is the founder of the Narduzzi cover 4, which is an aggressive form of a 4-3 cover 4, which I personally LOVE. Some say, well he will need great coordinators and assistants on offense. Okay. He averaged 30 points per game this year, while Purdue averaged 28 ppg. In 2021, he averaged 41 ppg, in 2020, 29 ppg.
1. Chris Kliemann - Kansas State
Since Coach Kliemann arrived at Kansas State from NDSU, only great things have happened. This year, he reached the peak of Kansas State Football, winning the Big 12 Title Game, and defeating TCU. If you watched the game, it was a coaching clinic. Kliemann had a wrench thrown into his plans mid-season when his starting quarterback went down. With his backup, he changed the offense mid-year and still reached success. At North Dakota State, he had an overall record of 69-6, at Kansas State, has tallied an overall record of 30-19, with his only down season being the COVID riddled 2020 season. All the man does is win. In terms of programs, I would say Purdue and Kansas State are similar. He makes just under $4 million a year at Kansas State, something Purdue can supersede.
2. Dave Clawson - Wake Forest
Coach Clawson is an offensive innovator, his "Slow Mesh" offense is often imitated at other colleges, at the high school level, and elsewhere, but is never as great as what he has done at Wake. Wake Forest is a tough place to win, a small private school, with limited funding and tough academic requirements forces Coach Clawson to be creative in all aspects of his program. Before Coach Clawson took over Wake, he led a rebuild at Bowling Green, in his last year, they were 10-3. At Wake, he has an overall record of 58-53, winning 11 games last year, which probably is the peak of Wake football. Again, it is a tough place to win. A plus could be bringing back Defensive Coordinator Brad Lambert, who was great in his 1 season at Purdue.
3. Guz Malzahn - UCF
Guz Malzahn wins football games. When he was the OC at Auburn, they won a national championship. In his first year as the Auburn HC, he lost in the national championship game, setting the standard very high for his tenure. After that year, they only won 10 games one more time during his time at Auburn. Since he became the HC at UCF, he has led them to back-to-back 9-4 seasons. He has an overall career record of 95-45, all he does is win football games. He also has an exciting brand of offense, a spread option offense which includes the RPO game as well.
4. Tyson Helton - Western Kentucky
If we want to continue this pass-first offense, Helton may be the guy we want in West Lafayette. During the 2022 season, Helton's QB had over 4000 yards passing this season and 36 touchdowns to add to it. WKU has been Helton's only head coaching job thus far, but he will be one for a long time, IMO. He was the OC for Tennessee in 2018 and the Passing Game Coordinator at USC before that. At 45 years old, he is still relatively young for a head coach.
5. Matt Campbell - Iowa State
Sure, you can look at Coach Campbell's 4-8 record this year and scoff. But he rebuilt both Toledo and Iowa State. After his victory in the Fiesta Bowl in 2020, Campbell was interviewed for NFL jobs and other college coaching jobs. He chose to return to Iowa State and sign an extension. He has an overall coaching record of 81-57. He has a tough-nosed approach to football, he wants his defense to play well and loves to run the ball. Breece Hall, the highly regarded rookie running back for the Jets comes from Iowa State.
6. Pat Narduzzi - Pitt
Coach Narduzzi has been at Pitt for 8 years. 7 of his 8 years there, they have had 6 wins or more. Only in one season, they won 5 games. He has had his Pitt teams ranked in the AP Top 25 for six of the eight years. Pat Narduzzi is the founder of the Narduzzi cover 4, which is an aggressive form of a 4-3 cover 4, which I personally LOVE. Some say, well he will need great coordinators and assistants on offense. Okay. He averaged 30 points per game this year, while Purdue averaged 28 ppg. In 2021, he averaged 41 ppg, in 2020, 29 ppg.
