After Mike Bobinski's press conference yesterday, two things became obvious to me. First and foremost, this coaching search is going to be thorough, but it will be quick, as he needs to name a coach as soon as possible. Secondly, he will explore all options, coach's with an offensive background, defensive background, current head coaches, and current coordinators. It is now a great time to post a coordinator edition of the coaching hot board!
1. Jim Leonhard
Wisconsin messed up here. It seemed like midseason, it was a foregone conclusion that Coach Leonhard was the next head football coach. Well, they went ahead and pulled the rug out from underneath one of their best players ever. Leonhard is highly regarded across the nation as one of the great defensive minds in college football. He is only 40 years old and has a lot of coaching opportunities ahead of him. As the interim head coach, he went 4-3 and received a bowl bid for the Badgers, after the Bowl Game, he is out of town. This is a guy who walked on at Wisconsin, became an All-American and was a hell of an NFL player before coming back. Purdue has not defeated Wisconsin in what, 16 years? What would be better than the hire the guy who now will want to go scorched earth against his former employer?
2. Garrett Riley
At the brisk age of 33 years old, Garrett Riley is popping up all over the Twitter world as a possible candidate. Riley helped TCU to the College Football Playoff, as he served as their offensive coordinator. He is the younger brother of USC Head Coach, Lincoln Riley. If not now, when? Riley will be a head coach at some point during his coaching career, while 33 is very young for a head coaching job in the B1G, his TCU offense was creative as anyone in the nation and has a pretty good helpline in Lincoln, who has been a head coach at Oklahoma and now USC. Riley has climbed up from an HS QB Coach in Texas to the OC at TCU in 11 years.
3. Todd Monken
If you want a coach with deep football ties and is as experienced as anyone, look no further than Todd Monken, the OC at Georgia. Monken's UGA offenses have dominated since he arrived in 2020. Not only that, he has plenty of connections to the NFL, serving as the OC for the Tampa Bay Bucs and was once the wide receivers coach for the Jaguars. Monken has been a head coach once in his career, at Southern Miss. In his first season, he went 1-11, by the time he left he had Southern Miss as a 9-win football program. He propelled that job into the OC position for the Bucs. He is also a native of the midwest, being born in Wheaton, Illinois.
4. JaMarcus Shephard
There is not a whole lot I can tell you guys about Shep that you don't already know. Shep was beloved by the players at Purdue during his time here. He coached Rondale Moore and David Bell into being All-Americans. He has served as the Co-OC at Washington this season after he walked away from Purdue. While he has still not called a play in a college game, he has Indiana ties, is a hell of a recruiter and the players are clamoring for him to come back to West Lafayette on Twitter.
5. Brian Hartline
I am going to file this in the very unlikely folder. I think he may wait around at Ohio State until Ryan Day moves on to the... NFL, I guess? He loves Ohio State and appears he may stay put. But he is another young up-and-comer that Purdue should at least give a phone call to Hartline.
6. Brian Brohm
Well, might as well give him an interview while he is here as an Interim Head Coach. Brian has been under his older brother's thumb his entire coaching career. In Mr. Bobinski's press conference yesterday, he mentioned he thinks Brian will head to Louisville as well, but you never know, maybe the next head coach retains him as the OC. I do believe Brian should get at least an interview for the job, though.
7. Mark Hagen
Everyone's favorite assistant coach. Hagen will stick around at least through the bowl game and call the defense, as Ron English has already gone down 65 south, that is also perfectly fine with me. Hagen has been our Co-DC for two seasons now, while not making the calls on the field, Coach Hagen has been vital in game planning and recruiting. He is our best recruiter on staff. regardless of what happens in the coaching search, I am hopeful we can retain him on the next staff.
1. Jim Leonhard
Wisconsin messed up here. It seemed like midseason, it was a foregone conclusion that Coach Leonhard was the next head football coach. Well, they went ahead and pulled the rug out from underneath one of their best players ever. Leonhard is highly regarded across the nation as one of the great defensive minds in college football. He is only 40 years old and has a lot of coaching opportunities ahead of him. As the interim head coach, he went 4-3 and received a bowl bid for the Badgers, after the Bowl Game, he is out of town. This is a guy who walked on at Wisconsin, became an All-American and was a hell of an NFL player before coming back. Purdue has not defeated Wisconsin in what, 16 years? What would be better than the hire the guy who now will want to go scorched earth against his former employer?
2. Garrett Riley
At the brisk age of 33 years old, Garrett Riley is popping up all over the Twitter world as a possible candidate. Riley helped TCU to the College Football Playoff, as he served as their offensive coordinator. He is the younger brother of USC Head Coach, Lincoln Riley. If not now, when? Riley will be a head coach at some point during his coaching career, while 33 is very young for a head coaching job in the B1G, his TCU offense was creative as anyone in the nation and has a pretty good helpline in Lincoln, who has been a head coach at Oklahoma and now USC. Riley has climbed up from an HS QB Coach in Texas to the OC at TCU in 11 years.
3. Todd Monken
If you want a coach with deep football ties and is as experienced as anyone, look no further than Todd Monken, the OC at Georgia. Monken's UGA offenses have dominated since he arrived in 2020. Not only that, he has plenty of connections to the NFL, serving as the OC for the Tampa Bay Bucs and was once the wide receivers coach for the Jaguars. Monken has been a head coach once in his career, at Southern Miss. In his first season, he went 1-11, by the time he left he had Southern Miss as a 9-win football program. He propelled that job into the OC position for the Bucs. He is also a native of the midwest, being born in Wheaton, Illinois.
4. JaMarcus Shephard
There is not a whole lot I can tell you guys about Shep that you don't already know. Shep was beloved by the players at Purdue during his time here. He coached Rondale Moore and David Bell into being All-Americans. He has served as the Co-OC at Washington this season after he walked away from Purdue. While he has still not called a play in a college game, he has Indiana ties, is a hell of a recruiter and the players are clamoring for him to come back to West Lafayette on Twitter.
5. Brian Hartline
I am going to file this in the very unlikely folder. I think he may wait around at Ohio State until Ryan Day moves on to the... NFL, I guess? He loves Ohio State and appears he may stay put. But he is another young up-and-comer that Purdue should at least give a phone call to Hartline.
6. Brian Brohm
Well, might as well give him an interview while he is here as an Interim Head Coach. Brian has been under his older brother's thumb his entire coaching career. In Mr. Bobinski's press conference yesterday, he mentioned he thinks Brian will head to Louisville as well, but you never know, maybe the next head coach retains him as the OC. I do believe Brian should get at least an interview for the job, though.
7. Mark Hagen
Everyone's favorite assistant coach. Hagen will stick around at least through the bowl game and call the defense, as Ron English has already gone down 65 south, that is also perfectly fine with me. Hagen has been our Co-DC for two seasons now, while not making the calls on the field, Coach Hagen has been vital in game planning and recruiting. He is our best recruiter on staff. regardless of what happens in the coaching search, I am hopeful we can retain him on the next staff.
