By KEVIN LONNQUIST
Publisher
Art Briles turned Baylor football from afterthought into national power. It remains to be seen what impact Briles termination will mean to the future of the program. However, Briles created a program that has all of the tools to remain competitive. SicEmSports presents a list of potential candidates.
Possible successors
Dino Babers, HC, Syracuse: He was just named the head coach in December after successful stints at Eastern Illinois and Bowling Green. In this day and age of coaching moves, it wouldn’t be unprecedented for him to leave. Baylor would have to pay a buyout. But Dino knows the offense better than most. Plus, he’s been removed far enough away from Briles so critics wouldn’t squawk as much.
David Bailiff, HC, Rice: We were tipped to this name within the last 48 hours. Bailiff runs a clean program and has had success at a place where it’s very difficult to win. Rice had a down year in 2015. Overall, Bailiiff is a Texas coach and knows the high school scene very well.
Chad Morris, HC, SMU: He’s always been viewed as an Art Briles starter kit based on the way he uses social media and has had a ton of success. He took over a pathetic SMU program and struggled in his first year at 2-10. Baylor can look at it and understand the talent level was down but realize the big picture.
Tom Herman, HC, Houston: Even though he just signed a huge contract extension this offseason, Houston knows it’s going to be hard to keep him for long. Hermann directed Houston to a 13-1 record, the American Athletic Conference Championship and a victory over Florida State in the Peach Bowl. There have been inferences that if Texas struggles again under Charlie Strong in 2015, Hermann could be in line as a successor.
Larry Fedora, HC, North Carolina: He’s a Texas coach, did with the Tar Heels what Briles did with Baylor. Fedora put together one of the best seasons in UNC football history when the Tar Heels went 11-3. The loss to Baylor in the Russell Athletic bowl ended 2015 on a sour note. But Fedora won at a basketball school.
Philip Montgomery, HC, Tulsa: As solid as a QB coach as they come. He got his first break when he took over in Tulsa last year and took the Golden Hurricane to a bowl game. But is he too close to Briles?
Sonny Dykes, HC, California: A Texas original and son of former Texas Tech boss Spike Dykes, Dykes was pretty much openly shopping his services for other openings in the winter before he and Cal administration agreed on a new deal. He turned Louisiana Tech around. He's in the process of doing the same with California. He's now clearing in excess of $2 million. He wouldn't make what Briles made but this could make sense.
On the Staff
Phil Bennett, DC: The interim coach, Bennett is likely going to hold the chair for an undetermined period of time – could be months or the 2016 season. But this will not be a long-term thing.
Kendal Briles, OC: Given his youth and the fact that he just got started running the offense, it’s unlikely would go here, especially when his father left under difficult circumstances.
Would Baylor go coordinator?
Sterlin Gilbert, OC, Texas: He just moved over to Texas after leaving Tulsa when he served as Tulsa’s OC. He was also a GA under Briles at Houston. He owes a lot of his success to Briles.
Doug Meachum, Co-OC, TCU: Well, that would be fun to rob your sworn arch rival of a popular coach. Hard to see it.
Sonny Cumbie, Co-OC, TCU: See above.
LINK to full overview
Publisher
Art Briles turned Baylor football from afterthought into national power. It remains to be seen what impact Briles termination will mean to the future of the program. However, Briles created a program that has all of the tools to remain competitive. SicEmSports presents a list of potential candidates.
Possible successors
Dino Babers, HC, Syracuse: He was just named the head coach in December after successful stints at Eastern Illinois and Bowling Green. In this day and age of coaching moves, it wouldn’t be unprecedented for him to leave. Baylor would have to pay a buyout. But Dino knows the offense better than most. Plus, he’s been removed far enough away from Briles so critics wouldn’t squawk as much.
David Bailiff, HC, Rice: We were tipped to this name within the last 48 hours. Bailiff runs a clean program and has had success at a place where it’s very difficult to win. Rice had a down year in 2015. Overall, Bailiiff is a Texas coach and knows the high school scene very well.
Chad Morris, HC, SMU: He’s always been viewed as an Art Briles starter kit based on the way he uses social media and has had a ton of success. He took over a pathetic SMU program and struggled in his first year at 2-10. Baylor can look at it and understand the talent level was down but realize the big picture.
Tom Herman, HC, Houston: Even though he just signed a huge contract extension this offseason, Houston knows it’s going to be hard to keep him for long. Hermann directed Houston to a 13-1 record, the American Athletic Conference Championship and a victory over Florida State in the Peach Bowl. There have been inferences that if Texas struggles again under Charlie Strong in 2015, Hermann could be in line as a successor.
Larry Fedora, HC, North Carolina: He’s a Texas coach, did with the Tar Heels what Briles did with Baylor. Fedora put together one of the best seasons in UNC football history when the Tar Heels went 11-3. The loss to Baylor in the Russell Athletic bowl ended 2015 on a sour note. But Fedora won at a basketball school.
Philip Montgomery, HC, Tulsa: As solid as a QB coach as they come. He got his first break when he took over in Tulsa last year and took the Golden Hurricane to a bowl game. But is he too close to Briles?
Sonny Dykes, HC, California: A Texas original and son of former Texas Tech boss Spike Dykes, Dykes was pretty much openly shopping his services for other openings in the winter before he and Cal administration agreed on a new deal. He turned Louisiana Tech around. He's in the process of doing the same with California. He's now clearing in excess of $2 million. He wouldn't make what Briles made but this could make sense.
On the Staff
Phil Bennett, DC: The interim coach, Bennett is likely going to hold the chair for an undetermined period of time – could be months or the 2016 season. But this will not be a long-term thing.
Kendal Briles, OC: Given his youth and the fact that he just got started running the offense, it’s unlikely would go here, especially when his father left under difficult circumstances.
Would Baylor go coordinator?
Sterlin Gilbert, OC, Texas: He just moved over to Texas after leaving Tulsa when he served as Tulsa’s OC. He was also a GA under Briles at Houston. He owes a lot of his success to Briles.
Doug Meachum, Co-OC, TCU: Well, that would be fun to rob your sworn arch rival of a popular coach. Hard to see it.
Sonny Cumbie, Co-OC, TCU: See above.
LINK to full overview
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