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5 potential replacements for Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss

By Brad Berreman

OXFORD, MS - NOVEMBER 26: Head Coach Hugh Freeze of the Mississippi Rebels watches his team warm up before a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 26, 2016 in Oxford, Mississippi. The Bulldogs defeated the Rebels 55-20. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MS - NOVEMBER 26: Head Coach Hugh Freeze of the Mississippi Rebels watches his team warm up before a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 26, 2016 in Oxford, Mississippi. The Bulldogs defeated the Rebels 55-20. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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Mandatory Credit: Thearon W. Henderson-Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Thearon W. Henderson-Getty Images /

2. Chip Kelly

No list of candidates for an open head coaching job in college football is complete without Kelly. Rumors have already started attaching him to prospective openings after this season, and his stint as an analyst for ESPN is sure to be short.

Kelly’s fast-paced offense lost traction in the NFL fairly quickly after two 10-win seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, but his record at Oregon (46-7 over four seasons) speaks for itself. The college game is clearly his domain, if he wants to coach again, of course. With multiple schools coming to his door after this season, it’s not a stretch to say Kelly will be among the highest-paid coaches in college football wherever he lands for 2018.

Oregon got hit with NCAA sanctions in 2013 for reportedly using football scouting services during Kelly’s tenure. He was hit with an 18-month “show cause” penalty, but that has long since expired and would not block his hiring at another school.

Kelly would surly relish an opportunity to coach in the SEC and put his offensive system up against top-notch competition like Alabama. Ole Miss should have him toward the top of their list of interviewable candidates, even with ample competition to get in line with when the time comes.

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