Florida State is searching for a big name to rejuvenate its football program, but Bob Stoops won’t be the guy taking the job.
The instant news broke Florida State was firing Willie Taggart, Seminoles fans started to dream about hiring Bob Stoops to revive their struggling program. It’s safe to say FSU officials can cross the former Oklahoma head coach off their shopping list.
Stoops spoke with ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit and was adamant he is “not a candidate” for the Florida State job. Further, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reports Stoops is not a candidate but another Stoops, Bob’s brother and Kentucky head coach, Mark Stoops is.
That’s a bitter pill for Seminoles fans to swallow. The decision to cut ties with Taggart before the end of the regular season seemed to suggest school officials had an interest in hiring a coach who should be secured before the end of the college football season. Stoops appeared to be the top option with that kind of flexibility.
Instead, it appears he’ll stick with his position as the General Manager and head coach of the Dallas Renegades of the XFL. Ironically, Stoops’ decision to stay put might boost the chances of his brother ending up in Tallahassee.
Mark is another name who has been linked with the opening at Florida State. Hiring him wouldn’t electrify the fan base in the same fashion as his brother, but the job he’s done at Kentucky has understandably earned him a lot of admirers around the country. A former long-time assistant at Florida State, Mark at least, has a better resume as a head coach than Taggart.
Another option that could pick up steam in the coming weeks is former Florida and Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer who is working for FOX since retiring after last season. With reports saying USC is not as enamored with Meyer as once believed, Meyer could have an option to return to the Sunshine State if he wants to get back on the sideline. That would be the sexiest option now that Bob Stoops said he isn’t a candidate.
But the more practical options could be raiding rival Clemson for one of their top assistants, whether it be long-time defensive coordinator, Brent Venables, or a more likely option, co-offensive coordinators, Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott.
Until a coach is hired, the Florida State search will be more interesting than any of their remaining games this season as they look to avoid missing a bowl game for a second straight year.
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