3 candidates to replace Mike Leach at Washington State
Mike Leach has left for Mississippi State, so here are three candidates to replace him at Washington State.
After news of them officially ramping up their search for a new football coach by interviewing Mike Leach got out, Mississippi State hired him on Thursday. That leaves Washington State in search of a new head coach, joining Baylor at this late stage after they lost Matt Rhule to the Carolina Panthers this week.
Leach had a 55-47 record over eight seasons at Washington State, and the program is not far removed from an 11-win season in 2018. So whoever steps in will find a solid situation, even if there may be some recruiting or transfer pieces to pick up.
Here are three candidates to replace Leach at Washington State.
3. Alex Grinch, Oklahoma Defensive Coordinator
Grinch spent this past season at Oklahoma, with one season as co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State before that. But he spent the three seasons prior to that (2015-2017) as Leach’s defensive coordinator at Washington State.
The next step for Grinch is to become a head coach, wherever and whenever an opportunity and a fit is there. Washington State looks like a nice fit, even if it means three jobs in three years for him.
2. Jim McElwain, Central Michigan Head Coach
McElwain just finished his first season at Central Michigan, taking a 1-11 team in 2018 to eight wins and a MAC West title. Mount Pleasant may be a short-term stop for the three-time Coach of the Year, in three different conferences (Mountain West, SEC and the MAC).
Hearing that Jim McElwain could be a target for #WAZZU. Took over a 1-11 team and got #CMU into the MAC title game and has been coach of the year in three different conferences. And has deep ties in the Pacific Northwest.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 9, 2020
As Bruce Feldman of The Athletic and FOX Sports pointed to, McElwain has deep ties in the Pacific Northwest. He grew up in Missoula, Montana, then played at Eastern Washington and spent his initial years as a coach there before becoming offensive coordinator at Montana State and eventually landing on the radar of bigger schools.
As Washington State athletic director Patrick Chun moves quickly in the search to replace Leach, McElwain is reportedly not considered a candidate right now. But things can and do change, and it will feel like an incomplete search if McElwain is not a part of it.
1. Graham Harrell, USC Offensive Coordinator
Could USC lose an offensive coordinator again? Of course Kliff Kingsbury never made it to spring practice, let alone the sideline at the Coliseum, after being hired before he pivoted to become head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
Next. 5 candidates to replace Matt Rhule at Baylor. dark
Harrell came to Clay Helton’s staff after three seasons as offensive coordinator at North Texas, but before that he was an offensive assistant under Leach at Washington State for two seasons (2014-2015). He also played quarterback for Leach at Texas Tech, setting multiple NCAA single season records along the way, so his Air Raid roots are deep.
Other Possible Candidates: Nick Rolovich, Hawaii Head Coach; Joe Salave’a, Oregon defensive line coach; Bryan Harsin, Boise State head coach; Jay Norvell, Nevada head coach; Troy Calhoun, Air Force head coach