HC Candidate Analytics

Its official, our beloved Frank Beamer has officially announced his retirement. Now that we've given ourselves a little time to grieve, it's time we take a look at the potential candidates to replace him. But how can we understand which of these potential coaches give us the best chance of future succuess? Looking at a few different metrics gives us the best insight into their philosophy most importantly the execution of their units. All the data has been compiled from either ESPN or Football Insiders. Light blue indicates their tenure as either OC or HC. So let's dig in:

Scott Frost

Age: 39
Playbook: Spread
Coaching Tree: Chip Kelly, Mark Helfrich
Awards: Nominated for Broyles Award 2014
Analysis: Oregon's down years are other teams ceiling for offensive efficiency, they are still putting up over 500 yards per game and scoring over 40 points a game with Frost at helm. He has ran a top ranked offense for the past three years and is easily following in the footsteps of his predecesors, it wont be long until he's given the keys to a program.
Alma Mater: Nebraska
Rumor Mill: Maryland, USC-w, if some reason Nebraska opened up Im sure he's on their radar.
Why We'd Care: Hes a name to watch, while there are no links to him and the VT job, there are rumors in the vacinity. If he were to get the Maryland job, no doubt his presence would be felt on the recruiting path.

Mark Richt

Age: 55
Playbook: Pro/Multiple
Coaching Tree: Bobby Bowden
Awards: 2 SEC Championships, 6 SEC division Titles, 2x SEC Coach of the Year
Analysis: He's second to only Nick Saban in all-time winning percentage of SEC coaches. Hes consecutively produced top ranked offenses in almost every category up until this year.
Alma Mater: Miami
Rumor Mill: Miami, Virginia Tech
Why We'd Care: If you are looking for a "Beamer" Guy, outside of Shane, Mark's the poster child. That being said, it doesn't sound like he wants to leave Georgia, and I would certainly be surprised if Georgia fired him, even though "high-profile" donors are apparently storming the castle. If somehow things align, he's certainly a bigtime name that carries weight. He atleast has enough connections with the Beamers to draw the rumors. If Georgia's job opens though, I would imagine, that automatically gives USC a run for its money as the top open job in the nation.

Les Miles

Age: 62
Playbook: Multiple/West Coast
Coaching Tree: Bob Simmons
Awards: Walter Camp Coach of the Year (2011), AP College Football Coach of the Year (2011), National Championship, 2x SEC Championship, 3xSEC Division Titles
Analysis: It might come as a little surprising, but LSU has never really been known for high powered offenses. They are very similar to Georgia in that respect, however, UGA is much more efficient than I even gave them credit for. Both can move the ball in a conference that stresses hard-nosed defense. They may not look the same or run similar schemes, especially in the Cam Cameron years, but they both have put up top ranked offenses.
Alma Mater: Michigan
Rumor Mill: He's getting fired. It's already decided, they lost this past week so its in the books, but if he wins next week they'll re-hire him, only to later fire him after they lose again.
Why We'd Care: He's a big time winning coach. He's been to two National Championships, winning one of them. I would imagine the rumors are probably just that 'rumors', his buyout is ridiculous to pay to fire a good coach. Then again, they might have to fire him after all this press. That being said, I doubt hes even on our radar, but if he were to get fired, it does two things, opens up a NC winning Coach and opens up one of the most sought after jobs in the market. If we were to look his way, the only negatives may be locker room associated, he does have a storied past at OSU. Either that or he's forced to retire a year early only leaving the highly sought after job.

Justin Fuente

Age: 39
Playbook: Spread
Coaching Tree: Gary Pattersen
Awards: 2014 AAC Conference Title, Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award Finalist 2014
Alma Mater: Oklahoma/Murray State
Analysis: His turnaround of programs, in my opinion, is one of the most if not, the most, impressive of all the candidates. Hes taken a team that could barely score, nevermind even move the ball, to a team thats one of the most efficient offenses in the country. He has a strong enough case to stand up with almost any of the rumored coaches.
Rumor Mill: Him and Herman are up for almost every job, but Missouri/Miami/USC-e are serious contenders for the job.
Why We'd Care: He has a bright future and Hokie nation seems split between him and Herman as 'The Guy'. Neither have any off the field issues, both seem to run clean programs, why would you not go after those two?

Tom Herman

Age: 40
Playbook: Spread
Coaching Tree: Urban Meyer, Paul Rhoads, Mack Brown
Awards: Broyles Award winner 2014, National Championship Ohio State
Analysis: Hes on everyones radar for a reason. His offenses have improved everywhere hes gone and set records everywhere he's gone. Even at Iowa State during his tenure, they had the most points scored in a single game in Iowa States history. Its pretty hard to refute any of his success, his offenses have almost double in efficiency and production at Ohio State and Houston. The drop off at Ohio State is not quite as pronounced as people claim, but no doubt his absense has been felt. It's obvious that he has the ability to take good offenses and make them great offenses. On top of that, he knows what it takes to win a National Championship and he knows how to win. If the past 4 years are a testiment, he's a homerun hire on paper.
Alma Mater: Cal Lutheran
Rumor Mill: Any (every) open job right now and any job that is not even open, but rumored to be maybe possibly open, hes already been hired for it. It's a done deal.
Why We'd Care: I think hes on most peoples list as their top guy, and on paper, there is little to refute. The next question is, does he fit with Whit? Does he fit with the program; Blacksburg? Most importantly, does HE even want the job? Success is as much a part of the environment as it is the coach, and if the parties don't mesh, theres no point in forcing it. If they do fit, he's taking over a young team that's ripe for success.

Chad Morris

Age: 46
Playbook: Spread
Coaching Tree:
Awards: ACC Title 2011, AFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year 2013
Alma Mater: Texas A&M
Analysis: His offense is high powered, especially when its running full speed. His last year at Clemson seems like a drop off, however, if you take the GT game out from last year which DeShaun Watson goes down in the first quarter, it looks a little different. Cole Stoudt had a rough night, he was 3 for 11, throwing 3 picks and 2 taken to the house. He only threw for 19 yards. You take that one game out and they are averaging 33 points per game and almost 430 yards per game. You can go ahead and assume that Offensive FEI ranking was pretty drastically increased by that game alone. Maybe that's a knock for players not being prepared, but, it happens, players have bad games, that was just a monumental meltdown. All in all, Clemson's offense has been better while Chad Morris was manning the ship, and has continued to be better after coaches under him have now taken over.
Rumor Mill: He's been heavily rumored for the VT job.
Why We'd Care: He's an offensive minded coach who has shown success, especially when working with a top defensive coordinator (Venables) Hint Hint...Foster. He'll bring excitement to the offensvie side of the football and he has regularly earned praise for his recruiting capabilities.

PJ Fleck

Age: 34
Playbook: Multiple
Coaching Tree: Jim Tressel, Greg Schiano, Jerry Kill, Dave Doeren
Awards: Semifinalist for Maxwell Coach of the Year (2014)
Alma Mater: Northern Illinois
Analysis: Eye popping stat: 20th in offensive efficiency. 2015 was the highest points per game in 6+ years. They're scoring over 30 points a game. You're starting to see the impact of his recruiting this year and the implementation of the offense. The problem is...they are ranked 102 in defensive efficiency, 75 in Total Defense and 76 in Points allowed per game this year. With this hire, there's little expectation Bud Foster would stay. The offense may be great, but a new defensive coordinator would be needed.
Rumor Mill: Hes been slightly over-shadowed by the Morris/Herman/Fuente monster, but his name has swirled around a few jobs.
Why We'd Care: First off, he's friends with Buzz Williams, so that connection gets him instant street cred. He's a community guy. He's young. He's energetic. He's played in the NFL. He's coached in the NFL. His offenses move the ball. If were looking for an offensive minded coach, his resume should be up there with Fuentes and Herman no doubt. He's brought a team that has had success in the past back to top level recognition offensively. The bad news is: Bud likely would not stay, leaving an offensive minded coach with little defensive success, it could be tough to swallow.

Jeff Brohm

Age: 44
Playbook: Spread/Air Raid
Coaching Tree: Bobby Petrino, Garrick McGee
Awards:
Alma Mater: Louisville
Analysis: Im not even sure if that Air Raid offense scheme is correct, I don't know, Ive never watched a game. All I can say: 3rd in offensive efficiency, 10th in scoring offense and 521 yards per game. Enough said. End. Period. Brohm has done equally impressive work as both Herman and Fuente. Just looking at pure analytics he SHOULD be top of alot of coaching circles.
Rumor Mill: WHY DOES THIS GUY NOT HAVE MORE RECOGNITION?
Why We'd Care: Honestly, I don't pay much attention to the WKU football team on a regular basis. I also paid zero attention to Brohm before looking at some of this analysis, so outside of this, I have no Idea why his name is not thrown around more often, I dont get it. That being said, taking a quick peak at their defensive stats, hes in the same category as PJ Fleck. Great offense, poor defenses, WKU was ranked 114 in defensive efficiency last year and 77 this year.

David Shaw

Age: 43
Playbook: Multiple
Coaching Tree: Jim Harbaugh
Awards: 2 Pac 12 Championships, 2x Pac-12 Coach of the Year
Alma Mater: Stanford
Analysis: They run an offense many of Hokie Nation would like to see Tech run themselves so it's interesting to see its success. He's probably not coming here but the numbers speak for themselves on the offensive scheme.
Rumor Mill: His names been thrown around, but I wouldn't lean too much into those.
Why We'd Care: His dad worked at Stanford, he played at Stanford, and now he coaches at Stanford. It would seem he has some history there, I would doubt he would leave Stanford to go anywhere, nevermind Virginia Tech. It does leave a top name coach off the carousel if he stays, that's about it.

Rich Rodriguez

Age: 52
Playbook: Spread Option
Coaching Tree: Tommy Bowden
Awards: Pac 12 Division Title, 4 Big East Championships, Pac-12 Coach of the Year -2014, 2x Big East Coach of the Year - 2003, 2005
Alma Mater: West Virginia
Analysis: I will try to remain unbiased, but offensively, they put up 30+ points a game and almost 500 yards a game. He has ran very efficient offenses by the numbers, its pretty clear the offense he runs has documented success. This analysis doesn't even go back to WVU when they were likely the most succesful while the scheme still caught defenses off-gaurd.
Rumor Mill: Rumor-Mill city, either truth or completely manufactured who knows but his name has been linked to USC-e, USC-w, VT, Miami, take your pick.
Why We'd Care: Any discontent towards Rich Rod has to be either off the field issues or character issues, you may not like the scheme, but it runs well. That's not to say those issues are not important, at Virginia Tech, where Frank Beamer was carried off triumphantly in a loss, they are apparently very important.

Lincoln Riley

Age: 32
Playbook: Spread
Coaching Tree: Bob Stoops, Ruffin McNeil, Mike Leach
Awards:
Alma Mater: Texas Tech
Analysis: We saw first hand Rileys offensive effectiveness. Its been up and down but his final year at ECU and his time at OK has been impressive. His work with Baker Mayfield and his pre-injury Hiesman candidacy will surely gain some recognition.
Rumor Mill: His name has been thrown around a few schools but hes been relatively quiet.
Why We'd Care: It's a huge jump for being so young, but down the road his name is one to watch for sure.