If Colorado is seeking a coach to fit in the new Pac-12, what better guide exists than the new Pac-12?
Look at who those schools hired in recent years and you may get a hint of what direction Colorado could — or, maybe, should — go. Every school is different, every school has its own issues, including Colorado.
But in the Pac-12, where football doesn’t wag the university’s tail, the Buffs won’t be lagging too far behind in the arms race. So look where the conference went for its coaches, and pick your favorite as Colorado launches its search.
They fall into five categories.
Big-time coordinators
Chip Kelly, 46, Oregon. He served under Mike Bellotti for two years before taking over last season and lifted Oregon to its first Rose Bowl in 15 years. All he’s done this year is lift the Ducks to unanimous No. 1 with the most talked-about offense in the country. Talk about Colorado’s foreign culture? Kelly came from New Hampshire.
Mike Stoops, 48, Arizona. He was Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator under brother Bob for six years before taking over in 2004. The administration’s patience with the Youngstown, Ohio, native paid off with 8-5 seasons the last two years and a No. 18 ranking this year to go with a 7-2 mark. It’s on the way to its best year since 1998.
Kyle Whittingham, 50, Utah. Utes’ defensive coordinator for 10 years before taking over in 2005, Whittingham has a 56-18 mark, including a 13-0 record in the 2008 season and a No. 18 ranking this year. Two years ago he was named national coach of the year.
Jeff Tedford, 49, California. As offensive coordinator at Oregon for four years, he developed NFL quarterbacks in Akili Smith, A.J. Feeley and Joey Harrington. After arriving at Cal in 2002, he turned Aaron Rodgers into a first-round draft choice. He’s been conference coach of the year twice and his team was conference co-champion in 2006.
Steve Sarkisian, 36, Washington. He came to Seattle after two years as USC’s offensive coordinator, the first of which ended in a 12-1 season. In his inaugural season a year ago, he took over Washington’s first winless team and went 5-7 for the biggest improvement in the FBS. This year the Huskies are 3-6.
Seasoned head coaches
Rick Neuheisel, 49, UCLA. He was 33-14 at Colorado, including a final No. 5 ranking in 1995, then went 33-16 at Washington including a Rose Bowl victory. His teams normally fade and he’s 11-11 in two years in Westwood.
Lane Kiffin, 35, Southern California. The jury is still out. He went 7-6 in his lone season at Tennessee last year, and reduced numbers because of NCAA violations from the previous staff has this year’s Trojans wallowing at 6-3.
NFL
Mike Riley, 57, Oregon State. After a middling four-year run with the San Diego Chargers, he returned in 2003 to Oregon State, where he resurrected the program his first time around. He’s 60-37 with a 5-1 bowl record in this his second stint.
Small schools
Jim Harbaugh, 46, Stanford. Spent three years coaching San Diego in FCS and in four years at Stanford led it to an 8-5 mark in 2009 and its first bowl in eight years. This year, the Cardinal is 8-1, in second place, and seventh in the country, its highest ranking since 1970.
Paul Wulff, 43, Washington State. He coached FCS Eastern Washington for eight years before trying to rescue Washington State. He has failed. His three-year mark is 4-31. He has victories over Portland State, Washington, SMU and Montana State.
Aging icon
Dennis Erickson, 63, Arizona State. On his ninth head coaching stop, Erickson’s Sun Devil teams have gone 10-3, 5-7, 4-8 and are 4-5 this year with Stanford, UCLA and at Arizona left. Athletic director Lisa Love said he will be back next year, barring a total collapse.
