Scott Dolson faces what will likely be the defining decision of his era leading the IU athletics department.
For the first time since the hiring of Kevin Wilson in 2010, Indiana is conducting a national search for its next head football coach. Dolson moved swiftly this weekend to fire Tom Allen upon the conclusion of the 2023 season.
At such a pivotal moment — with the Big Ten about to expand to 18 teams, a new television deal generating significant cash flow, and the transfer portal and name image and likeness radically changing the sport — we suspect IU will want to find someone with proven experience leading a program as a college head coach.
Here are some names to keep an eye on, in no particular order. We’ll publish a bit more in depth stories on some of these individuals this week.
This post will be regularly updated (Last update Nov. 28).
Current head coaches
- Kane Wommack – South Alabama – 21-16 record as head coach over three years
- Jamey Chadwell – Liberty – 111-57 record over 14 years
- Charles Huff – Marshall – 22-16 record over three years
- Jon Sumrall – Troy – 22-4 record over two years
- Jason Candle – Toledo – 65-33 record over nine years
- Curt Cignetti – James Madison – 119-35 record over 13 years
- Willie Fritz – Tulane – 208-115 record over 27 years
- Tyson Helton – Western Kentucky – 39-26 over five years
- Ryan Silverfield – Memphis – 30-19 record over five years
- Clay Helton – Georgia Southern – 58-37 record over nine years
- Chuck Martin – Miami (Ohio) – 129-68 record over 16 years
- Tom Herman – Florida Atlantic – 58-30 record over seven years
- Chris Creighton – Eastern Michigan – 191-113 record over 27 years
Have head coaching experience
- Rod Carey – Former Temple, NIU head coach, current IU OC – 9 years as head coach, 64-50 record
- Justin Fuente – former Virginia Tech head coach, current IU analyst – 10 years as head coach, 69-54
- Paul Chryst – former Wisconsin head coach – 11 years as head coach, 86-45
- Jim Leonhard – former interim Wisconsin head coach – 1 year, 4-3
- Pat Fitzgerald – former Northwestern head coach – 17 years as head coach, 110-101
- Manny Diaz – former Miami (Florida) head coach – three years as head coach, 21-15
- Sherrone Moore – Michigan – 1-0 record as acting head coach
Prospects without head coaching experience worth a mention
- Antwaan Randle El – Detroit Lions WR coach (IU alumnus)
- Justin Frye – Ohio State associate HC, OL coach (IU alumnus)
- Mike Hart – Michigan running backs coach (former IU assistant)
Scrap Heap
- Colorado OC Sean Lewis is apparently headed to San Diego State
- Former Florida head coach Dan Mullen says he’s not considering IU.
Mike Schumann and Seth Tow contributed to this story.
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