Scattershooting A&M's coaching search: Bjork & Co. casting a wide net
By Billy Liucci
November 17, 2023
I've spent a few days doing some serious sourcing and checking in at virtually every level of what can still be described as the early stages of the Texas A&M coaching search.
And since I've pretty much been providing every pretend insider on Twitter and across social media with their “updates” via various TexAgs Radio and podcast appearances, I figured I'd provide you all — and all of those who have zero shame in claiming my information as their own — with some thoughts and insight on the process while also providing a “wishlist” of my own.
For starters, there is what's been described to me as “incredible interest” in this job.
Not surprising at all, but I've been told that even Ross Bjork and those assisting him in the head coaching search have been pretty floored by the coaches who have reached out.
I also had a well-placed source tell me yesterday that the Aggie AD has visited in some capacity with no fewer than 15 candidates as the Aggies prepare to whittle down the initial list. I'll mention several of those candidates scattered throughout this article.
• Let's start with three names I'm certain Bjork and the Aggies will meet with or have met with already: Duke's Mike Elko, UTSA's Jeff Traylor and Lance Leipold of Kansas. As I said during last night's “Ask Liucci” segment, I fully expect these three to remain real players into next week. As Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman reported on Thursday, and as I'd been saying was going to happen, Bjork met with Traylor a couple of days ago via Zoom for what was described to me as an “introductory meeting.” That's how most of the initial meetings between Ross and the various candidates will go.
The hopeful timeline is still to have something locked in and ready to roll prior to the portal opening on December 4.
• I mention the early part of next week because, after a full week of intros and paring down the list, I'd expect a little more of that from Bjork (who will be flying to some of the destinations) and the Aggie brass beginning again on Sunday. Sometime around the middle of next week, I think you'll start to see the list whittled down to a small handful of finalists. The hopeful timeline is still to have something locked in and ready to roll prior to the portal opening on December 4. Or in the days following the Aggies' regular-season finale at LSU.
• I continue to hear great things about Elijah Robinson's first week as the Ags' interim head coach. Practices have been incredibly lively and energetic (and fun!), and participation is off the charts (not many guys missing due to being banged up). Robinson has not only impressed everyone in Bright and in the Aggie locker room, but he's also turning heads department-wide.
E-Rob was so impressive during the Monday presser that I've received several calls since from folks who matter telling me how proud they were to have the revered defensive line coach currently sitting in that chair. It's still a longshot, but Robinson has impressed enough that the possibility of him beating LSU and making a strong case for the job isn't out of the realm of possibility.
• Dan Campbell? If you've been listening, I tried to make it pretty clear from day one that the Aggie AD would absolutely attempt to gauge preliminary interest in the job but also cautioned that the A&M legend and Detroit Lions head coach wasn't going to be a real option.
He's one of the hottest names in football, and loves Texas A&M University more than I can put into words, but Campbell is also the most loyal and appreciative person I've ever met. He has poured himself into the Lions and the entire city of Detroit and believes the organization and city are on the verge of something special.
He is going to see things through in the Motor City, but I still hold out hope that he's the man running the show in Aggieland someday a little further down the road. Maybe A&M's head coach following this particular hire.
• I've mentioned more than once that the response is about what you'd expect for a job the magnitude of Texas A&M to draw on the open market. Forget what a lifetime Aggie-hater like Joel Klatt says; the reality is that everyone in the coaching profession understands that the A&M head coaching position is no worse than a top-10 job nationally and probably significantly better than that, all things considered.
The former Texas A&M TE said in a Friday media availability that he would do everything he can to help the University in its search for its next head coach.
Regardless, the interest the job has drawn includes more than a couple of names that would probably shake up the national conversation quite a bit if word got out. I won't reveal anything at this time because I still think we're talking about “extreme longshot” type stuff, but the thing to keep an eye on here are coaches who, for whatever reason, may be unhappy or feel underappreciated at their current spots, no matter how great the talking heads and that particular fan base would convince you they currently have it.
Think Jimbo Fisher at Florida State, Brian Kelly at Notre Dame, Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma… there are plenty of examples and they're out there annually. To whatever degree, I think the current list possibly fitting that criteria would include Riley at USC, Dabo Swinney, Ryan Day (if he loses to Michigan again next weekend) and Brian Kelly (though Michigan is the one to watch when it comes to the current LSU head man).
• The conference that is most interesting to me right now in terms of potential A&M targets? The Pac-12. I guess I'll start by explaining in a little better detail than most why Oregon's Dan Lanning isn't an option. The short and sweet version? That $20 million buyout everyone references is actually north of $40 million and possibly even approaching $50 million. There's apparently a Nike component that was added after one year in Eugene that makes Lanning's buyout the most prohibitive in college football if not in college football history.
I guess I'll start by explaining in a little better detail than most why Dan Lanning isn't an option. The short and sweet version? That $20 million buyout everyone references is actually north of $40 million and possibly even approaching $50 million.
Moving around the league, however, there are some interesting options if you're Ross Bjork and A&M.
Remember when I first talked about the hire and said the likelihood would be that the Ags would not be spending Jimbo Fisher-type money on his eventual replacement but that the right coach could certainly draw the Aggies up to make something big happen? Washington's Kalen DeBoer would certainly fit that description. The word I've heard is that the man who currently has the Huskies sitting at No. 5 with a Heisman candidate in Michael Penix Jr. leading the charge and a 100-11 coaching record is absolutely on the Ags' early list.
He has staying power, as well, but the issue could center around timing, as the Huskies could be playing for a while. Additionally, UW is already reportedly negotiating a raise and extension, so DeBoer will be a tough — but not impossible — pull.
A couple of names that several rival coaches around the country consistently mention to me are Oregon State's Jonathan Smith and Jedd Fisch of Arizona. Smith currently has the Beavers at No. 11 as they prepare to close the regular season with showdowns against Washington and Oregon. I've been told he's impressive as hell and someone who was on the Aggies' very early radar. The same can be said for the 47-year-old Fisch, who one Pac-12 rival said has been the toughest staff/team for his squad to prepare for and play against over the last two seasons.
I know the two names aren't going to generate big waves on TexAgs or throughout A&M's social media circles, but they've certainly drawn at least some level of early consideration from the Maroon & White and have tremendous reputations nationally.
Just a couple of names to file away when focusing on the big names and also the more likely finalists.
Matt Rhule certainly made a name for himself in this part of the country for his turnaround in Waco of the Baylor Bears.
• Matt Rhule has only been at Nebraska one year, but what he did at Baylor makes him somewhat of a known commodity in this part of the country. I’d simply file this one away as a name to watch if, and only if, Rhule made it clear to the decision-makers in Aggieland that he would be interested. Certainly someone who possesses a lot of the traits laid about by Bjork stated he’s looking for in the program’s next head coach.
• Moving through the Big 12, Leipold is a surefire candidate, in my opinion, and Bjork may also give Kansas State's Chris Klieman a look. An interesting possibility for the Aggies? How about TCU's Sonny Dykes? The second-year boss in Fort Worth checks more than a few of the boxes
Still, if there's a most likely candidate from A&M’s former league, I think Leipold is the one to watch the most closely.
• Finally, don't 100 percent rule out the coaches publicly saying they're not interested in the job. While I don't even envision Lane Kiffin donning the Maroon & White at Kyle Field or Coach Prime leaving his sons, Shedeur & Shiloh, and Travis Hunter behind in Boulder, comments such as the ones each coach made this week when asked about the A&M job have been made by basically every coach who has ever left one program for another.
There should be a video library dedicated to such viral sound bites over the years