UPDATED Jan. 13: Added Rick Neheisel
AN INTERESTING COLUMN penned by Go2Guy Jim Moore recently proposed two “out of the box” candidates for Washington State’s pending football coach hire: Rick Neuheisel and Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. CF.C actually asked Neuheisel once if he could ever see himself coaching the Cougars one day. It was in April 2013, and the response from the former UW coach surprised us.
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“I think coaching there would be an absolute blast!” said Neuheisel back then. Understand, Neuheisel wasn’t campaigning for the job back then, and he said he saw Mike Leach staying at WSU for a long time, and Leach did. But it was also clear he had a soft spot for the Cougs.
“I think there are no better fans. Every Saturday when you see that Coug flag on ESPN Game Day, wow. The Cougs are unique,” Neuheisel said.
Neueheisel was a spectacular analyst for the Pac-12 Network, and he’s continued that at CBS Sports. As Moore noted, he’d be fun to cover but most importantly, we believe, he would win over WSU fans quickly. You can read Moore’s piece here.
IF THE PAST IS PROLOGUE, when it comes to Pat Chun and Kirk Schulz hiring head coaches, you have to think they’re going to target candidates with head coaching experience in their search for Mike Leach’s successor at the helm of Washington State’s football program. Here’s another assumption:
WSU has invested eight years in the Air Raid offense with great success so despite Chun’s assertion Thursday afternoon it’s all about best coach no matter the style of play, look for the Cougars to hire a coach who, while perhaps not exactly an Air Raid guy, is inclined to put the ball in the air early and often.
Here’s a look at 10 names in no particular order that have been, will be, or should be tossed into the hat of potential candidates. All but two are, or have been, head coaches, and most have a connection to the region, conference or Air Raid — or even all of the above.
