Five realistic candidates for the Texas Tech opening
The Kliff Kingsbury era is over at Texas Tech, as the former Red Raider quarterback was dismissed on Sunday after six seasons. Where will Texas Tech turn next? Here are five realistic candidates that would make sense in Lubbock.
NEAL BROWN - Head coach, Troy
Why it’s realistic: Brown was the offensive coordinator at Texas Tech from 2010-12. The system thrived under his leadership and he was involved in the recruitment of such players such as Jakeem Grant, Le'Raven Clark, DeAndre Washington and Jace Amaro. Having coached at both Troy and Kentucky, Brown has recruiting connections in the Southeast, which would supplement the Red Raiders’ recruiting efforts in Texas. He also boasts a track record of mining the junior college ranks, which could come in handy in Lubbock. Brown is 34-15 as the head coach at Troy, which went 3-9 the year before he took over.
Why it’s not: It’s admittedly difficult to find reasons why Brown isn’t a fit. The Sun Belt and the Big 12 are vastly different universes, and Brown has spent relatively little time coaching in the Power Five. Hiring the 38-year-old coach would be a bit of a gamble for that reason, but no more so than deciding to go with some of the other, more-seasoned coaches on this list.
JASON CANDLE - Head coach, Toledo
Why it’s realistic: Candle went 11-3 and won a MAC title at Toledo last year and boasts a 27-12 overall record as a head coach. He also won nine of more games in his first three seasons with the Rockets. He’s shown the ability to recruit a number of different regions, which could expand the Red Raiders’ recruiting profile. So while this season hasn’t been the Rockets’ best under his leadership, his body of work is impressive.
Why it’s not: Candle lacks ties to the Lone Star State and would have to select the tight staff to recruit the area. Texas Tech is also unlikely to be the only school interested in the 38-year-old Candle, whose age could either help or hinder him in any quest to land a Power Five gig. Successful as he’s been, he remains relatively inexperienced. He took over a Toledo program that was already on solid footing under previous head coach Matt Campbell, so questions about his ability to elevate a struggling program remain. The sample size on Candle remains small.
JIM LEAVITT - Defensive coordinator, Oregon
Why it’s realistic: The only reason Leavitt makes this list is because he functioned as Kirby Hocutt's position coach at Kansas State in the early 1990s. There’s a bond there and the two are likely still in contract to some extent. Should Tech take a chance on the aging Leavitt, it would be because he literally started the football team at USF and has proven the ability to build a program without built-in advantaged.
Why it’s not: Leavitt is 61-years-old and isn’t exactly brimming with ties to the recruiting landscape in Texas. He doesn’t seem like a fit in Lubbock but, hey, you never know. He’s a proven winner that routinely fields impressive defenses.
SETH LITTRELL - Head coach, North Texas
Why it’s realistic: Littrell is likely to be a hot name in many of these mid-level Power Five coaching searches. He’ll be linked to plenty of jobs, but there’s reason to believe Texas Tech could be an especially attractive suitor. The North Texas head coach worked under Mike Leach in Lubbock, coaching the program’s running backs for a handful of seasons and has ties to the Lone Star State that obviously go well beyond that. Littrell clearly has recruiting connections in the Dallas area and beyond. He boasts an impressive record at UNT, which stumbled to a 1-11 season the year before his arrival. If the Red Raiders want somebody that has proven capable of doing more with less, Littrell checks that box.
Why it’s not: Tech may want to make a splash, and hiring Littrell wouldn’t necessarily do that. The Red Raiders may also want a more-experienced coach with a longer track record of success. It’s also possible that Littrell may decide to wait for a higher-profile gig. He seems to be one more successful season away from becoming a truly hot coaching commodity and could leverage that into a gig that comes with more advantages than the one at Texas Tech.
BRENT VENABLES - Defensive coordinator, Clemson
Why it’s realistic: Is it really a list of coaching candidates if Venables’ name isn’t on it? The hottest assistant in college football has stayed put in a defensive coordinator role despite wild success at multiple stops, but there are wrinkles to the Tech job that could lure the touted defensive mind away from Clemson. Venables played alongside Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt at Kansas State in the early 1990s, so the two have some semblance of relationship. Add in the fact that hyper-successful assistant spent much of his pre-Clemson career in the Big 12, and it seems logical that his name would appear on any Texas Tech shortlist.
Why it’s not: It’s possible that Venables has no desire to be a head coach, as he hasn’t done much to indicate that he’s excited about leading a program. It’s also possible that Hocutt would prefer to hire somebody with head coaching experience. Venables could see the head coaching position at Kansas State open this offseason, and the allure of home might appeal to the native Kansan and K-State graduate.
