Arizona State Football Top 10 New Coaching Prospects

Over. It’s a wrap. The Dennis Erickson era finally ended at Arizona State and while it started with a buzz, it ended with a lot of question marks surrounding why this team never quite figured out a way to become more successful. Since the University of Arizona hired Rich Rodriguez, it will be important that the athletic director, Lisa Love, hire a quality coach. Here is a small list of the top 10 replacements to be the new head coach for Arizona State football going forward.

Jon Gruden- The man nicknamed “Chucky” would love to coach in the right situation and with the top recruits that he could land in California and Texas, Arizona State might be a great fit. He has always had a great relationship with the quarterbacks he has coached, which would bring out the best in Brock Osweiler.

Also, his teams have always been known for being disciplined, which would help the team eliminate some of the foolish penalties on defense that they had this season.

Jeff Jagodzinski- After his work with Matt Ryan at Boston College, I think he would do a great job of helping Osweiler develop into a much better quarterback. He has won everywhere he has been. I think he could be the man to help the program take another step forward.

Mike Leach- A little crazy, maybe off the rocker some, but he knows how to win. On offense the team would score even more and he could do some special things with Osweiler. On defense, the team would fly around and look to cause plenty of turnovers. He might take a little while to get used to in Tempe, but fans love a winner.

Rick Neuheisel- Players love to play for this man. If, he had a quarterback as good as Osweiler, he could have won nine or ten games this season. His optimistic approach and attitude would be perfect fit in Tempe.

Houston Nutt- After things did not work out at the University of Mississippi, he is an extremely motivated coach to prove himself once again. After fighting against top competition in the SEC, he is prepared to build a winner in the Pac 12. He would be a decent fit.

Chris Petersen- It is probably time for him to leave Boise State and test his talents in the Pac 12.  He is an offensive and defensive guru who would definitely take the program to another level.  Players love to go out and play for him and I think he would quickly bond with fans in Tempe. He would be an outstanding hire for the program.

Mike Price- He knows the Pac 12, formerly the Pac 10 inside and out. He has done a nice job at New Mexico and probably would like to test himself at a more high profile program.  He has a lot of intensity and has always been a great recruiter. The school should definitely consider giving Mike Price a shot.

Kevin Sumlin- When you win in college football, you become everyone’s favorite choice and he has built a tremendous program for the Houston Cougars. His relationship with Case Keenum and the fact that the team is having an undefeated season is generating a lot of buzz around him.

On offense, he would have a great relationship with Osweiler and the team would put up plenty of points each week. On defense, not sure what his plans would be for the team, as most of the teams in his coaching tenure seem to focus exclusively on outscoring opponents.

Charlie Weis-He can’t be happy with the lack of success that he is currently having as offensive coordinator for Will Muschamp at the University of Florida. After having so much success with Brady Quinn and Jimmy Clausen at Notre Dame, I think he could help Osweiler develop into a better quarterback. I think he would like the area and could help the program move to another level.

Ron Zook- He has a reputation for being a disciplinarian and right now the team needs a powerful voice to learn how to balance aggressiveness with just making stupid penalties on defense. He is known for having a great relationship with the fans and that would go a long way toward helping him quickly transition into becoming an effective head coach for the team.