From Cody Futrell
As ULM looks for its third head football coach of the past two decades, the hot topic is who is on the list. There are no indications that any of the guys on my “Wish List” are on the ULM radar or would even consider the move to Monroe to take over a currently 0-10 team and the last place team in the least respected conference in FBS (although Lafayette and Coastal Carolina are doing some strong things to change that fact). So here are, in kind of an order, my five top hiring options for the Warhawks in this crazy year of 2020.
1. Major Applewhite (Offensive Analyst at Alabama)
A Louisiana high school football star turned Big 12 Player of the Year playing for Mack Brown at Texas 1997-1999, Applewhite has great pedigree and all the intangibles a program like ULM would be lucky to have. And ULM could more than triple his current salary and give him a chance to come back to Louisiana and be a FBS head coach again which works in their favor. Applewhite has been tutored by two of the best head coaches of the last 30 years in Nick Saban and Brown and knows exciting offensive football which appeals to fans. He also has extensive recruiting ties in the state and a winning record in two years as head coach at Houston in the FBS.
2. Rob Sale – (Offensive Line Coach at ULL)
Sale is a true hometown boy who played at Neville High School and his father owns a successful business in Monroe. Sale was also tutored by Saban during his career and has great ties across the state. Sale also knows the area and the challenges at ULM like new president Dr. Ken Berry. Sale also has been part of several winning seasons at ULL and knows what a Sun Belt team needs to do to be successful. Sale might not want the headache or might make as much also as an assistant at ULL.
3. Willy Korn – (Co-Offensive Coordinator at Coastal Carolina)
The darlings of the college football world – Coastal Carolina is nationally ranked and Korn is a young, energetic coach that some have pined for ULM to get. Korn is relatively inexperienced with no head coaching experience like Sale doesn’t either. It also hasn’t been proven if Coastal is a flash in the pan or long term Conference championship contender. He would create buzz and would bring a winning pedigree from Division I and would be that “up and coming young coordinator” that would interest fans. He also may come cheap as he makes less than $90,000 at CCU.
4. Steve Spurrier Jr. – (Tight Ends at Miss. State)
ULM would have to put out the money but this one would create all kinds of national headlines and give the team a much needed boost on the recruiting trail. Spurrier’s dad is one of the winningest coaches in SEC history and would be a great mouthpiece and attention grabber of potential doners. The young Spurrier has no head coach experience but he grew up with it and has been an assistant on many FBS teams with winning records. He does make north of $370,000 or more at Mississippi State so that would be a concern.
5. Doug Pederson (Head Coach of Philadelphia Eagles)
This one should come as an asterik because it only becomes even remotely possible if the former NLU/ULM quarterback is let go by the Philadelphia Eagles after his contract expires at the end of this season. For one, ULM may not be able to wait that long and also Pederson would have to give them a major hometown discount to hire the NFL head coach just three years removed from winning a Super Bowl. Pederson loves Monroe and ULM. His son is a tight end on the 2020 team. Pederson has deep tiers all over Louisiana and his fun offense and two super bowl rings (one as a player) wouldn’t hurt recruiting for sure.
As ULM looks for its third head football coach of the past two decades, the hot topic is who is on the list. There are no indications that any of the guys on my “Wish List” are on the ULM radar or would even consider the move to Monroe to take over a currently 0-10 team and the last place team in the least respected conference in FBS (although Lafayette and Coastal Carolina are doing some strong things to change that fact). So here are, in kind of an order, my five top hiring options for the Warhawks in this crazy year of 2020.
1. Major Applewhite (Offensive Analyst at Alabama)
A Louisiana high school football star turned Big 12 Player of the Year playing for Mack Brown at Texas 1997-1999, Applewhite has great pedigree and all the intangibles a program like ULM would be lucky to have. And ULM could more than triple his current salary and give him a chance to come back to Louisiana and be a FBS head coach again which works in their favor. Applewhite has been tutored by two of the best head coaches of the last 30 years in Nick Saban and Brown and knows exciting offensive football which appeals to fans. He also has extensive recruiting ties in the state and a winning record in two years as head coach at Houston in the FBS.
2. Rob Sale – (Offensive Line Coach at ULL)
Sale is a true hometown boy who played at Neville High School and his father owns a successful business in Monroe. Sale was also tutored by Saban during his career and has great ties across the state. Sale also knows the area and the challenges at ULM like new president Dr. Ken Berry. Sale also has been part of several winning seasons at ULL and knows what a Sun Belt team needs to do to be successful. Sale might not want the headache or might make as much also as an assistant at ULL.
3. Willy Korn – (Co-Offensive Coordinator at Coastal Carolina)
The darlings of the college football world – Coastal Carolina is nationally ranked and Korn is a young, energetic coach that some have pined for ULM to get. Korn is relatively inexperienced with no head coaching experience like Sale doesn’t either. It also hasn’t been proven if Coastal is a flash in the pan or long term Conference championship contender. He would create buzz and would bring a winning pedigree from Division I and would be that “up and coming young coordinator” that would interest fans. He also may come cheap as he makes less than $90,000 at CCU.
4. Steve Spurrier Jr. – (Tight Ends at Miss. State)
ULM would have to put out the money but this one would create all kinds of national headlines and give the team a much needed boost on the recruiting trail. Spurrier’s dad is one of the winningest coaches in SEC history and would be a great mouthpiece and attention grabber of potential doners. The young Spurrier has no head coach experience but he grew up with it and has been an assistant on many FBS teams with winning records. He does make north of $370,000 or more at Mississippi State so that would be a concern.
5. Doug Pederson (Head Coach of Philadelphia Eagles)
This one should come as an asterik because it only becomes even remotely possible if the former NLU/ULM quarterback is let go by the Philadelphia Eagles after his contract expires at the end of this season. For one, ULM may not be able to wait that long and also Pederson would have to give them a major hometown discount to hire the NFL head coach just three years removed from winning a Super Bowl. Pederson loves Monroe and ULM. His son is a tight end on the 2020 team. Pederson has deep tiers all over Louisiana and his fun offense and two super bowl rings (one as a player) wouldn’t hurt recruiting for sure.
