Gators offensive coordinator search continues

[travisduncan]

Carolina Panthers QB coach Mike Shula photo by ICON SMI


Update: The AP reports Saturday evening that Muschamp and Jacksonville head coach Kerwin Bell formally met on campus on Wednesday for an interview.

As of Monday, the Gators offensive coordinator search is nothing more than rumors.

No published reports indicate that coach Will Muschamp is leaning towards one candidate or another.

In fact the Gainesville Sun reports Mushchamp plans on speaking with 20-30 candidates.

It doesn't appear Muschamp-as expected with the timing-really has one guy in mind. The Sun also reports that Muschamp won't make the hire until after the Gators Bowl on Jan. 2.

Running backs coach Brian White will call the plays for the Gators against Ohio State. White is a candidate for the job as well.

Among the notable names linked to the position is Mike Shula, the former Alabama head coach and son of legendary Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula. Shula and Muschamp have never actually worked on the same staff, but they must be familiar with one another, Muschamp having worked under Nick Saban at Miami and coaching against Shula's Alabama team while an assistant at LSU. Shula, currently the quarterbacks coach for the Carolina Panthers, brings a pro-style approach.

Kerwin Bell, who played QB for the Gators and is now the head coach at Jacksonville is also said to be on the radar but it's unclear just how much interest Muschamp has and to what degree Bell's name has been thrown into the hat by Gator fans and media.

Major Applewhite is the co-offensive coordinator for the Texas Longhorns and worked with Muschamp for about three seasons. Muschamp said that familiarity with the new coach is not a prerequisite but rather the candidate must want to run the ball in between the tackles and have a play action passing attack.

Other names mentioned for the job include Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, who has ties to the Miami Dolphins as well. Ole Miss offensive coordinator David Lee also an old Miami Dolphins QB coach is said to be a candidate. Paul Chryst, OC for the Wisconsin Badgers, Paul Petrino OC for Arkansas, Michigan OC Al Borges, Oklahoma State OC Todd Monken, Miami OC Jedd Fisch, are also among the names mentioned.

 

[DRU2012]

Both Petrino (Arkansas) and Monken (Okla. St.) have been doing some exciting things with their respective schools' offenses, but aren't "pro-guys"...still, on first run thru', EITHER strike me a a better "fit" at UF, AND a better match for Coach Boom, than Mike Shula...among the pro-coaches, Malarkey (Falcons) caught my attention.
Glad he's taking his time--gotta get this right, and though it leaves a bit of a hole recruiting-wise, they'll just have to spread themselves a little thinner and work a little harder for the next few weeks: as long as it gets done SHORTLY after the bowl game, it shouldn't hurt the prospective class anymore than other factors already have--nothing that can't be fixed or even surpassed with the right hire.

 

[Escambia94]

This is a smoke screen. No way on earth is Muschamp interviewing 20 candidates. He has his list of 5 or 6, and 2 or 3 of them will be acceptable to Foley and the Bull Gators. Nobody knows the actual list, which will make this a pleasant christmas surprise.