After a disastrous 6-22 record in three seasons, Charlie Weis was fired as Kansas’ head coach on Sunday. Weis went 1-18 in three years during Big 12 play in Lawrence, and the Jayhawks finished last in the conference in back-to-back years. Defensive coordinator Clint Bowen will serve as the interim coach for the final eight games of the year.



Kansas is not an easy job, and the last two coaches only got less than three years to show on-field progress.



And looking at the candidates, there’s not a natural fit for arguably the No. 10 job in the Big 12.



12 Coaching Candidates to Replace Fired Charlie Weis at Kansas

David Beaty, wide receivers coach, Texas A&M

Beaty has never worked as a head coach on the collegiate level, but he’s regarded as an excellent recruiter and worked as an assistant at Kansas from 2008-09 and in the 2011 season. Beaty’s ties to the Texas area would be huge for recruiting purposes, but he would need a strong staff to offset his lack of head coaching experience.

Willie Fritz, head coach, Georgia Southern

Fritz was a home-run hire by Georgia Southern. The Eagles are just 3-2 in 2014, but both losses came at the hands of ACC opponents (NC State and Georgia Tech), and Fritz’s team lost by a combined five points. Prior to taking over at Georgia Southern, Fritz went 40-14 at Sam Houston State and 97-47 at Central Missouri. Fritz was born in Kansas and has experience in the area from his time at Coffeyville College. Is Fritz willing to jump after one year at Georgia Southern? With his ties to the area and being a proven winner at different levels, Fritz would be an excellent fit in Lawrence.



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Scott Frost, offensive coordinator, Oregon

Kansas fans are certainly familiar with Frost from his days as a Nebraska quarterback, but the Nebraska native is a rising star in the coaching ranks. After working as a graduate assistant at Nebraska and Kansas State, Frost landed a job at Northern Iowa for two years (2007-08) and left for Oregon in 2009 to coach receivers. After Chip Kelly left for the NFL, Frost was promoted to offensive coordinator. The Ducks averaged 45.5 points per game last year and lead the Pac-12 with a 48.5 average in 2014. Frost does not have any prior head coaching experience.



Justin Fuente, head coach, Memphis

Don’t be fooled by Fuente’s 9-19 overall record at Memphis. The third-year coach clearly has the Tigers moving in the right direction and would be an excellent fit in Lawrence. The Oklahoma native spent five years in the Big 12 as an assistant at TCU and landed at Memphis to clean up a disaster left by previous coach Larry Porter. In three years, the Tigers have made significant progress. Memphis went 4-8 in 2012 and finished 3-9 in a tougher conference in 2013 (American Athletic Conference). And the Tigers are off to a 2-2 start with losses over Ole Miss and UCLA. Fuente’s experience in rebuilding a program at Memphis could be valuable in Lawrence. Does he want to aim higher than Kansas?



Tom Herman, offensive coordinator, Ohio State

Herman has worked as a play-caller on the collegiate level for 10 years and is a member of Mensa. The Ohio native is a young coach (39) with a lot of energy and is ready to take on the challenge of being a head coach at a Power 5 program. Herman does not have any experience as a head coach, but he’s worked under good coaches in Paul Rhoads and Urban Meyer.



Mark Hudspeth, head coach, ULL

Hudspeth is off to a slow start in his fourth season at ULL, as the Ragin’ Cajuns record stands at 1-3 after four games. But from 2011-13, Hudspeth went 28-15 and and guided ULL to three consecutive bowl games. Hudspeth’s success isn’t just limited to the Ragin’ Cajuns, as he recorded a 66-21 mark at North Alabama from 2002-08. The Mississippi native also has experience as an assistant at Mississippi State and Navy. Kansas seems like an odd fit for Hudspeth, but he’s ready for the opportunity to lead a bigger program.



Pete Lembo, head coach, Ball State

Lembo deserves a mention in this space, but he seems more apt to take a job in the Big Ten or in the ACC. In four years at Ball State, Lembo has guided the Cardinals to a 26-16 record. And prior to taking over in Muncie, Lembo went 35-22 with a playoff appearance at Elon. Lembo also went 44-14 from 2001-05 at Lehigh with two playoff trips. It’s only a matter of time before Lembo jumps at an opportunity to coach at a Power 5 conference. Is it Kansas? Or will a five-year contract extension signed in the spring keep him in Muncie another season?

Jim McElwain, head coach, Colorado State

McElwain’s stock continues to rise after Colorado State’s upset win at Boston College in Week 5. The Rams are 15-15 under his watch, with an 11-7 mark after the 2012 season. Prior to taking over in Fort Collins, McElwain worked as the offensive coordinator at Alabama and Fresno State and served as a quarterbacks’ coach with the Raiders in 2006. Whether it means anything or not, McElwain inked a contract extension (with a hefty buyout) with Colorado State prior to the season.



Ruffin McNeill, head coach, East Carolina

McNeill is a graduate of East Carolina, so leaving his alma mater won’t be easy. McNeill paid his dues for over 20 years as an assistant before landing the head coach job at East Carolina. During his time as an assistant, McNeill worked at Clemson, North Alabama, Appalachian State, UNLV, Fresno State and Texas Tech. In five years at East Carolina, McNeill is 32-23 and guided the Pirates to a 10-3 mark in 2013. Could McNeill and offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley be a package deal for Kansas? Unlikely, but worth a shot for the Jayhawks.



Chad Morris, offensive coordinator, Clemson

It’s only a matter of time before Morris takes a job as a head coach. However, Morris can be patient and choose the right opening, as he’s one of the highest paid assistants in college football. Morris would seem to be the perfect fit for a program like Kansas, as he would provide a much-needed spark on the offensive side and knows how to recruit the Texas area. Morris is a Texas native and worked as a head coach on the high school level from 1994-2009. Under Morris’ direction, Clemson has averaged (including 2014) at least 40 points per game in each of the last three years.



Mike Norvell, offensive coordinator, Arizona State

Norvell is another young assistant primed to take a head-coaching job in the near future. But Norvell isn’t in any hurry to jump from his current position at Arizona State, as he’s compensated well and can have his pick of jobs in the future. Under Novell’s watch, the Sun Devils ranked in the top three of scoring in the Pac-12 in each of the last three years. Norvell has worked for Arizona State coach Todd Graham at three consecutive jobs (Tulsa, Pittsburgh and Arizona State) and spent one year as a graduate assistant at Central Arkansas.

Brent Venables, defensive coordinator, Clemson

Venables has ties to the Kansas area and is one of the highest-paid coordinators in the nation. The Kansas native played at Kansas State for two seasons (1991-92) and worked in Manhattan from 1993-98. Venables also has prior Big 12 experience from a stop at Oklahoma (1993-2011) before landing the defensive coordinator job at Clemson. Under Venables’ direction, the Tigers have finished No. 3 in the ACC in scoring defense in back-to-back years.



Longshots



Tim Beck, offensive coordinator, Nebraska

Beck is a former Kansas assistant and has served under Bo Pelini as Nebraska’s offensive coordinator since 2011. The Ohio native has the Cornhuskers averaging 45.4 points per game through the first five games of 2014. Beck does not have any head coach experience on the collegiate level.



Craig Bohl, head coach, Wyoming

Bohl is the best head coach in the Mountain West, but he’s in Year One at Wyoming. Don’t expect Bohl to leave after 2014, but he’s a name to watch for BCS jobs in the future.



Matt Campbell, head coach, Toledo

Rising star in the coaching ranks is 20-11 entering his third full season with the Rockets. Campbell is one of the youngest head coaches in the nation (34) and is a name to file away for BCS jobs 2015 or 2016.



Lane Kiffin, offensive coordinator, Alabama

You never know…



Jim Leavitt, 49ers assistant

Leavitt’s tenure at USF’s head coach did not end on a good note, as there were allegations of player abuse that resulted in his termination at the end of the 2009 season. From 1997-2009, Leavitt recorded a 95-57 mark as the Bulls’ head coach, including five consecutive bowl appearances once the program joined the Big East. Leavitt has ties to the Texas and Kansas areas.



Pat Narduzzi, defensive coordinator, Michigan State

Narduzzi passed on the opportunity to be UConn’s head coach last year. It’s likely he will do the same to Kansas, as he can land a higher-profile job in the future.



Ed Orgeron, former USC interim coach

Orgeron’s name popped up on Sunday in the early rumor mill for the vacancy. Orgeron struggled in his previous stint as a head coach at Ole Miss but rebounded in an interim role at USC last year. Unlikely fit.



Lincoln Riley, offensive coordinator, East Carolina

Riley is young (31) and one of the bright offensive minds in the nation. Is it too soon to make a jump to a Power 5 program?

Ed Warinner, Co-OC/OL coach, Ohio State

Warinner is a former Kansas assistant, working from 2003-04 and 2007-09 under Mark Mangino’s staff in Lawrence. The Ohio native has never been a head coach but has 20 years of experience as an assistant. Warinner is regarded as an outstanding recruiter.