Who replaces Venables? Here are some ideas
Published: 1/20/2012 9:48 AM
Last Modified: 1/20/2012 9:48 AM
Job: Oklahoma assistant football coach, to replace Brent Venables
Requirements: Recruit like a man possessed, get linebackers to play like men possessed, pal around with the Stoops brothers, and try your best to live up to Venables' gold standard with OU beat reporters.
Candidates: Let's see…
Tim Kish
High on resume: Mike Stoops' linebackers coach at Arizona
Leave off resume: Wildcat defensive stats the past couple seasons
Randy Shannon
High on resume: Miami Hurricanes starting linebacker, Canes linebacker coach, then Canes head coach
Leave off resume: Canes implosion at end of head coaching tenure
Jim Leavit
High on resume: Coaches ferocious 49er linebackers, used to be Bob Stoops' defensive coordinating partner at K-State
Leave off resume: Details of firing as South Florida head coach, and the lawsuit that followed
Kevin Steele
High on resume: Recruiting dynamo, knows territory (ex-Baylor head man, Nebraska assistant)
Leave off resume: Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach for Clemson in Orange Bowl debacle
Tony Tademy
High on resume: Remember TCU's program-launching win at OU in '05? He was Frogs' first-year linebackers coach. Still there.
Leave off resume: Get back to us on that one
Mike Tressel
High on resume: Michigan State's linebackers coach/special teams coordinator since 07. Specal teams. Hmmm.
Leave off resume: Uncle Jim didn't exactly go out in blaze of glory at Ohio State
Nick Holt
High on resume: Linebackers coach and defensive coordinator during USC's glorious 2000s run
Leave off resume: Just got fired as Washington's D-coordinator
Darrell Wilson
High on resume: Another linebackers coach/special teams combo in the works, as he's doubled up at Iowa the past decade
Leave off resume: Hawkeyes left you kinda blah.at Insight Bowl
Tyrone Nix
High on resume: Ole Miss defensive coordinator/linebackers coach before Houston Nutt was let go
Leave off resume: Will have to be decontaminated after coaching so long in SEC
Joe Barry
High on resume: Monte Kiffin protégé who is USC linebackers coach after spending past decade in NFL
Leave off resume: Might become Trojans' coordinator when Kiffin decides to retire
Ken Norton Jr
High on resume: USC linebackers coach from 04-09, followed Pete Carroll to Seattle Seahawks
Leave off resume: Played for Dallas Cowboys. Can't get past that.
Tommy Thigpen
High on resume: Auburn secondary coach/recruiting stud who has also coached linebackers
Leave off resume: see Nix, Tyrone
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
