5 Job Openings in 2009 (and who should be hired)

Arizona
Current Coach: Mike Stoops
Who the Wildcats should hire: Chris Petersen (Boise State)

Stoops can save his job by getting into a bowl game this season. But a 36-28 loss to a weak New Mexico is not a good sign. Arizona is 3-1 right now and securing four more wins is not out of the question. However, I see Petersen taking over in Tucson. He has become one of the top young coaches in the nation. Boise is 26-3 in two-plus seasons under Petersen, including a 15-1 mark in Western Athletic Conference play.

Syracuse
Current Coach: Greg Robinson
Who the Orange should hire: Turner Gill (Buffalo)

I know everyone thinks (or wants) former USC assistant and former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin, but Gill has done an amazing job at Buffalo. The Bulls wisely gave Gill a contract extension through 2012 after guiding Buffalo to a 5-7 record. Buffalo is just 2-3 this season, but this is a program that was a doormat before his arrival. There have been rumors that former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr is considering the job. Just seems like a very odd fit.

Tennessee
Current Coach: Phil Fulmer
Who the Volunteers should hire: Skip Holtz (East Carolina)

The buzz about Holtz has dimmed a bit following consecutive losses by his Pirates, but he would be a great fit at Tennessee. He’d be talking in that Tennessee drawl about 30 seconds into the press conference announcing his hiring. Skip learned how to be a head coach during five seasons at UConn (38-23) and now in his fourth season at ECU, where he guided the Pirates to back-to-back bowl games. He was considered a favorite to get the West Virginia job last winter before Bill Stewart led the Mountaineers to a big win in the Fiesta Bowl. He would get the Vols back on top in the SEC.

Virginia
Current Coach: Al Groh
Who the Cavaliers should hire: Jerry Moore (Appalachian State)

OK, maybe this is a bit of a stretch and wouldn’t make too much since for the long haul since Moore will be 70 in July. But he’s a great coach. What he has accomplished for the Mountaineers is amazing. He is 169-72 with three consecutive Football Championship Series titles. Moore has BCS experience as he coached Texas Tech from 1981-85.

Washington
Current Coach: Tyrone Willingham
Who the Huskies should hire: Jim Mora Jr. (Seattle Seahawks)

I still believe Willingham should be given another year, but with a new AD (Scott Woodward) his time in Seattle is probably coming to an end. Now my suggestion may not be realistic since he is expected to be promoted to the Seahawks head coach next year. But the former walk-on linebacker is an intense competitor and should be an excellent recruiter. He could rebuild Washington into a national contender again very quickly. Remember, one of the reasons he was run out as the Atlanta Falcons head coach was because of a radio interview he did in Seattle where he said he’d leave the NFL to return to his alma mater.