UPDATED COLLEGE COACHING CAROUSEL by The Gold Sheet’s, Bruce Marshall

As usual at this time of the year, a key figure in many of the behind-the-scenes machinations figures to be Memphis-based superagent Jimmy Sexton, who counts the majority of SEC coaches and high-profile assistants among his clientele.  In many locales, Sexton is the one pushing the buttons, from floating trial balloons to maneuvering his impressive client base (headed by Nick Saban) into the proper fit.

Keep an eye on the Sexton client list being intimately involved in much of the give-and-take between schools and coaches over the next several weeks.  More on some of those possible scenarios in just a moment.

One of the more interesting openings has occurred at UCLA, where Rick Neuheisel was predictably terminated before last week’s Pac-12 title game.  Neuheisel, 0-4 against crosstown rival USC and beaten a humiliating 50-0 in the most recent renewal against his old enemy on Thanksgiving weekend, was allowed to coach one more game against Oregon last Friday night before abandoning Westwood with the Bruins’ worst-ever coaching mark, a .420 winning percentage over four seasons.  He leaves UCLA without ever doing better than 6-6 in the regular season, not to mention lowering the bar of expectations in Westwood, a troubling dynamic that AD Dan Guerrero must address, and change, immediately.

The UCLA job is a tougher sell than it used to be for a variety of reasons, some directly related to the resurrection of crosstown Southern Cal as a football power over the last decade.  Shrewd regional observers have long speculated that had Guerrero been perceptive enough nine years ago after dismissing Bob Toledo, he could have perhaps short-circuited the Trojan resurgence by hiring away offensive architect Norm Chow right as the SC jet, piloted by Pete Carroll, was taking off.   Some noted that had Al Davis been the Bruins’ AD in those years, he would have likely tried to cut the Trojans off at the knees before they re-emerged as a monster that could keep UCLA in the shadows indefinitely.  Instead, Guerrero went with a decidedly uninspired hire, Karl Dorrell, a former Bruin and career assistant who had never been a head coach in his career.

Five years later, after the Dorrell experiment failed, Guerrero swung and missed again with the appointment of Neuheisel, which numerous observers believed was an even bigger error.  That Guerrero is getting an opportunity to make another mistake would not be replicated at many football schools, many of which wouldn’t allow an AD who has blown two football hires have a chance to do it for a third time.

What is apparently different about this hiring cycle at UCLA, however, is the load of money Guerrero is reportedly willing to wave at a new hire.  The Bruins have never before waved “funny money” at a potential coach, but thanks to the school’s coffers being enriched by the Pac-12’s new TV deals, some insiders have reported that Guerrero was prepared to offer as much as $20 million over five years to lure Boise State’s Chris Petersen to Westwood.  UCLA was also reportedly offering unlimited care at its renowned medical center for Petersen’s special needs child, although recent reports indicate the Boise coach is unlikely to make the move.

At least Guerrero seems to be aiming higher than he did for the Dorrell and Neuheisel hires.  Although some of the AD’s critics were out in force again last week when Guerrero spent considerable time lobbying the NCAA to allow his Bruins to become bowl-eligible should they wind up with a 6-7 record (which they did; UCLA will face Illinois in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco) instead of making a pre-emptive move for ex-Texas Tech HC Mike Leach, who was stolen from under UCLA’s nose by Pac-12 rival Washington State.  Some viewed Leach as a worthwhile gamble in Westwood, considering the national buzz his hiring would create and the colorful offensive style he would bring to the Bruins, who are  badly in need of a football image makeover…quickly.  Instead, Guerrero appears to have been asleep at the switch once more.

The fact Guerrero must overcome is that the UCLA job, due in part to his many missteps over the past decade, is not as desirable as it once might have been.  High School football in the L.A. City area has been on the wane for years, and whatever top-recruits come out of L.A. or nearby Long Beach (Poly in particular) and Lakewood  are being scooped up by SC.  The prep football power base in the L.A. long ago moved south to Orange County and to the Inland Empire (San Bernardino-Riverside), where SC also gets its pick of the litter.

UCLA isn’t even the second, or necessarily third, choice among most of those preps these days, with Oregon doing an effective job of poaching So Cal talent, while even Cal and Oregon State seem better bets to get top local recruits these days than UCLA.  Demographics in the west have resulted in new prep power bases emerging in Nevada and Arizona, where again UCLA is running far behind (although the Bruins did extract highly-touted prep QB Brett Hundley out of the Phoenix area last year).

UCLA’s national recruiting base, which rivaled the best in the country during Terry Donahue’s days, has also disappeared.  Those who recall of Donahue’s many recruiting coups out of Texas and the mid-Atlantic region (where Bruin legends Kenny Easley, from Virginia, and Jonathan Ogden, from D.C., spawned) acknowledge that the Bruins’ fall from grace under Guerrero hires Dorrell and Neuheisel has made UCLA a non-factor in the national recruiting scene.

Bruin apologists will offer the academic standards angle, but  that certainly hasn’t prevented Stanford from emerging in recent years.  The fact is that UCLA football has lost its recruiting base in Southern California and whatever appeal it once had in the rest of the nation.  They can’ even identify the problem in Westwood, much less address it.  A hire such as Leach would have at least provided the program with a national buzz it has been lacking for over a decade.

We also don’t buy the idea that Leach’s peculiarities would have made him an untenable hire in Westwood.  Reportedly near the top of Guerrero’s new shopping list is former Oakland Raiders HC Tom Cable, a onetime o.c. at UCLA during Dorrell’s tenure and not exactly void of off-field controversies himself in recent years.

For the moment, then, Guerrero continues to span the available coaching field.  Beyond Petersen, who doesn’t appear to be interested, and perhaps Cable, Houston’s Kevin Sumlin and Cincinnati’s Butch Jones are reportedly high on the Guerrero wish list, although sources suggest the latter two are likely headed elsewhere.  Guerrero’s fall-back list reportedly includes New Mexico State HC DeWayne Walker, a one-time UCLA d.c. and runner-up to Neuheisel for the job the last time it opened four years ago, although Walker would be a tough sell with his 9-28 mark the last three years in Las Cruces; Wyoming’s Dave Christensen, Utah State’s Gary Andersen,  former NFL HC Herm Edwards, 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, San Jose State HC Mike MacIntyre (a Jimmy Sexton client), and perhaps ex-Oregon HC Mike Bellotti.

Jobs are being filled quickly, with Ohio State hiring Urban Meyer, Florida Atlantic tabbing Nebraska assistant Carl Pelini, and UAB hiring Arkansas o.c. Garrick McGee, all in the last few days.  For the moment, here are some quick updates on other coaching openings across the country…

Akron…The buzz in Tire Town is that the Zips might make a pitch for former Ohio State HC Jim Tressel, or perhaps this past year’s Buckeye interim HC, Luke Fickell, who will be retained by new OSU HC Urban Meyer otherwise.  Indiana State HC Trent Miles and  Toledo o.c. Matt Campbell could also be in the mix.

Arizona State…Dennis Erickson’s forced departure was no surprise after the Sun Devils lost their last four regular-season games, a once-promising campaign skidding to 6-6 and Erickson’s third straight non-winning season in Tempe.  Top targets appear to be the aforementioned Sumlin and Southern Miss HC Larry Fedora, with SMU’s June Jones, Eastern Michigan’s Ron English, and the aforementioned Bellotti also apparently in the mix.  ASU is also a beneficiary of the Pac-12 financial windfall, and has a support base ready to erupt at the hint of success.  Although the program has mostly underperformed since Frank Kush’s days, the Sun Devils are a sleeping giant.  Most regional observers believe this a better job than the one available at UCLA.

Colorado State…Steve Fairchild was axed on Monday after his third consectuive 3-9 season.  Early reports from Fort Collins indicate former Colorado and Northwestern HC Gary Barnett could be near the front of the Rams’ queue that could also include former CSU aide Tony Alford, now the WR coach at Notre Dame.

Fresno State…Pat Hill was given the boot on Monday after fifteen years on the job.  A former Bulldog o.c. when FSU was flying higher, Alabama o.c. Jim McElwain, is said to be an early favorite to become Hill’s successor.

Illinois…Ron Zook is out after the Illini lost its last six games.  Word from Champaign-Urbana is that new Illinois AD Mike Thomas, recently hired from Cincinnati, might pursue the coach he hired with the Bearcats, Butch Jones, who steered Cincy to a 9-3 mark this season.  Houston’s Sumlin (a Big Ten product and Purdue alum), Southern Miss’ Fedora, Toledo HC Tim Beckman, Northern Illinois HC Dave Doeren, Iowa State HC Paul Rhoads, Western Kentucky HC Willie Taggart, Wisconsin o.c. Paul Chryst, Michigan State d.c. Pat Narduzzi, and Oklahoma State o.c. Todd Monken are reportedly on the wish list which will apparently not include either of the current Illinois coordinators, Paul Petrino (offense) or Vic Koenning (defense), the latter to coach the Illini in their bowl game vs. UCLA.

Kansas…The Turner Gill experiment failed miserably in Lawrence, with the Jayhawks mostly non-competitive on his watch the past two years.  Sources say the resurgence at rival Kansas State under Bill Snyder, and humiliating losses the last two years to the Wildcats,  played no small part in Gill’s dismissal. On the wish list at KU are reportedly Houston’s Sumlin, USM’s Fedora, Toledo’s Beckman, Northern Illinois’ Doeren, Wyoming’s Christensen, La Tech HC Sonny Dykes, Air Force HC Troy Calhoun, Florida State d.c. Mark Stoops, St. Louis Rams assistant (and former Jayhawk great) Nolan Cromwell, and Jacksonville Jaguars o.c. Dirk Koetter (also ex-Boise State and Arizona State HC).

Memphis…Larry Porter is out after two hugely disappointing seasons.  Regional insiders suggest this job is likely to be offered to  Arkansas State HC (and Sexton client) Hugh Freeze, who was a decorated local high school coach at Briarcrest Christian, where among others he coached Michael Oher, as dramatized in the movie The Blind Side (with a blonde Sandra Bullock).  If, that is, Freeze doesn’t get hired at Ole Miss.  Houston Nutt, recently dismissed by the Rebels, has been campaigning for the Tiger job, but appears unlikely to be seriously considered.  Keep any eye on  Pittsburgh Steelers assistant Randy Fichtner, a former member of the Tigers staff.

Ole Miss…Houston Nutt’s expected departure was confirmed a month ago.  SEC sources say this job is Larry Fedora’s if he wants it; those same sources say he is unlikely to take it.  Next in the queue are probably Arkansas State’s  Freeze, Alabama d.c. Kirby Smart (another Jimmy Sexton client), Auburn o.c. Gus Malzahn (yet another Sexton guy), and La Tech’s Dykes.

North Carolina…The sleeper job in the country exists at Chapel Hill, which seeks to emerge from the Butch Davis mess and interim appointment of Everett Withers.  Possible looming NCAA sanctions are another factor to be considered at UNC.  Word was that South Florida’s Skip Holtz was the favorite for the Heels’ job, but the Bulls’ late-season collapse and 5-7 mark are making Skip a tougher sell for new AD Bubba Cunningham, recently hired from Tulsa.  Auburn o.c. Malzahn could also be involved in the mix, as could Air Force’s Calhoun, Iowa State’s Rhoads, La Tech’s Dykes,  Alabama d.c. Smart, and a couple of NFL defensive coordinators, George Edwards (Bills) and Chuck Pagano (Ravens).  A longshot to watch could be Clemson o.c. Chad Morris, who was at Tulsa in a similar role when Cunningham was Golden Hurricane AD.

Penn State…This is a tricky hire in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky controversy and Joe Paterno dismissal, with the new coach likely to come from outside the Nittany Lion family.  New names emerging include Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald and Harvard’s Tim Murphy, although some SEC sources say this is Mississippi State HC Dan Mullen’s job if he wants it.  And if Mullen takes Penn State, expect either Texas d.c. Manny Diaz or UL-Lafayette HC Mark Hudspeth (both on recent Mullen MSU staffs) to be at the front of the queue for the Starkville post.

Texas A&M…Mike Sherman’s ouster after a 6-6 mark might also signal the end of the tenure of AD Bill Byrne, who was reportedly overruled by the Board of Trustees regarding Sherman’s future.  With the Aggies moving to the SEC and looking for a fresh start, and A&M off that disappointing .500 campaign, the move to can Sherman was not unexpected. Sources have indicated Southern Miss’ Fedora, a College Station native, is high on the Aggie wish list, with Houston’s Sumlin, La Tech’s Dykes, and perhaps Vanderbilt’s James Franklin (recently signed to a lucrative extension with the Dores) also being on the A&M radar.

Tulane…Regional sources believe former Wave HC Tommy Bowden might be primed for a return to the Crescent City, where he coached Tulane with success in 1997-98 (an undefeated mark in the latter).  Also reportedly still in the mix are a couple of candidates mentioned earlier, Texas d.c. Diaz and UL-Lafayette HC Hudspeth (who both likely wait to see what transpires at Mississippi State), plus perhaps Wake Forest o.c. Steed Lobotzke and New Orleans Saints assistant Curtis Johnson.

Of course, a brand new wave of openings could occur once the dominoes begin to fall, as they are likely to do this week.  As always, stay tuned.