After two uber-successful seasons with the UNLV Rebels, including the program’s first-ever back-to-back nine-win campaigns and two Mountain Championship Game appearances, head coach Barry Odom is leaving for a Power Four opportunity with the Purdue Boilermakers. Which potential candidates make the best fits?
Replacement Candidates for Barry Odom at UNLV
While Odom’s contract is not yet official, he’s all but packed his bags for Purdue, leaving UNLV to find a replacement for one of the most successful coaches in program history.
The last time UNLV athletic director Erick Harper opened a search for a new football coach, it took just 10 days to land on Odom. Will we see another quick hire this time around?
“The quality of coaches we’ve been reached out to (by) this morning — a lot of quality,” Harper said following the Odom news. “Former head coaches, offensive coordinators, defensive coordinators, NFL … Barry Odom and his staff made this a very attractive job.
“We’re going into the war room, and (we’ll) do our due diligence as we did two years ago to find the right person to lead this program moving forward.”
With that in mind, here are five coaches the Rebels should target.
Brennan Marion, OC, UNLV Rebels
Offensive coordinator Brennan Marion has been a hot name for head coach openings this cycle, so why not keep him at home?
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The 37-year-old has worked his way up the football ranks, beginning at the high school level before mastering his Go-Go offense with the Rebels. The only issue is that Marion seems to have his eyes elsewhere, as UNLV did not name him the interim coach for the LA Bowl against the California Bears.
Brent Vigen, HC, Montana State Bobcats
Brent Vigen has turned Montana State into an FCS powerhouse, which shouldn’t come as a surprise, given he began his coaching career at North Dakota State. He isn’t a stranger to the Mountain West, either, having served on the Wyoming Cowboys’ staff from 2014 to 2020.
If the Bobcats win an FCS national title in 2024, Vigen could seek a new challenge at a higher level.
Bryan Harsin, Former HC, Auburn Tigers
How about a little bit of an outside-the-box hire?
Bryan Harsin, with an 85-36 career record, thrived with the Boise State Broncos, leading them to a 69-19 mark with five double-digit win seasons in seven years. Yet, his tenure with the Auburn Tigers — marked by culture clashes and booster interference — overshadowed his success, setting him up for failure as much as his own missteps did.
While his time in the SEC didn’t pan out, Harsin’s pedigree and proven track record in the Mountain West suggest he could find success at a program like UNLV.
Will Stein, OC, Oregon Ducks
In just his second season with the Oregon Ducks, Will Stein’s stock as a rising coaching talent has soared, thanks to his seamless work with Bo Nix last year and Dillon Gabriel this season.
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The Ducks remain unbeaten, and Stein’s reputation as a sharp offensive mind continues to grow. At just 35 years old, he looks primed for a head coaching opportunity, especially if Oregon makes a strong bid for the national championship.
Van Malone, Assistant HC/DBs Coach, Kansas State Wildcats
The Kansas State Wildcats defense has ranked in the top four among Big 12 programs in both total yards and points allowed in each of the last three seasons. e large reason for that success rests on the shoulders of Van Malone.
He began his K-State tenure as a CBs coach in 2019, then added assistant head coach and defensive pass game coordinator duties in 2020.
Malone has coached six all-conference CBs in his five seasons, and as SMU’s defensive coordinator in 2017, he earned the American Football Coaches Association’s (AFCA) National FBS Assistant Coach of the Year Award.
Working at Harper’s alma mater certainly adds a level of intrigue, and Malone’s name has already been linked to other Group of Five head coaching roles.
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