CougarCorner

I know its not BYU news but seriously wtf is going on up in Logan. Their expectations can't be that high can they?

They are hugely disappointed. He came in after a 10-2 season and went 7-6 and then 0-3 so far.

Their fan board is clamoring for a Jay Hill hire. No word yet on the interim coach or an eventual replacement (of course--too soon).

Things could get ugly for USU...

So Assistant Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Frank Maile is the interim coach. USU announced they will run a national search for a replacement.

This is who KSL.com claims could be candidates:

Jay Hill - Head Coach, Weber State
Ties to Utah State: Played cornerback at Utah from 1998-99, coached college football in the state of Utah since 2001

Hugh Freeze - Head Coach, Liberty University
Ties to Utah State: None

Rich Rodriguez - Former Head Coach, Arizona
Ties to Utah State: None

Jeff Grimes - Offensive Coordinator, BYU
Ties to Utah State: Coached college football in the state of Utah for six seasons

Ed Lamb - Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator, BYU
Ties to Utah State: Played defensive end at BYU from 1994-96, coached college football in the state of Utah for 14 seasons

Robert Anae, Offensive Coordinator, Virginia
Ties to Utah State: play offensive line at BYU from 1981-84, coached college football in the state of Utah for 11 seasons

Morgan Scalley - Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Coach, Utah
Ties to Utah State: Played defensive back at Utah from 2001-04, coached college football in the state of Utah since 2007

Frank Maile - Interim Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator, Utah State
Ties to Utah State: Played defensive line at Utah State from 2004-07, coached at Utah State for 10 seasons

Rocky Long, Defensive Coordinator, New Mexico
Ties to Utah State: Born in Provo, Utah, served as head coach in Mountain West Conference for 20 seasons

Kelly Poppinga, Linebackers Coach, Virginia
Ties to Utah State: Played linebacker at Utah State from 2003-04 and at BYU from 2005-07, coached at BYU from 2009-15

Jim Harding, Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach, Utah
Ties to Utah State: Coached at Utah since 2014

David Yost, Offensive Coordinator, Texas Tech
Ties to Utah State: Served as Utah State’s Offensive Coordinator from 2017-18

The Athletic also reportedly mentions Aaron Roderick as a candidate but it is behind a paywall so I won't link it.

I'm not sure some of these are realistic. Rocky Long? He is 70 years old and left a HC job to be DC at New Mexico so he wouldn't have the grind of a head coaching job. Hugh Freeze? Just because?

The only ones on the list who actually have a tie to Utah State is Frank Maile, Kelly Poppinga, and David Yost. But is the USU job good enough to pull Poppinga or Yost out of their P5 schools?

Jay Hill makes the most sense. Up and comer who has done great things at Weber State and Weber State isn't playing right now so its an easy hire.

a1247 wrote: ↑Sat Nov 07, 2020 5:36 pm Jay Hill makes the most sense. Up and comer who has done great things at Weber State and Weber State isn't playing right now so its an easy hire.

I would think he's the front runner.

I'm shocked they gave up this fast on Gary Anderson. The guy really climbed the ladder of fame and fell off the other side.

I think Gary has lost the fire. His coaching after leaving Utah State has been lackluster at best.

Utah State partly made the move to fire Gary Anderson because of BYU?
Story is from the Deseret News: https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/11/ ... s-football

I'd be fine if they took Grimes.