The Michigan Wolverines are still reeling a week after firing former coach Sherrone Moore with cause. Several prominent college football coaches have been linked to the prestigious Wolverines job, with no clear frontrunner in the race to fill the vacant position.
Urban Meyer Links $22 M Coach to Michigan Job
During Wednesday’s segment of the “Triple Option” podcast, former Ohio State Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer added Vanderbilt Commodores coach Clark Lea to the Michigan hotboard.
“The name I’m hearing real quick at the Hall of Fame was Clark Lea,” Meyer said. “I know Brady Quinn loves him; he was at Notre Dame, I guess. I don’t know much about him and the job he’s done. But that kind of name, when I saw that name show up, it made sense.
“Then the coach at Arizona State (Kenny Dillingham), he’s done a great job and I keep hearing his name bounced around. He’s done a hell of a job there. I would imagine they’re gonna throw some things at the wall, see if they stick and then they’re gonna get real. Which normally happens and they go and hire a guy that wants to be a Wolverine.”
Lea led the Commodores to their first 10-win season in program history (10-2) and, after being linked to several open jobs in college football, signed a six-year contract extension in November, reportedly worth $22.2 million.
Analyst Links Michigan to SEC Coach Despite Denial
During Wednesday’s segment of the “McElroy & Cubelic in The Morning” show, On3 reporter Chris Low revealed that despite Alabama Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer issuing a statement denying links to the job, the Wolverines still hold an interest in his services.
“I don’t think [Michigan has] given up. I think he remains their top guy,” Low said. “I think Michigan is prepared to sort of sit there for the rest of this week, see what happens.”
“I think at the end of the day, Kalen is going to stay at Alabama. I know he’s been pretty strong, as strong as he has been the other day when he said yes twice when pressed on whether he would be the head coach at Alabama next year.
Despite the continued links to the Wolverines’ job, DeBoer signed a mammoth $87 million, eight-year contract through 2031 when he was appointed as Nick Saban’s successor as coach last year. He is currently preparing his No. 9 Alabama for a crucial first-round trip to Norman to face the No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners in the College Football Playoff.
