Barry Odom helped UNLV achieve a substantial amount of success in his short time as the program’s head coach.
He led the Rebels to two Mountain West Championship appearances and was the Mountain West Coach of the Year in 2023. But on Sunday, news broke that Purdue would be hiring him as the team’s next head coach.
That means UNLV will be looking for another head coach this offseason. Here are some names the team could consider.
UNLV Offensive Coordinator Brennan Marion
Among coaches on the staff, Marion’s name stands out.
He is in just his second season as UNLV’s offensive coordinator. He’s done well with the Rebels and has other coaching experience all over the country.
In 2023, UNLV was 44th in the FBS with 412.7 yards per game and 22nd with 34.4 points per game. The Rebels have continued to be successful on offense this season, even after quarterback Matthew Sluka decided to sit out the rest of the year.
Before this, Marion was a passing game coordinator at Texas in 2022, a wide receivers coach at Pitt in 2021, a wide receivers coach at Hawaii in 2020, an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at William & Mary in 2019, an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Howard from 2017-18, and a running backs coach at Oklahoma Baptist in 2016.
UNLV would be smart to consider him if he doesn’t also go to Purdue.
Montana State Head Coach Brent Vigen
Considering Vigen has reportedly been considered for other Mountain West head coaching jobs, it would make sense for UNLV to consider him as well.
Vigen has been Montana State’s head coach since 2021. That first year, he led the Bobcats to their first national championship appearance since 1984. The year after that, Montana State reached the national semifinals before losing to the eventual champion, South Dakota State.
And in 2024, the Bobcats went undefeated during the regular season – including a victory at New Mexico – and have the No. 1 seed in the FCS Playoffs.
Vigen also knows the Mountain West. He was an offensive coordinator at Wyoming under head coach Craig Bohl from 2014-20, most notably coaching now-NFL star quarterback Josh Allen.
USC Defensive Coordinator D’Anton Lynn
Among Power Four coordinators in the region, Lynn could be a coach to think about.
Lynn helped USC make massive strides in his first year there. And he’s regarded as a rising star in the coaching profession.
He was previously the defensive coordinator at UCLA in 2023. The Bruins were top 10 in the country in total defense (301.5 yards per game allowed) and 14th in scoring defense (18.4 points per game allowed). UCLA allowed the second-fewest rushing yards per game in the nation with 80.8.
Previously, Lynn was a safeties coach with the Baltimore Ravens and worked with the Houston Texas’ secondaries before that. He was also an assistant for the Los Angeles Chargers when his father, Anthony Lynn, was the head coach there and focused primarily on linebackers. He’s also worked for the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets in the past decade.
Duke Offensive Coordinator Jonathan Brewer
Brewer is in his first season being the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Duke, which is 9-3 overall this year. Before this, he was a co-offensive coordinator and QBs coach at SMU, which was competing in the American Athletic Conference at the time, from 2022-23. He was also an offensive quality control analyst there from 2018-19.
Brewer also worked under current Duke head coach Manny Diaz when he was the head coach at Miami. Brewer was a senior offensive quality control assistant from 2020-21.
He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant with a focus on the offensive line at Auburn from 2013-15. He also was an offensive analyst there in 2016 and at UConn in 2017.
Brewer could make sense for Group of Five head coaching opportunities.
Kansas State Assistant Head Coach Van Malone
Malone hasn’t been a head coach at the collegiate level yet, but he has a good amount of experience as a coordinator and positions coach at several FBS programs.
Malone, who is also a defensive passing game coordinator and a cornerbacks coach, has been at Kansas State since 2019. Last year, the Wildcats were 18th in passing efficiency defense (118.63) and were 10th in the country with 16 interceptions the season before. Several K-State defensive backs have earned All-Big 12 accolades during Malone’s tenure.
Previously, Malone was a defensive quality control coach at Mississippi State (2018) and a defensive coordinator at SMU (2015-17). He also worked with defensive backs at Oklahoma State (2012-14), Tulsa (2010-11), Texas A&M (2006-09), North Texas (2005), and Western Michigan (2004). He was a wide receivers coach at North Dakota State in 2003, so he has worked with both sides of the ball. He also coached special teams at Western Michigan and North Texas.
Malone’s overall experience would make him a great candidate.
