After Nick Saban retired at Alabama, multiple dominoes fell in the college football coaching world, and it has now affected the Group of Five.
Kalen DeBoer went from Washington to Alabama, then Jedd Fisch took over at Washington after being Arizona’s head coach. Now, San Jose State head coach Brent Brennan is reportedly going to replace Fisch. Brennan went 34-48 in seven years at SJSU, but the Spartans enjoyed three winning seasons over the last four years.
This all leaves another coaching opening in the Mountain West. Here’s a look at some coaches who would be worthy of consideration for the Spartans.
New Customer Offers at BetMGM
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Add’l Terms
San Jose State Defensive Coordinator And Associate Head Coach Derrick Odum
It’s not widely public if Derrick Odum will be following Brennan to Arizona, but he would be an obvious candidate for the Spartans.
Odum has coached some standout players while at SJSU. He worked with Viliami Fehoko, the 2022 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, and Cade Hall, the 2020 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.
Odum led SJSU’s defense in 2020 when the Spartans ranked 15th in the country in scoring defense en route to a Mountain West Championship. This past year, the Spartans were second in the conference in yards allowed per game (354.7) and fifth in points allowed per game (25.8).
Odum has been a coach at several other places as well. He’s been a secondary coach at Oregon State (2015-16), SMU (2008-14), Houston (2003-04), Utah State (2000-02), and Montana (1998-99) and was a safeties coach at his alma mater, Utah, from 2005-07.
San Jose State Offensive Coordinator Kevin McGiven
It’s also not immediately clear if Kevin McGiven will follow Brennan to Arizona. But if he doesn’t, he should be a strong candidate for SJSU as well.
McGiven is extremely familiar with the Mountain West and the region. He’s been the offensive coordinator at San Jose State since 2018 and the quarterbacks coach since 2021.
The Spartans were fourth in the Mountain West with 368.2 yards and 27.4 points per game in 2022. This past year, they were top five in both total yards (403.5 per game) and points (31.8 per game).
McGiven has also mentored quarterback Chevan Cordeiro. Cordeiro was a first-team all-conference selection this past season.
Before this, McGiven was the offensive coordinator at Oregon State from 2016-17 and OSU’s quarterbacks coach in 2015. He was also the OC at Utah State from 2013-14 before leading offenses in the FCS at Montana State (2012), Weber State (2007-08), and Southern Utah (2005).
McGiven has yet to be a Division I head coach, but he should obviously be one SJSU considers.
UNLV Offensive Coordinator Brennan Marion
Brennan Marion was in just his first season as UNLV’s offensive coordinator in 2023. However, he’s done well with the Rebels and has other coaching experience as a coordinator and elsewhere in the Mountain West.
Marion helped UNLV’s offense thrive in 2023. The Rebels were 22nd in the FBS in scoring offense with 34.4 points per game and were 42nd with 412.7 yards per game gained.
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 in 2017 and 2018, and a running backs coach at Oklahoma Baptist in 2016.
The expertise he brings would benefit San Jose State.
Montana State Head Coach Brent Vigen
Brent Vigen has been a popular name when it comes to Group of Five head coaching searches, and that’s for good reason.
Vigen has been Montana State’s head coach since 2021. The Bobcats are now widely regarded as a top-five FCS program.
That first year under Vigen, the Bobcats made their first national championship appearance since 1984. In 2022, Montana State reached the national semifinals before losing to the eventual champion, South Dakota State. This past year, the Bobcats reached the national quarterfinals.
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.
Vigen would be able to provide a steady presence at San Jose State.
Washington State Offensive Coordinator Ben Arbuckle
Ben Arbuckle was in his first season as Washington State’s OC and quarterbacks coach in 2023. But he’s made an impact quickly.
The Cougars were in the top 40 in the country in terms of scoring offense with 31.7 points per game and 421.7 yards per game. Former WSU quarterback Cameron Ward, who has transferred to Miami, was eighth in the country with 3,736 passing yards and was tied for 18th with 25 touchdowns through the air.
Before WSU, Arbuckle was a co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Western Kentucky. In 2022, the Hilltoppers were in the top 15 in the nation with yards per game (497.3) and points per game (36.4) as quarterback Austin Reed led the country with 4,746 yards and was third with 40 touchdowns.
Arbuckle hasn’t been coaching at the collegiate level long, but he was at one point on 247Sports’ 30-Under-30 list, which recognizes up-and-coming college football coaches.
If Arbuckle thinks about making another move, I could see San Jose State making sense if the Spartans are looking for a coach who’s regarded as a young rising star.
For more Group of Five coverage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Idaho Head Coach Jason Eck
Jason Eck doesn’t have much FBS experience, but has been highly successful at the FCS level and has connections in the Mountain West’s geographical footprint.
Eck was in his second season as Idaho’s head coach in 2023. The Vandals went 7-4 in 2022 and earned a trip to the postseason for the first time since 2016. This past year, they reached the FCS quarterfinals and were the No. 4 seed heading into the postseason.
Before that, he was the offensive coordinator at South Dakota State from 2019-21 and the team’s offensive line coach from 2016-19. Going back to 2000, he’s also been an assistant at Montana State, Minnesota State-Mankato, Western Illinois, Hampton, Ball State, Winona State, Colorado, and Wisconsin.
Eck has proven he can take a program to the next level and is the exact type of coach San Jose State would want.
