After a successful run, Tim Albin is out as Ohio’s head coach.
He led the Bobcats to a MAC Championship this season with a win over Miami (Ohio) in the league title game. They’ve been one of the best teams in the conference the past few years.
But he has become the next head coach at Charlotte, which means Ohio will need to find a new head coach.
Here are some names the program might consider.
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Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock
Denbrock would make a ton of sense for Ohio if he were interested.
Denbrock has coached in the area for years. He’s worked with offensive linemen, tight ends, and wide receivers over the years at Notre Dame, but he’s also coached at a variety of other schools as well. He was LSU’s OC and tight ends coach before this from 2022-23, and he was an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Cincinnati from 2017-21.
Denbrock hasn’t been a head coach at the collegiate level, but he has been an associate head coach, including at Notre Dame from 2015-16 and at Indiana State in 2009.
Denbrock’s name has come up plenty of times when it comes to college football hot seats and potential head coaching hires this season. If he were open to taking a G5 head coaching job, Ohio would be a good fit.
Indiana Defensive Coordinator Bryant Haines
Haines followed Curt Cignetti from James Madison to Indiana, and he has been stellar as the Hoosiers’ DC thus far.
After the regular season, Indiana was second in the FBS in terms of total defense (244.8 yards allowed per game) and sixth in scoring defense (14.67 points allowed per game).
Before his current job, he was instrumental in JMU’s transition to the Sun Belt. He was promoted to DC and linebackers coach after three years as a co-defensive coordinator.
In just their first season as an FBS program, the Dukes allowed the eighth-fewest yards per game in the country with 290.2 while allowing just 20.9 points per game. They were also top 10 in rushing defense, tackles for loss per game, first downs allowed, sacks per game, third-down defense, and fumble recoveries.
In 2023, JMU was in the top 20 in the FBS with 19.5 points per game allowed and the top 30 in the country with 333.8 yards per game allowed.
Illinois Defensive Backs Coach Corey Parker
Parker is a Power Four assistant with knowledge of the MAC and the region.
Parker is in his first season coaching defensive backs at Illinois. The Fighting Illini are tied for 40th in the FBS in terms of scoring defense with 22.08 points per game allowed following the regular season.
Before this, he was a cornerbacks coach at Toledo from 2022-23. And his most notable accomplishment there was coaching Quinyon Mitchell, who was the clear No. 1 NFL prospect from the Group of Five. He was drafted in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Parker was also a high school head coach in the state of Michigan at River Rouge High School. The team was 113-34 and won a state title during Parker’s tenure.
Parker would make sense for Ohio.
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 has the experience needed, including in the MAC, to be a great candidate.
Idaho Head Coach Jason Eck
Eck is one of the top head coaches in the FCS, and he has familiarity with the MAC as well.
Eck is in his third season as Idaho’s head coach. The Vandals went 7-4 during the regular season in 2022, earning a trip to the postseason for the first time since 2016, and were 9-4 last year as they reached the FCS quarterfinals. They were 9-3 after the 2024 regular season and have the No. 8 seed in the FCS Playoffs.
Previously, 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 Ohio would want.
Texas A&M Offensive Line Coach Adam Cushing
Cushing has been an assistant at multiple FBS schools and has head coaching experience, which could make him one for Ohio to consider.
He’s in his first season as Texas A&M’s offensive line coach and run game coordinator. The Aggies are 22nd in the country with 199.2 rushing yards per game after the regular season.
Before this, he was a run game coordinator and offensive line coach at Duke for two seasons. And before that, he was Eastern Illinois’ head coach from 2019-21.
Previously, he worked in several roles at Northwestern. While there, he was an offensive line coach (2012-18), an offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator (2009-11), a superbacks coach and recruiting coordinator (2008), a tight ends/H-Backs coach (2005-07), and a graduate assistant who focused on the offensive line (2004).
He could end up being a coach to watch out for during Ohio’s search.
