One man's abdication is another man's coronation. With the announcement of Bob Stoops' retirement at Oklahoma, offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley will take the reigns of the Sooner Schooner as it heads into Baker Mayfield's last season of eligibility.
Riley's new opportunity begs the question, which Big 12 assistant is next in line for a leading role?[divider]
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Mike Yurcich, Offensive Coordinator, Oklahoma State
The Cowboys offense has finished in the Top 20 in three of Yurchich's four seasons, keeping up the tradition established by predecessors Jeff Monken and Dana Holgorsen before they bolted for head coaching gigs.
Yurcich's most impressive commendation might have come this offseason when he received the Nick Saban seal of approval when the Alabama legend contacted him to fill the Tide's vacant OC position.[divider]
Doug Meachem, Offensive Coordinator, Kansas
I know what you're thinking: let's see how he does with the Jayhawks before we sign Meachem up for any HC interviews. But there are few things better for a football resume than having a hand in turning around a struggling program, and that's the opportunity Meachem has before him with Kansas. Before heading to Lawrence, Meachem had success transforming TCU from a defensive stalwart into a balanced juggernaut.
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If he can help David Beaty reverse fortune and get to a bowl game in the next two years, you can expect Meachem to get a shot running his own program.[divider]
Tony Gibson, Defensive Coordinator, West Virginia
Given the offensive explosion in today's game, it would be great to see someone like Gibson get rewarded for his dedication to the defensive side of the ball. Gibson's 3-3-5 defense was put on the earth to be the immovable object to the spread offense's unstoppable force. In the high-scoring Big 12 the Mountaineers have ranked second in scoring defense in each of the past two years, cementing Gibson as a rising star.
The biggest obstacle to a Gibson promotion might be his love for his home state of West Virginia.[divider]
Todd Orlando, Defensive Coordinator, Texas
The next two candidates have the benefit of riding the meteoric coattails of Tom Herman as he begins his career at resource-rich Texas. Orlando has been no slouch himself, and proved to be a great compliment to Herman during their time together in Houston.
In Orlando's first season in Houston, the Cougars led the nation in takeaways, and finished 11th in sacks and fourth in run defense. With even more talent available to him at Texas, it won't be long before Orlando finds himself at the helm of a Power 5 school.[divider]
Tim Beck, Offensive Coordinator, Texas
Beck joins Herman's staff after previously replacing him as the offensive coordinator at Ohio State. While his time running the show wasn't as successful as his predecessor, still had the Buckeyes as one of the top 30 scoring programs in each of his two years. As an added value to any team he might oversee in the future, Beck has deep roots in talent-laden Texas as a former high school coach.
