Mike Riley is walking on thin ice at Nebraska.
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The third-year head coach arrived late 2014 as the anti-Bo Pelini and has struggled to find consistency in Lincoln, where he does have a nine-win season (2016) but entered Week 11 with a 19-16 record. With new athletics director Bill Moos in town, there have been non-stop rumors about Riley's job security?
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If Riley is fired during or after the 2017 season, who might the Huskers target? Former quarterback Scott Frost is the overwhelmingly popular choice, but what if Nebraska can't get him? What if Frost goes to Florida or Tennessee? Or what if he prefers to stay at UCF for another year or two?
If Nebraska can't hire Frost, here are five potential candidates to replace Mike Riley at Nebraska.
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Les Miles
Current Position: N/A
Les Miles has repeatedly said he wants to return to coaching and is just waiting for the right opportunity. The 64-year-old former LSU coach is reportedly interested in the Oregon State vacancy, and while that's an intriguing fit, might a bigger program like Nebraska take a shot?
He's spent 10 of his first 15 years as an assistant in the Big Ten, faced Nebraska in the Big 12 while Oklahoma State offensive coordinator (1994-97) and head coach (2001-04) and has recruiting relationships in every corner of the country.
It's unclear if the Huskers want another older coach (Riley was 61 when hired in late 2014) but it's very clear that Miles is a high-quality coach who knows how to win.
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Chad Morris
Current Position: Head Coach – SMU
Eight years ago, Chad Morris was a Texas high school football coach. Now he's leading a remarkable turnaround at SMU and is one of the most sought-after Group of Five coaches in the country.
The 48-year-old third-year SMU coach was previously offensive coordinator at Clemson and is one of the brightest and most creative offensive minds in college football. He has never worked in the midwest and has almost no recruiting experience in the area but wouldn't have issues finding playmakers elsewhere to fit his system.
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Jason Candle
Current Position: Head Coach – Toledo
Matt Campbell is not leaving Iowa State for Nebraska. No chance. So why not go after his successor at Toledo, Jason Candle?
While the 37-year-old second-year Rockets' coach has never worked at another FBS program, he is a superb talent evaluator and developer and is 17-6 entering this weekend. He's not the home-run hire Huskers' fans want but is a young up-and-comer who, if given time in Lincoln, could bring much-needed energy and consistency.
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Joe Moorhead
Current Position: Offensive Coordinator – Penn State
The lone coordinator on the list, Joe Moorhead is getting an FBS head coaching job whenever he wants one.
He left the head coaching job at Fordham last year to become Penn State's offensive coordinator and has transformed a stale, predictable unit into one of the nation's best. Moorhead is still just 44 years old and while this is his first Power Five job, he'd be a worthwhile consideration for Nebraska.
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Mike Norvell
Current Position: Head Coach – Memphis
Like Scott Frost, Mike Norvell has never battled adversity in his two seasons as a Group of Five head coach, his first-ever head coaching job, which may deter some programs from investing in him.
Just 36 years old, Norvell was offensive coordinator at Pittsburgh (2011) and Arizona State (2012-15) before arriving at Memphis, where he is 16-6 in two years. He might be another year away from a Power Five job, though the Huskers could jump on him at a discounted rate before he keeps racking up wins.
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