Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson has retired after 11 seasons.
Johnson went 82-59 and won at least nine games four times, but averaged just six wins over the last four seasons and twice finished fifth or worse in the ACC Coastal.
With Johnson out, who might Georgia Tech target? Here's a list of potential candidates, divided into two categories: Triple Option and Non-Triple Option.
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Triple Option
Willie Fritz
If Georgia Tech wishes to stay with the triple option instead of potentially laboring through years of personnel transition, they have several good options, among them Tulane's third-year head coach Willie Fritz.
Fritz, 58, has won everywhere — high school, JUCO, Division II, FCS and FBS — and would be a nice compromise, because while he does run a triple option, his offenses pass often. Tulane has attempted more than 240 passes in each of his three seasons.
Jeff Monken
A former Paul Johnson assistant at Georgia Tech (2008-09), Jeff Monken, 51, has done remarkable work in five seasons at Army. Prior to his arrival, the Black Knights had one 10-win season. He's one win away from a second in two years.
Ken Niutmatalolo
Another former Paul Johnson assistant, Ken Niumatalolo was Johnson's associate head coach and offensive line coach at Navy from 2002-07.
Navy limped through a three-win season — their lowest win total since 2002, Johnson's second year as head coach — but Niumatalolo, 53, is still one of the most highly regarded coaches in the country and could provide a seamless transition.
Chad Lunsford
If Georgia Tech wants to keep the triple option but prefers a younger (and cheaper) coach, Georgia Southern's Chad Lunsford makes a lot of sense.
A Georgia native who's spent all but two years of his coaching career in the state, Lunsford took midseason last year after the disastrous Tyson Summers hire and led a seven-win turnaround (so far) this year.
He doesn't have Power Five coaching experience but, for what it's worth, was Auburn's director of scouting for four years.
Brian Bohannon
Another Georgia native who's spent most of his career in the state, Brian Bohannon is 36-11 in four seasons at Kennesaw State, a program he literally built. Prior, he was also an assistant under Johnson at Georgia Tech (2008-12), Navy (2002-07) and Georgia Southern (1997-2001).
Bohannon might be another year or two away from a big leap like FCS-to-ACC, but maybe Georgia Tech is willing to roll the dice for a highly respected coach.
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Non-Triple Option
Kliff Kingsbury
Georgia Tech attempted 114 passes this entire season. Texas Tech attempted 114 passes in each game of the Kliff Kingsbury era.
It doesn't get more anti-Paul Johnson than Kliff Kingsbury, who's rumored to be a candidate for several coordinator openings in the FBS and NFL. If he wants to remain a head coach and Georgia Tech wants a dramatic shift, might he be interested in building an offense from scratch?
Mike Houston
I'll just keep mentioning Mike Houston as a potential Power Five candidate until he's hired. Houston, 47, has done such a great job in three years at James Madison that it's impossible not to wonder when the right program will call.
UPDATE: Houston Expected to Take Charlotte Job
Mel Tucker
There's a lot to love about Mel Tucker's résumé. He has coordinator experience at Ohio State, Alabama and (currently) Georgia, has recruiting well in the southeast and is young-ish (46).
He could build an impressive staff in Atlanta.
Mike Norvell
If they ditch the triple option, it will take a calm, calculated coach to manage the roster and expectations. Mike Norvell can be that guy.
At Memphis, he led an impressive transition from Justin Fuente and has 26 wins and two AAC Championship appearances in three years.
Geoff Collins
Temple's Geoff Collins seems destined for a Power Five job in the southeast.
A Georgia native who's had two stints with the Yellow Jackets (1999-2001, 2006), Collins has been recruiting the region for 25 years, has Power Five coordinator experience (Mississippi State and Florida) and has won 15 games in two seasons at Temple.
