Southern Miss head coach hot board: Top candidates to replace Will Hall

Southern Miss fired Will Hall on Sunday night after a 14-30 mark over four seasons, including a 1-6 start to 2024. The job was circled as one to watch entering the season, with Hall struggling to establish the program despite a proven track record from stints at West Georgia and West Alabama.

Southern Miss athletic director Jeremy McClain will run the search. The Golden Eagles are working with one of the smallest budgets at the FBS level.

So who will they hire? Let’s look at the top candidates:

Derrick Nix, Auburn offensive coordinator

A three-time all-conference selection at Southern Miss, Derrick Nix was a record-setting running back for the Golden Eagles and was named to the USM “Team of the Century.” He was the first player to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his freshman and sophomore in program history. After spending 16 seasons at Ole Miss, he jumped to Auburn last offseason. The 44-year-old offensive coordinator and running backs coach has a proven track record as a recruiter with the Rebels. Nix does not have head coaching experience but is expected to receive interest for the Southern Miss job.

Bryan Brown, Ole Miss co-defensive coordinator

The former Ole Miss defensive back joined his alma mater’s coaching staff last offseason as co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. Bryan Brown, a Mississippi native, was previously the defensive coordinator at Appalachian State, Louisville and Cincinnati with Scott Satterfield. A multiple-time Broyles Award nominee, the 40-year-old led the Bearcats’ defense to rank inside the top five in the Big 12 in passing defense (225.8) and first downs defense (238) in 2023. Brown’s name is now on Southern Miss athletic director Jeremy McClain’s radar, sources have told On3.

Patrick Surtain, Florida State defensive backs coach

Florida State defensive backs coach Patrick Surtain is a 1998 Southern Miss alum. The former second-round pick spent 11 years in the NFL between stints with the Dolphins and Chiefs. The two-time All-Pro retired in 2009 and joined the American Heritage High School staff in 2013 as defensive backs coach. He took over as head coach in 2016, coaching for six seasons and producing multiple NFL draft picks, including six in the 2021 NFL draft. After one year in the NFL as an assistant with the Dolphins, Surtain joined the Florida State staff in 2023 and helped land defensive back commits Charles Lester III and Cai Bates. With head coaching experience at the high school level, will the 48-year-old make a push to land back at his alma mater?

Bill Clark, former UAB head coach

Bill Clark retired ahead of the 2022 season due to back problems, but he is healthy and wants to get back into the game. In six seasons with the Blazers, he was 49–26 with five bowl appearances. He also went 32-12 in C-USA play. He has a proven track record as a winner and he has experience lifting a program from the bottom of a conference. The UAB football program was terminated after the 2014 season because of financial struggles. UAB reinstated football in June 2015 after public outcry, but the team did not return until 2017 as Clark rebuilt the program.

Bryant Vincent, Louisiana Monroe

Bryant Vincent led UAB to a 7-6 record as an interim coach in 2022 but did not get the interim tag removed. UAB picked Trent Dilfer, who is now 5-14 in two seasons with the Blazers. Meanwhile, Vincent has Louisiana Monroe at 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the Sun Belt, the best start since 1987. Picked to finish last in the Sun Belt’s West Division, they’ve only finished with a winning record once in the last 30 years. His name is tied to East Carolina, and he will be seriously considered for the UAB job when it opens. But Southern Miss is viewed as a step up in the Sun Belt.

Kane Wommack, Alabama defensive coordinator

Kane Wommack left South Alabama to team up with friend Kalen DeBoer at Alabama over the offseason. But the transition has not been smooth. After putting together an impressive game plan to beat Georgia, the Tide jumped out to a 28-0 lead before allowing 27 second-half points. Alabama escaped that game 41-34. The next week Alabama lost at Vanderbilt and gave up 40 points, angering fans. Could Southern Miss be his exit? Wommack’s father, Dave, spent six years at Southern Miss as a defensive coordinator and assistant. Kane Wommack was 22-16 in three seasons at South Alabama. He won a division title in 2022, finishing 10-3.

Freddie Roach, Alabama defensive line coach

The former Alabama linebacker, Freddie Roach has spent time as an assistant at East Mississippi Community College and Ole Miss. The 41-year-old defensive line coach returned to Tuscaloosa in 2020 for his third stint working on Nick Saban’s staff and is now with DeBoer.

Todd Hartley, Georgia tight ends coach

If Marshall decides to move on from Charles Huff at the end of the 2024 season, Todd Hartley is viewed as a critical name to watch. He spent four years in the 2010s on the Thundering Herd staff in various roles. Since joining the Georgia staff in 2019, he’s worked his way up to be Kirby Smart’s assistant head coach.

Jerry Mack, Jacksonville Jaguars running backs coach

A three-time HBCU Coach of the Year, Jerry Mack is viewed as a name to watch to land the Southern Miss job. The Memphis native was the head coach at North Carolina Central for four seasons, compiling a 31–15 record. He led the Eagles to at least a share of the MEAC title three times. The former Rice offensive coordinator previously spent three seasons as the Tennessee running backs coach before making the NFL jump this past offseason. During his time with the Volunteers, he recruited and developed Dylan Sampson, who ranks No. 10 in college football with 838 rushing yards this season.