Washington Head Coach Hot Board: Candidates to replace Kalen DeBoer

Kalen DeBoer took Washington to the national title game in year two, and now he’s headed to Alabama where he’ll be expected to win the national title every year. So who will the Huskies hire to replace DeBoer?

There aren’t a lot of obvious candidates, so let’s explore the possibilities…

Ryan Grubb, Washington offensive coordinator

Grubb is a huge reason for the Huskies’ success under DeBoer, so it would make sense to promote him and try to keep some of the same magic. Grubb has worked with DeBoer for most of his career, and he likely would run the program in a similar fashion. But would first-year Washington athletic director Troy Dannen hand the keys to someone who hasn’t been a head coach? Dannen’s last hire (at Tulane) was Willie Fritz, and head-coaching experience at multiple levels was a key reason. 

Which brings us to…

Lance Leipold, Kansas

Do you want a coach similar to DeBoer? Then hire one who took a similar path. DeBoer was winning in the NAIA as a young coach. As he hit middle age, Leipold was dominating Division III. He won six national titles at Wisconsin-Whitewater before he was hired to resurrect Buffalo’s program. After being hired in Lawrence late in spring practice in 2021, Leipold has turned Kansas from the biggest laughingstock in the FBS to a competitive Big 12 program that is an absolute blast to watch.

Or…

Chris Klieman, Kansas State

Klieman won four FCS national titles at North Dakota State before taking over for Bill Snyder at Kansas State. He has proven he can develop talent, but his recruitment of Kansas-native five-star quarterback Avery Johnson — the highest rated prospect Kansas State has ever signed — also shows he can bring in highly sought after recruits. The Washington coach must be able to do both, and Klieman can.

Jedd Fisch, Arizona

It’s unclear whether the 47-year-old Fisch’s next move would be to the NFL, where he worked for eight different organizations during his career. He also has been the offensive coordinator at Michigan and Miami, so he’s capable of succeeding in different regions at the college level. What Fisch has done at Arizona is nothing short of remarkable. He took over one of the worst roster situations in the FBS and built a winner quickly through high school recruiting and through the transfer portal. Washington saw Fisch up close last season in a one-touchdown Huskies win in Tucson. But while these programs have been in the same league, they’re both headed elsewhere. Arizona will be in the Big 12 and Washington will be in the Big Ten, and that makes the Washington job a much better destination.

Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri

Drinkwitz just won 11 games at Missouri, but the SEC also just got a lot more difficult. He’s an Arkansas native who has worked mainly in the South — are we calling Missouri the South now that it’s in the SEC? — but he did spend two seasons at Boise State. So he is willing to leave the region. The question is whether he’d be willing to leave an SEC job where he’s having success. And that raises another question: How much more likely is Washington to win in the Big Ten than Missouri is to win in the SEC on a year-to-year basis?

Kyle Whittingham, Utah

Whittingham took over for Urban Meyer in 2005 and has been one of college football’s best coaches ever since. He turns 65 in November, but anyone who has ever met Whittingham knows conditioning and energy aren’t problems. Had the Pac-12 held together, I wouldn’t even make this suggestion. But with Washington headed to the Big Ten and Utah to the Big 12, these are different level jobs. Whittingham likely retires at Utah, but he’s exactly the kind of coach who could keep Washington in national title contention.

Chris Petersen, Fox Sports analyst

I don’t know if former Washington coach Petersen would want to deal with the NIL/transfer portal era, but if Washington wants a steady hand on the till as the Huskies move into the Big Ten, there isn’t a steadier one. We know he’s Washington’s kind of guy.