Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy
For the past two years, when a head coaching job opened up, Eric Bieniemy’s name came up. Every time, he’s declined a job to stay in Kansas City. While going to college would technically be a step down for Bieniemy, going back to Boulder where he used to play and coach would be a great fit. He was an All American for the Buffs in 1990 and coached in Boulder from 2001-2002 and again in 2011-2012 on the offensive side of the ball. He’d have success recruiting to his alma mater and could help make Colorado relevant again, much like when he was playing there.
Former TCU Head Coach Gary Patterson
I think Gary Patterson is getting the itch. There haven’t been any reports about this, but it’s got to be tough for a guy who was a head coach for twenty-two years to not be in that position now. Taking a year off and working with Sark has been a good experience, but he’s a guy that Colorado needs.
USC Defensive Coordinator Alex Grinch
Leaving Riley after spending the past four seasons with him will be tough, but Grinch is destined to be a head coach. He’s coached a ton of NFL defenders like Jeff Okudah, Chase Young, Kenneth Murray, and Neville Gallimore. Grinch gets guys to the league and develops really good defensive players. The PAC 12 is an offense-heavy conference that Grinch could neutralize as Colorado’s head coach.
Colorado Interim Head Coach Mike Sanford
Much like Wisconsin, it’d be easy to promote the guy in the interim position. He was hired to be the Buffs’ offensive coordinator for 2022 and has been thrust into the head coaching role pretty quickly. While he hasn’t had great success as a head coach, if he wins some games this year he’s a viable candidate. From 2017-2018 at Western Kentucky, he went 9-16.
Missouri State Head Coach Bobby Petrino
Take away all of Petrino’s baggage, and he’d be coaching at a power five school right now. Over his college coaching career, he has a 134-65 record and thirteen seasons with over eight wins. He’s a hell of a recruiter and is a proven winner, but age should be a concern. At 61, he’s probably close to retiring…again. Colorado could use him as a quick fix, but that’s not a great approach.
Baylor Offensive Coordinator Jeff Grimes
I’m a big fan of Jeff Grimes’ career. His offense over three seasons at BYU averaged 444.7 yards per game while he also developed Zach Wilson. Last season at Baylor, his offense averaged 423.5 yards per game and 3.8 touchdowns per game. He truly is an offensive mastermind. That’d be his first head coaching gig, but one that he really could blow out of the water.
North Dakota State Head Coach Matt Entz
Matt Entz has cultivated a powerhouse at NDSU since taking over as head coach in 2019. As a head coach, he has a record of 41-5 and two FCS titles. He’s been with the Bison since 2014 and knows how to win. The one thing that would hinder this hire is that Entz hasn’t had a job at a power five school. While NDSU is a really good program, coaching in the PAC 12 against Utah, Oregon, USC, and Washington is a gauntlet.
Illinois Defensive Coordinator Ryan Walters
Here’s another alumni that could come back to Boulder and take the reins. Walters was a safety for the Buffs from 2004-2008 and then was a student assistant in 2009 for Colorado. The 36 year old defensive minded coach has bounced around from Arizona, Oklahoma, Memphis, and got his first defensive coordinator gig at Missouri in 2016. A school like Colorado should bring an alum back to accumulate good will with the fan base. Bieniemy is the top option, but Walters isn’t a bad fallback.
Air Force Head Coach Troy Calhoun
I’ve brought up Troy Calhouns name for multiple jobs, but if he were to leave his alma mater, Colorado makes a lot of sense. He can stay in the state of Colorado and help a once great program return to prominence. His ability to recruit and succeed at Air Force is quite amazing. Now imagine what he can do with power five facilities and a power five budget.