Eight Coaching Candidates Poised to Be Texas A&M's Next Head Coach

One of the most expensive firings in the history of sports has been made official. Texas A&M officially parted ways with Jimbo Fisher on Saturday, ending a relationship that became increasingly volatile (and unsuccessful) in recent years.

In doing so, the Aggies will pay Fisher a reported $76.8 million in the years to come. With ample resources available, the school—along with the boosters influencing behind the scenes—felt the financial hit was worth it.

Now, a fascinating job has opened up. With a roster full of former blue-chip prospects, the interest in the vacancy could be significant. And despite the mighty sum A&M will pay its former coach, there will still be plenty of money to go around.

Who will the Aggies target? Here are some ideas.

The connections are obvious and real.

Mike Elko thrived as Texas A&M's defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021, leaving the Aggies to become head coach at Duke. Since departing, he's seen his coaching profile grow longer while guiding the Blue Devils to great success.

Under Elko, A&M was widely regarded as one of the best defenses in college football. When he left, the defense never felt the same.

While there are sexier potential hires, this one simply fits. Elko knows the program, has recruited the state of Texas and would likely mold a top-10 defense overnight.

Pair him with a quality OC, and this one starts to look pretty good.

A lot to like.

On the topic of knowing the state of Texas, enter Jeff Traylor.

Before he became the head coach at UTSA, he was a star at the Texas high school level. After bouncing around colleges as an assistant, he was given an opportunity to lead the Roadrunners in 2020. He hasn't looked back since.

Now in his fourth year, Traylor is 37–13 with UTSA. After a slow start in 2023, it has turned things around of late.

Relationships and state familiarity are obviously an enormous plus. Oh, and he's clearly an excellent coach still coming into his own.

As was the case with Elko, his name won't exactly generate massive applause, but he's destined for Power Five job in the near future.

At this point, what's not to like?

In his second year of coaching, Dan Lanning is 19-4 with Oregon. The 37-year-old oversaw the Georgia defense—one of the greatest we've seen—before taking the job in Eugene prior to the 2022 season.

Since then, he's looked like one of the best young coaches in college football. Oregon is currently No. 1 nationally in scoring offense and No. 12 nationally in scoring defense. While there is still plenty of work to do, the Ducks could be primed for a playoff run if the season plays out accordingly.

As it relates to A&M, Lanning's experience in the SEC as both a coach and recruiter is a valued asset. In the last two years, he's also taken to being a head coach with a major program with relative ease.

Let's be clear about this: The Aggies have to call Lanning.

He might not take the job, but the search should start here above all others.

Lanning isn't the only Pac-12 coach likely to generate interest from other programs.

In his second season with Washington, Kalen DeBoer has guided the Huskies to a 21-2 record in that time. This year, they have still to lose a game.

Before that, DeBoer turned Fresno State around. And before that, he turned the University of Sioux Falls into a force at the NAIA level.

He's won everywhere, and he's also proved he can win big games. Washington's performance against Oregon earlier in the season is perhaps the biggest moment of the season to date.

There simply aren't many holes in his resume. If A&M landed DeBoer, the program would be in great hands moving forward.

Sure, last week was rough. Ole Miss was absolutely crushed by Georgia.

Lane Kiffin's team showed some fight early, but the game unraveled from there. However, we don't consider coaching resumes in one-week chunks.

While conference championships have alluded Kiffin, he's blossomed into an excellent coach in his second act. The days of being fired on the tarmac are long dead. He is an excellent offensive coach who can recruit. He's also done excellent with the transfer portal, which is a must.

The 48-year-old, of course, has been connected to other SEC programs since arriving at Ole Miss. It felt like he could be destined to be Auburn's next head coach for a while.

If A&M comes calling—and it could do a heck of a lot worse than this—Kiffin should listen. With incredible resources, the combination could be enticing.

In a stretch of about 15 months, Mike Norvell has gone from hot-seat candidate to one of the most coveted coaches in the sport. Such is the life in college football.

What makes this situation so fascinating, however, is that the 42-year-old has essentially done for Florida State what Texas A&M is trying to accomplish. He brought a school with great history and resources back to life in a relatively short period of time.

He did the same at Memphis, which served as a launching pad for his current success in Tallahassee.

In short, he checks just about every box. And he's also a coach who has evolved with the game in its current state, specifically when it comes to roster management and the transfer portal.

Norvell has a good thing going at Florida State, where the regular yearly competition won't be as stiff. But the resources and the money could also be enticing.

Between North Dakota State and Kansas State, Chris Klieman has an overall record of 109-36 as a head coach.

Not too shabby.

Last year, despite operating against stiff competition he led Kansas State to the Big 12 Championship Game and a 10-win season. He's helped lead K-State to a 7-3 mark this year with potential to add to that win total before the regular season is done.

Nationally, Klieman might be the most underrated coach in the sport. Given what he has done at his previous and current stops, it's also fair to wonder how he would be able to perform at a place with such significant resources.

While he might not be at the top of the list, he would fill the vacancy quite nicely.

No matter the school or stakes, Lance Leipold has won everywhere.

He won big at Wisconsin–Whitewater, Buffalo and now at Kansas. And while the Aggies don't need a Kansas-level turnaround, it's hard not to connect these unique dots.

For many years, Kansas was the doormat of college football, but the 59-year-old has revitalized the school in a few years. That transformation has made him a popular name in the coaching world. Michigan State (and others) will undoubtedly have interest.

The Aggies feel like a bit of an odd fit, although perhaps they shouldn't. Leipold has brought stability and success wherever he's gone, and he's done so quickly.

This is a program that has been in search of both of those attributes for some time. On Day 1, it would be instantly improved.