Many have opined about what the best available job in college football is right now. This list is subject to change as the Mike Norvell era at Florida State is seemingly drawing to a close, but the current jobs available in the Power 4 conferences include Florida, LSU, Auburn, UCLA, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, Penn State, and Arkansas. Several other coaches who may have otherwise been fired under normal circumstances have received a Billy Napier style vote of confidence from their respective ADs due to the great number of other openings.
Of the jobs listed above, I want to examine three. These happen to be my top three jobs available at the moment, and they are Florida, LSU, and Auburn. Let’s talk about Florida first.
The Florida Gators emerged from obscurity and NCAA punishment in the 1990s and revolutionized offensive football in the SEC. The Gators would win 8 SEC championships and 3 national championships from 1991-2008, consistently dominating the conference in that time. But that was then. Since the departure of legendary quarterback Tim Tebow, Florida has struggled immensely. The Gators are searching for their 5th coach in 15 years, and have only appeared in three SEC championship games in that time frame. (They were dispatched by Alabama in each of those three appearances). The once proud program is also known the brink of suffering its 5th losing season since 2013. In spite of all this, Florida is still considered a highly coveted coaching gig. Proximity to recruits, aligned boosters, first class facilities, and an ultra-passionate fan base create a perfect opportunity for the right coach to win big and win immediately.
LSU was once considered to be the best job available. The Governor of the state then promptly announced that coaches wouldn’t be getting big contracts and buyouts, stuck his nose in coaching and firing decisions, and insulted the biggest coaching agent in all of sports. Also, the university just a couple of years ago fired a national champion head coach, and they are now in a legal battle with their most recent head coach over paying the buyout money out. All this combined with not knowing how many bosses you will have to deal with greatly reduce the lustre of the job, but it will still be a highly sought after position.
Auburn is an interesting one. They have had success in the not too distant past, but recently they have been severely underperforming. This school has potential to be great, but what is the commitment like from the big money guys? How willing is the athletic department to spend big to get a big time coach? The last two coaches have been G5 hires that just haven’t worked out. Will Auburn go after a bigger name? And can they get that name to come? Just a couple years ago they were spurned by Lane Kiffin. What is the perception of Auburn? Dumpster fire.
Of the three jobs discussed, Florida is the clear number 1 option. Billy Napier was given 4 seasons to put together a winning program with minimal intervention from the athletic department or boosters. Recruiting is more accessible, and the fan base is the most passionate in the country.
College Football Digest 