The University of Utah is in the thick of a crucial search for an offensive coordinator. It’s a search both head coach Kyle Whittingham and head coach in waiting, Morgan Scalley, are conducting, all while Whittingham decides his own future.
What UteNation can say is that this impending hire has the makings of primarily a Morgan Scalley decision. When the keys are handed fully to Scalley, his preference is an uptempo spread offense. He wants an offense that is quarterback-friendly and can rack up the points. That’s the Urban Meyer flare to his desired head coaching style, and that’s exactly the type of names they’re targeting, which is a drastic change to the Whittingham-era.
The program finds itself doing a unique balance. The names on this list are counter to Whittingham’s offensive philosophy of ball-control. Some of the names on this list will happily take a P4 promotion. Others — including one on this list — likely will be more open to the role if they know the offense will be under Scalley’s vision in 2025.
The program would like the announcement to be before December 4th. Because of the timing, some qualified names that could bring Utah intrigue but won't be in the mix are Brian Johnson (quarterbacks coach, Washington Commanders) and Mike McCoy (quarterbacks coach, Jacksonville Jaguars).
Here are some hot candidates to pay attention to:
Ben Arbuckle – Washington State
One of the hottest names on the market and a perceived favorite, Arbuckle is the youngest name on this list but he’s had massive success in his three years leading college offenses. In 2022, Western Kentucky finished No. 6 in nation in yards per game, first in passing, and No. 15 in points per game.
Over the last two seasons at Washington State, he has continued his success in the passing game with Cam Ward and John Mateer. The Cougars are No. 12 in total yards, No. 19 in passing yards, and No. 7 in scoring offense so far this season.
The only question is, could Oklahoma strike with Arbuckle first?
Tom Herman – recent FAU head coach
Another former Urban Meyer assistant, Herman has recently become available after being fired as the head coach at Florida Atlantic earlier this month. Herman was extremely successful as an offensive coordinator and in his first stint as a head coach at Houston, and it led to a head coaching job with the Texas Longhorns.
Herman had four winning seasons at Texas, but it was not good enough to satisfy the Longhorn faithful. He was let go at the end of the 2020 season. He spent a season working with the Chicago Bears, and then took the head job for the Owls in 2023.
In his four seasons at Texas, he helped Sam Ehlinger finish with 11,436 yards passing, 94 touchdowns, 1,907 yards rushing, and only 27 interceptions.
If the Utes could bring in Herman, it would likely only be for a short stint, but he would be an immediate boost to recruiting and the offense. Does he want to take a break from coaching or does the fire burn to take a step back and make a name for himself, again?
Dan Mullen – recent Florida head coach
Mullen, the quarterbacks coach and interim offensive coordinator of the 2004 Fiesta Bowl Champs, has been out of coaching since being let go from the Florida Gators in 2021. He spent eight years working with Urban Meyer, and has worked with several notable successful quarterbacks, including Alex Smith, Dak Prescott, and Kyle Trask.
He’s being paid by Florida through the 2026 season and that won’t be effected if he takes an offensive coordinator role. If the Utes could convince him to leave ESPN to come back to the sidelines at Rice-Eccles Stadium, he would be a slam dunk hire.
Mack Leftwich – Texas State
Another young candidate (he just turned 30), Leftwich has had immediate success working with college quarterbacks. He was the primary recruiter of Cam Ward and was his quarterback coach in 2021 when Ward threw for 4,648 yards and 47 touchdowns.
After Ward left in 2022, he was promoted to offensive coordinator and QB Lindsey Scott Jr. threw for 4,657 yards and 60 touchdowns, while also running for 712 yards. The Cardinals led all of FCS with 52 points and 581 total yards per game.
He continued his success at Texas State, where he led the 2023 Bobcats offense to score 33.3 points per game (#20 in FBS) despite averaging 19.9 points per game in 2022. This season, Texas State is now 5th in FBS in total yards per game (468.3) and 9th in scoring offense (36.6 point per game).
Much like Arbuckle, Leftwich has proven his ability at the Group of Five level, and will likely be seeking a bigger payday and new opportunity.
Brent Vigen — Montana State head coach
Brent Vigen is known as an innovative offensive mind. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at FCS powerhouse North Dakota State University in 1998. Vigen then joined Craig Bohl's staff at Wyoming as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He’s been key over the years in the development of quarterbacks Josh Allen and Carson Wentz. Vigen was named head coach at Montana State in 2021, leading the team to two Big Sky Conference titles and a 44-9 overall record.
Is he willing to take a positional step backwards to be an offensive coordinator at the P4 level? Or will he take his chances on eventually being a G5 head coach?
Brennan Marion – UNLV
Marion has been a popular name in all of college football after putting UNLV back on the map the last two seasons. In 2023, UNLV had the 17th best scoring offense (33.7 points per game) and 46th best in total offense. This season, the Rebels have continued to improve with the 8th best scoring offense (38.7 points per game) and are 35th best in total offense (426.3 yards per game). He has been able to maintain the success this season despite having the team’s original starting quarterback, Matthew Sluka, leave the team over NIL issues.
Prior to his time at UNLV, Marion spent time as the offensive coordinator at Howard and William and Mary, the receivers coach at Hawaii and Pittsburgh, and as the passing game coordinator at Texas, working with Quinn Ewers.
This might be his best season to cash in on his success. Florida State might be the most likely destination for him.
Tim Cramsey — Memphis
Tim Cramsey got his college coaching career started at his alma mater, the University of New Hampshire, in 2003. He became offensive coordinator there in 2009 and has had that title wherever he’s been since: FIU, Montana State, Nevada, Sam Houston State, Marshall, and now Memphis.
In 2024, Memphis so far ranks No. 20 in scoring offense, No. 24 in passing offense, but they struggle running the ball at No. 102. That being said, Cramsey has also overseen prolific rushing attacks, showing he’s adaptable to his players.
Cramsey was a 2023 nominee for the Broyles Award given to the nation’s top assistant. He’s had consistently solid offenses at every stop.
Jordan Davis — North Texas
Jordan Davis has steadily built his coaching career, starting as a graduate assistant at Texas Tech in 2016. There he became another disciple of the Air Raid. He then went to the University of the Incarnate Word in 2018, where he served as the wide receivers coach and later became the associate head coach. In 2022, Davis joined Washington State as an offensive analyst before moving to North Texas in 2023, where he currently serves as the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach.
His offensive coordinator experience isn’t long, but he’s built North Texas into a dangerous passing offense, currently No. 4 nationally averaging 335.8 points per game. Of course, they’re also No. 129 in rushing offense, so Davis would have to show that he’s willing to adapt.
Additional:
Joe Craddock — Tulane
Craddock’s head coach Jon Sumrall is expected to be a hot name on the coaching market, leaving open the possibilities of a promotion for Craddock or to follow Sumrall. He’s an intriguing name, but he should have other opportunities worth pursuing.
Kyle Cefalo — Utah State
Cefalo won’t be a flashy name, but he’s learned under a bright offensive mind in Blake Anderson. 2024 was his first year as the primary play-caller and the Aggies currently are No. 8 in total offense, No. 20 in passing, and No. 30 in rushing. He won’t be one of the top names on the wish list, but what Cefalo was able to do during a season the Aggies were led by an interim head coach, is absolutely notable.
