Penn State and now Florida headline the group of programs who are spinning in the college football coaching carousel. There appears to be a consensus group of names being floated as potential candidates for the Gators.
Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin, Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz and former Penn State head coach James Franklin are among the individuals who could make some sense in Gainesville. Yet, there is one sleeper candidate who is also being mentioned as a fit at Florida.
Both On3 and ESPN list Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman as a potential candidate for Florida to explore. On3’s Andy Staples believe the Gators’ chances to lure Freeman away from Notre Dame is low, but pushed Florida to at least make a call.
“If you have a premium job opening like Florida or Penn State, you’re not doing your job as an athletic director if you don’t at least inquire as to whether Freeman might be interested,” Staples wrote on Sunday. “He’s going to say no, but you need to ask.”
Freeman is less than one year removed from signing a contract extension keeping him with Notre Dame for six seasons. 247Sports reported that Freeman earned an annual bump in salary up to $9 million from $7 million.
Fresh off a run to the national title game, it is going to be challenging for Florida or another college football program to lure Freeman away from South Bend. The Gators would be banking on the appeal of coaching in the SEC and being located in a recruiting hotbed as potential selling points.
“Every coaching search, especially one for a coveted job such as Florida’s, needs a shoot-your-shot candidate or two,” ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg detailed on Sunday. “Freeman seems very happy at Notre Dame, which has rewarded him financially and probably will continue to do so this offseason, especially if he returns to the CFP.
“Notre Dame certainly doesn’t want to lose a second consecutive coach to an SEC team, but Freeman, 39, is one of the hottest coaches on the market and would energize Florida with his on-field track record and his recruiting approach. …Florida would be foolish not to at least gauge his interest.”