West Virginia Football: Top 5 candidates to replace Dana Holgorsen
5. Jason Candle
Toledo head coach Jason Candle is due a big-time interview and West Virginia could be the right fit. Candle is young, an offensive-minded coach, and has recruited hotbed states like Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio which could all be funneled into Morgantown, WV. Candle would keep the offense spread out and throwing for big yardage as his Toledo quarterback, Mitchell Guadagni, was showing his accuracy and poise averaging 8.8 yards per passing attempt and tossing 13 touchdowns in half of a season.
Candle has strung together a 28-13 record including three bowl appearances (he also coached the bowl game when Matt Campbell left for ISU). Toledo finished the 2018 season ranked 48th in the S&P+ including 17th in offensive S&P+. The downside would be an 0-3 bowl record and the 95th ranked defense.
The Mountaineers have done a great job of sticking to the 3-3-5 defense but they could use a new coordinator after posting the 81st ranked defense per the S&P+ on the season. If Candle is the guy he will make the most out of quarterback Jack Allison who struggled in the bowl game against Syracuse.