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Arkansas Football: Top 9 candidates who could replace Chad Morris

By Dante Pryor

OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI - SEPTEMBER 07: Head coach Chad Morris of the Arkansas Razorbacks reacts during the second half of a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 07, 2019 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI - SEPTEMBER 07: Head coach Chad Morris of the Arkansas Razorbacks reacts during the second half of a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 07, 2019 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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CLEMSON, SC – SEPTEMBER 10: Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables of the Clemson Tigers calls out a play during the game against the Troy Trojans at Memorial Stadium on September 10, 2016 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Tyler Smith/Getty Images)
CLEMSON, SC – SEPTEMBER 10: Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables of the Clemson Tigers calls out a play during the game against the Troy Trojans at Memorial Stadium on September 10, 2016 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Tyler Smith/Getty Images) /

The hot Power Five coordinator

This could be the other direction the Razorbacks take. They could go the route of taking the Power Five coordinator. Specifically one that might be looking to get back in the head coach’s chair.

There are some young assistants out there, but maybe not enough with the experience to be head coach.

Brent Venables, Clemson DC

Short and sweet, any time you have a job opening, of course you kick the tires to see if Brent Venables wants to become a head coach. He’s the best defensive coordinator in the country, and the best assistant who has never been a head coach. He started coaching in Manhattan, Kan., and then went to Norman, Okla., and was Bob Stoops’ defensive coordinator.

One of the reasons he makes sense for the Razorbacks is where he’s coached. He knows and understands the need to recruit Texas to be successful. The larger question is whether or not the Razorbacks would go with a defensive coach after going offense twice, and if Venables wants to give up his cushy gig at Clemson.

Steve Sarkisian, Alabama OC

“Coach Sark” might be ready to try to lead a program again. Steve Sarkisian does come with his baggage, however — he was unceremoniously dismissed from USC  in 2015. He makes sense for Arkansas because, well, have you seen the receivers at Alabama? Chad Morris has stockpiled wide outs and quarterbacks for that matter, so Sarkisian would have something to work with. Is Sark ready to join the long list of Saban assistants trying to beat him?

Rich Rodriguez, Ole Miss OC

Arkansas is the type of program that thrives on a niche offense. Houston Nutt was successful at Arkansas because he ran an offense that you only saw once a year. This is what you get with a Rich Rodriguez offense. They run that power-option/multiple-formation spread. He had great success with it at West Virginia, and he’d have success with it at Arkansas because he can recruit a specific type of player, so classes won’t matter, and if anything they’d light up that scoreboard and it would be fun.

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