Arkansas Football: Top 9 candidates who could replace Chad Morris

The established Power Five head coach

Just two coaches on this list. This is a hard because you have to figure out who would leave their current job to go to Arkansas. There are two coaches with the ties, and the offensive uniqueness to take the job.

Mike Leach, Washington State

Mike Leach might be a stretch just because he’s happy in Pullman. The fact that he turned down an opportunity to coach in the SEC before might mean he’ll turn one down again. Leach does know Texas from his time coaching Texas Tech, and his Air-Raid offense would ease the transition between coaches, and recruiting wouldn’t be an issue because Leach would have many of the pieces he needs in place already.

Maybe he didn’t want the Knoxville pressure cooker, but Fayetteville is a bit out of the way — kind of like Pullman.

Gus Malzahn, Auburn

The last time we were here, Auburn loved the Gus Bus so much they gave him a raise instead of losing him to the Razorbacks. Since then, he’s been on his way out at least twice with a boosters saying — according to Ivan Maisel of ESPN — that his buyout wouldn’t be an issue. Gus is perfect for Arkansas.

Besides playing at Arkansas, he started his coaching career in Arkansas — at the high school level — and became one of the great high school coaches in Arkansas history.

Besides all the Arkansas coaching ties, coach Malzahn is a man that loves the culture around the college game and town. He’s the coach that talks to the locals at the Waffle House after the game. I don’t know if he’ll get another raise, but if the timing is right, the Razorbacks and Malzahn would be a wonderful marriage. He might even get Joey Gatewood, too.