3. There are too many good openings to pass up in the FBS ranks
Chris Petersen has never been about choosing the flashy opportunity. He bided his time for years at Boise State while one opening after another came and went, before he finally decided to leave the Smurf Turf and head to Montlake to coach the Huskies. While his name has come up in the past as a candidate for big jobs, he has passed them up over the years.
At this point, though, Petersen still has dreams to achieve. The College Football Playoff is still hovering elusively off in the distance, begging Petersen to try to put together one more national title run.
Even without that goal, the way 2019 transpired in Seattle is hardly the way Petersen wants to go out. For now he is happy enough to give Washington the impression he will stick around and mentor Lake and the rest of the team. But wait for a storied program like USC to come calling, and it will be much harder to stay sidelined in an advisory role.
Though he has not been the type of guy to focus on his legacy too deeply, a little time away from the sport will make all of the powerhouses that come calling look more and more attractive over time.