Welcome back to another coach candidate list, this time it is an update to my Northern Illinois list that is right below here.
Also, here is my new link for the 2026 season
Let's get this out of the way, Northern Illinois is not that good. They are 0-3 and a 10 point underdog to Georgia State tomorrow, who has only won six games since 2024. The season looks grim and it really does not appear Rob Harley will be retained after the season is over. Now, it also does not seem to be a whole lot of names thrown around for this job, so I have came up with some names that I feel like deserve to be mentioned while also reshaping my list at the same time.
The Only Known Candidate
Rob Harley, Northern Illinois (Interim; 2026 season only)
Harley took over for Thomas Hammock, who left to return to the NFL as a RB coach for the Seattle Seahawks. But, the only reason he is at the top is because he is the only known candidate for this job as everyone else are speculative. I have a hard time believing that the Huskies will retain Harley after this season, despite only playing three games so far this season.
The Best Possible
Nick Benedetto, Fresno State (DC; 2025-?)
This is a name I mentioned in the previous list, and I am still pretty high on him. Former NIU DC (whom Harley replaced) has been lights out in his second season at Fresno State is a rising star in the NCAA. The Huskies should look into Benedetto and offer him a HC spot before a Big 12 or Big Ten school swoops him, if Northern Illinois wants to go this direction.
Scottie Hazelton, Wake Forest (DC; 2025-?)
I really like Hazelton, and this is more strategic than anything. Hazelton has been a great DC at Wake and his previous stops at Michigan State, Kansas State, and Wyoming (foreshadow). Hazelton is also a Mountain West guy being born in Colorado and being a Craig Bohl disciple, but have Midwest and Big Ten ties that helps mesh the two together with Northern Illinois now in the MWC.
Head Coach Experience
Brent Vigen, Montana State (2021-?)
I personally think he may be looking for a bigger job, both financially and conference impact. But I wouldn't not consider Vigen if I were Northern Illinois. A true winner, got Montana State to the FCS Championship right out the gate in his first season, made it two more times along with a semifinals appearance in his second year, and won it all last season. If Northern Illinois can pull it off, they got themselves a true winner.
Tim Plough, UC Davis (2024-?)
A California guy, never been further east as a coach then Boise State. If Northern Illinois wants a west coast guy now that they are in the Mountain West, Plough is your guy. I feel like this would be the smaller version of UCLA hiring Bob Chesney, hiring them for talent and experience of winning rather than any regional ties to the state and school.
Brian Wright, Northern Arizona (2024-?)
Now, this regionally makes more sense than Plough as Wright is the famed former Pittsburg State HC and has mostly coached in the Midwest. He instantly turned Northern Arizona around and are looking for yet another 7+ win season for a team who hasn't been over .500 since the last time they appeared in the FCS Championship Game.
Brad Spencer, North Central (2022-?)
This may be the first time most of y'all have heard the name of Brad Spencer, but he is a two time Division III Champion, and two time Division III runner up at North Central. A huge gamble to hire a guy not in the FCS, not in DII, but in DIII. The best comparison of this happening in the past would be when Buffalo hired then DIII Wisconsin Whitewater HC Lance Leipold, which turned out just fine for the Bulls. This is not really a normal occurrence, and I don't expect this to happen or force a trend, but this is a name I expect the Huskies to look into with him being in the same state.
Paul Chryst, former Wisconsin Head Coach (2015-22)
Once one of the top 25 HC's in the NCAA, now sitting on his couch on Saturdays. The story of why he was fired by Wisconsin was that they weren't happy with the 9, 10 win standard Chryst had them and wanted to be true CFP contenders, but Wisconsin hasn't lived up to that and Chryst hasn't found a new job since he left the Texas support staff in 2023. Is there more to it than not living up to a high standard or is he just asking for too much? It could all be that he doesn't want to fool with the NIL, but all of this is obviously speculation.
Names To Keep An Eye On
Kevin Kane, Purdue (DC; 2023-24, 2026-?)
He is getting some heat right now, but the former Huskie DC still could turn things around, especially if his defense contains Northern Illinois' son Notre Dame tomorrow.
Kevin Cummings, Washington (WR; 2024-?)
I think Cummings is a dark horse candidate. Look at how he has done at San Jose State, Arizona, and now at Washington and then look at some names that has now turned into NFL WR's like Denzel Boston and Tet McMillan, and then he may be intriguing to some small schools wanting to translate that success.
Deon Broomfield, Penn State (DPGC; 2026-?)
The former Iowa State Cyclone followed Matt Campbell to Penn State and may go back West for a HC spot. Marcus Neal and Jeremiah Cooper, I really like and think Broomfield has done a great job coaching these two future NFL players.
Tyson Viedt, Penn State (LB; 2026-?)
Another Penn State assistant. I think Northern Illinois should look into Matt Campbell assistants and his tree as I think his coaching style really fits the small school, small system really well and his ability to retain a lot of his players (specifically his star players) is something teams should try to replicate in this day and age.
Bob Bostad, Indiana (RGC; 2023-?)
The former Huskie assistant and veteran Big Ten coach now has a championship under his belt along with coaching the Joe Moore Award winning OL. He will be 61 in 2027, but I do like him being the short term answer for success.
Steve Clinkscale, Los Angeles Chargers (DPGC; 2024-?)
This is someone you have to hire on February 2027 due to the show clause, but the longtime Harbaugh assistant is a fascinating name I would consider, and may be cheap if the defense for the Chargers keep lacking. Aside from being an Harbaugh assistant, I really love his stop at Kentucky during their peak and his Tim Beckman connection working for him at Toledo and Illinois. This is another dark horse candidate I would look into.
Name Recognition
Jordan Lynch, Mount Carmel High School (2018-?)
The former Huskie QB has been a top name thrown around for this job, but the only college coaching experience he has is one season as the QB coach at NIU in 2017. I think it is really hard for the Huskies to go hire a High School coach with little to no college experience even if it was a former player for the team.
Might Be Too Late
Jerry Kill, Vanderbilt (consultant; 2024-?)
The former Huskie HC seems like a perfect hire, but he is now 65 years old and has had health issues previously that forced him to retire in the past. If he were to come back as the HC, they would had hired him back in February rather than wait until December to hire him. His ship has sailed and his days as a HC once again is pretty much over.
No Longer Considered
Brennan Carroll, former Arizona (OC; 2021-23) and Las Vegas Raiders (RGC; 2025)
Carroll was only listed as a pre season hire in February, not a after season in December. He will find his footing in college eventually as a assistant, but he won't be a HC in 2027.
Chris Kapilovic, Auburn (Off. assistant; 2026-?)
The longtime OL coach was also a pre season hire. There isn't a real reason to hire him as a HC. He has a good resume, but nothing really screams out that he wants to be a HC.
John Butler, former Buffalo Bills (PGC; 2022-23) and Nebraska (DC; 2025)
Same thing as Carroll and Kapilovic. Butler, at this point in career, is best to get back into coaching as a position coach rather than find his way as a HC.
Hines Ward, Arizona State (WR; 2024-?)
Hines Ward is way too big of a name for Northern Illinois that I don't see either side will consider thinking of. I looked at this as Northern Illinois' Deion or Eddie George hire, but it does feel like there are some star fatigue happening right now.