A look at potential candidates to lead football program
UCF is looking for its third football coach since 2015 after Josh Heupel left the Knights to take the Tennessee job on Wednesday.
While it’s likely a hire won’t be made until a new UCF athletics director is selected, numerous coaches nationwide already have expressed interest in the job.
Here are 10 potential candidates to be the next UCF football coach:
Sean Beckton
The Buzz: Beckton was a popular assistant coach at UCF for 19 seasons and many of his former players began campaigning for him on social media following Heupel’s departure.
The former UCF football player left to join Scott Frost’s staff at Nebraska in 2018, serving as the Huskers’ tight ends coach. Gene Chizik
The Buzz: Chizik has ties not only to the state of Florida but UCF, where he was the defensive coordinator from 1998-2001. He has extensive experience that includes serving as head coach at Auburn, where he won a national championship in 2010.
Chizik stepped away from coaching in 2016 to spend more time with his family, but he remains connected with the game as an analyst on the SEC Network.
Tony Elliott
The Buzz: Elliott has been part of Dabo Swinney’s coaching staff at Clemson for more than a decade, rising to the role of co-offensive coordinator in 2015. Since then, the Tigers have finished ranked in the top 25 in total offense each season and have developed quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence.
Scott Frost
The Buzz: Would Frost consider an encore? It hasn’t gone exactly as planned at Nebraska, where he’s 12-20 in three seasons with the Cornhuskers.
Frost turned around the UCF program in just two seasons and would provide an instant spark with a fan base that is eager to see another perfect season.
Rhett Lashlee
The Buzz: A former quarterback, Lashlee has spent the better part of 15 years working as an offensive coordinator with Auburn, UConn, SMU and, most recently, Miami. He helped the Hurricanes go from No. 98 in total offense in 2019 to No. 32 in 2020.
Lance Leipold
The Buzz: In six seasons at Buffalo, Leipold has transformed the Bulls into a powerhouse in the Mid-American Conference as they finishing first in the league in 2018 and 2020. He won six Division III national titles while at Wisconsin-Whitewater and garners a lot of respect. Jeff Lebby
The Buzz: Lebby is familiar with the program after spending two seasons under Heupel as an assistant coach, including a stint as offensive coordinator in 2019. He joined Lane Kiffin’s staff at Ole Miss in 2020 and helped the Rebels finish third in the country in total offense.
Gus Malzahn
The Buzz: Malzahn is another coach who would bring veteran leadership to the UCF program. The 55-year-old spent eight years as a head coach, first at Arkansas State and then at Auburn. He’s compiled a 68-35 career record, taking his teams to eight consecutive bowl games. Auburn fired him in December after a 6-4 season, paying him a $21 million buyout in the process.
Randy Shannon
The Buzz: It’s not a stretch to believe that UCF could stay in-house and promote Shannon to full-time coach. His ties to the state of Florida run deep. He coached at Miami and Florida, and his presence on the recruiting trail has been pivotal in signing some playmakers.
Steve Spurrier Jr.
The Buzz: Spurrier has coached at Mississippi State, Washington State, Western Kentucky, Oklahoma and South Carolina. He’s another offensive-minded leader who is well-respected in coaching circles and, as a bonus, could bring his father on board as an offensive analyst.