Lane Kiffin among names to emerge as UH head coach candidates.
Alabama OC joins growing list of candidates to replace Herman
University of Houston officials will pay close attention Saturday with a few potential coaching candidates involved in big games.
Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, the latest name to emerge as a candidate for the UH head coaching vacancy, and the top-ranked Crimson Tide play Florida in the Southeastern Conference championship game. Oklahoma offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley and the Sooners play Oklahoma State in the annual Bedlam rivalry, while West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen ends the regular season at home against Baylor.
Former LSU coach Les Miles and in-house candidates, interim coach/defensive coordinator Todd Orlando and offensive coordinator Major Applewhite, also remain candidates to replace Tom Herman.
With a couple of weeks between this weekend and the start of the bowl season, UH officials are expected to begin the interview process sometime next week.
A decision is expected within the next two weeks, UH board of regents chairman Tilman Fertitta and president Renu Khator said this week.
Extensive résumé
Kiffin, 41, has spent the past three seasons as the offensive play-caller on Nick Saban’s staff. He has been praised for evolving the Tide’s offense to a more spread look with more zone-read this season. With freshman quarterback and Channelview product Jalen Hurts, the undefeated Tide average 39.4 points and 479.6 yards per game.
Kiffin went 28-15 in three seasons as head coach at Southern California. He was dismissed after a 3-2 start in 2013. He also went 7-6 in one season at Tennessee and spent two seasons in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders.
Saban said Kiffin is “absolutely” ready to be a head coach again.
“I think he’s proven when he was a head coach he had a reasonably good amount of success — much more than I think he gets credits for — and he’s done a phenomenal job in the three years he’s been with us,” Saban told reporters in Atlanta.
Kiffin also is considered the top choice to join new LSU coach Ed Orgeron’s staff as offensive coordinator.
Riley a hot name
If UH is interested in Riley, 33, it might have to get in line. Oregon, which fired head coach Mark Helfrich this week, has reportedly expressed interest in Riley, who is in his second season with OU. Last year, Riley won the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant last year.
Fertitta told the Chronicle earlier this week that Miles — who won two SEC titles and a BCS championship, and made another title game appearance in 12 seasons — is on the list of candidates.
“I think we have some interest in him, and he has interest in us,” Fertitta said.
A source said it is unlikely that UH will pursue — or even interview — former Baylor coach Art Briles.
Holgorsen, a former offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at UH from 2008-09, still remains a target, although it’s unclear what the level of interest is from Holgorsen’s camp. Holgorsen is also expected to be a candidate for the Oregon job.