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Here are the country’s top Power Five coordinators who’ve emerged as head coach candidates.

1. Tony Elliott, Clemson OC – It will be interesting to see if Elliott, 40, remains as judicious as he has been about jobs. A slew of schools have come calling, but some of the higher-end ones haven’t. The Carolina Panthers expressed interest last year, and with little movement expected in college perhaps NFL interest would be his best chance of leaving this year.

2. Brent Venables, Clemson DC – See column above. There’s a willingness for Venables to explore options that may not have been there in past years.

3. Steve Sarkisian, Alabama OC – He went deep into the process at Mississippi State and could have had the Colorado job. Alabama made him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in college football, which is a sign of how much Nick Saban values him. Sarkisian is 46 and still has a long runway to be a head coach after his dark downfall at USC.

4. Mike Elko, Texas A&M DC – Elko, 42, turned down the Temple job two years ago and interviewed for multiple Power Five jobs the past two years. He also turned down the chance to be a coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals two seasons ago. His $2.1 million salary priced him out of the MAC, and it’s allowed him to be patient.

5. Clark Lea, Notre Dame DC – The cerebral Lea, 38, has been a seamless coordinator fit at Notre Dame since being promoted to replace his mentor, Elko, two seasons ago. Lea finished as the runner-up at Boston College last year and also turned down one FBS job and received strong interest from another. His time will come soon, as the Vanderbilt graduate will be a favorite at all the academic schools.

6. Alex Grinch, Oklahoma DC – Grinch turned down multiple opportunities last season to speak to schools, including Washington State. The Oklahoma gig represented Grinch’s third different job in three years, which led to his reluctance to move. At 40, his time is coming soon.

7. Todd Monken, Georgia OC – Back in college after four years as an NFL OC, Monken has interviewed for three NFL head coaching jobs. That gives him the best shot of jumping to the NFL of anyone on this list. Monken, 54, went 9-5 his final year at Southern Miss (2015), and his three years of head coaching experience will be considered an asset. Georgia sputtered on offense last year (No. 61 nationally), which leaves a long runway for improvement.

8. Andy Avalos, Oregon DC – Prior to his arrival, Oregon finished No. 48 nationally in scoring defense (25.4 ppg). Last season, Avalos’ unit finished No. 9 nationally (16.5). His intangibles and relationships have been as impressive as the performance, as UNLV and UTSA both expressed interest last year. Avalos, 38, is considered a favorite if Bryan Harsin ever decides to leave Boise State.

9. Jim Leonhard, Wisconsin DC – It will take a sweetheart offer to get him to leave Madison, as he’s settled into his role as Paul Chryst’s wingman. Leonhard, 37, made nearly $10 million in the NFL, so money doesn’t loom as a huge motivator. Would he listen to NFL overtures?

10. Dan Lanning, Georgia DC – He left a strong impression with the Memphis brass with his interview there last year. He’s worked for Nick Saban, Mike Norvell and Kirby Smart, which gives him an attractive pedigree. He’s just 34, so he may require a few more years of seasoning before an AD is ready to hire him. His upside is as high as anyone on this list.

11. Graham Harrell, USC OC – He helped turn Kedon Slovis into a star in his first season coordinating at USC. The highest compliment to his offensive acumen may be how distinctly North Texas’ offense dipped after his departure.

USC Trojans offensive coordinator Graham Harrell looks on before the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl on Dec.27, 2019. (Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
USC Trojans offensive coordinator Graham Harrell looks on before the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl on Dec.27, 2019. (Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
12. Jay Bateman, UNC DC – His defenses at Army twice finished in the top 10 and he’s been a major linchpin in Mack Brown’s unexpected turnaround since arriving at UNC. His time as Elon’s DC gives him strong ties in North Carolina, which could help with any local jobs.

13. Marcus Freeman, Cincinnati DC – He led our Group of Five list last year, but Cincinnati’s success and his head coaching potential have elevated him to the Power Five list. Freeman turned down a strong run from Michigan State to be Mel Tucker’s defensive coordinator last year. If Luke Fickell ever leaves Cincinnati, Freeman would be a strong candidate.

14. Todd Grantham, Florida DC – He interviewed for the Mississippi State job last season and has drawn NFL interest. Grantham spent 11 years in the NFL, so that’s always an option for him.

15. Jeff Nixon, Carolina Panthers – Baylor’s OC and play caller last season left to work with Matt Rhule in Carolina. He drew interest from Memphis last season and the ties to Rhule and his success at Baylor could land him in the mix for more college jobs this cycle.

16. Tom Manning, Iowa State OC – The Cyclones OC made a strong impression on the brass in Indianapolis during his time with the Colts. If Iowa State can let it rip on offense this year, he’d continue to emerge on the college head coaching radar.

17. Ryan Walters, Missouri DC – He interviewed at Colorado last season about their open job and is considered to have a high ceiling in the long-term. Missouri finished No. 16 nationally in scoring defense, the type of gaudy stat that leads to opportunity.

18. Phil Longo, UNC OC – He’s shown a penchant for gaudy statistics. If the winning follows with Sam Howell and a slew of skill players returning on offense, Longo, 52, will likely garner an opportunity.

19. Mike Yurcich, Texas OC – He’s back calling plays and if he’s able to maximize Sam Ehlinger’s production, he should continue to get chances. He’s been in the mix at MAC schools before, but winning big at Texas could put his trajectory much higher.

20. Brad White, Kentucky DC – He’s a bit green for a head coaching job, as he’s only been at Kentucky for two years after coming from the Colts. But Kentucky’s stout returning defense and his NFL pedigree give him a high ceiling and the chance an NFL team or another Power Five school could poach him. (Think Mike Elko at Wake Forest or Alex Grinch at Washington State).

This post was edited on 9/10/20 at 8:39 pm