Texas A&M Aggies Coaching Hot Board 2.0: Is There A Dark Horse To Replace Jimbo Fisher?

Who is the name no one is mentioning for the open position in College Station?

It's been a week, and the Texas A&M Aggies are still looking for Jimbo Fisher's replacement. At least the SEC West program pulled off a win in the home finale to send the seniors off with one more victory at Kyle Field.

A&M swung big when it offered Fisher a four-year extension that raised his annual salary to over $9 million in 2021. The Aggies are now paying nearly $80 million to get rid of him after six underwhelming seasons that never culminated with double-digit wins.

So, where does A&M athletic director Ross Bjork go from here? Oregon's Dan Lanning seems to be off the table. Colorado's Deion Sanders wasn't a legit option after less-than-ideal results in Boulder in Year 1. And Urban Meyer might want to end his career with one more title, but it's unlikely the Aggies will pull the trigger on calling the former Ohio State coach.

A&M hasn't won a road game since October 2021. It hasn't finished ranked in the College Football Playoff since that same 8-4 season. The Aggies haven't found themselves inside the top five of any poll since 2020, which also was the highest ranking the program has reached since joining the SEC in 2012.

The Aggies are willing to spend big for the right candidate, but just because they have money doesn't mean they must use it. And Bjork knows this hire has to be the "right one" if A&M plans to win its first national title since Pre-World War II.

But who are viable options that fit what A&M needs? Here's an updated hot board heading into Week 13's matchup with LSU.

Mike Elko - Duke head coach

Elko has been and will continue to be one of the hottest names on the market due to his background with the program. He served as Texas A&M’s defensive coordinator from 2018-21 before leaving for Durham after helping the Aggies finish with a top-three scoring defense.

While the Blue Devils lost Saturday to a two-win Virginia squad, keep in mind this is the same roster that took North Carolina to double overtime a week ago without star QB Riley Leonard. They also built on a 9-4 2022 season by whopping then-No. 9 Clemson 28-7 in the opener this season. Last season, Elko was also named ACC Coach of the Year after bringing Duke to its seventh nine-win season in program history.

Multiple coaches around the league believe Elko is a rising star at age 46. The New Jersey native has also garnered interest in the Michigan State opening. He's also drawn buzz for the Mississippi State opening, though he told reporters earlier this week he had no interest in leaving Durham after two years.

Does that change with a pay raise in the coming weeks?

UTSA Roadrunners head coach Jeff Traylor before the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the UTSA Roadrunners at Neyland Stadium / Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Traylor - UTSA head coach

Traylor already interviewed for the position via Zoom last week. He won't be the last person to meet with Bjork, but sometimes the first choice is also the best.

Traylor's a winner regardless of play level. He's been exceptional as the Roadrunners' head coach, posting a 38-13 record in three-plus seasons. UTSA is currently 7-0 in the AAC and a win away from making it to the conference title game. Countless players were re-recruited each offseason by Traylor to stay in San Antonio and build a culture. That's led to a 28-3 record against conference opponents and potentially three conference titles.

Prior to working under Charlie Strong at Texas, Traylor won three state titles at Gilmer High School and was a four-time Class 4A Texas high school Coach of the Year. Traylor also has budding relationships with countless high school coaches in the state who'd love to send their players his way. 

He also has SEC experience at his disposial, having coached under Chad Morris at Arkansas. 

Traylor's been linked to openings at both Houston and Baylor should the programs make a change at head coach. His days in the Alamo City seem numbered, but that should be viewed as a positive for which program lands him.

Lance Leipold - Kansas head coach

Leipold has won everywhere, but his resurgence of Jayhawks football might be his crowning moment. Kansas won 20 games in 11 seasons under four different coaches. In three years with Leipold, the Jayhawks are 15-21 and bowl-eligible in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2007-08.

Before landing in Lawrence, Leipold, 59, turned Buffalo around into a MAC contender. Before that, he led Wisconsin-Whitewater to six Division III national titles during his eight seasons while winning 106 games.

The Jayhawks are 7-4 without star quarterback Jalon Daniels for most of the regular season. They've been down to their third-string QB over the past two games and lost to Texas Tech and Kansas State by a combined six points. More than that, players always look locked in and play through the final whistle for Leipold.

Michigan State is expected to be interested. Kansas is planning on backing up the Brinks truck to keep him around. Would A&M offer something similar?

Chris Klieman - Kansas State head coach

If you like Leipold, you love Klieman. He's a winner that's won countless national titles at the FCS level. He's also on pace to win multiple conference titles in the Big 12 should he stick around the "Little Apple."

Klieman took home four FCS titles in five seasons at North Dakota State. Five years at the helm in Manhattan, and the 56-year-old has won 62 percent of his games, along with a Big 12 title. He's posted eight or more wins in four-plus seasons and has the chance to finish with double-digit victories in back-to-back years for the first time since 2012.

The Aggies need a winner. That's all Klieman does. On paper, it's a fit for both sides, but does Klieman want to leave a program with an emerging roster and potential postseason berth next fall? 

Elijah Robinson Confident Leading Aggies Down Final Stretch Of Regular Season

Jonathan Smith - Oregon State head coach

He might be the most underrated coach in the country and few would argue otherwise. After leading the Beavers to an 11-1 record in 2000 as the starting quarterback, Smith brought the program to relevancy as a head coach following  Gary Andersen's resignation. The Beavers have also improved at nearly every level — including recruiting — each season under Smith's tenure, culminating in a 10-win year in 2022.

Unlike Washington's Kalen DeBoer and Lanning at Oregon, Smith is staying in the newly formed Pac-2 alongside Washington State. His teams are well-built, physical and tenacious, never letting up until the final whistle. The Beavers might have lost Saturday to No. 5 Washington, but they also have two top-20 wins attached to their resume. They could gain a third with a win over No. 6 Oregon next Friday.

Smith's earned a shot at a more prominent school. UCLA and Michigan State are both expected to be interested. Mississippi State could persuade him to leave the Pacific Northwest in favor of the Magnolia State for the right pratice. Would Texas A&M offer him a spot in the Lone Star State instead?

Troy HC Jon Sumrall

Sumrall has spent most of his coaching career in the SEC or southeast region. He helped Ketucky finish back-to-back seasons with a top-50 defense and a unit that finished top-three in turnovers. He also pi

Since arriving in the Sun Belt Conference, Sumrall's led the Trojans to a 21-4 record with their only prominent losses coming to Kansas State and Ole Miss. Troy won the Sun Belt title in Sumrall's first season and is set to play for a second one come Dec. 2. The Trojans' defense also ranks top-10 in scoring (16.6 points per game) and top-15 in total yards (301.4).

Wild Card: Ohio State HC Ryan Day

Let's preface this now by saying this is an out-of-left-field option. It's far-fetched. It's asinine. It's beyond crazy to think Day would depart Columbus and the Big Ten amid a chase for a national title to join the Aggies.

But it's not impossible. Improbable? Yes. Impossible, no.

Day, who's led the Buckeyes to a 55-6 record, wins during the regular season. He's produced four top-10 recruiting classes and five offensive staffs that have ranked top 20 in total yards and scoring since 2019. Day's also developed multiple first-round quarterbacks, including Dwyane Haskins (2018 as Ohio State's offensive coordinator), Justin Fields (2021) and C.J. Stroud (2023). 

He also has coached everywhere. No, really, everywhere. From Oregon to Florida to Boston to Philadelphia, Day's been around the block and found success.

There's pressure on Day to win Saturday in "The Game" against Michigan, especially with Jim Harbaugh sidelined due to the league suspension for his role in the sign-stealing saga. Another loss would mark the third consecutive season where the Buckeyes can't get past their rival, thus making Day 1-3 all-time against the Wolverines.

Fans are tired of losing to the "other" team in the Big Ten. Day might be tired of hearing it when he's led Ohio State to three CFB Playoff berths and a national title appearance in 2020. And money talks. It talks a lot.

No one thought LSU would land Brian Kelly, but it did. Jaws dropped when news spread that Lincoln Riley was leaving Oklahoma for USC after winning four Big 12 titles. The Aggies have the money to give Day whatever he wants, and a roster ready to win as soon as next season in hopes of making the College Football Playoff.

A loss on Saturday for the Buckeyes might open a window for Bjork to strike. It happened in Baton Rouge and Pasadena.

Could it happen in College Station?