North Alabama fires HC Chris Willis

[Libertine]

North Alabama has cut loose Chris Willis. The Lions were 1-7 this year. Willis had been the head coach for the last six seasons but had been on staff in Florence for 21 years.

[UNAPride]

Hip hip, hooray!!!

Yes, Willis has been very loyal to the program that was very loyal to him. But, he wasn't a good HC.

UNA made Terry Bowden keep most of Mark Hudspeth's staff when he left in '09. When Bowden left and Bobby Wallace came back for his second stint, he kept most of that same staff. When Wallace retired, they walked down the hall and gave the keys to Willis and said "have fun during this transition to D1." It wasn't fun.

So many names swirling around already!

UNA has several former coaches and players who might be interested.

The Lions have at least three former players who are now FBS Assistants. Not sure if they'd take a pay cut to be the head guy in FCS.

Chip Lindsey - former Auburn OC and Troy HC, he's the current OC at UCF
Chip Long - former OC at Tulane and current OC at GA Tech (likely to be unemployed soon)
AJ Milwee - former OC under Terry Bowden at Akron and current QB Coach at Texas

Then, there's Hudspeth and Edenfield at Gulf Shores High School in Alabama. Those two helped get UNA out of a dark era 20 years back. Maybe they are tired of the beach? lol. Doubt it.

[wapiti]

Hip hip, hooray!!!

Yes, Willis has been very loyal to the program that was very loyal to him. But, he wasn't a good HC.

UNA made Terry Bowden keep most of Mark Hudspeth's staff when he left in '09. When Bowden left and Bobby Wallace came back for his second stint, he kept most of that same staff. When Wallace retired, they walked down the hall and gave the keys to Willis and said "have fun during this transition to D1." It wasn't fun.

So many names swirling around already!

UNA has several former coaches and players who might be interested.

The Lions have at least three former players who are now FBS Assistants. Not sure if they'd take a pay cut to be the head guy in FCS.

Chip Lindsey - former Auburn OC and Troy HC, he's the current OC at UCF
Chip Long - former OC at Tulane and current OC at GA Tech (likely to be unemployed soon)
AJ Milwee - former OC under Terry Bowden at Akron and current QB Coach at Texas

Then, there's Hudspeth and Edenfield at Gulf Shores High School in Alabama. Those two helped get UNA out of a dark era 20 years back. Maybe they are tired of the beach? lol. Doubt it.

Mike Kramer

[SFA 93]

I guess Ryan Held will get a look.

[UNAPride]

I guess Ryan Held will get a look.

He is the interim and has completely turned around the offense! But, his past HC records are not good.


Another name being mentioned is former player Ashley Ingram. He's the run game coordination for Navy and has been on their staff for 10 years.

https://navysports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/ashley-ingram/2165

[SFA 93]

Bryan Harsin just became available.

[UNAPride]

Bryan Harsin just became available.

Haha! He could work for UNA while Auburn pays him!! I like that idea!

[SFA 93]

Dennis Franchione did just that at Texas State, after he got fired from Texas A&M.

A&M was still paying him his entire time at State.

Think about it, no pressure, you're already financially set, you just get to enjoy what you like to do, coach.

[UNAPride]

Dennis Franchione did just that at Texas State, after he got fired from Texas A&M.

A&M was still paying him his entire time at State.

Think about it, no pressure, you're already financially set, you just get to enjoy what you like to do, coach.


I'm down! LOL. It would be huge for our program. UNA also hired another former Auburn HC about 15 years back with Terry Bowden. Of course, he'd been in the TV booth for a few seasons at that point.

[Libertine]

Hiring ex-players at the alma mater is, unfortunately, often a bad match; there's just too much baggage for them to ever get a clean start. Also, don't waste effort pining for P5 assistants as the path from FCS HC to FBS HC is not as straightforward as it used to be. UNA would do well to look at G5 assistants like Pat Kuntz at JMU or FCS coordinators like Kade Bell at Western Carolina, young-ish guys who've been a part of winning programs but who've never had an opportunity to build one of their own.

[UNAPride]

Hiring ex-players at the alma mater is, unfortunately, often a bad match; there's just too much baggage for them to ever get a clean start. Also, don't waste effort pining for P5 assistants as the path from FCS HC to FBS HC is not as straightforward as it used to be. UNA would do well to look at G5 assistants like Pat Kuntz at JMU or FCS coordinators like Kade Bell at Western Carolina, young-ish guys who've been a part of winning programs but who've never had an opportunity to build one of their own.

Kade Bell is way too young but he's a good play caller. That's for sure!

[VandalBasher]

Mike Kramer

I would love to see an ol' Vandal get back into coaching. The mistake Idaho made was not hiring Mike Kramer in 2000. Anyone remember Coach Tom Cable? We could have averted a disastrous decade in the 2000's.

[Libertine]

I would love to see an ol' Vandal get back into coaching. The mistake Idaho made was not hiring Mike Kramer in 2000. Anyone remember Coach Tom Cable? We could have averted a disastrous decade in the 2000's.

I remember Cable punching out one of his own assistants when he was with the Raiders. I forgot he was at Idaho before that.

Kramer is a good coach but I really doubt he would trade retirement in the majesty of the Pacific Northwest for grinding in northwest Alabama.