Hill, Marion, and Harsin: Potential Head Coach Candidates for Utah State

By: Mike Huesmann

Now that we know Blake Anderson will not be returning to the sidelines for Utah State, we can start speculating on who the long-term successor will be. Nate Dreiling , new to the defensive coordinator job this past winter, will be the interim head coach after coming over from New Mexico State, where he coached under Jerry Kill . It’s a unique situation with two FBS G5 head coach vacancies in one week in July, Fresno having opened on Monday . It's even rarer that they both are from the Mountain West Conference, which inevitably means there's possible overlap in the candidates.

Nate Dreiling

Interim Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator, Utah State

Dreiling was tabbed at a young age to be Jerry Kill’s defensive coordinator when he took over at New Mexico State, and we all know how quick that turnaround was with the Aggies. Dreiling is another top young name who makes this list and hopes to improve on the 6-7 record Utah State had in 2023. If they reach a bowl game, he has a good chance to get the interim tag removed.

Jay Hill

Defensive Coordinator, BYU

Longtime Utah assistant coach and former player, Hill, was a fantastic head coach in his 9 years at Weber State. He led Weber State to 6 playoff appearances, including a semifinal berth in 2019. He now enters his second year as defensive coordinator at BYU. Hill brings recruiting prowess , experience, and everything needed to succeed in this job. No candidate will know the state better than he does.

Brennan Marion

Offensive Coordinator, UNLV

Marion has shown us that he will move up the ladder in search of a better job, so he’d likely accept the job if offered. His go-go offense has not been slowed down at any of his previous stops. He hasn’t spent two consecutive years at the same job since 2018, with stops at William & Mary, Hawaii, Pittsburgh, Texas, and now UNLV. He is as innovative as they come , and his team's ability to run the ball is almost a guarantee. He might be the jolt in the arm that Utah State needs.

Nick Rolovich

Former HC, Washington State

Rolo was a successful coach at Hawaii, enjoying two very good years before moving to Wazzu. He had the team looking solid in 2021 before his unceremonious exit , where, in my opinion, both he and the Wazzu administration handled things poorly. However, that is behind us, and time heals all wounds—or at least this one. He knows the West Coast, is a successful offensive-minded coach, understands financial limitations, and has won in this region before. If he wants back in the game enough to take a G5 job, you could get him at a bargain.

Bryan Harsin

Former Head Coach, Boise State and Auburn

Harsin was always a poor fit for the SEC and the Auburn boosters tried to run him out of town almost immediately. He was doomed to fail, partly because of his own shortcomings and partly because of the culture. He was a resounding success in his previous seven seasons at Boise, going 69-19 with a bowl game every year except the COVID-shortened 2020 season. His success there has been quickly forgotten in the wake of Auburn, but it shouldn’t be. He’ll coach again somewhere in the Pacific or Mountain time zones and will likely do a good job. I don’t know if this is the right opportunity for him, but he checks a lot of boxes. Sometimes the best ability is availability.