Nick Rolovich's tenure at Washington State ended much sooner than anyone had hoped.
Rolovich, a quirky coach with outstanding offensive credentials, seemed like the perfect successor to Mike Leach on the Palouse. He's now out after only 11 games.
WSU president Kirk Schulz and athletic director Pat Chun, while expressing disappointment Monday that the 42-year-old coach didn't comply with the state's vaccination mandate for employees, also noted that they brought in Rolovich in January 2020 to be a long-term leader for the program.
"We have been very active, out working with alumni and friends to invest in facilities and invest in our football program," Schulz said. "When we hired Coach Rolovich, we weren't interested in somebody being around for a couple years. We thought this could be where he retires from."
Despite the unusual circumstances surrounding Rolovich's exit, Washington State will begin a standard search to find his replacement. Chun and his staff have been prepared for the likelihood of a search. Chun, while accepting responsibility for hiring Rolovich, has support from Schulz to lead the process.
"This person needs to exemplify what it means to be a Coug and embrace every aspect of leadership that is required with a job of this magnitude," Chun said Monday.
Washington State is among the more challenging Power 5 jobs because of its remote location, which stresses the recruiting process. The school has increased its investment in facilities and other areas, and coaches such as Leach (55-47) and Mike Price (82-78) have proved that winning at WSU is quite possible. Rolovich's second team had shown improvement, winning three straight games before his departure. Still, WSU's budget is lower than those of most Power 5 programs.
WSU likely will target coaches with offensive backgrounds and those who have ties to the region and the Pac-12. Obviously, the school will not consider any unvaccinated candidates or those who would not comply with state health mandates. Chun's coaching hires include Lane Kiffin at Florida Atlantic as well as Rolovich, but he might take a more conservative approach this time.
Here are 10 names Washington State could consider to replace Rolovich:
Nevada coach Jay Norvell. A Power 5 head-coaching position is the next -- and possibly -- last stop in Norvell's coaching career. The 58-year-old has been an assistant at top programs such as Oklahoma, Texas, UCLA and Wisconsin, as well as with the NFL's Raiders and Colts. He finally got his chance to lead a program at Nevada and has capitalized, going 22-14 since the start of the 2018 season and 12-3 the past two years. Norvell has Nevada in position for a Mountain West title run. He has worked at two Pac-12 programs (UCLA, Arizona State) and has recruiting ties in the two states (California, Texas) that WSU must mine for players.
Fresno State coach Kalen DeBoer. If Washington State wants a fast-emerging offensive-minded coach with no character concerns, DeBoer would be a very strong choice. The South Dakota native first made his mark at the University of Sioux Falls, his alma mater, which he led to three NAIA championships and a staggering 67-3 record. He then began a strong run of coordinator stops at Southern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Fresno State and Indiana, before returning to Fresno State as head coach. DeBoer, who turns 47 on Saturday, is 5-2 with a win at UCLA in his second season. He has worked at plenty of places where coaches must do more with less to win.
Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. A proven coordinator who seems ready for the next step, Grinch has a solid link to WSU. He helped boost the Cougars' defense under Leach, coaching All-American Hercules Mata'afa and other standouts. Washington State went 26-13 in Grinch's three seasons as coordinator, and it won 11 games the year after he departed with many players he helped groom. Grinch, 41, also spent three seasons at Wyoming, so he's very familiar with the region. He also understands the importance of high-powered offenses and likely would welcome that style as a head coach.
Oregon offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead. He should soon get another chance to lead an FBS program. The questions are when and where. Moorhead, 47, is a proven playcaller, as he showed in Oregon's Week 2 upset of Ohio State in Columbus. He transformed Penn State's offense as the coordinator there before taking a Mississippi State job that never suited him. A Pittsburgh native, Moorhead might be better off waiting for a job closer to home. But he has some familiarity with the Northwest after two years at Oregon, and he makes sense for a program that loves innovative offense. Moorhead had a health scare earlier this month but has returned to his duties with the Ducks.
Central Michigan coach Jim McElwain. He's a veteran offensive-minded coach who has worked at the highest levels of the sport and could see Washington State as a final career spot. McElwain, 59, is from Montana but played quarterback at Eastern Washington and started his coaching career there in 1985. He actually spent the first 15 years of his career in Washington and Montana before branching out. McElwain is 58-39 overall as a head coach, and he has won league coach of the year honors in the Mountain West (Colorado State), SEC (Florida) and MAC (Central Michigan).
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun. Despite a strong record and efforts to move on from Air Force, Calhoun hasn't found a Power 5 landing spot. Perhaps Washington State will be the place to say yes. Calhoun is 107-73 at Air Force with three 10-win seasons and a No. 22 finish in 2019. Air Force is 6-1 this season and in position to challenge for its first Mountain West championship. Calhoun isn't wedded to an option offense and could adapt his system to suit WSU and the Pac-12. Before taking the Air Force job in 2007, Calhoun spent four years in the NFL with the Texans and Broncos.
USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell. Despite USC's struggles this season, Harrell would bring some familiarity and a potentially dynamic, passing-based offense to the Palouse. A record-setting Texas Tech quarterback who played for Leach, Harrell began his coaching career under Leach at Washington State, working with wide receivers in 2014 and 2015. As a coordinator, Harrell bolstered offenses at North Texas and initially at USC, where quarterback Kedon Slovis had a record-setting 2019 season. But the Trojans' drop-off in production since 2019 might give WSU some pause about Harrell, who is only 36.
Eastern Washington coach Aaron Best. He's already working in the state and oversees the top offense in the FCS, as the Eagles average 54 points and 626 yards per game. Eastern Washington is 7-0 in Best's sixth season and ranks No. 2 nationally behind defending national champion Sam Houston State. Best, 43, grew up in Tacoma, Washington, played offensive line at Eastern Washington and has spent all but one year of his coaching career at EWU. There could be some hesitation for WSU about hiring another EWU coach, as Paul Wulff went 9-40 with the Cougars. But the WSU program is in much stronger shape than when Wulff took over.
San Jose State coach Brent Brennan. Few coaches on this list better understand what it takes to build a strong program at one of the most challenging spots in the FBS. After three losing seasons, Brennan in 2020 led San Jose State to its first conference title since 1990, its first 7-0 start since 1939 and its first AP Top 25 finish since 2012. He was among the top candidates for the Arizona job last year. Brennan, 48, is a former UCLA wide receiver who has spent his entire career coaching in and recruiting on the West Coast. San Jose State is just 3-4 this year, though, which might hurt Brennan's chances to move up.
Utah State coach Blake Anderson. He seemed close to landing a Power 5 job while at Arkansas State but could never quite break through. Anderson made what seemed like a lateral move to Utah State, but he could rejuvenate Power 5 interest with a successful first season. He beat Washington State in his debut in September and also has a nice win over Air Force. Anderson, 52, hadn't spent much time in the region before this year, but he has a background on offense and very strong ties to his home state of Texas. He's 55-39 as an FBS head coach.