Tuesday marks the one-week point into Butch Jones’ search for a new offensive coordinator.
Based on a conference call with Jones last week, we have a sense for what he’s looking for:
- He’s looking for somebody to “enhance” the offense, not change it
- He’s looking at all levels – NFL and collegiate
- He’s looking into internal and external candidates
- He wants somebody who can develop quarterbacks
- There’s no timetable on making the hire
It’s also important to remember that there could be several moving pieces in play here.
Offensive line coach Don Mahoney has an expiring contract, and Jones hasn’t announced what will happen with that yet. So Jones has some flexibility in terms of his options to structure the staff. He could bring in a coordinator who is also a quarterbacks coach. He could promote somebody from the offensive staff to OC, then bring in a separate QBs coach. He could even name co-coordinators. This might not be as a simple as naming an OC and calling it a day.
So with all that in mind, here are some of the key figures to know that have been included in reports, have ties to Jones or just make sense for a spot on the staff:
