With news surfacing that Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith is taking the Michigan State job, you have to wonder who the Beavers could be looking at to replace him. Although the Beavers have no idea what conference they will play in next season, the football program is in pretty fantastic shape otherwise. They have been contenders in the Pac-12 over the last two years under Smith's guidance.
Whether the Beavers go independent or join another conference after the dissolution of the Pac-12, they should remain a viable contender to make the expanded College Football Playoff field out of the Group of Five for years to come. Unfortunately, they are between a rock and a hard place in terms of protecting their sacred Power Five designation. It may not be up to them, but we can only for the best.
This was probably the biggest reason why Smith actually decided to leave his alma mater. He was approaching rarified air in Corvallis where he could have conceivably coached the Beavers in perpetuity and never felt like he was going to be fired. Still, you cannot put a price on a higher-paying, high-profile job like Michigan State. No matter how much Smith may love Oregon State, money talks.
With Smith leaving Corvallis during this cycle of the coaching carousel, here is who could replace him.
Oregon State football: 3 replacements for Jonathan Smith as head coach
3. Ryan Grubb can be poached off regional rival's staff for seat in big chair
One name to keep an eye on should the Oregon State job come available is Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. Over the last two years, the Huskies offense has really taken flight under head coach Kalen DeBoer with Michael Penix Jr. as the team's star quarterback. DeBoer may be up for other jobs as well, but he feels likely to stay put. Penix is in his last season of collegiate eligibility...
Grubb has been on DeBoer's staffs for years. He first got connected with DeBoer at Sioux Falls before following him to Eastern Michigan on one of the Eagles' offensive staffs. When DeBoer took over the offense at Fresno State in 2017, he would then work on the Bulldogs' offensive staff for the next five seasons before following DeBoer over to Washington. Simply, he is DeBoer's best protege.
Oregon State may not have the upward trajectory of schools like Oregon and Washington in the same geographical region, but it is a great first head-coaching opportunity for an offensive mind on the come-up like Grubb. He will have enough resources to compete in whatever league the Beavers join. The biggest question is if he has the leadership and the presence to navigate the unknown for them.
I would suspect that Oregon State may prioritize with someone with head-coaching experience first.
2. Dan Mullen could be leaving the ESPN studio to live that Corvallis life
After spending the last two years working for ESPN as a college football analyst, it seems as though Dan Mullen is getting the itch to get back into coaching. The former Florida head coach saw it go to hell in a handbasket for him in Gainesville in 2021, but we all know how good of a coach he is from his days at Mississippi State before that. He is the ideal candidate to take over at a lower-tier P5 school.
Even if the Beavers were to go down a level, that should not matter in Mullen's potential candidacy for the gig. What got him fired at Florida was his inability to recruit to the Gators' standards. Not to say that he cannot recruit, but going to a place that is not so overly demanding like Florida was in the end could be to his advantage. When it comes to X's and O's, few college coaches are as savvy as Mullen.
However, there is another job out there Mullen may want over Oregon State. He has been tied to Syracuse for the better part of a day now. Mullen could be a serious candidate to replace Dino Babers as the face of the Orange's football program. Since Syracuse is not leaving the Power Five over in the ACC, that might give him a bit more confidence to take over the Orange rather than at Oregon State.
Mullen would be a home-run hire for the Beavers, but there are other jobs that he might want more.
1. Bronco Mendenhall could be coming home to his alma mater to do work
This is the one that should get Oregon State fans excited. Former BYU and Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall could be getting back into the coaching game after a few years away from the sport, too. Unlike Dan Mullen, he actually has ties to Corvallis, as he played defensive back for the Beavers from 1986 to 1987 after transferring over from Snow College. He is the perfect candidate.
My favorite trait about Mendenhall-led teams is they eventually play up to the zenith of what a program is realistically capable of. He had the BYU Cougars approaching LaVell Edwards territory at times, as well as matching what George Welsh did leading the Virginia Cavaliers decades ago. No stone will be left unturned at a program led by Mendenhall. He will keep the good times rolling there.
The best part about this potential fit is that Mendenhall may take it, simply because it is his alma mater, one that is firing on all cylinders for Oregon State standards. Conceivably, he could be able to get the Beavers football program to levels experienced under Smith, Mike Riley and Dennis Erickson. Thus, he could be the one to have Oregon State contending for playoff berths no matter the league.
Despite losing Smith to Michigan State, Oregon State hiring Mendenhall would still be a home run.
