San Diego State interviewed Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White over the weekend for the Aztecs’ vacant head football coach’s job, multiple sources told the Union-Tribune.
As the search for Brady Hoke’s replacement enters a third week, the pool of candidates is expected to be narrowed to a select few.
White is among them. Sources also told the Union-Tribune that former Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo interviewed for the position. UNLV offensive coordinator Brennan Marion confirmed last week that he, too, has interviewed. Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb appears to be in the mix as well.
Two of the candidates are preparing for games this week. Coincidentally, both will be in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium.
Grubb will be with No. 3 Washington for Friday night’s Pac-12 championship game against No. 5 Oregon. Marion will be with UNLV, which hosts Boise State on Saturday for the Mountain West title.
White and Nebraska concluded a 5-7 season a day after Thanksgiving with a 13-10 loss to Iowa.
Niumatalolo, who was fired by Navy after the 2022 season, is serving in an advisory role this season at UCLA. The Bruins are 7-5 and awaiting their bowl assignment.
When he spoke to the media two weeks ago, SDSU athletic director John David Wicker said he planned to have a new coach named by mid-December. However, that time frame leaves less than a week before the NCAA’s early signing period, which is Dec. 20-22.
Once the new coach is named, he must assemble a staff of 10 assistant coaches, among other hires, assess the current roster and determine short- and long-term roster needs in the midst of recruiting.
SDSU has received 11 verbal commitments for the Class of 2024. Will those remain in place? Will the new coach want previously recruited players, or will he have others in mind?
Wicker wants to take the time to get this hire right, but he also doesn’t want to put his new coach and staff at a recruiting disadvantage by waiting too long.
That suggests wrapping up this search sooner than later, perhaps as early as next week.
The NCAA’s football signing date used to be the first Wednesday in February. The early signing period was added five years ago, creating more urgency for schools in the midst of coaching searches.
White, 44, already is well known to SDSU after coaching for the Aztecs from 2009-17. He spent all nine years as cornerbacks coach, adding recruiting coordinator to his responsibilities in 2011.
He has been defensive coordinator at three Power Five schools — Arizona State, Syracuse and Nebraska — since then.
White’s Cornhuskers defense ranks 14th in the nation in total defense (303.5 yards a game) and 17th in scoring defense (18.3 points per game).
SDSU has struggled offensively for most of the past six seasons. Four times in the past six years, SDSU’s offense ranked in triple digits — 120th in 2018 (20.6), 114th in 2019 (21.2), 10th in 2022 (21.5) and 113th this season (20.5).
Still, Wicker has said the new coach could come from either side of the ball.
“We’ve won championships with defense here,” he said. “But we also need to be better offensively, and I’m going to be interested in, if it is a defensive-minded head coach, what’s your plan (offensively)? Who are you going to hire? What type of offense do you want to run?
“Because we want to generate some excitement.”
Marion, 36, has generated excitement at UNLV this season with an offense that is averaging 35 points a game, although this is his first season as an FBS coordinator and he could be viewed as requiring more experience at that level.
Grubb, 47, has SDSU ties — with South Dakota State University, that is. He coached the 2005-06 season with the other SDSU, serving as running backs coach one season and wide receivers coach the other. He coached at Sioux Falls and Eastern Michigan in the 10 seasons thereafter before joining the Fresno State staff in 2017 as offensive line coach.
Grubb added associate head coach and offensive coordinator to his title with the Bulldogs in 2019.
Fresno State head coach Kalen DeBoer was hired at Washington last year, and brought Grubb along with him as OC and quarterbacks coach. This season, the Huskies are ranked 11th in the nation in scoring offense (38 ppg) and 12th in total offense (468.1 ypg) with Heisman candidate Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback.
Washington’s success has placed Grubb’s name in the mix for numerous openings. He has seemed on track for a Power Five spot, being mentioned for openings at Oregon State and Indiana, so where he fits in SDSU’s picture remains to be seen.
Niumatalolo, 58, is tremendously respected in the coaching community for his leadership and integrity. He coached 25 seasons at Navy, including 16 as head coach of the Midshipmen. His tenure included a school-record 105 wins as head coach and 11 bowl appearances.
Niumatalolo crossed paths twice with SDSU in the Poinsettia Bowl, leading Navy to a 17-16 win over the Aztecs in 2014 after a 35-14 loss in the 2010 game.
The biggest challenge for Niumatalolo among offense-starved fans is overcoming the public perception generated from running the triple-option at Navy during an era of wide-open passing offense.
As Navy head coach, Niumatalolo’s teams never averaged more than 128 yards passing a game and, in fact, averaged in double digits 13 of 16 seasons.
