I posted a few names yesterday that have been mentioned among those in the coaching community. How UCF feels about said candidates is another story. There's a name I heard last week, but hadn't posted, for one reason to see if I picked it up from other sources. It was in the preface of "Keep your eye on this guy," sort of thing. It's unknown whether this rumor has regurgitated itself (my word for the same rumor being cycled around by different people) but I heard his name again today.
Nevada head coach Brian Polian.
For those who haven't purged the 2004 season from their memory banks, Polian was part of GOL's inaugural UCF staff as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. He left after one season to join the staff at Notre Dame where he was for five seasons (2005-09) prior to a two-year stint at Stanford (2010-11) and then one season at Texas A&M (2012) before landing the head coaching job at Nevada in 2013.
While he was on the rise as an assistant, Polian's niche was special teams coordinator while coaching a multitude of offensive and defensive positions, such as linebackers, defensive backs and tight ends.
In 2013, Polian replaced legendary Nevada coach Chris Ault, who coached 28 seasons in Reno during his career. Ault is the mastermind of the "Pistol Offense."
Nevada's eight-year bowl streak was snapped in Polian's first season in 2013 as they struggled to a 4-8 record. They did return to a bowl in 2014, finishing with a 7-6 record after a loss to Louisiana-Lafayette in the New Orleans Bowl. The Wolf Pack are currently 6-5 with one game remaining at San Diego State.
I'm not entirely sure where the connection started, but I'm told there is a friendship among the White and Polian families. Brian's father is Bill Polian, the former longtime NFL executive. Brian's time as Notre Dame assistant coach overlapped Kevin White's time in South Bend. I've been told Danny and Brian are friends.
While Polian does fit the head coach category, there is no real recruiting tie to Florida or the Southeast outside of the one season as a UCF assistant coach. Of course, I do feel that everything is negotiable if they feel a certain candidate is the "right guy."
My memories of Polian at UCF were that he seemed like a nice guy that was incredibly accessible. He invited me into his office a few times that year to explain their vision of what they were trying to build.
My observations of Polian now at Nevada come from the occasional viewing of a late TV game. I had noticed he does seem exuberant on the sideline. I guess that's been a hot topic in Reno.
From a Reno newspaper column:
"Polian’s sideline behavior has been a topic since his first game at Nevada. He’s not the kind of guy who bottles up his emotions. He lets them out. Sometimes he erupts like a volcano with no end. Between raving lunatic and passionate coach, I'd vote for passionate coach who pops his top a little too often."
I'm not sure where Polian lands on an overall list, but his name is being repeated enough that I do believe there is a smoke that he's at least a consideration.
