Just found this after Bianchi asked Sentinel FSU beat writer (and UCF grad) Brendan Sononne about his thoughts on UCF's next coach. He seemed to think Dino Babers may be the guy and seemed to hint he thought a Kingston/Babers package was possible. This is from a Maryland fan site:
The case for Dino Babers as Maryland's next head football coach
After four years with the Bruins, Babers was hired as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator for Art Briles at Baylor. Briles, Babers and the rest of the staff helped orchestrate one of the biggest program turnarounds in college football history, culminating in a 2011 season that saw the Bears win 10 games for only the second time in school history (they're now on track to do it for the third year in a row) and Robert Griffin III become the first Baylor player ever to win the Heisman Trophy.
With Baylor's success at the national forefront, Babers was hired as the head coach of FCS Eastern Illinois prior to the 2012 season. Taking over a Panthers team that had gone 2-9 with a 1-7 Ohio Valley Conference record the year before, Babers installed an up-tempo offense and immediately went 7-5, with a 6-1 conference record good enough for the OVC title. In Year 2, Eastern Illinois went 12-2 with an 8-0 OVC record, making it all the way to the FCS Quarterfinals.
Big programs started to take notice, and Bowling Green hired Babers prior to the 2014 season. After an 8-6 debut season with a MAC East division crown and a Camellia Bowl win, the Falcons look even more dangerous this season -- you may recall the team's trouncing of Maryland earlier this year.
The benefits
Babers certainly fits the "wide-open, exciting offense" category that Kevin Anderson and Wallace Loh have spoken publicly about, and he straight-up embarrassed Maryland in College Park. What better way for Maryland to make that up to the fans than by hiring the guy who did it?
The drawbacks
He's still only been a head coach for less than four seasons, is 54 years old and has uncertain recruiting chops in this region.
In one sentence
Babers's offense is pretty much exactly what Maryland appears to be looking for, but if the Terps go the MAC route, they might check out younger candidates Matt Campbell and P.J. Fleck first.
The case for Dino Babers as Maryland's next head football coach
After four years with the Bruins, Babers was hired as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator for Art Briles at Baylor. Briles, Babers and the rest of the staff helped orchestrate one of the biggest program turnarounds in college football history, culminating in a 2011 season that saw the Bears win 10 games for only the second time in school history (they're now on track to do it for the third year in a row) and Robert Griffin III become the first Baylor player ever to win the Heisman Trophy.
With Baylor's success at the national forefront, Babers was hired as the head coach of FCS Eastern Illinois prior to the 2012 season. Taking over a Panthers team that had gone 2-9 with a 1-7 Ohio Valley Conference record the year before, Babers installed an up-tempo offense and immediately went 7-5, with a 6-1 conference record good enough for the OVC title. In Year 2, Eastern Illinois went 12-2 with an 8-0 OVC record, making it all the way to the FCS Quarterfinals.
Big programs started to take notice, and Bowling Green hired Babers prior to the 2014 season. After an 8-6 debut season with a MAC East division crown and a Camellia Bowl win, the Falcons look even more dangerous this season -- you may recall the team's trouncing of Maryland earlier this year.
The benefits
Babers certainly fits the "wide-open, exciting offense" category that Kevin Anderson and Wallace Loh have spoken publicly about, and he straight-up embarrassed Maryland in College Park. What better way for Maryland to make that up to the fans than by hiring the guy who did it?
The drawbacks
He's still only been a head coach for less than four seasons, is 54 years old and has uncertain recruiting chops in this region.
In one sentence
Babers's offense is pretty much exactly what Maryland appears to be looking for, but if the Terps go the MAC route, they might check out younger candidates Matt Campbell and P.J. Fleck first.
