Washington Football Coach Smith and Coach Lake linked to OSU HC job

Oregon State University is struggling this year. After the Washington Football team salvo’d them, their head coach Gary Andersen gave the team one final chance, against USC. Now, two Washington Football coaches top the short list of coaching replacements: Coach Smith and Coach Lake.

Ah, the price of success in the NCAA is a double edged sword. The Washington Football team may not be wowing folks at some nationally televised sports networks, but among the more knowledgeable, they are held in high regard.  So it falls to no surprise that the latest head coach vacancy would be an automatic link to the Washington Football team coaching staff.  Two make the list: Coach Smith, and Coach Lake.

The surprise? The buzz names two, not one, assistant coach of the Washington Huskies as the frontrunner for the opening.

Coaching carousel

Now, college football is not unique in the coaching carousel.  As opportunities appear, the most likely fills come from smaller schools to take over a bigger football program.  But there is the other avenue for assistant coaches of similarly sized programs who take over a new football team as a “promotion” of sorts.

Ultimately, all head coaches were once assistants.   Ultimately, all great college football programs must eventually find ways to restock the coaching staff with excellent assistants. It’s the way it’s been for many years.   Now that Washington if a very good team, their ranks will be looted for other programs hoping to replicate the Huskies success.