FAU football, which rose to national prominence under Lane Kiffin, has regressed over the past five seasons under Willie Taggart and the recently fired Tom Herman. But the Owls' search for a new coach may be the most interesting of this year's coaching carousel.
And this week things got a little more interesting. Miami great Ray Lewis has made it clear that he really wants to be the Owls' next coach, a person briefed on Lewis' thoughts said Wednesday.
Lewis, 49, a 13-time Pro Bowl linebacker, is observing the model of Deion Sanders' transformation of Colorado football over the past two years and plans to present his plan to Owls leadership next week. about how he will do something similar at FAU.
Lewis' old friend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Chris Carter is the Owls' executive director of player engagement and is expected to be a good fit for Lewis. A big hurdle for Lewis is that, unlike Sanders, he has no college coaching experience.
“Ray wants bad things,” said a source briefed on Lewis' thinking. Lewis lives five minutes from the FAU campus. “He really wants it.”
However, people involved in the coaching search say Lewis is not currently considered a serious candidate.
Ole Miss offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. is the top candidate for the FAU vacancy, according to multiple sources involved in the investigation. He is the 31-year-old son of former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis and lives 30 minutes from Boca Raton. He was the play caller for the Rebels' high-profile program and was in charge of the No. 2 offense in the nation, gaining 7.58 yards per play.
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The younger Weiss is Kiffin's former FAU offensive coordinator and knows the program well. Investigators say he has received significant support from key figures at FAU. Kiffin has strong influence within FAU and will support Weiss, sources said. Financially, Weiss, who earned $1.65 million at Ole Miss, may have to take a pay cut to return to FAU, but a person briefed on the matter said that's because Weiss earned $1.65 million at Ole Miss. He said he doubts it will stop him from applying for a job.
Other potential candidates for FAU jobs
Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner It might make more sense for owls. The 43-year-old helped move Tech from the 11th-ranked offense in the ACC to the No. 3 offensive line last year. In 2022, the year before he was hired by Atlanta, Georgia Tech ranked last in the ACC in red zone offense. His offense ranks second in the ACC in red zone TD percentage.
Penn State Assistant Head Coach/Co-OC Jajuan Sider He is a highly rated coach with deep ties to the local community, and is expected to be considered in some way. The 47-year-old product from Belle Glade, Fla., is a star quarterback at Florida A&M and has strong ties to the South Florida area. The players really respond to him. He also served as a key assistant at Happy Valley, Marshall University and West Virginia University.
UCF offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr. He has spent his entire coaching career in the state. He was a four-time NCAA All-American in track and field at Miami, then spent five years as a high school coach at Miami's Booker T. Washington High School in South Florida, followed by seven seasons at FIU. Since then, he has coached at Miami and UCF, producing the most prolific offense in the Big 12 at 6.76 yards per play.
UNLV offensive coordinator Brennan Mariona former Miami Dolphins wideout who lives in Boynton Beach, not far from the Owls' campus, could be an interesting option. He proved to be a great offensive coordinator in his two seasons at the FCS level and went on to have great performances over the next two seasons turning the Rebels into a winning program. Last year, he led the Rebels to No. 6 in the nation in third-down offense and No. 8 in red zone offense, even though their starting QB went down early and they were forced to rely on unproven freshman Jaden Maiava. He won the Mt. West Freshman of the Year honors. This year, the Rebels rank sixth in the nation with 39.9 points per game since Maiava left for the University of Southern California.
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FSU defensive backs coach Pat Surtain He may play at his alma mater, Southern Miss, but there is a strong bond there as well. He played 10 years in the NFL before becoming a top high school coach in South Florida. The 48-year-old spent one season with the Miami Dolphins as an NFL assistant before joining FSU's staff in 2023.
Georgia assistant head coach Todd Hartley39, spent three years coaching in South Florida on the Canes' staff. He's someone Kirby Smart has relied on to improve the program since Hartley returned to Athens in 2019. Southern Miss also has significant interest in Hartley due to its head coaching vacancy.
Duke defensive coordinator Jonathan PatkeHe is a disciple of Manny Diaz, who was on Miami's staff, and is a rising star as a defensive coordinator. He has had a strong debut season at Durham and could feature.
Miami defensive finishing coach Jason Taylor. The Pro Football Hall of Famer is a legendary figure around South Florida, having spent five seasons as an assistant at high school powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas. Taylor won the NFL's prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2007 and has been a great addition to the Canes' staff over the past two seasons.
— Chris Vannini contributed to this report
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