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Clawson, Banks, and More: Five Head Coach Candidates for Bowling Green (Updated)
© Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Clawson, Banks, and More: Five Head Coach Candidates for Bowling Green (Updated)

Originally posted on Mike Farrell Sports
By Mike Huesmann  |  Last updated Mar 6, 2025 10:33 PM ET

By Mike Huesmann

With the news that Scot Loeffler is moving to the Philadelphia Eagles to coach QBs, we have an unexpected FBS head coach opening. Bowling Green was 7-6 last year, while going 6-2 in MAC play. They notably had Harold Fannin at TE who broke all kinds of records. The next head coach will not be so lucky, as Fannin is off to the NFL. Here are five head coach options for BGSU. Updates- Mike Jacobs, Mercer head coach, is now out of the running after Mercer extended him. We have two new names here in Vince Marrow and Nick Monroe, read about them here.

Dave Clawson

Former Bowling Green and Wake Forest Head Coach

Clawson took over at Wake in 2014 and went 3-9 his first two seasons. He then made seven bowl games in a row. The turnaround he and his staff did at what was one of the worst P5 programs has been remarkable. The slow mesh, or Clawfense, is a difficult offense to game plan for and makes up for the talent discrepancy. His time with Bowling Green before that was remarkable. He won 18 games in his last two seasons, which is outstanding considering the non-conference schedule. BGSU could take a page from West Virginia and UCF and run it back with a former successful head coach.

Brian Ward

Arizona State, Defensive Coordinator

Ward has been a DC at a lot of schools, and I mean that as a compliment. Drake, Western Illinois, Bowling Green, Syracuse, Nevada, Washington St., and now Arizona St. After being with Jay Norvell at Nevada he went to become Jake Dickert’s first DC on the Palouse before going to Tempe with Kenny Dillingham in 2023. His defenses were sneakily good in the Pac 12 where you had so much variance in offenses and preparation can be difficult. Ward and the Sun Devils won the Big XII in their maiden season.

Steve Morrison

Bowling Green, Defensive Coordinator

A Falcon assistant and DC the past two seasons, Morrison is there and he’s available. This time of year, that continuity can be vital. The former Michigan player and assistant coach also has stops at Western Michigan, Eastern, Michigan and Syracuse. Familiarity with the conference is important. He might not be the first choice, but he’s worked his way up the ladder, coached good defenses, and might be in the right place at the right time.

Vince Marrow

Kentucky, Associate Head Coach/Tight Ends

Marrow checks nearly all the boxes here. He’s one of the most respected assistant coaches in America, he has MAC experience, and he recruits Ohio as well as anyone. He’s been with Mark Stoops since 2013 and has had plenty of MAC schools talk to him about head coaching jobs. Could this be the one he lands? I expect him to land a job in the conference soon, and whenever he does the talent will be among the best in the MAC.

Nick Monroe

Minnesota, Co-Defensive Coordinator/Cornerbacks

Monroe spent five seasons here as DB coach under both Clawson and Dino Babers. He’s a name who has emerged in this search as a viable candidate. After joining Babers at Syracuse from 2015-2022 he has spent the last two seasons at Minnesota with P.J. Fleck. He’s been consistent and has coached multiple DB’s to success. 

This article first appeared on Mike Farrell Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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