Now, officially, there are zero openings for head coaches at the FBS level. And, at least for now, that portion of the coaching carousel has come to a stop.
A couple of days after it was first reported, Western Kentucky confirmed that Mike Sanford has been named as the Hilltoppers’ newest head coach. Sanford replaces Jeff Brohm, who left earlier this month for the same job at Purdue.
The move will serve as a homecoming of sorts as Sanford spent the 2010 season as WKU’s quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator.
Following a one-year run as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Boise State, he held those same titles the past two seasons at Notre Dame. Prior to Boise, he spent three years at Stanford -- 2011 and 2012 as running backs coach,2013 as quarterbacks/wide receivers coach. He was the Cardinal’s recruiting coordinator the last two seasons. That was his second stint on The Farm, with the first coinciding with Jim Harbaugh‘s first two years with the Cardinal.
Sanford’s ascension adds yet another limb to Harbaugh’s growing coaching tree.WWKU hires #ND OC/QB coach Mike Sanford official..He becomes the FIFTH asst on Jim Harbaugh’s first #Stanford staff to become an FBS HC. Wow
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 14, 2016
@BruceFeldmanCFB Quite a launching pad: Willie Taggart, David Shaw; Scott Shafer, DJ Durkin & now Mike Sanford.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 14, 2016