Normally when a head coach employed by one school is asked about interest in employment elsewhere, especially in-season, that coach is quick to shoot down the speculation regardless of where the truth or his intentions may lie.
Dave Doeren is not one of those coaches.
In his second season at Northern Illinois, Doeren has compiled a sparkling 20-4 mark. With a win over Toledo tonight, the Huskies would clinch their second consecutive MAC West title under Doeren and third straight overall.
That success has made Doeren a hot commodity as the latest spinning of the coaching carousel revs up, with his name being attached to places where there aren’t even official openings (yet), places such as Cal, Purdue and Kentucky. When asked in a generic sense what his tack would be if another school came a courtin’, Doeren was about as honest as an individual in his profession can be.
“If something comes along that I know if better for me and my family, I’m going to have to listen to it,” the coach said during an interview on SiriusXM radio Tuesday.
As candid as Doeren was when it comes to listening to potential suitors, he was just as adamant that he’s not pulling up stakes in DeKalb for another job just because others think a bigger conference is automatically better.
“I’ve lived by (the idea that) if you do a great job where you are and opportunities come your way, and it may not be the right one,” Doeren said. “I think that’s really important. I have a great job, my family is happy, I like the kids I coach, and they take care of me here.
“I’m not leaving here for something that I don’t think is better than what I have.”
Regardless of whether it’s this year or next, Doeren likely isn’t long for Northern Illinois. A coach with a resume’ such as Doeren’s will remain a hot commodity for BcS-level schools with the financial resources to throw a contract at coaches like Doeren worth two or even three times what they are making at a lower-level conference.
It may not be all about the money, but it’s a lot about the money. And coaches such as Doeren are about to get paid in very short order.
To his credit, at least Doeren’s willing to cop to an open ear.