The Back Alley Archives

Bovada.lv has set former USC linebacker and current Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio as a 3/1 favorite to replace Lane Kiffin as the Trojans head coach. While we still find it highly doubtful that Del Rio is the choice, there’s a buzz nationally — especially among those on the NFL beat — that Del Rio is at or near the top of athletic director Pat Haden‘s coaching to-do list.

A pair of current FBS head coaches, Boise State’s Chris Petersen and Vanderbilt’s James Franklin, are next at 5/1. At least as far as Petersen is concerned and given his past propensity for eschewing big-time jobs to stay in Boise, those odds seem too high, although there’s a growing buzz that he might be as open as he’s ever been to taking a step “up” the coaching ladder.

Former Stanford assistant and current San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who some view as the realistic favorite if a current head coach cannot be wooed, is at 6/1.

Ed Orgeron, who was named interim head coach by Haden yesterday, has 20/1 odds to have the interim tag stripped and remain on as Kiffin’s permanent successor. Orgeron, though, is not even the favorite on the current staff to land the job; that honor falls to defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, whose odds are surprisingly high at 7/1 and ahead of the likes of Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart and Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian (both at 8/1), Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris (9/1) and Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin (12/1).

And, before you ask, yes, Jon Gruden and Herm Edwards are listed. The former is at 8/1 and the latter at 15/1.