The noise is getting too loud to ignore. After being fired by the New York Giants following a Week 10 debacle in Chicago, you’d think the market for Brian Daboll would be cold. It’s not every day a coach with a 20-40-1 record becomes the belle of the ball, but here we are.
Since his firing, interest in the 50-year-old has surged. His record leaves a lot to be desired, sure, but he’s still highly regarded for his work with Josh Allen in Buffalo and is widely considered one of the sharper football minds out there. Just last week, it was the Penn State opening that had Dabs’ name swirling around the rumor mill.
Related: Brian Daboll quickly emerges as unexpected favorite amid chaotic coaching carousel
Now, another Big Ten school could come calling, with their own coaching dominoes leaving them in need of a new offensive coordinator. Brian Hartline is leaving Ohio State to become the new head coach of the South Florida Bulls, creating a genuinely intriguing opening at one of the most feared and respected college football programs in the country.
That kind of opening won't stay ignored for long, and it wouldn’t be surprising if HC Ryan Day and the Buckeyes turned to Daboll to help build one of the most stacked college coaching staffs we’ve seen in a long time.
Brian Daboll linked to Ohio State OC job after Brian Hartline exit
Going from one Brian to another would make for a seamless switch in its own right, but it’s Daboll’s offensive brainpower that really makes the transition work.
The Allen-Bills connection will always get him a look, but he could be a lot more for OSU. The Grey and Scarlet are consistently one of the best teams in college football, meaning recruiting top players would be pretty easy for Dabs. It wasn't all that long ago that he shared a sideline with Nick Saban at Alabama as the OC in 2017.
Even still, if the recently fired HC takes his talents to Columbus, OH, he'd join one of the most impressive staffs the NCAA has ever seen. Daboll would join former New England Patriots defensive coordinator and Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia as NFL minds on the Buckeyes' staff.
Patricia is coming off his first season as the DC, and all he did in Year 1 was lead Ohio State to the top-ranked defense in the country in both yards and points allowed per game. Imagine how NFL-ready the team would be if Day added Dabs to his staff on the offensive side of the ball to complement Patricia. It'd be borderline diabolical.
Talent discrepancy in college is more prevalent than in the pros. That means with better recruits, better success typically follows. And there might not be a more enticing destination for elite prospects than OSU right now, making life potentially amazing for the offensive guru. Go routes and touchdowns. What a life.
It's really starting to feel like Daboll is going to find a home sooner than later. Soon, it'll be the Giants' turn to get their next HC. Hopefully, this one works out.