Eck, Dickert, Polasek Make List of Hot CFB Coaching Candidates
The coaching carousel might not be active during the season, but it is always moving.
By the end of each college football season, positions become open, and prime candidates are well established at that stage.
A trio of coaches with ties to this region, Jason Eck, Tim Polasek, and Jake Dickert are all on the rise in coaching circles these days.
Eck has New Mexico on the map with a 3-1 start following an impressive 9-4 finish last season. Eck spent many years in his early coaching career in our region, including having spent 2016-2021 at South Dakota State.
Tim Polasek has done a masterful job in limited time guiding the NDSU Bison, and has his program out to a 4-0 start at the FBS level.
Lastly, Jake Dickert, a former USD and Augustana assistant, has entered the conversation of hot coaching candidates after a 9-4 finish last season and a 3-1 start to this year's campaign.
All three are mentioned in an ESPN article discussing hot coaching candidates at this stage:
Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert: Some coaches are tied to regions. Others are closely affiliated with A-list programs. Dickert doesn't check either box, which makes him even more appealing. He has won at two challenging programs (Washington State and Wake Forest) and has consistently identified and developed under-the-radar players. After a 9-4 debut season at Wake Forest, Dickert has the Demon Deacons at 3-1 with road wins against Louisville and Purdue. He should be a coveted coach in the cycle.
New Mexico coach Jason Eck: Eck entered the season as arguably the most desirable Group of 6 candidate, and nothing has changed that designation. Despite the preseason news that starting quarterback Jack Layne's injury would prevent him from playing this fall, New Mexico has three lopsided wins and pushed Oklahoma in a 14-6 road loss. Several schools on the fence about whether to keep their current coach could be motivated by the chance to secure Eck, who is 38-18 at New Mexico and FCS Idaho.
North Dakota State coach Tim Polasek: Teams like James Madison have successfully navigated the FCS-to-FBS move before, and North Dakota State certainly seemed ready for the jump after 10 FCS national titles since 2011. The Bison have been dominant to start the season, winning their first four games by a combined score of 140-49. Polasek's 30-3 record certainly could generate some interest, especially for jobs from the Midwest to the Rockies.
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We'll just have to wait and see in regard to the continued conversation surrounding each coach, as well as openings that might fit ahead of the carousel spinning later this year.
Source: Taking stock of college football's coaching changes and what's next - ESPN
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