The college coaching carousel is in full swing with another prominent NFL coordinator in consideration for a top head coaching gig. Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is apparently on Arizona State’s radar for their open head coach position, according to Mike Jurecki of ArizonaSports.com (Twitter Link).
Former Arizona State head coach Todd Graham was fired after the team went 7-5 this season. Although the team did manage to go 6-3 in the Pac 12, which would help to make the job relatively sought after in terms of gathering interest from NFL assistant coaches.
Austin, 52, got a number of interviews for NFL head coaching jobs last offseason and figures to be garner a lot of interest again this winter after another successful season with the Lions defense so far. Austin also has experience in the college game as he once worked as a defensive coordinator under Urban Meyer at Florida in 2010 before making the jump to the professional game with the Ravens as a secondary coach from 2011-13. Leading a college program does have its advantages in terms having a lot more power in the way your team is handled, but it remains to be seen whether Austin would be open to making the move back to a college program.