Brian Polian is expected to become the next head coach at John Carroll University, sources told FootballScoop on Monday. Polian is already the vice president for athletics and national engagement at the University Heights, Ohio, based school, and will remain in that role while coaching the football team.
Polian will replace Jeff Behrman, who took the head coaching position at Bucknell on Jan. 1. Behrman went 29-7 in three seasons at JCU, including a run to the Division III semifinals in 2025; the Blue Streaks knocked off perennial power Mount Union on the road in the second round, then beat Berry College in the road in the quarterfinals before losing to defending champion North Central.
"Like our university, our program has built great momentum over a short period of time. We will find the right leader to continue that trajectory," said Polian. "The opportunity to lead the Blue Streak football program is a special one. We are proud of our Jesuit mission and identity, standard of excellence, and dedication to our student-athletes. Our next leader will align those priorities and continue on our proud tradition."
Turns out, the right leader was already in Polian's office.
Polian is a John Carroll grad who played linebacker for the Blue Streaks in the mid-1990s, where he was teammates with Behrman. He spent 1997-2022 coaching at the FBS level, serving as Nevada's head coach from 2013-16 while making his mark as the special teams coordinator at Notre Dame (multiple stints), Stanford, Texas A&M and LSU.