The conference is growing in profile.
The state is brimming with talent.
So, what direction is Louisiana-Monroe going to turn for its next head football coach?
The school and athletics director Scott McDonald are at a bit of a crossroads with the program, as the Sun Belt continues to rise and peer institutions in the league infuse more and more money into athletics, facilities – and, specifically, their football programs.
McDonald is deep-rooted in ULM and only has been in the permanent top AD chair for the past 18 months. He's made some moves to fortify the athletics department, and his decision to part ways with Matt Viator with one year remaining on Viator's contract was not easy but necessary.
There is ability to win at Monroe; it's in a talent-rich state full of strong programs at both the Football Bowls Subdivision as well as Football Championships Subdivision levels.
Curtis Luper, Missouri's running backs coach, was a finalist the last time at Monroe, sources have told FootballScoop, and could be the right candidate for McDonald.
Tony Hull, Hawaii's current co-offensive coordinator, played at Lafayette and has more than a decade of experience at the high school level in Louisiana.
Nicholls State head coach Tim Rebowe has developed a consistent winner, and his team's back-to-back Southland Conference champions.
Another name drawing interest in-state, sources told FootballScoop, is Grambling head coach Broderick Fobbs. He is a multi-time winner of the Southwest Athletic Conference coach of the year award and has posted multiple double-digit win seasons.
Incarnate Word head coach Eric Morris is just 35 and developing a reputation as a program builder and stabilizer, already with an FCS playoff berth for UIW.
Matt Kubik, who spent the past season as Southern Miss' offensive coordinator, also has been connected to the Monroe opening.
Word in the profession is ULM might try to make a play for former Tennessee head coach Butch Jones. Jones is also, per our sources, a candidate for the Arkansas State job and interviewed for the South Alabama job as well. Hiring Jones would be considered a home run for ULM if the administration can execute the move.
Jones’ teams at both Central Michigan and Cincinnati consistently thrived in an underdog role, and the blue-collar, hard-working Jones has been best in his career when in an underdog position. At Central Michigan Jones’ teams won 27 games in 3 seasons. In year two at Cincinnati, Jones’ squad won 10 games. The whisper in the profession is that Jones wants to find a place he can build a consistent winner again. Jones' Tennessee tenure ended poorly; however on his watch Tennessee featured three-straight bowl wins from 2014-16 – the only time the Vols' program has done so since the 1990s.
As for timing, Arkansas State opening might put pressure on ULM to move faster than planned. If they sense they have the right person, they might seek to move as quickly as possible.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.