Ohio University is preparing for Friday's Cure Bowl opposite Jacksonville State in a contest marking two programs seeking their next head coach.
For Ohio, Tim Albin left earlier this month for the opportunity to rebuild Charlotte, a relatively new FBS program with strong investments into its football program's facilities and in a city that's consistently been among the fastest-growing in the United States.
Where do Ohio University and athletics director Julie Cromer turn in the first true search at the school since it hired Frank Solich in 2005?
Albin was promoted in late-summer 2021 after Solich's unexpected retirement.
There are two very strong in-house candidates in Brian Smith and John Hauser.
Cromer has also interviewed a select number of outside candidates including Notre Dame assistant head coach and running backs coach Deland McCullough.
Smith is the interim, and he's finishing his third season on staff. A noted offensive mind, Smith has approximately two decades' coaching experience including as an offensive coordinator at the Power Conference level for then-PAC 12 member Washington State prior to his arrival with the Bobcats.
Hauser is Ohio's defensive coordinator and owns extensive experience in the MAC after previously serving eight seasons on staff at Miami (Ohio) and at Northern Illinois.
Additionally, Hauser has been on staff at Wayne State and is a staple recruiting the Midwest. Among Ohio alums and former players, Hauser has a significant backing.
Smith and Hauser formally interviewed over the weekend.
McCullough is a former standout-player in the MAC, producing a notable career at Miami (Ohio).
He's been a key staple on Marcus Freeman's Notre Dame staffs since Freeman's ascension to the head post in late 2021 and his hiring shortly thereafter of McCullough from Indiana, whom the Irish face Friday night in the opening round of the College Football Playoff.
As an NFL assistant, McCullough won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV.
A charismatic coach known for his innovative teaching methods and ability to recruit and develop NFL talent, McCullough has in recent years been more and more in the mix for head coaching jobs and was seen as a prime candidate at his alma mater had Chuck Martin landed the opening this month at Purdue.
Other candidates remain involved as well.
The whisper in the profession is a decision is coming in the next 24 to 48 hours.
Ohio plays Friday morning vs Jacksonville State in Orlando. Choosing an in-house candidate would likely bring the team together before the bowl game. If Cromer decides on an external hire, announcing that shortly before their bowl game is something that will have to be considered diplomatically.