There are two open head coaching positions at the Division II level and above in college football, per FootballScoop's research, and one of them has the potential to get wild.
New Mexico Highlands is down to three finalists, and -- in a move sure to make every FBS AD blush -- they've identified all three finalists. And in a move sure to make every FBS AD require a defibrillator, the school will interview all three in a public forum.
Justin Richter interviewed Wednesday, Darren Jackson interviews Thursday, and Kurt Taufa'Asau will sit for an interview on Friday. All three interviews will take place from 11:30 to 12:30 local time in the in the SUB 320 Governance Room, and those who can't attend can following along via Zoom. In fact, here's the link.
Two of the three are sitting head coaches, which would leave either candidate's current program scrambling to find a replacement in June, most likely.
Jackson is presently the head coach at Sterling College, where he has gone 4-17 in two seasons. Prior to that he was the defensive backs coach at Colorado Mesa, a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference rival of NMHU.
Taufa'Asau is the head coach at New Mexico Military Institute. His 2021 team went 12-1 with a JuCo national championship -- won while Taufa'Asua was NMMI's interim head coach. The interim tag was lifted during the season, and since then he has gone 12-8 in two full seasons.
Finally, Richter is the defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator at West Texas A&M. He previously spent six seasons as the defensive coordinator at Missouri Western State.
Whomever most impresses during the interview process, New Mexico Highlands need to choose wisely. NMHU and head coach Ron Hudson parted ways on May 1, and the new head coach will be the program's 13th since 2000. The Cowboys have enjoyed two winning seasons during that span, and one coach has lasted longer than three seasons -- and he lasted four.
"I'm excited for the future of the Highlands Football program, and feel confident in the three finalists who are coming to campus," Shanna Halalilo NMHU co-athletic director said.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.