Who’s next? Timing an issue for Bulldogs in replacing Tedford, so are ties to program, Valley

Timing is an issue for Fresno State in replacing coach Jeff Tedford, who resigned on Friday due to heart-related health concerns and a desire to spend more time with his family.

The university must post the position for 14 days, which means the Bulldogs will be without a coach for the early national letter of intent signing day on Dec. 18.

That obviously is less than ideal.

But the focus for athletic director Terry Tumey is finding the right fit for a program that went 26-14 with one Mountain West Conference championship and two bowl victories in three seasons under Tedford and, yes, he said, his parameters have changed in the year-plus he has been in the big chair in the Duncan Building.

“There are extremely talented and qualified individuals that I know are great coaches that possibly would not be successful here,” Tumey said. “And I say they wouldn’t be successful not because their contributions wouldn’t be great, but they have to fit within the confines not only of this football community, this university community, but also this Valley. They have to be able to fit in all those components. The football coach here at Fresno State is a highly-visible, high-touch person.

“That is a person who really has to embody what the Bulldogs are all about. That is an asset that not everybody has comfort with. Some do, but not everyone does.”

The ability to thrive in the San Joaquin Valley will narrow the field, but Fresno State has the ability to offer a salary that is competitive in the Mountain West Conference, where there also are openings at Colorado State, New Mexico and UNLV.

Tedford was under contract through 2023 and had a base salary of $1.615 million, but it was a package of performance bonuses tied to success on the field and in the classroom that taxed the already stressed budget of an athletics department struggling to support 21 sports programs.

Tedford’s contract allowed him to earn up to $2.765 million annually in bonuses and he raked in more than $1.2 million in each of his first two seasons. There are only three coaches in the FBS who have more available through performance bonuses, and in the Mountain West after Tedford bonuses max out between $1.287 million for Hawaii coach Nick Rolovich and $210,000 for Nevada coach Jay Norvell and San Jose State coach Brent Brennan.

Here are four potential candidates …

Kalen DeBoer, Indiana offensive coordinator

Why he fits: DeBoer was the offensive coordinator for two seasons under Tedford before receiving a significant pay raise to move to Indiana.

Tedford and DeBoer had never worked together, but at Fresno State they improved an offense that generated just 329.3 yards and 17.7 points per game in a 1-11 season in 2016. The Bulldogs jumped to 392.9 and 27.1 in 2017 and 421.5 and 34.6 in 2018. DeBoer has head-coaching experience at NAIA Sioux Falls, and when he was a Bulldogs assistant he recruited in California and the Valley.

Head-coaching experience: DeBoer went 67-3 and won three national championships in five seasons at NAIA Sioux Falls (2005-09), losing once in the semifinals and once in the title game.

Current compensation: $800,000 a year through 2021.

Troy Taylor, Sacramento State coach

Why he fits: Taylor in his first season at Sacramento State pulled a Tedford, taking a program that went just 2-8 to new heights this season. The Hornets are 9-3, shared the Big Sky Conference title with Weber State and on Saturday will play in the FCS playoffs against Austin Peay. It is the Hornets’ first postseason appearance since 1988 when they were a Division II program.

The former Cal quarterback and offensive coordinator at Utah grew up in Rancho Cordova and when hired by the Hornets made recruiting Sacramento and the Valley a priority.

Head-coaching experience: Taylor is 9-3 in his first season at Sacramento State, the most regular-season wins in school history.

Compensation: $242,000 a year through 2025

Jim McElwain, Central Michigan coach

Why he fits: McElwain was the Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator in 2007 under Pat Hill and has high-profile stints as offensive coordinator at Alabama, receivers coach at Michigan as well as two other head-coaching positions. He has turned around a Central Michigan program that was 1-11 last season and has been connected to Power Five openings over the past month.

His experience at Fresno State with its facilities and support issues could work against the Bulldogs recruiting him. But McElwain is at a Group of Five conference school now and has a grasp of where Fresno State sits in the Mountain West after spending three years at Colorado State.

Head-coaching experience: McElwain is 8-4 in his first season at Central Michigan and went 22-12 at Florida (2015-17) and 22-15 at Colorado State (2012-14).

Compensation: $400,000 through 2023

Tim Skipper, UNLV defensive coordinator

Why he fits: Skipper was a four-year starter at linebacker for the Bulldogs from 1997 to 2000 and a three-time All-Western Athletic Conference selection. He also coached running backs and linebackers at Fresno State under Pat Hill. Skipper completed his second season as defensive coordinator at UNLV, which also has an opening after Tony Sanchez was fired before the Rebels’ rivalry game against Nevada.

Skipper was the assistant head coach at Colorado State under McElwain in 2013 and ‘14, but has experience coaching and recruiting in California and the Valley as an assistant at Sacramento State, Fresno State and UNLV.

Head-coaching experience: none

Compensation: $250,000 through 2019

Tedford’s role in hiring

Tedford, who will have an ablation performed at the Mayo Clinic in early January, will take part in the hiring process.

“I’m here for the program and whatever I can do to help the program, the university, I’m going to do that,” he said. “I’m here as a resource and I’m here to really help any way I can.”

Tumey said he is looking forward to Tedford’s help through the process, though there is a short timetable with the early signing day approaching.

“I’ve got an expert in Bulldog football at my disposal,” Tumey said. “For me, that speaks volumes in terms of finding the person of the right quality and commitment to young people and their development who also understands football and what it does for this community and this university.

“I feel really confident and really committed to providing the right leader for these young people and this university.”