FAU football, which rose to national relevance under Lane Kiffin, has backslid over the last five seasons under Willie Taggart and the recently fired Tom Herman. The Owls’ new coaching search, though, might be the most interesting one of this year’s coaching carousel.
And it got a little more interesting this week, as Miami great Ray Lewis has made it known that he really wants to be the Owls’ next coach, a source briefed on Lewis’ thinking said Wednesday.
The 49-year-old Lewis, a 13-time Pro Bowl linebacker, has observed the model of what Deion Sanders has done transforming Colorado football in the past two years and is expected to present a plan to the Owls’ leadership in the next week for how he’d do something similar at FAU.
Lewis’ old buddy, fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer Cris Carter, is the Owls’ executive director of player engagement and is expected to be a good resource for Lewis. A big hurdle for Lewis is, unlike Sanders, he doesn’t have any previous college coaching experience.
“Ray wants it bad,” the source briefed on Lewis’ thinking said. Lewis lives five minutes from the FAU campus. “He really wants it.”
Lewis, however, is not considered a serious candidate at this point, according to a source involved in the coaching search.
Frontrunner for the FAU vacancy
The frontrunner for the FAU vacancy, according to multiple sources involved in the search, is Ole Miss offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. The 31-year-old son of former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, who lives a half-hour from Boca Raton, is the play caller at a hot Rebels program and runs the nation’s No. 2 offense, putting up 7.58 yards per play.
Other expected candidates for the FAU job
Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner
Faulkner, 43, helped turn Tech from the ACC’s No. 11 offense to No. 3 last year. In 2022, the year before he was hired in Atlanta, Georgia Tech ranked last in the ACC in red zone offense. His offense is No. 2 in the ACC in red zone TD percentage.
Penn State assistant head coach/co-OC Ja’Juan Seider
Seider, 47, is a well-regarded coach with deep local ties and is expected to get some consideration. The Belle Glade, Fla., product was a star quarterback at Florida A&M and is well-connected around South Florida. Players really respond to him. He also has been a key assistant in Happy Valley, at Marshall and West Virginia.
UCF offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr.
Harris, 43, has spent his whole coaching career in the state. He was a four-time NCAA All-American in track at Miami and then spent five years as a successful high school coach in South Florida at Miami’s Booker T. Washington High before spending seven seasons at FIU. Since then, he’s coached at Miami and UCF, where he has produced the Big 12’s most prolific offense at 6.76 yards per play.
UNLV offensive coordinator Brennan Marion
Marion, 35, is a former Miami Dolphins wideout who lived in Boynton Beach, not far from the Owls’ campus. He has proven to be a terrific offensive coordinator in two stops at the FCS level before an excellent two-season run of transforming the Rebels into a winning program.
FSU defensive backs coach Pat Surtain
Surtain, 48, could be in play at his alma mater Southern Miss, but he also has strong ties here. He played a decade in the NFL before becoming a top high school coach in South Florida. The 48-year-old spent one season with the Miami Dolphins as an NFL assistant before joining FSU’s staff in 2023.
Georgia assistant head coach Todd Hartley
Hartley, 39, spent three years coaching in South Florida on the Canes’ staff. He is someone Kirby Smart has leaned on in elevating the program since Hartley’s return to Athens in 2019. Southern Miss also has a lot of interest in Hartley for its head coaching vacancy.
Duke defensive coordinator Jonathan Patke
Patke, 41, is a rising star at defensive coordinator. He’s had a strong debut season in Durham and also could be in play.
Miami defensive ends coach Jason Taylor
Taylor, 50, is a legendary figure around South Florida. In 2007, Taylor won the NFL’s prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year honors and has been an excellent addition to the Canes staff the past two seasons.
Conclusion
The FAU coaching search is expected to be one of the most intriguing this year, with several strong candidates vying for the job. While Ray Lewis’ passion for the position is clear, he is not considered a serious candidate at this point. Charlie Weis Jr. appears to be the frontrunner, but Faulkner, Seider, Harris, Marion, Surtain, Hartley, Patke, and Taylor are all strong contenders as well.
FAQs
Q: Who is the current favorite for the FAU head coaching job?
A: Charlie Weis Jr., the 31-year-old son of former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, is considered the frontrunner.
Q: Who are some other strong candidates for the FAU job?
A: Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, Penn State assistant head coach/co-OC Ja’Juan Seider, UCF offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr., UNLV offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, FSU defensive backs coach Pat Surtain, Georgia assistant head coach Todd Hartley, Duke defensive coordinator Jonathan Patke, and Miami defensive ends coach Jason Taylor are all expected to get serious consideration.
Q: What is the biggest obstacle facing Ray Lewis in his bid for the FAU job?
A: Lewis’ lack of previous college coaching experience is a significant hurdle, according to sources involved in the search.
Q: How many years of college coaching experience does Charlie Weis Jr. have?
A: Weis Jr. has been in the college ranks for eight years, serving as the offensive coordinator at FAU under Lane Kiffin from 2017-2021 and then joining Ole Miss in 2022.