HawgBeat's Coordinator Hot Board

Major Applewhite

Currently an analyst at Alabama, Applewhite was previously the head coach at Houston from 2017-18 - where he was hired by current Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek. He fits what Pittman said he'd like to do with RPOs and the quarterback run game, as he coached dual-threat quarterbacks Greg Ward Jr. and D'Eriq King both as an offensive coordinator and head coach. Although they didn't win enough for Applewhite to keep his job, the Cougars did rank fifth nationally in scoring last season. He also has Power Five experience as the co-offensive coordinator at Texas from 2011-13 and the offensive coordinator at Alabama in 2007.

Kendal Briles

Briles has separated himself from the scandal involving his father at Baylor by coaching at three different schools since leaving the Bears. In 2017, he was Lane Kiffin's offensive coordinator at FAU and the Owls ranked eighth nationally at 40.6 points per game. The following year, he returned to Texas as Applewhite's offensive coordinator and the Cougars ranked fifth nationally at 43.9 points per game. That helped him land a job at Florida State this season, but the Seminoles averaged just 29.1 points per game (t-65th) and head coach Willie Taggart was fired.