College football offseason storylines can often be just as entertaining as the games themselves and what is transpiring at Texas Southern is the perfect example. It is utter mayhem.
The Tigers have completely bungled their search for the university’s next head football coach. Clarence McKinney was fired after going 3-8 this season and 12-35 since taking over in 2018.
His replacement could be anyone at this point. They’ve done a terrible job with the search thus far.
Seven-time NFL Pro Bowler Andre Johnson, who played 14 years with the Texans, Colts and Titans, is apparently in the mix. His candidacy is making things messy.
A timeline of the head coaching search:
- November 14 —
- Players reportedly receive word that Coach McKinney would not return.
- Athletic director Dr. Kevin Granger denies the report.
- November 20 —
- Dr. Granger’s denial is proved false.
- It is confirmed that Coach McKinney’s contract won’t be renewed.
- November 28 —
- The Houston Chronicle writes an article suggesting that Johnson would be a good hire.
- December 7 —
- Texas Southern reportedly narrows its search down to two.
- Former Nebraska coach Mickey Joseph
- Former Colorado defensive backs coach Brett Maxie
- Texas Southern reportedly narrows its search down to two.
- December 13 —
- Texas Southern pivots, hard, to Alcorn State head coach Fred McNair.
- December 15 —
- McKinney’s contract officially expires.
- A special meeting is called to “Request Approval to Appoint and Negotiate Employment Contract for Head Football Coach.”
- Texas Southern is set to hire McNair.
- The Board of Regents fails to hit required attendance for the meeting.
- December 19 —
This particular date is the most chaotic.
Texas Southern is in limbo.
Texas Southern was still trying to hire McNair on December 19. Alcorn State, who employed McNair from 2016 through the 2023 college football season, released a statement saying that it could not come to an agreement to keep him.
By all accounts, McNair was set to be named the Tigers’ next head football coach. Another special meeting was called to approve the hire.
At least two members of the Board of Regents either failed to attend the meeting or caused a major disruption in the vote. They prefer to go with a flashy hire like Johnson over McNair.
Here lies the HBCU standstill.
McNair essentially left his job as head football coach Alcorn State to become the head football coach at Texas Southern but the latter has not hired him. He is currently unemployed.
The last known meeting of the Tigers’ Board of Regents took place on Tuesday. They went through Early Signing Day on Wednesday without a head coach. Christmas is this weekend.
Texas Southern’s head coaching search is a mess. There is no end in sight.
McNair is ready to accept. Andre Johnson has yet to coach a single football game in his life.