One of these 9 coaches could replace Bo Pelini at Nebraska

Nebraska’s dismissal of Bo Pelini Sunday means the Cornhuskers will undergo their third coaching search in just over a decade. Pelini was unable to break the nine-win barrier at Lincoln, and Nebraska’s search for his replacement will attempt to identify a candidate who can bring them their first conference title since the Frank Solich era. Like Pelini, Solich was fired after a nine-win season.

Nebraska’s main issue under Pelini appears to have come on the recruiting trail. The Cornhuskers transitioned from the Big 12 to the Big Ten, making it more difficult to continue recruiting out of Texas. Just 30 percent of the recruits Nebraska signed over the last four classes were four- or five-stars. 21 teams have done better in that stretch.

Who will replace Pelini at Nebraska? Here’s a list of names to keep in mind.

Mark Stoops, Kentucky head coach. A hot name for any job opening, Stoops’ recruiting prowess makes him a prime candidate for this position. He brought in a top-25 class in 2014 and is on pace to do the same in 2015, and more than doubled Kentucky’s win total in his second year in charge. A former defensive back and graduate assistant at Iowa, Stoops has some Big Ten experience as well.

Pat Narduzzi, Michigan State defensive coordinator. Another hot name for job openings, Narduzzi reportedly turned down the Connecticut job last offseason. This is a considerably better opportunity, but he’s better known as an elite defensive tactician and talent developer rather than a recruiter.

Justin Fuente, Memphis head coach. Fuente completely revamped what was an atrocious Memphis program, winning the AAC title in just his third year on the job (and in the Tigers’ second year in the conference). Memphis won nine games this season, allowing just 17.1 points per game. The Tigers were also able to hang with some elites in non-conference play: they lost 42-35 to UCLA and trailed 7-3 to Ole Miss in the fourth quarter before losing 24-3.

Tom Herman, Ohio State offensive coordinator. Herman recently secured a commitment from one of the top athletes in the country in Torrance Gibson, and brings a combination of Big Ten experience, offensive savvy and recruiting acumen that could make him ideal for the position. Prior to his time at Ohio State, Herman did wonders with the offenses at Texas State, Rice and Iowa State as offensive coordinator, and has ties to the Midwest, Great Plains and Texas.

Houston Nutt, CBS Sports analyst. Need some recruiting help? The former Arkansas and Ole Miss head coach is your man. Nutt was fired by the Rebels after a 2-10 2011 season, but his overall coaching record (including time at Murray State and Boise State) is still a boisterous 135-96. He turned down the Nebraska job in 2004, but he’s never coached in the Big Ten. The closest he’s gotten to Nebraska’s region is his time as a player (and later as a positional coach) with Oklahoma State, but he’s shown he can bring talent just about anywhere.

Al Golden, Miami head coach. Current Nebraska athletic director Shawn Eichorst came to Lincoln after two years at Miami, and was supportive of Golden during his time there. The head coach is in a bit of hot water with Hurricanes fans after a 6-6 season and a sub-.500 record in ACC play, but the former Penn State player has Big Ten ties and a solid recruiting track record.

Greg Schiano, unattached. Yes, really. The New Jersey native has Big Ten experience on the Penn State staff (not to mention his highly successful stint at new Big Ten school Rutgers), and brings NFL head coaching experience to the table as well. The Eichorst-Miami connection applies here, too: before Rutgers, Schiano was the Hurricanes’ defensive coordinator, and still has a number of recruiting connections in the area.