Analysis: Meet some potential CMU football head coach candidates
With Dan Enos’ resignation on Thursday as the head football coach at CMU, there are many names popping up that might be in the mix for the job. Here are a few:
Tony Annesse (Head Coach, Ferris State): Since the 2012 season Annese has been the head man in Big Rapids. Prior to Ferris State, Annese had three impressive seasons as head coach at Grand Rapids Community College. In his first season at Ferris State Annese led the program to a 7-4 record while Ferris ranked among the top schools in the nation in rushing offense and total offense. In that same season he was a finalist for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award. He is a member of the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Annese was 195-41 in 22 seasons as a prep head coach.
Mike Norvell- (Arizona State Offensive Coordinator)- At only 32 he’s already accomplished a lot. He is a great play caller and was one of the key pieces in building Arizona State’s offense into what it is today. The Sun Devils averaged 36.9 points per game last season., which ranked 17th in the nation. Before arriving at Arizona State in 2012 he was with Tulsa from 2007-2010 as its wide receivers coach and was the offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach at Pittsburgh in 2011.
Zach Azzanni (Wide Receivers Coach, Tennessee)- Azzanni coached under Butch Jones at CMU as the wide receivers coach from 2007-2009. He also has an Urban Meyer connection. Azzanni was a graduate assistant at Bowling Green from 2001-2002 under Meyer. He would follow Meyer to Florida in 2010 as the Gators passing game coordinator. Being a CMU alum and Utica-native, his name will be in the mix.
Brady Hoke- For the past four seasons Hoke was the head coach at The University of Michigan. He guided the Wolverines to a 31-20 record, which included a Sugar Bowl appearance in 2011 with a record of 11-2. His fourth season in Ann Arbor was the only year he did not guide the Wolverines to a bowl game. From 1987-1989 Hoke was the linebackers coach at Toledo. From 1995-2002 Hoke coached in some capacity with Michigan including defensive ends, defensive line and associate head coach. He was the head coach of Ball State from 2003-2009 and San Diego State for two seasons from 2009-2010. In 2008 he led Ball State the most wins in program history with a 12-0 record. He has a career 78-70 record as a head coach. He is a Ball State graduate.
Ron English- From 2009-2013 English was the head coach at Eastern Michigan where he went 11-46. Eastern had their best season in 17 years in 2011 under English with a 6-6 record. He spent five years in Ann Arbor under Lloyd Carr as both a defensive backs coach (2003-2005) and defensive coordinator (2006-2007).
