Texas Football: 5 best candidates to be next defensive coordinator

5. Phil Parker

Current Position: Iowa defensive coordinator

Although it would be tough for the Texas football program to land any tenured coordinator away from another solid Power Five program, they should at least try. The Iowa Hawkeyes defensive coordinator Phil Parker is a good place to start this coaching search to replace Orlando. Iowa ranks as the seventh most efficient defense in the nation this year, and they are usually very stout.

There’s not much more that the Longhorns could offer Parker in the way of progression along his coaching career path and in money and resources compared to any other program. He does have a tenure career at Iowa, but this could be a good next step as a defensive coordinator. Parker is only getting $595,000 per year at Iowa, and Orlando was getting around $1.7 million from Texas.

The Longhorns could at least double what Parker is getting.

Moreover, if the Longhorns are able to win over the interests of Parker, then they should throw a good amount of money at him either way. His production with the Iowa defense this season was very solid. His defense allowed less than 190 passing yards per game and just one touchdown. In general, his side of the ball ranked No. 6 in the nation in points per game allowed (13.2).

But if Herman wants to make more of a splash defensive coordinator hire, he should look elsewhere than Parker. Between his tenure as a college football defensive coach and a coordinator, he’s been on a staff with an FBS program since 1988. All that time was spent between Iowa and the Toledo Rockets.