Eric Bieniemy emerges as candidate for USC head coach opening

According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Eric Bieniemy has emerged as a potential candidate for the new head coach opening at the University of Southern California after Clay Helton was fired over the weekend.

The expectations are that USC’s coaching search will turn over rocks on several levels, so it’s not a surprise that hot NFL coaching names are also included in the search.

Bieniemy has been linked as a popular name for head coaching searches at the pro level now for three consecutive offseasons. Yet every year, Bieniemy has earned multiple interviews yet he’s been passed over every time. At first, it made sense because he was a newer name and a first-year coordinator, but at this point, Bieniemy has going on three years worth of experience as an offensive coordinator for a team that’s a perennial Super Bowl contender. He also has a ring of his own.

Bieniemy has interviewed with nearly half of all NFL franchises at this point and has yet to get a head coach offer despite being a finalist for several. This is a long list that includes the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, and Atlanta Falcons. The Washington Football Team was also linked with him but went with Ron Rivera instead when the Panthers cut him loose.

Bieniemy, who is now 52-years-old, has coached in Southern California before when he was running backs coach at UCLA back in 2003 to 2005. He has, however, never been a head coach anywhere despite his vast experience as a positional coach and coordinator at both the college and pro level. He’s also served as a coach and player with the Colorado Buffaloes, so he’s got some roots in the Pac-12.

Bieniemy will likely see a long list of other names also linked with the job, even from the pro level. Urban Meyer’s name has also been floated and he literally just started his NFL career with only one game with the Jacksonville Jaguars.