Northern needs a new head football coach; These are some guys they should reach out to

The Montana State University-Northern Lights are in search of a new head football coach after Andrew Rolin announced his resignation last week.

The search will be the third time in the past 10 years that the Lights have had to look for a new head coach, though, this time around, a brand new on-campus football stadium will certainly be an added attraction to the job.

So, with that said, I will once again play the role of search committee and AD, though I think the folks at Northern will do a fine job in finding the next head coach for the Lights. Still, it's fun to take a look at who might be a candidate for the head coaching position, and fun to just throw some names out there.

There will be some repeat names on the list from the time I made it, as well as some new ones, so without further ado, here's some guys I would go after if I was looking for the Lights' next head coach.

Mike Van Diest

There was a time when it was unthinkable that Van Diest would be the head coach of the Lights. After all, he routinely beat up on Northern on his way to winning six NAIA national championships at Carroll College. But then the Hall of Fame head coach briefly retired, before eventually winding up in Havre this past season to become the defensive coordinator on Rolin's staff. So now, throwing the job at Van Diest isn't nearly as far-fetched as it was say a decade ago, and though he may choose to re-retire, and no one could blame him for that, there's no doubt the great Van Diest could be the guy who has the best chance of turning the program around for good.

B.J. Robertson

If MVD decides not to take the Northern job, Robertson should be begged by Northern to take the job. He's already been a head coach in the Frontier Conference, formerly at Western. Then, he moved on to be the top recruiter under Jeff Choate at Montana State, and right now, there's perhaps no one better in Montana at recruiting the state at the local high school level than Robertson. For any Frontier opening in recent years, Robertson's name will be at the top of the list, and it should be at the very top of Northern's list during this coaching search.

Jake Eldridge

I've got a few former Lights on this list, and that's as it should be. Eldridge has already been the interim head coach of the Lights, not once, but twice. He was also Northern's defensive coordinator for a time, is an ex-Light great, and a strong member of the community. Since he last coached the Lights, Eldridge has also continued to grow, to hone his craft, as a head coach in Box Elder, and most recently, as an assistant coach at Havre High. So, with Eldridge's experience, his Northern background, and a foothold in the state of Montana, I think he should be strongly considered.

Levi Wesche

A former Northern standout OL, Wesche has spent the last 15 years building an awesome high school resume, mostly at Bozeman High. He coached under former Havre High great Troy Purcell, then was promoted to head coach of the Hawks when Purcell left for a job at Idaho. Wesche has had a ton of success in Bozeman, and with his experience, strong ties to the state of Montana, and to Northern, is no doubt ready to be a head coach at the Frontier Conference level.

Khalin Anderson

Another former Light, who has coached at Northern, and was an All-Conference standout player under Mark Samson, Anderson has also advanced his coaching career since he was last in Havre. He's served in the high school ranks, and is now an assistant coach at Montana Tech. A Fort Benton native, Anderson also has strong ties to the Havre community, and to the Hi-Line, and he also has outstanding recruiting ties in Montana, which is something the Northern program strongly needs.

Travis Dean

A pattern is developing here, but so what. Dean should be another guy Northern should take a look at. A former quarterback at MSU-N, Dean, too, has spent his time since moving away from Havre developing a strong reputation in the coaching ranks. He started at Flathead High, and is now the offensive coordinator at Montana Tech. Dean is an outstanding play caller, knows how to develop a quarterback, and also has strong recruiting ties in Montana. And now, with his experience, he would be a great asset to the MSU-Northern program.

Joe Dunning

In looking at assistant coaches around the Frontier Conference, Dunning is an intriguing name that Northern should reach out to. Currently the DC and Asstistant Head Coach at Rocky Mountain College, Dunning is a former All-Conference linebacker for Carroll College, who has also coached at Carroll and worked with the Montana State staff for three years before going to Rocky. Dunning is also another Montana native who has strong recruiting ties to the state, and now, having gained plenty of experience at the college level, is the exact kind of guy the Lights should be looking at as their next head coach.

Jim Stanton

The name alone would bring so much to the program, but there's more to Jim Stanton than just a name. He's a great, great football coach, he's part of a historic football family, his roots run deep in Montana, and he's got a wealth of knowledge and experience. Hiring a Stanton has really worked out well for Dickinson State, and Northern is a program that should aspire to be on the level of a DSU. And Stanton is a guy who certainly has what it takes to get the program there.

Les Meyer

Currently retired, Meyer was mentioned by more than just me the last time MSU-N was looking for a head coach. And while I'm sure he's happy in retirement, I would be remiss not to mention him for the position again. After all, Meyer is simply one of the best high school coaches this state has seen in recent times, and he would bring instant experience, credibility and structure to the Northern program.

Dane Oliver

Oliver is a name I threw out the last time the Lights needed a head coach, and while he doesn't really have any ties to the program, he's arguably one of the best high school coaches in Montana, so I'm throwing it out there again. His name ultimately will probably be linked to other college jobs, including, someday, the Montana Grizzlies, but there's still no reason why he shouldn't be on a list of candidates for the Lights' job, considering the great things he's doing at Sentinel.

Kyle Samson

I included Kyle on my list last time the position was open, and it was a longshot then when he was coaching at Flathead. Now that he's the head coach at Montana Tech, which likely won't be his last stop either, he's an even bigger longshot this time around. But I am still going to put his name on my list. Why? Because he's the greatest player to ever suit up for the Lights in my opinion. He was part of an era of Northern football that hasn't been seen again. He's now a Northern Hall of Famer. So those reasons are obvious. But, beyond all that, I happen to think he is a really damn good football coach, an incredible football mind, and I just have so much respect for him, that considering all that he was to Northern, and with what a talented football coach he is now, I will always wish he could be the Lights head coach.