5 Potential Vacancies Would Make Sense for Indiana's Bryant Haines to Become a Head Coach

One would think that the Indiana DC is going to have a market to become a head coach sooner rather than later. A handful of places would make sense.

Jan 17, 2026; Miami Beach, Florida, USA; Indiana Hoosiers defensive coordinator Bryant Haines during media day for the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship at Miami Beach Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Call me crazy, but I can't help but think that Bryant Haines is on his way to becoming a head coach.

The Indiana defensive coordinator won the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant, and did so for a team that went 16-0 and shattered school records galore. It's a minor miracle that IU retained him and that he's not entering Year 1 as a head coach.

The 40-year-old rising assistant could have a Power Conference market if Indiana competes for a national title. It's hard to imagine Haines leaving Indiana for a Group of 5 job, especially considering that James Madison is entering Year 1 with Billy Napier.

So which programs could have vacancies that would work for Haines if - and, of course, it's an if - he's a part of a coaching carousel?

1. Cincinnati

Scott Satterfield has improved by multiple wins the last two seasons, but a team with an over/under of 5.5 wins for a Year 4 coach doesn't suggest that trend will continue.

Haines is an Ohio native who has obviously established himself in that part of the country, albeit in a different conference. Don't tell yourself that Haines is holding out for a Big Ten job. Those are hard to come by.

Haines could solve the defensive issues at a place that hasn't had a top-60 defense under Satterfield, who just replaced his defensive coordinator even after that winning season in Big 12 play.

Getting back to their defense-first ways that they had under Luke Fickell would make plenty of sense.

2. North Carolina

Look. There are a ton of exit points for a coach in his early 70s who went 4-8 in Year 1. Bill Belichick didn't exactly look like someone who had the blueprint to success at UNC.

Even if Belichick does find Year 2 success, remember that he could then get the NFL interest ramped up again. You get it, though. UNC looking for a new coach after 2026 isn't far-fetched.

Haines would be a nice fit at a place that would likely go in a younger direction in a post-Belichick era. The Tar Heels could do a whole lot worse than a soon-to-be 41-year-old defensive mind who came from a national championship team.

He also has the North Carolina connection having spent 2 years on Curt Cignetti's staff at FCS Elon, and he did plenty of recruiting on the East Coast during his 5 years at James Madison.

Haines could be a breath of fresh air in Chapel Hill.

3. Iowa

Yeah, you've reached the part in the story wherein I suggest that Power Conference programs who are led by 70-something head coaches could be on the way out. I mean, they changed the punting rules on Kirk Ferentz. For all we know, that's the last straw.

But Haines at Iowa would bring the program into the modern era while allowing them to stick their tough, physical ways. Any program that Haines takes over will preach that mindset.

Once upon a time, the likes of Bret Bielema or Mark Stoops felt like obvious fits to return to their alma mater to replace Ferentz. Their situations have changed a bit too much for that to feel likely.

Haines might be a younger version of those two, and bringing some of Cignetti's tricks of the trade to a program that isn't about to start landing 5-star talent could be a nice fit.

4. Northwestern

Northwestern hasn't exactly been the type of place that's been known to have a quick trigger when it comes to firing head coaches. That bodes well for David Braun, who'll be entering Year 4.

But a 5-7 season as the new Ryan Field opens up could prompt such a move. It elevates how attractive that vacancy will be on the open market for a potential candidate like Haines.

Let's remember that Northwestern athletic director Mark Jackson didn't hire Braun. He could have bigger plans at the head coaching spot, and getting someone who has been elite at both recruiting the portal and scheming on the defensive side might be the direction he goes in.

"Chicago's Big Ten team" would be wise to tap into Indiana's success model.

5. Maryland

Plenty of people thought that Mike Locksley would be gone at the end of the 2025 season, but that didn't happen. Nobody would be surprised if Year 8 was his last in College Park.

Even in the transfer portal era, you have to be able to recruit the DMV. Haines, with his James Madison background, would be well-versed in that. You'd also get the obvious Big Ten connection having seen the overhaul at a basketball-first school.

Haines would be seen as a whale of a hire for Maryland, who has money, but not a whole lot of tradition. Haines would re-set the culture and bring the edge that the Terps have been lacking throughout the majority of their time in the Big Ten.