Todd Monken Becomes the First Ever Former Southern Miss Coach to Accomplish This Feat

Former head coach Todd Monken continues to make Southern Miss proud with his latest NFL coaching success.

Oct 3, 2015; Hattiesburg, MS, USA; Southern Miss Golden Eagles head coach Todd Monken signals a touchdown in the second half of their game against the North Texas Mean Green at M.M. Roberts Stadium. Southern Miss won, 49-14. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-Imagn Images / Chuck Cook-Imagn Images

Being a head coach at Southern Miss will never be viewed as a "forever job" in today's college football climate, if we're being brutally honest, but it can be a stepping stone toward something much greater if done correctly by the person who occupies the position.

Todd Monken is a glowing example of this concept, as he was hired as the Cleveland Browns' next head coach on Wednesday. Not only is it Monken's first NFL head-coaching gig, but he is also the first former Southern Miss coach to reach the NFL head-coaching ranks. Time will tell if he can turn the Browns into a winning team, but his career track record speaks for itself.

When Monken became the head coach at Southern Miss in 2012, he inherited a program that had just finished its worst season in school history, with a 0-12 record. After a tough two years of rebuilding, Monken's Golden Eagles, led by now-NFL backup quarterback Nick Mullens, soared to a 9-5 record, a Conference USA West Division title, and an appearance in the Heart of Dallas Bowl in 2015. Despite not winning the conference championship or the bowl game, that season still stands as the best season the Golden Eagles have produced over the last 14 years.

Todd Monken's Coaching Success After Leaving Southern Miss

Sep 5, 2015; Hattiesburg, MS, USA; Southern Miss Golden Eagles head coach Todd Monken before their game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at M.M. Roberts Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-Imagn Images / Chuck Cook-Imagn Images

After helping Southern Miss turn things around in a big way, Monken became the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2016-18. Before leaving Hattiesburg, he said it was a "privilege" to lead the Southern Miss football program but that the Tampa Bay job was one he "couldn't pass up."

After serving as the offensive coordinator for the Browns in 2019, Monken moved back down to the college ranks to be the offensive coordinator at Georgia from 2020-22, where he won two national championships. From 2023-25, he was the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, where he helped star quarterback Lamar Jackson win NFL MVP in 2023.

Attempting to turn around a Browns franchise that has only had two winning seasons in the last 18 years will be a daunting task for Monken, but so was bringing Southern Miss out of its worst era of football in program history. If the Browns can find their franchise quarterback, there's over a decade of evidence, including three years in Hattiesburg, that suggests Monken will have him and the team in a good position to win.