Saints Legend Desires To Become A Collegiate Head Coach

Reggie Bush, the former New Orleans Saints star expressed to Bri Amaranthus that he aspires to transition into coaching - specifically his alma aiming to lead his alma mater, USC.
"The same way that I helped them win national championships as a player is the same way I can help them win those championships as a coach. I believe that wholeheartedly," Bush said.
Bush, 39, has highlighted his passion for coaching aligns with his experience as a player and analyst that will help him to succeed as a head coach.
Unfortunately for the Saints Hall of Famer, the Trojans have Lincoln Riley already entrenched in the position.
The Heisman Trophy winner revealed through another interview with Arash Markazi, he had explored coaching opportunities by interviewing with Sacramento State about their head coaching vacancy.
"I actually spoke to some people over at Sacramento State for the head coaching job when that came up," Bush noted. “I spoke to some people over there about coaching and it’s definitely something that I want to do."
Sacramento State ultimately hired Brennan Marion for the role, Bush appears intent on becoming a collegiate head coach for a program.
The latest trend involves hiring former NFL stars at HBCU football programs, with ex-Philadelphia Eagles teammates Michael Vick (Norfolk State) and DeSean Jackson (Delaware State) taking on new roles in the MEAC.
Any collegiate sports team interested in hiring Reggie Bush won't be the first to land a past great athlete to coach without direct experience.
He has learned different coaching styles from championship-winning coaches during his athletic career. Namely, Pete Carroll and Sean Payton are the first two that comes to mind.
Could Reggie Bush be a success as a head coach?
Bush envisions a similar comeback story to USC as Georgia did for current head coach Kirby Smart. He is relying on his passion for football and understanding of a winning culture to bring championships back to the Trojans.
Deion Sanders is the most notable figure who coached at Jackson State University, recruited Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter to the HBCU, and has found success at Colorado. Replicating or exceeding Coach Prime's meteoric rise would be great achievement for any coach, but Reggie isn't sheepish for the possibility of it happening for him in the future.
Bush commented, "I think I have what it takes." Does he?
We shall see.
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ICYMI: WHO IS ANTHONY WEAVER? - SAINTS HEAD COACH CANDIDATE
The Saints coaching search is kicking it up a notch, to quote the great chef Emeril Lagasse. It was reported on Monday morning that New Orleans was bringing in two previous candidates for second in-person interviews this week.
Giants offensive coordinator is on Tuesday, while Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is on Wednesday. So, who is Anthony Weaver anyways and what does he bring to the table?
Anthony Weaver Profile
For starters, Weaver is a former player. His time with the Ravens and Texans saw him play for Brian Billick and Gary Kubiak. He has coached in the NFL since 2012, working under Rex Ryan and the Jets to start as an assistant defensive line coach. He also played under Ryan when he was with the Ravens. Now, Ryan is of the John Harbaugh tree.
One season later, Weaver joined Doug Marrone as the Bills defensive line coach, and then moved to the Browns for two seasons to be their line coach from 2014-2015 to work under Mike Pettine.
Weaver then got a shot to do the same gig with the Texans from 2016-2019 under Bill O'Brien, and then became the team's defensive coordinator in addition to the line coach in 2020. O'Brien got fired and Romeo Crennel took over as the interim head coach.
The following season, Weaver was hired by the Ravens to be their defensive line coach and run game coordinator under John Harbaugh. In Feb. 2022, he was promoted to assistant head coach and served at that position through the 2023 season.
Harbaugh called Weaver 'an absolute star' and praised him for his ability to light up a room and fill it up. He also talked about his high understanding of defense and leadership abilities, being able to manage player and work with people.
Weaver had successful interviews with the Falcons and Commanders in the 2024 offseason, but was ultimately promoted after being hired by the Dolphins as their defensive coordinator.
Miami's players had positive things to say about him, with Jalen Ramsey saying that he was a great leader and motivator and had a lot of respect for Weaver. Jevon Holland said that Weaver understood where players were coming from and wanted to hear them out and get input on the defense. In turn, that helped him teach the players.
While things didn't go the way the Dolphins wanted to this season, their defense finished 4th in total defense and 10th in points allowed in 2024. They were 9th against the run and pass while finishing with 35 sacks and 16 turnovers. The play against the run and pass alone would be a significant boost for New Orleans.
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ICYMI: NFL Coaching Report: Saints To Schedule Second Interviews With 2 Candidates
The New Orleans Saints could move closer to making a coaching hire soon. On Monday morning, Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports that the Saints will conduct second interviews with two candidates this week.
• Mike Kafka
• Anthony Weaver
According to Pelissero, Kafka, the offensive coordinator for the New York Giants, will have his second interview with New Orleans on Tuesday. Weaver, the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins, will reportedly have his second on Wednesday.
The Saints have already conducted initial interviews with:
• Joe Brady
• Aaron Glenn
• Mike McCarthy
• Kellen Moore
• Darren Rizzi
With Glenn's Detroit Lions now eliminated from the playoffs, teams may have in-person interviews with him beginning this week. New Orleans is also reported to be interested in Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and former Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy.