One spin around the sun later, Idaho State is in the same position it was last year: Searching for a new head coach. Former head coach Charlie Ragle, who ISU hired last December, left this week to become Arizona State’s assistant head coach and special teams coordinator, coaching just one year of the five-year deal he signed.

So for the second time in two years, the Bengals are looking for a new head man.

In a text message to the Journal Thursday afternoon, Idaho State athletic director Pauline Thiros said she is “working with a consultant and vetting a large number of candidates.”

Here are a few potential names, in no particular order. Note: Nobody at ISU has provided this list. These are only candidates that might make sense considering their background, financial considerations and previous hires the school has made.

1. Danny Freund, North Dakota offensive coordinator

Freund may not have many Idaho connections, but he just completed his fourth season as North Dakota’s offensive coordinator, guiding the Fighting Hawks to their third FCS playoff appearance in four years. They fell to Weber State in the first round this season, but this fall, Freund’s offense put up 30 points a game, good for fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Freund made $80K last year at North Dakota, per The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, which means he would be making significantly more money at ISU, where Ragle was paid $205K last season.

He’s also been at North Dakota for 12 seasons now, and he has never been a head coach. He’s accomplished a lot with the Fighting Hawks, including taking UND to the FCS quarterfinals behind an offense that posted another 30 points per game — on nearly 400 yards per game — but Freund has never held the title of head coach. Perhaps he would like to.

2. Gino Mariani, former Highland head coach

If there’s one man the ISU fanbase is clamoring for, it’s Mariani, the legendary Highland head coach who won four state championships in 22 seasons. Mariani, who stepped down from the position ahead of this last season, is synonymous with Southeast Idaho high school football. He confirmed to the Journal this week that he would be interested in the opportunity should it present itself.

Would the Bengals extend it? There may be a bit of risk in doing so. Going directly from high school head coach to Division I head coach is a giant leap, no matter the coach, and it hasn’t always worked out.

For example: In the early 2000s, Todd Dodge became a high school coaching icon in Texas, where he led Southlake Carroll to four state championships in five years. In 2004, Schutt Sports named Dodge National Coach of the Year, and in 2005, USA Today did the same.

Ahead of the 2007 season, North Texas hired Dodge as its head coach. In his first season, Dodge led the Mean Green to a 2-10 record. In his second, North Texas went 1-11. In Year 3, Dodge’s team produced another 2-10 record, and before the 2010 season, athletics brass told Dodge he needed to produce a winning season to keep his job. Before the ensuing season ended, Dodge was fired, having produced a total record of 6-37.

There’s no way to know if Mariani would meet the same fate, but the few examples of a high school head coach jumping directly to a Division I head coaching job don’t look promising. Still, Mariani is one of the most well-connected coaches in the state, and he would likely have no problem fostering excitement among the fanbase and securing commitments from in-state recruits. Also of note: Mariani would profile as a less risky hire than Ragle, considering Mariani’s local roots.

Whether all that would translate to winning football, well, only time would tell.

3. Joe Lorig, Oregon special teams coordinator

Lorig could be a candidate for the same reason Ragle, who was previously Cal’s special teams coordinator, was last year. Lorig is a Power 5 assistant, but his Idaho State ties run deep: From 1999-2002, Lorig coached the Bengals’ linebackers and cornerbacks, helping them win their last Big Sky championship, which came in 2002. Ahead of the next season, he was promoted to defensive coordinator, and he helped ISU secure an 8-3 campaign, the program’s first back-to-back eight-win seasons.

In that stretch, Lorig also coached former ISU defensive end Jared Allen, who went on to enjoy a 12-year NFL career — by far the most professionally successful Idaho State football alum.

Lorig joined Oregon’s staff in January, and before that, he made stops at several schools, including Utah State, Memphis and Penn State. In those roles, he’s coached linebackers, safeties and special teams.

One caveat that might deter Lorig from the ISU gig: At Oregon, he’s making $650K, per Football Scoop. If ISU pays around the same amount it did Ragle, Lorig would be taking around a $400K pay cut.

It’s hard to win at ISU. Lorig may have been an assistant coach, but he has done so. Perhaps he would be interested in trying to do so as a head coach.

4. Bruce Barnum, Portland State head coach

Barnum would give ISU something it lacked in its previous two head men: A candidate with previous head coaching experience. Barnum has been Portland State’s head coach since 2015, and since then, he has accumulated a 30-50 record, with an FCS playoff appearance in his first season. He doesn’t have a fantastic track record, namely his winless 2017 season, but he did follow that with seasons of four and five wins, respectively.

The money might also make sense for Barnum, who reportedly made $205K in 2021, the same amount ISU paid Ragle this fall.

More importantly: Barnum has Idaho State connections, and he really likes athletic director Pauline Thiros. He coached ISU’s offensive and defensive lines in 1998 and 1999, respectively, before becoming defensive coordinator for the 2000 season and offensive coordinator from 2001-2006. That means he coached ISU’s offense in 2002 — the year the Bengals won the Big Sky. When this newspaper interviewed Barnum back in July, at the Big Sky kickoff event in Spokane, he had this to say about his perception of ISU’s program:

Well, you’re asking the sugarcoat guy because I love the place. My kids were born there. I mean, I coached there for a long time. I’m an Idaho State fan. When Charlie (Ragle) got the job, I was happy for him. I know Dirk (Koetter). I know Pauline. She was there when I was there. I’m an Idaho State fan.

You know, people probably love (Thiros) or hate her, but Pauline is (freaking) smart. Pauline is one of the smartest (freaking) people I know. So with her guidance, she knows what’s going on and what she needs to do. She made a great decision — she didn’t hire me.

Maybe Thiros would consider doing so this time around.

5. Grant Duff, Weber State co-defensive coordinator

Duff makes a solid candidate for a number of reasons. For one, he hails from Blackfoot, a short 30-minute drive from Pocatello. He’s also a top Idaho and Utah recruiter, raiding places like Rexburg (where he graduated from BYU-Idaho in 2009), Boise, Coeur d’Alene and other cities for their top prospects. In 2021, Rigby quarterback Tiger Adolpho capped an illustrious two-season career with a state title, and he committed to Weber State.

Duff’s defense also consistently ranks among the Big Sky’s best. This fall, the Wildcats rank second, allowing just 19 points per game, and check out the past few years’ marks: Fourth, second, first, first, first. Duff wasn’t always the co-defensive coordinator — he assumed that role ahead of last season — but he’s been involved with defensive position groups like linebackers and defensive ends.

The ISU job would also be a pay upgrade for Duff, who made roughly $75K at Weber State in 2021, according to GovSalaries.