It’s very difficult to think about replacing coach Randy Walker so soon, but there are 97 players on Northwestern’s roster who are not only dealing with the loss of their head coach but are undoubtedly clueless about their future at NU.

That’s a bad situation for anyone to be in, so it needs to be patched up as soon as possible. There’s no way anyone can expect the upcoming season to be normal, but Athletic Director Mark Murphy still needs to find someone to lead the team during such a difficult time.

With that in mind, here is a list of replacements to be the next head coach at NU. Candidates currently on staff:

1. Garrick McGee (NU offensive coordinator). Although I don’t believe anyone on staff should be given the reigns of the program at this point, McGee is the best choice if Murphy wants to go in that direction.

McGee is well liked by the team, knows how to run the offense and played at Oklahoma, so he knows how big-time programs run. If the recent unfortunate events had not played out, McGee would have probably had to wait four to five years at most for a head coaching job at a BCS school. Now it may be earlier.

2. Pat Fitzgerald (NU linebackers coach). Mr. Northwestern seems like he would be the best coach to lead the Cats, but now is just not the time. NU needs to get another offensive coach on staff, as four of the five assistants will be in new positions this year, so that side of the ball will need as much help as it can get.

Age should not impact whether or not Fitzgerald, who is just 31, is hired, as he is probably ready to run a team. He just isn’t right in this case. Fitzgerald should be the coach hired after the next one though, and could pull a Joe Paterno at NU – in terms of both longevity and success.

3. Jerry Brown (NU assistant head coach). Brown is the longest-tenured member of the Cats’ staff, but appointing him head coach would be a huge mistake. He used to run NU’s defense but was reassigned in 2002 to serve as assistant head coach when he just wasn’t cutting it.

Being named assistant head coach may not seem like a demotion, but when you lose as much responsibility as Brown did, it was obvious Walker was sending a message.

Candidates with NU ties:1. Kevin Wilson (Oklahoma offensive coordinator). Wilson was NU’s assistant head coach and offensive coordinator before leaving after the 2001 season to coach Oklahoma’s offensive line and run the ground game. He has since worked his way up to offensive coordinator.

Considering that he knows what it takes to win at NU and has abackground at a major program, Wilson is an ideal choice. I don’t know if Wilson would take the job, as he is probably a year or two away from having his pick of available openings around the country as the head man.

2. Ron Vanderlinden (Penn State linebackers coach). Even though he is a defensive guy, Vanderlinden would be another good fit. He was NU’s defensive coordinator from 1992-1996 before taking the Maryland head coaching job, so he knows how to run a team. But it will take a lot to pry him from State College. He seems to be the heir apparent to take over for Joe Pa, whenever he retires, and it would be hard to leave a situation like that.

3. Mike Dunbar (California offensive coordinator). It be awkward at first, but bringing back Dunbar, who left his post as NU’s offensive coordinator after last season, could help ease the blow of losing Walker. He obviously has ties to the program, as everyone on the team except the incoming freshmen know him, but like Wilson and Vanderlinden, it’s unclear if he would leave Cal if offered the job.

Although Walker said money was undoubtedly a factor in Dunbar’s move, it was also said that Dunbar was looking to retire with his family in California sometime in the next few years. Becoming NU’s head coach is far from slowing down and heading toward retirement.

Dream candidate: Gregg Brandon (Bowling Green head coach). If Murphy can lure Brandon away from Bowling Green, I would be shocked, and Murphy should get a raise. Brandon essentially stole the base of his offense from Walker a few years ago, so the Cats could keep the spread.

Although Bowling Green isn’t in a BCS conference, it’s not too far of a step down from NU if at all, as Brandon’s team defeated the Wildcats in the 2003 Motor City Bowl. He also is familiar with NU, as he coached in Evanston for seven seasons under Gary Barnett. Of all the coaches and assistants NU has even a chance to hire, he may be the only one that would be able to hold the program together while winning games. At this point winning is secondary, but it would help the grieving process that will continue throughout the year.

I’ll be shocked if anyone not on that list is hired to lead NU thisyear, but Murphy could find a capable surprise candidate. Whoever is tabbed to replace Walker will have the monstrous task of holding together a program in mourning, while trying to keep NU up to the football and academic standards Walker left behind.

Unfortunately for the Cats, Walker could have been one of a kind.

Sports columnist and former football writer Abe Rakov is a Medill junior. He can be reached at [email protected].