Elson Out... Romeo In?

This morning it was announced from ESPN's Pat Forde that Head Coach David Elson of the "God's Country" Hilltoppers was axed after an 0-9 start to Western Kentucky University's inaugural season in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Elson who had been with the Hilltopper's as an assistant with the Jack Harbaugh administration has been the head coach for the Topper's for the last seven seasons in which the last three has been spent in transit of becoming the latest addition to the FBS. During his tenure he was a dismal 39-41 with his only national notoriety coming from a "Rah Rah" speech that occurred at the "Swamp" in 2007 in which Elson "Sledgehammered" a Gator helmet only to get "Sledgehammered" on the field 49-3.

With a coaching change mid to late season on "the Hill" questions of possible replacements arise... Western Kentucky is far from a desirable job for any of the Fulmer's, Tuberville's and Bowden's

of the world but the Toppers do have some ties to coaches that are either available and/or either having or had some success.

Romeo Crennel - This Topper Alum and Western Kentucky native was just recently ousted from the Cleveland Browns head spot and is coach less for the first time in almost 35 years. Sources to "the Fix" say that Crennel is going to be on campus this weekend to be enshrined into the "Hall of Distinguished Alumni". Could the WKU administration be setting up Crennel with a "right place right time situation"? Update - Romeo was on campus last weekend.

Willie Taggart - This Topper Alum was the Offensive Coordinator on the "I-AA National Championship" team in 2002 and left to join Jim Harbaugh at Stanford as the Running Back's Coach. He is currently enjoying the successes of a top 25 season and prospects of Standford's first bowl bid in almost 10 years. Update : Jack Harbaugh was on campus last weekend accepting an award and in his speech in front of alumni, administration and Coach Elson he said, "Willie Taggart will make a great college head coach one day."

Tony Franklin - This western Kentucky native and seasoned offensive assistant has held Offensive coaching gig's at Kentucky, Auburn, Troy and currently Middle Tennessee State. The Fix doesn't really think that he is a good fit for the job but like I said before this isn't the most sexy job in college football.

If I were Western Kentucky's AD I would be all over either Texas's Assistant Head Coach Major Applewhite... Though it's a possibility he could very well be Mack Brown's successor or Troy's Offensive Coordinator Neal Brown who is a Kentucky native and has had some early successes in his four year stint in the Sun Belt.