Voting for a coach: Round of 16 - Rhule vs. Lembo

Names you know, names you don't.  But regardless, they are names that are out there. Will one become the next Rutgers coach?  Will it happen this December?  Let's be ready, boys and girls.

Oh, and don't be shy about commenting on how likely or ridiculous the candidates are.

We open the KO round with two head coaches.

Knockout Round 1

Matt Rhule, Temple, Head Coach

He's he darling of the east coast coaching pundits. Temple...lowly Temple.  Knocks off Penn State.  Takes the Irish to the brink.  But then he says:

"I couldn't want to be here more," Rhule told Angelo Cataldi and the 94WIP Morning Show on Monday. "I'll tell you this, I'm not one of those guys who gives like those coaching answers. I told our kids, I don't make any promises. I don't know what the future is gonna hold. But I've been at Temple nine years. I love it. And I think we're gonna be even better in the next couple years. So it would take a special, special job to get me and my family to pick up and leave what we started here," he continued. "I think we can be great and I love living here. I mean where else can you be a top-25 coach, live in Philly? I mean I live right downtown. This is as good as it gets for me so I plan on being here for a long, long time and I hope they'll have me."

So he loves Temple, loves Philly, but makes no promises.  Is Rutgers that 'special" place that could lure Rhule?  Hmm.  Would it be a next step, leading to bigger things down the road?  Or are we just dreaming?  Rhule turns 41 in January.

But for here and now - right now - would you want him as your coach?

For more on Rhule, check here.

Pete Lembo, Ball State, Head Coach

Lembo was in a coach-in bracket, so the Cardinals' coach had to get past your scrutiny in his battle against Michigan's special teams coordinator, John Baxter.  It was a close vote, but by six percentage points, Lembo moved on.  Born on Staten Island, is 45.  A georgetown grad, he has been the head coach at Lehigh and Elon.  In both places, he was a winner.  At Lehigh, he was 44-14 and took the Mountain Hawks to the NCAA 1-AA playoffs twice.  He was 35-22 with the Elon Phoenix.

Later today: Leipold vs. Durkin