Abilene Christian head coach Keith Patterson finds himself in familiar territory since being named head coach of the Wildcats in 2022. Patterson is searching for his fourth offensive coordinator in four years, as offensive coordinator Rick Bowie is leaving to become co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Western Kentucky.

Most of the previous changes were due to Patterson's search for the offense he wanted to implement as head coach. It’s safe to say Patterson found the style he prefers with Bowie, who led the ACU offense to an average of 33.8 points and 469.6 yards per game on their way to the United Athletic Conference title and the second round of the FCS playoffs.

It appears the Wildcats have a quarterback in place despite starter Maverick McIvor following Bowie to WKU. Redshirt sophomore Carson Haggard, who replaced an injured McIvor against Northern Arizona to open the FCS playoffs, completed 23 of 29 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns.

While sources indicate that Patterson likely has a list of candidates, let’s look at five potential candidates for ACU’s offensive coordinator position.

Chris Bolden, East Central wide receivers coach

An alum of Texas State, Bolden began his coaching career as running backs coach for two seasons with the Bobcats following his playing career. Bolden received an internship with the Memphis Express, of the Alliance of American Football, in early 2019 before coaching running backs at Texas A&M-Kingsville in the fall. He spent two seasons as special teams coordinator and tight ends coach at Central Oklahoma before coaching wide receivers at Valparaiso in 2022. Before joining ECU, Bolden was an offensive analyst under Jeff Traylor at UTSA.

Brayle Brown, Former Colorado State-Pueblo offensive coordinator

One of the country's best offensive coordinator candidates is unemployed after Brown made a surprising announcement in mid-December that he was seeking a new opportunity. A member of the American Football Coaches Association’s 35-under-35, Brown helped lead the Thunderwolves to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title and NCAA Division II playoffs, averaging 40.2 points and 462.3 yards per game. His offenses at CSU-Pueblo averaged at least 36 points and 421.5 yards per game during his three seasons.

Fran Johnson, Texas Wesleyan offensive coordinator

Johnson’s offense at Texas Wesleyan has been among the most productive at any level of college football during his four seasons with the Rams, who have averaged 42 points per game. The 2024 season was a historical one for the Rams, who won the outright Sooner Athletic Conference title and earned the program’s first appearance in the NAIA playoffs, averaging 57.5 points and 466.9 yards per game. Johnson’s offenses are among the most balanced in the country, averaging at minimum of 167.5 yards rushing and 194 yards passing during his four seasons.

Mike Nesbitt, Ottawa (Ariz.) head coach

Nesbitt, a veteran offensive coach with multiple stops in Texas, is known for producing a potent offense. After spending three years coaching the offensive line, running backs, and kickers at Howard Payne, he spent two years as offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Blinn. He spent time as offensive coordinator at West Texas A&M and Stephen F. Austin in 2010 and 2011 before being named offensive coordinator at Houston in 2012. He was head coach at WT from 2013-2016 before being named head coach at OUAZ in 2017, where he started the Spirit’s football program. OUAZ has produced a 51-14 record, four Sooner Athletic Conference titles, and three appearances in the NAIA playoffs.

Ryan Smith, East Texas Baptist offensive coordinator

Another quality offensive mind with head coaching experience, Smith’s offenses have been synonymous with production. He spent the 2024 campaign as offensive coordinator at East Texas Baptist, where the Tigers averaged 17 more points per game than the 2023 squad. ETBU’s offense produced an average of 273.7 yards passing and 182.3 yards rushing while scoring 37.1 points per contest. Before joining ETBU, Smith spent four years as head coach at his alma mater, Nelson, where he guided the Lions from an 0-10 record in his first season in 2018 to a 9-3 record and a National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA) Victory Bowl title in 2021.