HARRISONBURG – Mike Houston was introduced at East Carolina on Monday and James Madison’s search for his replacement began that same day.

The Dukes have one of the most attractive jobs in all of FCS as the program has appeared in the national championship game in each of the past two years while winning it all in 2016. JMU has five consecutive postseason appearances, has hosted ESPN’s College GameDay twice and sent each of its last two coaches onto FBS jobs.

There are a few ways JMU athletic director Jeff Bourne could look to the fill the position – promote one of Houston’s former assistants, bring back a candidate that had a previous stay at the school or make an outside hire. JMU is using Parker Executive Search as consultant to fill the job. Here is an updated look at potential candidates from each of the three categories for Bourne and Parker Executive Search to evaluate, interview and make a decision on.

2018 job: JMU inside linebackers

At least in the interim Warren Belin will lead the Dukes and try to keep the team’s 2019 recruiting class in place. Bourne tabbed Belin as interim coach on Monday and Belin has a deep résumé to warrant an interview for the permanent job. He’s had stops at the NFL, FBS and FCS levels and has worked for coaches like Houston, Mark Richt and Ron Rivera.

Removed From This Category: Donnie Kirkpatrick

On Wednesday, sources told the Daily News-Record that Kirkpatrick, who spent the last three seasons as JMU’s offensive coordinator, would join Houston in the same role at East Carolina.

2018 job: Maryland offensive line coach

Following two seasons on Houston’s staff, Stinespring left JMU for Maryland the day after the Dukes lost in the 2017 national championship game to North Dakota State. That day Stinespring, a JMU alum, told the Daily News-Record that the decision to depart “wasn’t easy.” Known as a great recruiter with plenty of ties to the 757, Stinespring could help JMU continue recruiting at the high level like they are now while competing against Group of Five programs for prospects. In the immediate aftermath of Houston’s departure multiple sources told the DN-R that they thought Stinespring would be interested in the job if offered it.

2018 job: Texas wide receivers coach

It’s still unknown if Bourne would be open to bringing back a staff member from the Everett Withers era, but Mehringer is well respected by the players who played for him at JMU and those in administration at JMU who worked with him during his season at the school. Mehringer is only 30 years old, but has worked at Ohio State as a grad assistant, at JMU as a co-offensive coordinator, Houston as a recruiting coordinator, Rutgers as an offensive coordinator and is now at Texas as the Longhorns’ wide receivers coach. Hiring someone off of Tom Herman’s would certainly make a splash.

2018 job: N.C. State assistant head coach for defense/cornerbacks

Another former Matthews assistant, Barlow was the defensive coordinator when the Dukes won their first national championship in 2004. He has vast experience at every level of the game from blue blood Oklahoma to a junior college in Kansas, but never spent more time anywhere than his decade in Harrisonburg. “Those were 10 of the best years of my coaching career,” Barlow told the Daily News-Record before JMU opened its 2018 season at N.C. State. “Being there, I had a great time and was fortunate enough to win a national championship, and just the relationships I made there with the players, coaches and administration were invaluable.” His understanding of JMU and Harrisonburg along with a terrific defensive background could make for a smooth transition in the post-Houston years.

Cronic got his coaching start at James Madison in 1999 and was at the school for three seasons under Mickey Matthews. Cronic just finished his first season at Lenoir-Rhyne, the same school that gave Houston his first head coaching opportunity at the college level. He is 35-4 as a head coach and led the Bears to a 12-2 season in 2018 that ended in the Division II quarterfinals.

Removed From This Category: Byron Thweatt, Ulrick Edmonds

2018 job: Elon coach

JMU knows all about Cignetti, who led Elon to a 27-24 road win over the Dukes at Bridgeforth Stadium this past October. It was the only loss Houston suffered at home in his three seasons at the school. Cignetti has quickly turned Elon from perennial loser in the CAA to conference championship contender and FCS playoff contender. If Cignetti could do that at Elon, he could likely have even more success at JMU where the budget is bigger and he has more access to resources that he wants.

2018 job: Maine coach

Harasymiak is a rising star in the business. The 32-year old has Maine in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs in just his third season as head coach of the Black Bears after he was promoted from former coach Jack Cosgrove’s staff. Maine’s identity is very similar to that of JMU’s under Houston – with a commitment to run the ball on offense and emphasize stopping the run on defense – so Harasymiak could be a natural fit. He’s also making $150,000 per year, which Bourne should be able to top.

2018 job: Sam Houston State coach

After reaching at least the FCS national quarterfinals in each of his first four seasons at Sam Houston State, K.C. Keeler’s Bearkats missed the playoffs completely in 2018. But during a press conference on Monday, Bourne said he’d value experience as a head coach and Keeler has lengthy experience as one – five seasons at Sam Houston State, 11 seasons at Delaware and nine seasons at Division III Rowan (N.J.). He has a 226-90-1 mark as a head coach. The New Jersey native, Keeler, knows the east coast and understands the CAA from his time at Delaware.

Removed From This Category: Tony Elliott