In school soccer, you by no means actually know whether or not a training rent goes to work — simply take a peek in any respect these A’s for Brian Kelly and Billy Napier 4 years in the past. However you additionally don’t want to attend round to guage whether or not a college employed the proper match.
Because the 2025-26 teaching carousel spins, we’re handing out preliminary grades to the hires as head coach openings are stuffed across the nation, specializing in how a lot the rent is smart and whether or not it satisfies what a workforce recognized it wanted going into a training search.
Verify again as extra jobs get stuffed.
Michigan hires Kyle Whittingham: A-
(Employed Dec. 26)
Given the troublesome timing of Sherrone Moore’s firing and the uncertainty within the athletic division, Michigan hiring a future Corridor of Fame coach is pretty much as good a get as could possibly be anticipated. Whittingham has publicly been on the verge of retirement for years, although he mentioned that his determination to step down at Utah wasn’t a retirement. Signing a five-year deal and angling to deliver a few of his prime assistants to Ann Arbor would point out this isn’t a one-year bridge transfer. That helps.
Whittingham’s fashion of play is perhaps an ideal match at Michigan. There are questions on how Whittingham can recruit in a brand new area, however Michigan’s cash cannon will assist. We’ve by no means seen Whittingham work at a job with sources — or expectations — like this. Few coaches overachieved with their rosters greater than what Whittingham did at Utah. However the Wolverines anticipate to win nationwide championships, and followers weren’t pleased with Moore’s on-field teaching for a nine-win workforce. There will likely be a time when followers demand extra and the thankfulness runs out. On condition that Whittingham seems to really feel he was politely nudged out the door at Utah, there may simply be sufficient of a flame nonetheless left to get to that highest stage in a restricted window.
Ohio promotes John Hauser: B
(Promoted Dec. 26)
That is the third consecutive time Ohio has promoted from inside. Tim Albin changed Frank Solich, Brian Smith changed Albin and now Hauser replaces Smith, who was fired for trigger over what the varsity claims have been extramarital affairs. Hauser has been at Ohio since 2022 and led the Bobcats to a Frisco Bowl win in opposition to 10-win UNLV earlier this week, a formidable job interview efficiency. Hauser’s protection has been among the many MAC’s finest in his two seasons main that aspect of the ball.
Missouri State hires Casey Woods: B-
(Employed Dec. 19)
Woods, the son of former South Carolina and Appalachian State head coach Sparky Woods, wasn’t the offensive play caller at SMU however coordinated among the best offenses within the ACC. He has been within the combine for a number of Group of 5 jobs in recent times, too. It’s a tall job to be a first-year head coach at a college getting into its second FBS season, however Woods has been prepared for a job.
Utah promotes Morgan Scalley: B
(Promoted Dec. 13)
This was lengthy anticipated, as Scalley was the designated coach-in-waiting to switch Kyle Whittingham every time the time got here. That point has now come, clearing the best way for the lifelong Ute to take over. Scalley performed at Utah from 2001 to ’04 and has been on employees since ’06. It’s the one place he has ever performed and labored. It’s exhausting to be extra ready to take over this particular job, however he’s changing among the best coaches of this period in Whittingham, a excessive bar, and we don’t but understand how Scalley will deal with the job of a head coach.
Washington State hires Kirby Moore: C+
(Employed Dec. 12)
As an alternative of hiring a sitting head coach prefer it did a yr in the past, the Cougars went with a first-time head coach with native ties. Moore is from Washington, performed at Boise State and spent the final three years as Missouri’s offensive coordinator, getting within the combine for a number of Mountain West head jobs alongside the best way. The 35-year-old is aware of the realm, and he has recruited on the highest stage. However he’ll have a studying curve at a spot that has been by loads of change after convention realignment and doesn’t have a full-time athletic director for the time being.
Coastal Carolina hires Ryan Beard: B
(Employed Dec. 11)
Beard did a formidable job getting Missouri State to 7-5 and a bowl sport within the Bears’ first Soccer Bowl Subdivision season, one yr after a top-25 end on the FCS stage. However he takes over a Coastal Carolina program that wishes greater than bowl video games now. The Chanticleers fired Tim Beck regardless of three bowl journeys in three years. Beard can have much more sources at Coastal than he did at Missouri State, although he has by no means coached southeast of the state of Kentucky. It’s an intriguing match, however the 36-year-old Beard has been rising up the ranks.
Southern Miss promotes Blake Anderson: B+
(Promoted Dec. 11)
Selling Anderson to go coach makes loads of sense for a program that misplaced Charles Huff to Memphis after one yr. He is aware of Southern Miss effectively and he has earlier head teaching success. Anderson spent 5 years at USM as an assistant, together with as offensive coordinator this previous yr. He didn’t get promoted to the job in 2012 when Larry Fedora left, a mistake by the varsity that set this system again in a giant manner. Anderson additionally has 10 years of head teaching expertise at Arkansas State and Utah State, with 9 bowl video games and three convention championships in that run.
Toledo hires Mike Jacobs: A-
(Employed Dec. 10)
In Jacobs, Toledo employed a confirmed winner and somebody who is aware of Ohio extremely effectively. Jacobs has spent 10 years as a head coach at Mercer, Lenoir-Rhyne and Notre Dame Faculty (Ohio) and he’s received seven convention championships with six Division II/FCS playoff appearances in that point. He’s by no means received fewer than 70 % of his video games in a season. If you’d like somebody on the Curt Cignetti/Bob Chesney path, Jacobs is a type of folks. He’s additionally a former Ohio State offensive lineman and from the realm. Jacobs has been considered as a rising star coach, and he was within the combine for the UAB job, too. Now he takes over a Toledo program that’s the best-resourced in its convention. Discovering constant success within the MAC is troublesome within the NIL/switch portal period, however Jacobs and Toledo ought to be capable to preserve it rolling at a Rockets program that hasn’t had a shedding season since 2009.
Iowa State hires Jimmy Rogers: B
(Employed Dec. 5)
Iowa State moved shortly and introduced the rent of Rogers earlier than Penn State had even introduced the rent of Matt Campbell. Rogers took over a troublesome spot at Washington State and turned in a greater than admirable first season. The Cougars went 6-6 and reached a bowl sport, and three of these losses have been a three-point defeat at Ole Miss, a two-point loss at Virginia and a four-point loss at James Madison, two of whom are playoff sure. Rogers beforehand spent two years as South Dakota State head coach, successful the 2023 FCS nationwide title. This will likely be his first full-time job in a Energy 4 convention, competing with a number of faculties which have extra sources. Can he assist the Cyclones punch above their weight the best way Campbell did?
Tulane promotes Will Corridor: B-
(Promoted Dec. 8)
A search by which the Inexperienced Wave talked with a number of outsiders in the end led to a promotion from inside, a little bit of a shock for what is among the finest Group of 6 jobs. Corridor is aware of what it takes to win at Tulane, working as an assistant below each Willie Fritz and Jon Sumrall. Earlier than that, he was an excellent Division II head coach at West Georgia and West Alabama. However his run as Southern Miss head coach from 2021 to ’24 introduced blended outcomes, with one bowl look, a exceptional rash of accidents that led to operating backs taking part in quarterback, and his firing in Yr 4.
Corridor will definitely have extra sources at Tulane, with a roster funds of round $5 million and a supportive administration. He might be able to preserve a lot of the employees, as Sumrall has made a number of key hires from exterior Tulane to hitch him at Florida. Corridor brings head teaching expertise and familiarity with the roster, however he should present he can deal with an FBS head teaching job with excessive expectations.
Memphis hires Charles Huff: A-
(Employed Dec. 8)
Huff checks off loads of packing containers for Memphis. He has received a convention championship, doing so at Marshall in 2024. He’s superb at accumulating expertise on a roster, as among the best recruiters within the nation at Penn State and Alabama as an assistant. Memphis has one of many largest roster budgets within the Group of 5, so it ought to be capable to get gamers, and followers had develop into pissed off with former coach Ryan Silverfield’s incapability to take the Tigers to a convention championship sport.
Huff went from Solar Belt champion Marshall to 1-11 Southern Miss final offseason in one of many weirder teaching strikes we’ve seen as a consequence of clashes with the Marshall administration. However he introduced loads of these good Marshall gamers with him and improved Southern Miss to 7-5 and performed for a division title on the final week of the season. The upside right here is evident, and Memphis wished upside.
UConn hires Jason Candle: B
(Employed Dec. 6)
The final time the UConn job was open, folks puzzled whether or not this system ought to drop right down to the Soccer Championship Subdivision. However after Jim Mora reached three bowls in 4 years and posted consecutive nine-win seasons, there may be pleasure right here once more. Enter Candle, a coach who received loads of video games at Toledo, with an 81-44 document in 10 years, with two MAC championships and no shedding seasons. Candle led the best-resourced program within the MAC, and the Rockets have been yearly among the best groups within the league. It’s exhausting to say what the expectations must be at UConn, since there isn’t a convention championship to play for as an impartial and a Playoff run could be very unlikely. Does Candle simply have to go to bowl video games? He’s proven a capability to try this. He arguably didn’t win as many MAC titles as he may have, however that’s not a priority for a program with no convention.
UAB promotes Alex Mortensen: D
(Promoted Dec. 5)
The search received messy, with the athletic division and college leaders divided over who must be employed. The college aspect received out with Mortensen, who went 2-4 because the interim head coach after changing Trent Dilfer halfway by the season. Mortensen’s interim tenure included a win in opposition to Memphis but additionally losses to Rice and UConn. Mortensen’s offense was the higher aspect of the ball, however this rent shocked everybody within the business, and a few sitting head coaches pulled themselves out of the search. For a program that got here again from the useless, grew to become a winner in Convention USA and moved as much as the American Convention, the previous couple of years have been a pointy downturn.
Penn State hires Matt Campbell: A-
(Employed Dec. 5)
An extended and winding search settled on somebody who in all probability ought to’ve been a prime goal from the start. Campbell was the winningest coach in Iowa State’s historical past. He twice led the Cyclones to the highest of the Huge 12 standings, one thing the varsity hadn’t accomplished in a convention since 1912. Penn State fired James Franklin for not overachieving, which is one thing Campbell has proven he can do. The Cyclones have 12 wins in opposition to Oklahoma and Texas in class historical past, and 5 of these got here below Campbell. He was additionally 4-6 in opposition to top-10 groups at Iowa State, a program that has a complete of 12 top-10 victories in 128 years of soccer.
The issues will likely be how Campbell handles the strain and the highlight. He wasn’t anticipated to win convention and nationwide championships in Ames. Now he’s. He can even be tasked with signing top-10 recruiting lessons, one thing he hasn’t accomplished. At Iowa State, he did extra with much less. At Penn State, he should do extra with extra.
Kansas State hires Collin Klein: A-
(Employed Dec. 4)
The Ok-State legend returns to switch a retiring Chris Klieman. Klein has accomplished a very sturdy job as Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator, and he was within the combine for the Oklahoma State job on this cycle as effectively. Solely two head coaches have received large in Kansas State’s historical past: Invoice Snyder and Klieman. Klein performed and/or coached below each of them. He what it takes to win right here, and he was the offensive coordinator on the 2022 Huge 12 championship workforce. It’s his first head teaching job, however it’s a well-recognized place, and Klein’s time at Texas A&M was precious exterior expertise to deliver again to Manhattan. It’s exhausting to ask for way more right here.
Cal hires Tosh Lupoi: B+
(Employed Dec. 4)
Lupoi was the apparent goal from the start, one sources pointed to even earlier than the season. He’s a former Cal participant and coach, and he’s among the best recruiters within the nation. This yr’s Oregon protection has performed rather well below his watch. There’s optimism that Lupoi will be capable to preserve proficient freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, and if that occurs, it’s an enormous win. If Lupoi can elevate the alignment with new college management and boosters whereas bettering the expertise stage at Cal, there’s an opportunity this could possibly be very profitable. However he’s a first-time head coach, and Cal has been one of many least-resourced packages within the Energy 4. Bowl video games are clearly potential and anticipated, however can Cal win large once more?
James Madison hires Billy Napier: B
(Employed Dec. 4)
On one hand, Napier went 33-5 in his final three years at Louisiana, together with a 24-3 document in opposition to Solar Belt competitors. JMU officers preferred that, per sources. However, Napier appeared like he was in over his head at Florida, with three shedding seasons in 4 years. The monitor document of former Energy 4 head coaches instantly coming again to the Group of 5 stage is blended, however perhaps Napier’s skills are simply higher fitted to Group of 5 life. JMU’s final three hires have been all sitting FCS head coaches, and every received greater than 70 % of his video games. It is a little bit of a brand new route, an indication of a program with actual CFP probabilities seeking to take that subsequent step ahead. Expectations are excessive right here, and the sources are there to match. We’ll see if Napier discovered from his Florida errors.
South Florida hires Brian Hartline: B+
(Employed Dec. 3)
USF employed among the best recruiters within the nation, somebody who received Florida excessive schoolers Jeremiah Smith, Brandon Inniss and Carnell Tate as much as Ohio State. USF is already atop the Group of 6 in roster spending, with a funds round $8 million this previous season, and the varsity is on the verge of committing to most roster revenue-sharing with athletics. An on-campus stadium can also be set to open in 2027. The questions with Hartline concern how he’ll deal with the job of being a head coach. He has been the offensive coordinator at Ohio State, however he hadn’t referred to as performs till this season. USF doesn’t have the sources and infrastructure of an Ohio State, clearly. The 39-year-old has additionally spent his complete teaching profession with the Buckeyes. How will he deal with a much bigger position in an unfamiliar place? However school soccer is about buying expertise at first, and Hartline ought to be capable to do this very effectively at USF.
North Texas hires Neal Brown: B
(Employed Dec. 2)
Brown’s total resume could be very stable, with a 31-8 document in his last three years at Troy, plus 4 bowl video games in his final 5 years at West Virginia. He is aware of how one can be a head coach and received’t must be taught on the job. However he’s considerably restricted within the Texas connections which can be very needed for this job. He spent this previous season as a particular assistant at Texas, which helps, and he spent three years at Texas Tech from 2010 to ’12. However his West Virginia groups featured simply a few Texas youngsters, and none of his last three Troy groups had a Texas participant. Brown should put collectively a employees with deep connections to the state. He’s changing a coach in Eric Morris who knew each nook of the area, which is how you find yourself with a breakout quarterback like Drew Mestemaker. North Texas hopes this 11-1 season will improve donations for roster spending, which is important because the Imply Inexperienced have a funds of round $2 million this yr, one-third of what the richest faculties within the league pay. North Texas has uncommon momentum proper now. It’s on Brown to maintain it going.
Kentucky hires Will Stein: B+
(Employed Dec. 1)
Stein is a Louisville native who grew up a giant Kentucky fan (the son of a former UK participant) and performed and coached at Louisville. There’s nobody on the market who is aware of Kentucky higher. The 36-year-old has had a fast and spectacular rise — he was UTSA’s offensive coordinator as just lately as 2022 and a highschool coach in 2019. Stein has accomplished a very good job as Oregon’s offensive coordinator in creating elite models with three completely different quarterbacks over three seasons. It might be enormous if he can maintain onto quarterback Cutter Boley. Stein has additionally discovered how one can take advantage of out of a troublesome state of affairs. The Geese have spent the previous month with out most of their prime offensive weapons, and Stein’s play calling has tailored accordingly.
However we don’t understand how he’ll translate to being a head coach, and he has by no means coached within the SEC (although he was a top quality management assistant at Texas from 2015 to ’17). A lot of Stein’s success will rely on the sources supplied to him, at a college that prioritizes males’s basketball (Mark Pope has a reported $22 million roster this season). Kentucky is a really troublesome job, however it landed a coach loads of Energy 4 faculties had their eyes on in sooner or later.
UCLA hires Bob Chesney: B+
(Employed on Dec. 1)
Chesney has received in every single place he’s been. If you wish to Google him, be happy, however the Curt Cignetti comparisons go effectively past simply teaching at James Madison. Chesney has one shedding season throughout 16 years as a head coach spanning 4 faculties. He’s moved up from Division III to Division II to the FCS to the Group of 5, successful large at each step, and the success fee of these sorts of coaches on the Energy 4 stage has been good just lately. The priority could be that he’s by no means coached exterior the Jap time zone. He’s going to be in a brand new world with new relationships to construct.
The Bruins must preserve Southern California because the lifeblood of this system. UCLA had a wide-ranging search with a number of candidates with no California ties, in order that clearly was not a hindrance. However the college must dramatically improve its soccer spending if it’s going to have an opportunity, regardless of who the coach is. Nonetheless, it discovered a coach with a confirmed monitor document, and that’s usually exhausting to search out for a college in UCLA’s place.
Michigan State hires Pat Fitzgerald: B-
(Employed on Nov. 30)
Lots to unpack right here. Fitzgerald received a bunch of video games over loads of years at a Northwestern program with virtually no successful historical past, and he is aware of the Midwest. He will likely be loads completely different from West Coast native Jonathan Smith, whose character by no means appeared to suit. The donors are behind this Fitzgerald rent, and that’s as essential as something, because the Spartans have been behind financially.
But it surely’s additionally a shocking {that a} college nonetheless coping with the fallout from a number of sexual misconduct scandals would rent a coach whose earlier program had a hazing scandal, although Fitzgerald was discovered to not have data of it. He additionally received solely 4 video games in his last two seasons as head coach. How a lot of that was the pure drawback Northwestern had within the NIL period? How a lot has Fitzgerald discovered in regards to the trendy sport in his three years away from the sideline? And are Spartans donors about to pour much-needed cash into the roster?
LSU hires Lane Kiffin: A
(Employed Nov. 30)
He was the most effective coach fairly obtainable, and LSU was the most effective job obtainable. Kiffin’s departure from Ole Miss was messy and self-inflicted, however LSU has loads to be enthusiastic about. Few coaches have confirmed higher at adapting to this period of school soccer, from managing a roster funds to recruiting the switch portal. Kiffin was given loads of roster cash at Ole Miss and made loads out of it, with a 32-6 document during the last three years and 4 top-15 finishes within the final 5. He turned switch quarterback Jaxson Dart right into a first-round NFL Draft decide and this yr has turned Division II switch Trinidad Chambliss into among the best quarterbacks within the SEC.
Now he takes over an LSU job that has a maintain on its in-state expertise in contrast to another in school soccer The issues could be that Kiffin has by no means received a Energy 4 convention championship as a head coach, he by no means reached an SEC title sport and his document in opposition to top-five groups is 3-11. However Kiffin has at all times had the less-talented workforce in these matchups and inside the SEC. At LSU, Kiffin ought to be capable to put collectively probably the most proficient rosters he’s ever had. His LSU tenure won’t be brief on drama, and it’ll in all probability finish messy as a result of practically each Kiffin job does, however there’s probability there will likely be loads of wins in between. Would you like a coach who would stroll out on Ole Miss the best way Kiffin did? You do if you’re the beneficiary.
Ole Miss promotes Pete Golding: B
(Promoted Nov. 30)
Selling from inside to maintain continuity after the departure of a high-profile coach has traditionally had blended outcomes. It labored the final time a coach went to LSU; Marcus Freeman has arguably taken Notre Dame to the next stage than Brian Kelly did. However there are a slew of different examples the place it didn’t work out. Golding deserves loads of credit score for his work in placing collectively the roster Ole Miss has this season. He’s accomplished a stable job as a defensive coordinator and is revered within the teaching neighborhood. He’s additionally a Louisiana native who went to high school in Mississippi and is aware of the state. It’s only a actual unknown what sort of teaching employees he can put collectively as Kiffin builds his personal employees at LSU, and it’s not possible to know what is going to occur to the roster with the switch portal.
We do know Ole Miss will proceed to fund a roster on the stage wanted to compete for championships, and that’s as essential as the rest. If the objective was to create the absolute best state of affairs for the upcoming Playoff run and attempt to preserve as a lot continuity as potential, Golding needed to be the selection.
Florida hires Jon Sumrall: A-
(Employed Nov. 30)
Sumrall has been a head coach for 4 years throughout Troy and Tulane and has reached the convention championship sport in all 4 years. This yr’s Tulane workforce will play for a Faculty Soccer Playoff spot in opposition to North Texas on Friday. Sumrall took over a Troy workforce coming off three consecutive 5-7 seasons and went 23-4 with two Solar Belt championships. He took over a profitable Tulane program when Willie Fritz left the Inexperienced Wave for Houston, however he needed to rebuild the roster in his first season, then needed to cope with the lack of star quarterback Darian Mensah and operating again Makhi Hughes to Energy 4 packages for Yr 2.
Sumrall is excellent with roster administration and logistics, and he brings SEC expertise as a former Kentucky and Ole Miss assistant (and Kentucky participant). However he has additionally coached at packages with extra sources than lots of their friends. Florida can have extra competitors. Sumrall can even have to regulate to recruiting and roster constructing at a Energy 4 stage. Florida followers are upset they didn’t get Lane Kiffin, however evaluating Sumrall to Billy Napier as a fellow Louisiana Group of 5 coach could be unwise, as a result of they’re very completely different coaches.
Auburn hires Alex Golesh: B+
(Employed Nov. 30)
Golesh brings a powerful offensive background and SEC expertise, two issues wanted at Auburn after this season’s dreadful offense wasted a proficient protection. It’s too early to know whether or not Golesh will be capable to retain Auburn’s prime offensive gamers like receiver Cam Coleman. However Golesh took over a 1-11 South Florida program and went to a few bowl video games in three years, together with a 9-3 begin to this season with a win over Florida.
His USF success got here after run as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator below Josh Heupel. However Golesh additionally had probably the most sources within the Group of 5 from a roster funds standpoint and fell wanting the convention championship sport this yr by blowing a 14-point fourth-quarter result in Memphis and shedding to Navy. He has proven a powerful capacity to construct at his numerous stops, and that might bode effectively for the Tigers.
Arkansas hires Ryan Silverfield: B
(Employed Nov. 30)
There are two methods to have a look at Ryan Silverfield’s run as Memphis head coach. On one hand, he went 29-9 during the last three years, by no means had a shedding season over six years, received his final 4 video games in opposition to Energy 4 opponents, and he went 6-1 in opposition to fellow G5-to-P5 hires Jon Sumrall, Alex Golesh and Eric Morris. However, he by no means reached the American Convention championship sport regardless of these wins and with a number of the league’s highest roster budgets as a result of losses to UAB, East Carolina and UTSA within the final two years value the Tigers a spot.
Silverfield should present he can recruit at an SEC stage, however the actuality is Arkansas was low on the teaching carousel pecking order in comparison with different open jobs, with questions on soccer roster spending when a lot cash is designated for John Calipari’s males’s basketball workforce and a powerful baseball workforce. In a loaded SEC, the ceiling right here doesn’t look very excessive, regardless of the rent. Arkansas will hope Silverfield can deliver again respectable seasons with constant bowl appearances with the occasional large win or two.
Stanford hires Tavita Pritchard: C
(Employed Nov. 28)
Stanford received somebody who most definitely is aware of Stanford. Pritchard was in Palo Alto from 2006 to 2022, first as a quarterback after which as an assistant. Pritchard additionally did job working with Jayden Daniels because the Washington Commanders’ quarterbacks coach. Stanford is a uniquely troublesome job, so data of the panorama is essential, however Pritchard has been out of school soccer for the final three years because it has undergone large adjustments, and Stanford has been harm as a lot as any college by these adjustments. Does he know how one can navigate this?
Pritchard seemingly wasn’t going to develop into a head coach anyplace aside from at Stanford proper now. That normally doesn’t bode effectively. However with Andrew Luck operating the present, a brand new $50 million donation into the soccer program and now Pritchard taking on, Stanford is doubling down on itself.
Oregon State hires JaMarcus Shephard: C
(Employed Nov. 28)
It’s shocking Oregon State goes with one other first-time head coach, after admitting errors in selling Trent Bray with that inexperience final time. Shephard has expertise within the area, having labored at Washington and Washington State, and he’s developed a number of the finest huge receivers in school soccer in recent times. Each coach has to get their first shot someplace, and he is aware of the realm, which helps. However this transfer is kind of an unknown.
Colorado State hires Jim Mora: B+
(Employed Nov. 25)
It’s a praise to the rent that the majority observers have been shocked Mora didn’t land a much bigger job. Mora has a uncommon spectrum of expertise, from being an NFL head coach who reached an NFC Championship Recreation to taking on a 1-11 UConn program and successful 9 video games twice. His UCLA tenure additionally seems higher in hindsight. His ceiling as a coach will not be as excessive as others’, however he ought to be capable to deliver construction, planning and imaginative and prescient to a program that has largely lacked it for twenty years, exterior of 1 transient spurt. Can Mora use his West Coast connections to get higher gamers to Colorado State? He has accomplished extra with much less, and Colorado State’s sources shouldn’t make it a “much less.”
Oklahoma State hires Eric Morris: A-
(Employed Nov. 25)
Morris checks loads of packing containers for Oklahoma State. He has deep ties to Texas, having spent virtually his complete taking part in and training profession there. And he is aware of how one can develop quarterbacks, as names like Patrick Mahomes, Cam Ward, John Mateer and now Drew Mestemaker have thrived below his watch. He has additionally proven a capability to do extra with much less at North Texas and FCS Incarnate Phrase.
However whereas Morris’ offenses have lengthy been good, his defenses have been up and down, and he’s received six video games or fewer in 4 of six non-pandemic seasons as a head coach because of this. The rent of Skyler Cassity as Imply Inexperienced defensive coordinator in 2025 was considered one of Morris’ finest strikes. We don’t know but whether or not Cassity will observe him to Stillwater, however that aspect of the ball should sustain with the offense.
Virginia Tech hires James Franklin: A-
(Employed Nov. 17)
Franklin was the No. 1 goal from the second he was fired at Penn State, and for good cause. He’d by no means missed a bowl sport in 15 years at Vanderbilt or Penn State, exterior of the pandemic-altered 2020 season. He turned Penn State right into a top-10 program once more. He dominated recruiting within the state of Virginia whereas at Penn State. He has an extended monitor document of fostering alignment and funding. All of the traits Virginia Tech wanted, Franklin has them. He has solely received one convention championship, and his sport administration has come below truthful criticism, however he checks off all the opposite packing containers of what Virginia Tech wanted.
Kent State promotes Mark Carney: B
(Named interim coach in April, employed to full-time job Oct. 30)
What Carney has achieved this season can’t be understated. He grew to become the interim head coach on the eve of spring apply in April, when coach Kenni Burns was fired amid an investigation into his monetary dealings. Then his defensive coordinator left in the summertime for an assistant job at North Dakota State. The Golden Flashes have been 1-23 within the earlier two years and appeared headed for a doomed 2025 season. But this yr’s workforce is 4-7 and remained in bowl competition till a loss to Central Michigan within the season’s penultimate week. Kent State is arguably the hardest job within the Soccer Bowl Subdivision, so retaining a coach who turned the Golden Flashes again into a decent MAC outfit was a straightforward determination.
