Coaching carousel whip-around
Breaking down the post-Black Sunday coaching world
As the regular season comes to a close, administrators and boosters’ attentions turn from bowl games to the much more important - and expensive - question of “is this our guy leading the program?”
Black Sunday, the day after Rivalry Week, wasn’t super bloody this year, but without any major jobs opening until the past week or so, the carousel is starting to pick up speed. Let’s check in across the nation at all the jobs currently open and where they stand. We’ll break it down in chronological order.
Fresno State
Fresno State head coach Jeff Tedford stepped aside before the season started due to health concerns, leaving the program in the hands of Tim Skipper as the interim head coach.
Under Tedford, the Bulldogs have been among the Mountain West’s best programs, but things slipped a bit under Skipper. Fresno State sits 6-6 after a disappointing season in which all aspects of the team took backwards steps.
I don’t think Skipper will get the bump to full-time head coach, but Fresno State likes to historically go with coaches with program ties. However, a new athletic director in Garrett Klassy could open up new candidates.
Names to Watch: Trent Dilfer, UAB Head Coach; Marcus Arroyo, Arizona State Offensive Coordinator; Kirby Moore, Missouri Offensive Coordinator
Dilfer will be a tough sell for any school except for Fresno State, where Dilfer played his college ball. He’s royalty there with his number in the rafters and maybe a reset after a disastrous UAB tenure is best for both parties. I think Marcus Arroryo, a former Tedford assistant at California, is a solid candidate, but after Arizona State’s surge this season, he may be drawn to bigger jobs. Kirby Moore was Tedford’s offensive coordinator in his first stretch at Fresno State, so makes sense. Missouri’s offense took a step back this year, though. Does that take off the shine of Moore?
Utah State
A Title IX and sexual misconduct investigation kicked Blake Anderson to the curb in Logan, opening up the second job before the season’s start. Nate Dreiling, the team’s defensive coordinator, took the reigns this season as interim head coach and it didn’t quite go according to plan.
Like, 4-8 and looking every bit like a team without a captian bad.
Like with Fresno State, a new athletic director in Diana Sabau doesn’t really have a hiring history. But one thing’s clear - she’s taking swings at big coaches. It’s clear that Sabau values head coaching experience if you look at her two hires at Utah State for men’s and women’s basketball leaders.
Names to Watch: Bronco Mendenhall, New Mexico Head Coach; Jay Hill, BYU Defensive Coordinator; Nate Dreiling, Interim Head Coach, Jason Candle, Toledo Head Coach
The list here is a clear top three candidates, although I could see Utah State dipping into the FCS ranks for a proven leader if they don’t like these four. The Deseret News is reporting that Mendenhall and Hill are the two main candidates, meaning Dreiling is likely out of the running. However, that same article pointed to major player support for Dreiling to get the job, so we’ll see. A curveball candidate could be Toledo’s Jason Candle. Sabau spent most of her previous career in the state of Ohio and her two coaching hires to date have Ohio ties. Candle fits the bill with a healthy resume of head coaching experience, Ohio ties to Sabau, and Utah State’s move to the PAC-12 could result in enough cash to lure Candle out of Toledo.
Southern Miss
The Golden Eagles were the first team to can their head man in-season, firing him on October 20 following a brutal 44-28 loss to Arkansas State. The Hall era was bad, with the Golden Eagles racking up a 14-30 record with Hall as the head man.
But things are looking up for Southern Miss. They have a surprisingly robust NIL collective that’s starting to flex their muscles and have invested a lot into facilities. It’s a program looking on the up and up, but just needs the right guy.
Reports as of late are that Southern Miss and Marshall head coach Charles Huff have a deal in place to make Huff Southern Miss’s next head coach. His salary would be in excess of $1 million annually - a healthy raise from his $755,000 salary at Marshall. For what it’s worth, Huff has denied accepting any positions.
Grade: B+
I like the hire of Huff, who’s built a solid program at Marshall. He’s a strong leader and has had success in Huntington, leading the Thundering Herd to two bowls in his two full seasons and the program’s first Sun Belt Championship appearance this weekend. He’s got ties to the south and is a great recruiter. I think Huff is the right guy, but I’m partial to someone that has more robust ties to the area.
East Carolina
The second coach firing in-season is also the first coach hiring, as the Pirate brass named interim head coach Blake Harrell the official full-time head coach November 27. Harrell had the Pirates at 4-0 in his interim tenure - a solid audition for the actual job.
Grade: A-
It’s hard to find a candidate better for a program than an interim that has immediate success. The only dig I can find is that Harrell, a defensive coach, had an offensive resurgence when named interim head man. I could see a regression to the mean there, but we won’t know until next year rolls around. One thing’s clear: the Pirate defense is going to be good.
Rice
Mike Bloomgren survived a long time in the heat, but was finally kicked to the curb following a 24-52 tenure across seven season. Rice is a tough place to win with one of the most strict academic requirements across the nation, but the Owls have landed on a new head coach.
It’s Scott Abell, former head coach of FCS Davidson College, that will lead Rice going forward.
Grade: C
Abell did a great job at Davidson, amassing a 47-28 record with and reaching the FCS playoffs three times in seven season. Oh, and he never had a losing season. Abell’s teams ran a shotgun triple option scheme that led the FCS in scoring in 2023 and in rushing each of the past four season. Davidson, though, doesn’t have the same academic requirements as Rice. A triple option offense can cover up a lack of talent, but this will be a serious challenge for Abell.
Kennesaw State
The wildest firing thus far is undoubtedly Kennesaw State’s axing of program architect Brian Bohannon in their first year of FBS competition. Bohannon was the founder of the program in 2013 and, as the Owls’ only head coach, held a 72-38 record. Albeit, one that dipped to 9-20 over the last two season and a 1-8 start at the FBS ranks.
Kennesaw State moved quickly, tapping Jerry Mack as the new head coach on December 1. Mack comes to Kennesaw from the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he was the running backs coach.
Grade: C-
Listen, there was a lot of hubbub about Bohannon’s firing. Replacing your program’s founding father with a longtime assistant who has no head coaching experience is a strange move to say the least. But Mack gets results out of his running backs, orchestrating the Tennessee running back room under Josh Heupel from 2021-22 and at Rice before then. His philosophy lines up with the Kennesaw roster, but recruiting is a major question mark. I don’t love this move, but I don’t hate it either.
Ball State
Alumni ties aren’t enough to save the job of coaches floundering at their alma mater, and Mike Neu learned that the hard way nine years into his tenure at Ball State. He was cast away with a 40-63 record leading the Cardinals.
In terms of MAC jobs, Ball State isn’t too bad. They have a patient administration, decent talent on the roster compared to the rest of the conference, and are a clear stepping stone job. I think they could attract a lot of interest.
Names to Watch: Tyler Stockton, Boise State Defensive Coordinator; Clint Killough, Incarnate Word Head Coach; Dino Babers, Arizona Offensive Coordinator; Mike Uremovich, Butler Head Coach
So, first things first, MAC schools operate on low budgets so I don’t think many Power Four coordinators will be interested. In terms of FBS hires, I like Stockton the most. He’s in his first season at Boise State after serving as Neu’s defensive coordinator from 2020-2023. With Boise playing well, though, will Ball State wait for Stockton to talk? Babers is an interesting option after a rocky Arizona season. This would be a pay cut, but would leading another MAC school (he led Bowling Green before jumping to Syracuse) intruige him? Finally, we have two Indiana-native FCS coaches that are making waves in Killough and Uremovich. Killough is 16-4 with Incarnate Word, which has been a stepping off role for Eric Morris (North Texas) and G.J. Kinne (Texas State). Uremovich has MAC experience with NIU and built a soild Butler program, so should draw eyes as well.
Temple
This may be the most consequential opening on the list for their school, as Temple has serious things to consider when searching for Stan Drayton’s replacement. Things like “do we even want to have a football program?”
Apparently they do, tabbing K.C. Keeler, former Sam Houston head coach, as the next head coach.
Grade: B+
I really like this. Keeler has ties to the area from his job at Delaware and has won everywhere he’s been, racking up a 271-112-1 record overall. I’m a little worried by him being 65, but the Pennsylvania native should be able to right the program. After all, he turned Sam Houston around from 3-9 in their first FBS season to 9-3 this season.
UMass
It’s a hard place to win, but that can open up soon. It’s clear that Don Brown 2.0 wasn’t working, though.
One benefit is that a lot of the institutional issues are getting cleared up. UMass will join the MAC in 2025, giving it a true conference home for the first time since 2015. Plus, The Athletic’s Chris Vannini is reporting that the UMass boosters are looking to toss around more cash than expected in the MAC, including a $1 million salary for their new head coach.
Names to Watch: Neal Brown, West Virginia Head Coach; Joe Harasymiak, Rutgers Defensive Coordinator; Liam Coen, Tampa Bay Buccanneers Offensive Coordinator; Bob Diaco, LSU Assistant; Nuzino Campanile, Syracuse Quarterbacks Coach
This is a wild collection of names, so let’s break it down. I think Neal Brown should be the top target after getting canned by West Virginia (more on that later). Could a return to his alma mater repair his image? Past that Harasymiak and Diaco present safe options. Nuzino Campanile is interesting with two separate interim head coaching experiences, but has serious ties to the northeast. Here’s the wildcard, though: Liam Coen. It’s unlikely he’d consider a move to the college ranks, but Coen is a former UMass quarterback and coached there for a few seasons. If he wants to prove he can be a head coach, this is a solid opportunity. He may get NFL buzz, though, which will kill this pipedream immediately.
FAU
I’ll be honest, I thought Tom Herman was going to do a great job at Florida Atlantic. I even hyped them up in this preseason projections on the American conference. Turns out I was wrong, as Herman gets the boot.
FAU brass didn’t waste much time, though, tabbing Zach Kittley as head coach December 2.
Grade: C+
This is a bold hire of the 33 year old Kittley, but he has the bona fides to be here. A former Kliff Kingsbury protege, Kittley has had his hands all over quarterback breakout seasons like Patrick Mahomes, Bailey Zappe, and more. He’s a boom or bust candidate that can clearly draw up an offense. But can he recruit? That much is left to be seen.
Charlotte
Let’s just look at what I had to say ahead of Biff Poggi’s first season in Charlotte:
Charlotte decided to go with the CEO coaching approach that’s becoming more and more popular now. But, there’s only one problem: most CEO coaches have some massive experience that they draw off of. Nick Saban is Nick Saban. Trent Dilfer won a Super Bowl. Deion Sanders is Prime Time and had massive success at Jackson State. Eddie George was a star NFL running back. Poggi was a hedge fund manager. - Three Big Questions: Charlotte, May 4, 2023
That’s pretty much what we saw, as Poggi’s program faltered heavily. But this is a program that’s just brimming with potential. They won’t have much issue drawing a solid name
Names to Watch: Tim Albin, Ohio Head Coach; Tim Brewster, Charlotte Interim Head Coach; Kerwin Bell, Western Carolina Head Coach, Bobby Petrino, Arkansas Offensive Coordinator
Albin is a Frank Solich disciple, spending 16 years under him at Ohio and successing the coaching great when he retired. He’s getting and entertaining a lot of jobs this offseason, so could be on the move. Brewster is known as a recruiter, but hasn’t done much of note as the Charlotte interim man. Bell is interesting, carrying a 117-63 career record across Division II and the FCS ranks. Petrino is the biggest name here, but would he accept a Group of Five coaching job? That’s not unheard of, considering last season he was at FCS Missouri State and this year returned to Arkansas after this:
Central Michigan
Jim McElwain is finally hanging up the headset, retiring from coaching at age 63. He had a rocky tenure, going 33-35 in six seasons, but has been on the downswing with three consecutive losing seasons. In this situation, I think McElwain retiring was the case of a graceful exit instead of getting forced out.
But Central Michigan isn’t the worst job there is. It’s been a solid stepping stone for the likes of Brian Kelly and Butch Jones in the past and the MAC is always a winnable conference.
Names to Watch: Jim Mora Jr., UConn Head Coach; Gino Guidulgi, Notre Dame Quarterback Coach; Mike Uremovich, Butler Head Coach; Kevin Barbay, Houston Offensive Coordinator
Early reports are that Central Michigan is heavily vetting Mora, which could be an indication that they’re leaning in that direction. If Mora turns away, though, I think Guidulgi or Uremovich are the next best options. Guidulgi may get Power Four offensive coordinator looks after his work with Riley Leonard, though, and I anticipate Central losing that bidding war. Uremovich is here again and stays a solid MAC candidate. Kevin Barbay has ties to the program as a former McElwain assistant in the nine-win 2021 season, but he’s bounced around since with three offensive coordinator stops the past three seasons.
Tulsa
Kevin Wilson never really got going with Tulsa, going 7-16 in two uninspired seasons and a horrendous 3-12 in American play. Yeah, it was time to start over. Especially with a new athletic director in Justin Moore that’s looking to make his mark on the athletic department.
Tulsa hasn’t amounted to much since the 1980s when they were Missouri Valley champions for six seasons, so there isn’t much to build on now. Wilson did boost recruiting, so the cupboard isn’t fully bare.
Names to Watch: Brennan Marion, UNLV Offensive Coordinator; Josh Henson, USC Offensive Coordinator; Clint Killough, Incarnate Word Head Coach; Van Malone, Kansas State Cornerbacks Coach
If I were Tulsa, I’d throw Marion a bag and make it happen. It sounds like he’s their guy, but Power Four times might come calling for a coordinator. If Marion isn’t their guy, I wouldn’t sleep on Henson. He was at Texas A&M while Moore was there and developed multiple Joe Moore Award semifinalists since 2020. Plus, being a Lincoln Riley assistant helps some. Killough is here again, especially with comparable programs like North Texas and Texas State having success poaching Incarnate Word coaches. I think Van Malone is also an interesting option. He’s gotten a lot of buzz as a head coach in recent seasons and knows the area well as a former Tulsa coach in 2010-11.
North Carolina
Hey, now that’s a big one! The writing was on the wall for Mack Brown and I think it’s time for everyone to start over. Sure, quarterback development was great under Brown with Sam Howell and Drake Maye, but those teams never did anything. It’s time for a fresh face.
Right now, this is the best job on the market and should command the most qualified candidates of the cycle. Let’s see who they snag, especially with athletic director Bubba Cunningham moving quick.
Names to Watch: Jon Sumrall, Tulane Head Coach; Dan Mullen; Glenn Schumann, Georgia Defensive Coordinator; Freddie Kitchens, Interim Head Coach
There’s a ton of other names being bantered around, but I think this foursome will have the next Tar Heel coach in it. All Sumrall has done is win, first at Troy and then continuing the pattern with Tulane this year. He’s ready for the jump, but can North Carolina pull off the heist? Dan Mullen is the best of the Power Four coach group and Cunningham has already shown he can pull from the TV analyst spots with Brown’s hire. Schumann, a up and budding defensive coordinator for Kirby Smart, is going to quickly become a hot name a la Dan Lanning was. Finally, there’s some buzz about the Tar Heels running with interim head coach Freddie Kitchens. That’s certainly a choice. He’s best known for his disastrous Cleveland Browns tenure, but you hope he learned from that. He has to have, otherwise UNC wouldn’t be considering him.
UCF
The first poaching of the season has the Gus Bus riding into Tallahassee to become the Florida State offensive coordinator, leaving UCF without a head coach.
Now a Big 12 team, the Knights are in a position they’ve never been: they can poach someone else’s coach. For years with Scott Frost and Josh Heupel, UCF was a mid-point stop. No more as a Power Four team with legit spending power.
Names to Watch: Jamey Chadwell, Liberty Head Coach; Jon Sumrall, Tulane Head Coach; Dan Mullen; Rich Rodriguez, Jacksonville State Head Coach
Reports are that Chadwell is the focus of the search right now and he’d do well with Malzahn’s roster. We’ve never seen if Chadwell’s scheme can work at the Power Four level, though, which is the worry here. I think Rich Rodriguez is ready for another run at the sport’s top level, especially with Jacksonville State outperforming Liberty in the CUSA this season. Sumrall and Mullen are also getting floated here and both make sense.
Purdue
There’s few words besides disastrous to describe the Ryan Walters era at Purdue. Walters was 5-19 in his time in West Lafayette and at a Power Four level, that’s just plain unacceptable. In fact, if you spotted Walters’s Purdue team 34 points to start every game this season, they’d be 6-6. It’s that bad.
But it’s not an impossible job. The Purdue administration is patient if there’s proof of concept, which Walters never established. Plus, as Big Ten media rights soar, so can coaching salaries.
Names to Watch: Dan Mullen; Pat Fitzgerald; Jason Candle, Toledo Head Coach; Dave Clawson, Wake Forest Head Coach; Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky Head Coach
We’ll kick this off with the fact that Mullen is getting interest from all angles. I think Tyson Helton is the best bet here and was the runner-up to Walters last time the job was open. With Helton still shining at Western Kentucky, why not give him a call back? Past that, Pat Fitzgerald has Big Ten success but…how do I put it? Has a serious shadow over him? Candle’s had some Power Four interest, but I think Purdue makes the most sense with him knowing the area. Dave Clawson is very loyal to Wake Forest, but with the Demon Deacons really suffering since the departure of Sam Hartman, maybe it’s time for the slow mesh to find a new black-and-gold home.
West Virginia
Now the Power Four jobs are rolling in! West Virginia hasn’t done much in the Neal Brown era, which mercifully ended after a fall back to earth this season. He went 37-35 and probably lasted a bit longer than he should have.
The Mountaineers can be an interesting job. The fan base and donors are rabid for an immediate success after the Brown shortcomings, so West Virginia brass needs to swing big.
Names to Watch: Jimbo Fisher; Rich Rodriguez, Jacksonville State Head Coach; Barry Odom, UNLV Head Coach; Jamey Chadwell, Liberty Head Coach
For all intents and purposes, this is a two-man race between Fisher and Rich Rod. Jimbo is a West Virignia native and a name the administration could sell to their fans. But he’s dramatically underperformed at Texas A&M and debatably hasn’t been relevant since leading Florida State to a national championship game 11 years ago. They could also turn to a homecoming and welcome back RichRod to Morgantown. Before you dismiss it, hear me out: Rodriguez is hungry and so are his teams. Just look at what he’s done at West Virginia. Let’s get this man back home. If those two strike out, I think Barry Odom bringing his UNLV staff over is interesting, or if they want to go Rich Rod-lite, Chadwell is a good option.
FIU
A notoriously hard place to win with an apathetic administration, FIU is in a similar boat to Temple, just with money from Pitbull to help fund the program. Yes, Pitbull. You read that right. But Pitbull couldn’t save Mike MacIntyre after five losing seasons in seven.
A big draw for FIU is that they’re in downtown Miami. That’s also their biggest weakness, as the Panthers have to battle an apathetic community and a fan base that spurns them each step of the way. This is one of the nation’s hardest jobs. So who’s up for it?
Names to Watch: Will Stein, Oregon Offensive Coordinator; Brennan Marion, UNLV Offensive Coordinator; Scott Frost; Tim Harris Jr., UCF Offensive Coordinator
Our first two options (Stein and Marion) are shooting for the stars. They’re up and coming offensive minds that would be great steals, but does FIU have that kind of draw? I don’t think so. Instead, going after a Scott Frost type who had success at a then-similar job at UCF is a great option. Or Tim Harris Jr. now that the floodgates are open at UCF with Malzahn’s exit. He was a finalist when MacIntyre was hired and has done well since. Plus, working in the area with UCF means he already has the hot recruiting lines.
Appalachian State
The Mountain Magic wasn’t enough to save Shawn Clark. 17 losses in the past three seasons, despite some miraculous comebacks, wasn’t enough for Clark to keep the job.
Expectations are high here - like Sun Belt Championship and battling for a playoff spot high. That might scare off or keep some exciting names off the list, but let’s get into that list
Names to Watch: Neal Brown, West Virginia Head Coach; Steve Wilks, Charlotte Advisor; Justin Watts, Duke Tight Ends Coach; Shannon Dawson, Miami Offensive Coordinator
Early reporting has App State really interested in Neal Brown, but don’t rule out Steve Wilks. He has name recognition as a former longtime NFL defensive coordinator and interim head coach for the Panthers. Plus, he’s an alumnus and, reportedly, has support in the building. Outside of that, Justin Watts is a solid option since he worked in Boone for a decade as recruiting coordinator, but doesn’t fit the immediate success mold they’re looking for. Dawson’s had a great season with tons of talent at Miami, but he hasn’t really done much as a head coach. Maybe he’s learned from his coordinator stops since and is ready to give it another go?
Sam Houston
This job was a surprise with K.C. Keeler poached by Temple of all schools. Toss in defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity leaving to take the same role at North Texas and you’re getting a hard program reset.
It doesn’t help that this is a new FBS program without a lot of FBS history, despite a great 9-3 mark this season. They’re in a Texas recruiting hotbed, but can the new head man take advantage of that?
Names to Watch: Brad Cornelson, Interim Head Coach; Brennan Marion, UNLV Offensive Coordinator; Tashard Choice, Texas Running Backs Coach; Van Malone, Kansas State Cornerbacks Coach
Why mess with a good thing? If Cornelson gets his team ready for their first ever bowl game, I think he might just parlay his way into the job here. If the Bearkats go outside the program, keep an eye on Marion here as usual. I think Tashard Choice is an outside option, but he’s done well at Texas and is rapidly generating buzz. Sam Houston would be early to the party, but might end up with a great head coach. Van Malone is also a solid option here for the same reasons we discussed earlier.
What I’m Reading:
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I’m really curious to see what happens with Purdue.
Feels like they need to go with an offense-leaning coach. My main question is around financial commitment. Will the new coach have an adequate assistant salary pool? What about NIL budget?
Overall, it’s a job that feels like it could and should be better than it initially appears.