The 2025-2026 College Football coaching carousel is shaping up to be one of the most hectic we’ve seen in a long time. At the end of the 2024-25 season, there wasn’t nearly as many firings as you’d expect in part due to the fact that revenue sharing was on the horizon and that most programs wanted to get their finances in order before paying a hefty buyout.
In September, we quickly learned how hectic this cycle will be as four Power 4 Head Coaches were fired setting the tone for the cycle. The month of October has proven to be even more hectic as 3 Head Coaches were fired in the first two weeks while plenty of additional moves could be made in the weeks to come.
The expanded 12 team College Football Playoff has put more pressure than ever on these coaches and a few bad seasons in a row is no longer accepted with how much money is going into these rosters.
2025-26 Coaching Carousel Tracker: Who’s in and Who’s out at each FBS Program?
James Madison Dukes
James Madison is becoming a pipeline to the Big Ten, as Bob Chesney was hired away by UCLA after replacing Curt Cignetti. Former Florida Gators coach Billy Napier took the job, returning to the Sun Belt where he built himself into a top candidate.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
- Departed: OC Buster Faulkner
Buster Faulkner was one of the most sought after coordinators in the Country and while the Yellow Jackets avoided him becoming a head coach, the Florida Gators poached him. Brent Key is now tasked with replacing one of the best offensive minds this offseason, which could play to his advantage if the next OC brings a quarterback to replace Haynes King.
USF Bulls
- Hired: Ohio State OC Brian Hartline
While losing Alex Golesh was a big blow, USF arguably won the coaching carousel landing Ohio State OC and Wide Receivers coach Brian Hartline. The Buckeyes OC has become one of the best recruiters in College Football, and his track record of development speaks for itself. Hartline will certainly get calls for bigger jobs down the line, but this is an incredible get for USF.
The USF Bulls have lost Alex Golesh to the Auburn Tigers, ending a great run in South Florida. The Bulls should have no problem attracting a great candidate as the job constantly sends coaches to premier jobs.
Ohio State Buckeyes
- Departed: OC/WRs coach Brian Hartline
Just when it looked like Ohio State may survive the cycle without losing a coordinator, Brian Hartline was hired by USF. The move is a massive blow for Ohio State as Hartline is the best at recruiting and developing wide receivers while his first season as an offensive coordinator has been a massive success.
Kentucky Wildcats
- Hired: Oregon OC Will Stein
At the end of the regular season, the Kentucky Wildcats made the decision to fire head coach Mark Stoops. The Wildcats moved quickly to find their next head coach, as they hired Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein who’s one of the brightest offensive minds in the game.
Oregon Ducks
- Departed: OC Will Stein and DC Tosh Lupoi
The Oregon Ducks looked like they may get through the coaching carousel without losing their offensive coordinators, but late openings have changed that. Kentucky hired away offensive coordinator Will Stein after their decision to fire Mark Stoops. The Ducks fell victim to the coaching carousel again as Cal hired away Oregon Defensive Coordinator Tosh Lupoi, meaning Dan Lanning has to replace both coordinators in one offseason.
LSU Tigers
- Hired: Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin
- Fired: HC Brian Kelly and OC Joe Sloan
- Interim: HC Frank Wilson and OC Alex Atkins
The LSU Tigers turned out to be the winner of the Lane Kiffin sweepstakes, which dominated college football for weeks. The next few weeks will have a massive impact on LSU’s staff as Lane Kiffin is reportedly bringing a good portion of his staff with him to LSU.
After an embarrassing loss to Texas A&M, the fanbase begged for change, and they got it as the LSU Football team dismissed Brian Kelly on Sunday Night. The Tigers will owe Kelly a buyout of north of $50 million. Long-time LSU Staffer Frank Wilson is expected to fill the interim role. After Brian Kelly was fired, the Tigers dismissed offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan with former Florida State OC Alex Atkins assuming the role for the Tigers.
Ole Miss Rebels
- Promoted: DC Pete Golding
On Sunday, Lane Kiffin’s six-year run in Oxford came to an end with LSU on the verge of making the College Football Playoff. The Rebels moved quickly promoting defensive coordinator Pete Golding to head coach for the future.
Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans decided on Sunday to fire Jonathan Smith after he won just 1 game in Big Ten play. The Spartans moved quicker than most programs ever have, reportedly hiring former Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald.
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
After an embarrassing 59-10 blowout against James Madison, Coastal Carolina has fired head coch Tim Beck. The Chanticleers were hoping that Beck could capitalize on the momentum Jamey Chadwell built, but Beck went just 20-18 over his 3 seasons in Conway. The Chanticleers now have one of the most attractive Group of 5 openings making their process interesting to follow.
Florida Gators
- Hired: Tulane HC Jon Sumrall
- Fired: HC Billy Napier, OC Buster Faulkner, and DC Brad White
- Interim HC: WR Coach Billy Gonales
After thinking they were landing Lane Kiffin, Florida fans will likely feel disappointed in the decision to hire Jon Sumrall, which would discredit how great the hire is. Sumrall quickly rebuilt Troy before taking over Tulane and bringing the Green Wave to the verge of making the College Football Playoff, and with the added resources, he could build a serious power in the SEC.
Sumrall has done an excellent job building out his staff, hiring former Kentucky DC Brad White and Georgia Tech OC Buster Faulkner. Landing Faulkner is one of the biggest assistant moves of the cycle, as he was being widely mentioned for several head coaching jobs.
Following the Florida Gators’ win over Mississippi State, Head Coach Billy Napier was fired, ending one of the most dreadful periods for Florida. After earning himself an extra season, Billy Napier started 1-3, quickly proving all of the optimism he built at the end of 2024 was for not. The Gators will be one of the most attractive openings on the market and should lure in an elite Head Coach.
Auburn Tigers:
- Hired: USF HC Alex Golesh
The Auburn Tigers filled their vacancy quickly after the season ended, hiring USF head coach Alex Golesh. The move makes perfect sense for Auburn as Golesh has done an outstanding job at USF, and has constantly done more with less. Given Auburn’s resources, the Tigers could quickly contend in the SEC if he nails the quarterback position.
After a truly embarrassing 10-3 loss to the Kentucky Wildcats, it became clear that a change needed to be made. The Auburn Tigers fired Hugh Freeze midway through his 3rd season leading the program. The Tigers named defensive coordinator DJ Durkin the interim Head Coach, and the final stretch could make him a candidate for the full-time gig.
Arkansas Razorbacks
- Hired: Memphis HC Ryan Silverfield
- Fired: HC Sam Pittman, DC Travis Williams, Co-DC Marcus Woodson, and DL Deke Adams
- Interim: OC Bobby Petrino, Asst. DL Chris Wilson
After it was reported that Arkansas was nearing a deal with Alex Golesh, the Razorbacks hired Memphis head coach Ryan Siverfield after the conclusion of the season. Silverfield has experienced a ton of success at Memphis, and will look to lead the Razorbacks back to SEC contention.
The Arkansas Razorbacks hit rock bottom which led to Sam Pittman being fired amid a 2-3 start to the season. Former Arkansas HC and current OC Bobby Petrino was given the interim tag and will audition for the full-time job. Petrino made massive staff changers firing DC Travis Williams, Co-DC Marcus Woodson, and DL Coach Deke Adams while bringing in defensive line coach Jay Hayes.
Tulane Green Wave
The Tulane Green Wave knew when they hired Jon Sumrall that eventually the SEC would come calling, and they did after an impressive season. Sumrall will likely finish what he started with this team, and it should be an attractive opening as Willie Fritz and Sumrall have both taken leaps to Power 4 jobs from Tulane.
Memphis Tigers
- Departed: HC Ryan Silverfield
The Memphis Tigers have lost head coach Ryan Silverfield to the coaching carousel as he accepted the Arkansas job at the end of the season. The Tigers will likely be aggressive as they’ve been pushing to join a Power 4 league, and can’t afford to take a step back that will hurt their chances.
Stanford Cardinal
Andrew Luck has found his next head coach, hiring his former teammate Tavita Pritchard to serve as the next head coach of the Cardinal. Pritchard has served several roles at Stanford after his playing career, including serving as the team’s offensive coordinator. Having Pritchard and Andrew Luck aligned and on the same timeline sets the team up perfectly to start building for the future.
In March, the Stanford Cardinal fired Head Coach Tory Taylor amid an investigation into alleged bullying of former players and staff members. Stanford GM Andrew Luck brought in former NFL Head Coach Frank Reich to serve as the interim Head Coach, but will look for a long term candidate this offseason.
Oregon State Beavers
- Hired: Alabama WR Coach JaMarcus Shephard
- Fired: HC Trent Bray and Special Teams Coordinator Jamie Christian
The Oregon State Beavers have made their hire, taking a swing on Alabama Wide Receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard. The Beavers needed to make a unique hire that can bring energy to the program, and Shephard has shown in his role that he can bring a spark to a program looking to rebuild after being left behind by conference realignment.
When the Oregon State Beavers hit 0-6 on the season, Head Coach Trent Bray fired Special Teams Coordinator Jamie Christian. When the Beavers hit 0-7, the program chose to move on from Trent Bray who posted a 5-19 record in his tenure as Head Coach.
Colorado State Rams:
- Interim HC: DC Tyson Summers
Amid a 2-5 start to the 2025 season, the Colorado State Rams have fired Head Coach Jay Norvell. Despite finishing 2nd in the Mountain West last season, Norvell was quietly on the hot seat due to the change in administration at Colorado State. Defensive Coordinator Tyson Summers will be elevated to the interim role.
As the Rams join the new look Pac 12, they needed a coach who can build this team back up to compete. The Rams made a great hire, picking UConn head coach Jim Mora to lead this next era. Mora has experience as a head coach in the Pac 12 from his time at UCLA, and the job he’s done at UConn proves he can rebuild a program.
UConn Huskies
The UConn Huskies were dealt a massive blow as Colorado State is hiring away head coach Jim Mora. Nailing the next hire for UConn is going to be key as they missed on a few hires and fell into irrelevancy.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
- Fired: HC Mike Gundy, DC Todd Grantham
After firing Mike Gundy, it was clear that Oklahoma State needed to catch up in the NIL space, which included landing a coach who was capable of doing so. The Cowboys went out and landed a rising star in the coaching ranks, landing North Texas’ Eric Morris. The Mean Green have put together one of the best offenses in the country, and if it can be replicated in Stillwater, it will be a home run hire.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys ended one of the longest running tenures in College Football, firing Head Coach Mike Gundy. Offensive Coordinator Doug Meacham will fill the Head Coach position for the rest of the season as the Interim. Meacham and the program fired Defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham among the struggles for the Cowboys.
North Texas Mean Green
- Hired: Former West Virginia HC Neal Brown
The Mean Green moved rather quickly to replace Eric Morris, hiring former West Virginia head coach Neal Brown. After being fired by West Virginia, Neal Brown spent this season as a special assistant at Texas. Brown has other prior experience in the Lone Star State serving as the OC for Texas Tech from 2010-12.
As North Texas looks to make the American Championship and the College Football Playoff, the program takes a massive hit. Eric Morris built one of the best offenses in the country this season, and if it wasn’t Oklahoma State who hired him away, it likely would’ve been someone else.
California Golden Bears
Following a stunning 21 point loss in The Big Game, the California Golden Bears fired head coach Justin Wilcox. The loss ensured that Cal finished below .500 in league play under Justin Wilcox for the 9th consecutive season. Nailing the next hire will be critical for Cal as freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele looks like the perfect player to build around.
The Cal Golden Bears moved quickly to hire their next head coach hiring Oregon Defensive Coordinator Tosh Lupoi. The move is great for Cal as they land an alum who well be committed to rebuilding his alma mater, and has the relationships to hit the ground running.
Virginia Tech Hokies
- Interim: OC Philip Montgomery
The Virginia Tech Hokies were the first program to move on from their Head Coach, firing Brent Pry after an 0-3 start to the season. The Hokies will pay Brent Pry a $6 Million buyout to move on while the program has vowed to make a bigger financial commitment to the program. Offensive Coordinator Philip Montgomery will spend the rest of the season as the Interim Head Coach.
After being the first Power 4 program to fire their head coach in season, the Hokies do the same in the hiring process. The Hokies have reeled in former Penn State head coach James Franklin making a splash hire. Hiring Franklin signals a bigger investment in the program, and it should pay off as soon as next season.
Baylor Bears:
Departed: OL Coach Mason Miller
Amid a 4-4 start to the season, Baylor Offensive Line coach Mason Miller is no longer with the team. Details of his departure and any interim are currently unknown.
Penn State Nittany Lions
- Interim: Associate HC Terry Smith
The biggest shocker of the season came in early October when the Penn State Nittany Lions fired James Franklin after the team fell apart falling to 3-3. The Nittany Lions will pay Franklin a $49 Million buyout, driving home how committed they are to building a winner. Associate HC Terry Smith will serve as the interim for the rest of the season.
UAB Blazers
- Elevated: OC Alex Mortensen
The UAB Blazers relieved Head Coach Trent Dilfer of his duties as the Blazers fell to 2-4 on the season and 9-21 in his tenure. Offensive Coordinator Alex Mortensen will serve as the Interim Head Coach for the remainder of the season. After closing out the regular season for the Blazers, Alex Mortenson has been elevated from Interim head coach to the full-time job.
South Carolina Gamecocks
- Fired: OL Lonnie Teasley, OC Mike Shula
Amid a 1-3 start for the South Carolina Gamecocks in SEC play, the South Carolina Gamecocks parted ways with offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley putting assistant Shawn Elliott in his place.
As the South Carolina Gamecocks offense has been a disaster, Shane Beamer is making changes once again. Following the loss to Ole Miss, the Gamecocks parted ways with offensive coordinator Mike Shula. Beamer has already made a switch at offensive line coach and OC as this offensive staff was clearly the wrong fit.Â
UCLA Bruins
- Hired: James Madison HC Bob Chesney
- Fired: HC DeShaun Foster and OC Tino Sunseri
- Interim: SAHC Tim Skipper and AHC/TE Jerry Neuheisel
UCLA was able to lure away James Madison head coach Bob Chesney, as several schools, including Penn State, considered him a candidate. Chesney has kept JMU rolling after Curt Cignetti’s departure, and could prove to be a top hire.
The UCLA Bruins fired Head Coach DeShaun Foster just three games into his second season after an 0-3 start to the season. Special Assistant Tim Skipper was elevated to Head Coach after Foster’s firing and will fill the role the rest of the season. Skipper parted ways with UCLA Offensive Coordinator Tino Sunseri placing former UCLA Quarterback Jerry Neuheisel in the offensive coordinator role.
Kent State Golden Flashes
In April, Kent State fired Head Coach Kenni Burns for several contract violations including allegedly taking a loan from a booster. Kent State named Offensive Coordinator Mark Carney for the role, but they’ll look for a long term hire this offseason. After a 3-5 start to the season, Kent State removed the Interim tag making Mark Carney their full-time Head Coach.
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