As the College Football season marches on to what seems to be an epic conclusion, some teams are already turning the page to the 2023 season. The days grew shorter, and the nights grew colder as these teams felt it was better to fire their coach in the middle of the season, instead of waiting for the Monday after Thanksgiving. Some will call it getting a jump on their coaching search. Others will say that their coach just wasn’t being successful. But as of now, these are the current head coaching jobs in college football. There may be more coming (especially if a Texas A&M Booster has an extra $86 million laying around), but we can’t worry about that now! Ok seriously, who’s starting the Go Fund Me in College Station?
As with everything in College Football, people have the desire to rank coaching positions. So that’s exactly what we decided to do! Here’s our criteria for ranking the current vacant coaching positions in Division 1:
- Level of Expectations– This is probably one of the biggest factors and as my cohost Fresh likes to say, “They’ll fire you for the reason they hired you”. Expectations are high in premier programs in the SEC, Big 10, ACC, Big 12 and Pac 12. They can be more reasonable in Conference USA and the American. Coaches will get paid big dollars for lofty expectations, but will be canned at the drop of a hat when those expectations are not met.
- Recruiting– The lifeblood of a College Football Program. Some programs recruit themselves. Others you will need a great salesman as a head coach. Without strong recruiting classes, coaches better be masters at player development.
- National perspective– This is how the rest of the country views your program. Is the program a traditional power with a rich history of success? Is the program an up-and-coming team that could be in the mold of a Cincinnati/Boise St? Or does the rest of the country think that your team is in FCS?
- Financial Outlook– In this day and age, it’s idiotic not to talk about the financial state of the program. Are you in a conference that just signed a record TV deal? Could you be a program that is pouched by a larger conference to move towards a 20 team league?
- Quick Success– Most coaches deserve three recruiting classes to be fairly judged by fans and alumni. In places like the Big 10 East, you’ll have to really work to overcome Ohio St., Michigan and Penn St. just to make the Big 10 title game. In places like the MAC, a strong recruiting class or key transfer can have a coach an 8 win season. You’ll be a legend that won’t pay for a meal for a year.
With that criteria, here is how we rank the current College Football Vacancies.
8th- Charlotte 49ers- Conference USA- (Previous Coach: Will Healy)
• Level of Expectations: 3/10
• Recruiting: 3/10
• National Perspective: 3/10
• Financial Outlook: 4/10
• Quick Success: 8/10
• Total: 21/50
Analysis: Back in 2019, Charlotte was 7-6 and lost in the Bahamas Bowl. A team with only 8 years of experience in the FBS doesn’t carry harsh expectations. Being in Charlotte, they have the advantage of recruiting the eastern seaboard. There isn’t a lot of money in the Charlotte program, but the opportunity of NIL in the city of Charlotte could be attractive to some players. This program could get to 6-6 and that would be a successful season.
Type of Coach: Young Coach with a lot to prove.
7th- USF Bulls- American Athletic Conference- (Previous Coach: Jeff Scott)
• Level of Expectations: 3/10
• Recruiting: 5/10
• National Perspective: 3/10
• Financial Outlook: 4/10
• Quick Success: 8/10
• Total: 23/50
Analysis: Remember back in 2016 and 2017 when USF was 21-4 in two seasons? Since then, the Bulls are 15-40. Quick results are manageable when Cincinnati, Houston and UCF leave the AAC for the Big 12. The Bulls also have the advantage of recruiting in the football rich state of Florida. Tampa is a growing city. Success at USF and an influx of donations will follow. But nationally, people are reserved to saying, “Oh yeah, they used to be good.”
Type of Coach: A Coordinator at a Power 5 Program has produced a solid offense or defense.
6th- Colorado Buffalos- Pac 12- (Previous Coach: Karl Dorrell)
• Level of Expectations: 4/10
• Recruiting: 3/10
• National Perspective: 4/10
• Financial Outlook: 7/10
• Quick Success: 5/10
• Total: 23/50
Analysis: Colorado is a once proud program that has really fallen on hard times. Since 1997, they have had 3 seasons of 9 wins or more. Lucky for them, they play in a Power 5 conference. Even if the Pac 12 folds, Colorado would be one of the programs to be picked up by the remaining conferences. It’s still tough to recruit to Colorado, but for now they have the cash of power 5 program. It’s a tough place to win at with Utah, Oregon, USC and UCLA (for now). But 7 or 8 wins will get a coach a contract extension.
Type of Coach: A recently fired Power 5 Coach
5th- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets- ACC- (Previous Coach: Geoff Collins)
• Level of Expectations: 5/10
• Recruiting: 5/10
• National Perspective: 6/10
• Financial Outlook: 8/10
• Quick Success: 6/10
• Total: 30/50
Analysis: Georgia Tech has a lot of things going for it. They can recruit places like Georgia and Florida for players to come to Atlanta. They play in the ACC and will get the cash from the conference. And there is a modest level of expectations. Yes, you need to take a butt whooping from Georgia every year. If you can find a way to string together some successful recruiting classes, this could be a place where a coach overachieves and breaks into the top 25.
Type of Coach: A successful group of 5 Head Coach
4th- Arizona St. Sun Devils- Pac 12- (Previous Coach: Herm Edwards)
• Level of Expectations: 7/10
• Recruiting: 6/10
• National Perspective: 5/10
• Financial Outlook: 7/10
• Quick Success: 6/10
• Total: 31/50
Analysis: Arizona St. just barely edges out Georgia Tech. Arizona St. has a lot going for it. Large alumni population. Proximity to California for recruiting and plays in a power 5 conference. ASU would be way more attractive of a team than a school like Colorado to another conference with realignment. The Sun Devils have a passionate fanbase that doesn’t get the respect it deserves. 7 to 8 wins can hold over most fans in the desert as long as you beat Arizona.
Type of Coach: An ASU Alumni
3rd- Nebraska Cornhuskers- Big 10- (Previous Coach: Scott Frost)
• Level of Expectations: 8/10
• Recruiting: 7/10
• National Perspective: 7/10
• Financial Outlook: 10/10
• Quick Success: 7/10
• Total: 39/50
Analysis: Nebraska went all in on Scott Frost and gave him more time than what is reasonable for a program like Nebraska. Nebraska is still a highly sought-after gig for coaches. With their history, they are still looked on favorably by most college football fans, but that is fading. They have a very rabid and supportive fan base. They are part of the Big 10 which is expanding quickly and has a huge financial windfall coming. The quick success is one of the challenges. Yes, Nebraska could mess around and win the Big 10 West, but it will take some time to get onto the Ohio St. and Michigan level. 9 to 10 win seasons are and should be the expectations for the next coach of Nebraska.
Type of Coach: Great Recruiter with Big 10 experience
2nd- Wisconsin Badgers- Big 10- (Previous Coach: Paul Chryst)
• Level of Expectations: 8/10
• Recruiting: 9/10
• National Perspective: 9/10
• Financial Outlook: 10/10
• Quick Success: 8/10
• Total: 44/50
Analysis: If I was a coaching candidate, Wisconsin would be very high on my list. They have an amazing tradition in being a highly successful program that develops and recruits running backs, offensive lineman, and defensive stalwarts. The entire country still holds Wisconsin as a program that will play everyone tough, including the Buckeyes and Wolverines. They will only benefit from the new Big 10 TV deal and Camp Randal is one of the iconic stadiums in College Football. But this SHOULD be Jim Leonhard’s job.
Type of Coach: Jim Leonhard
1st- Auburn Tigers- SEC- (Previous Coach: Bryan Harsin)
• Level of Expectations: 10/10
• Recruiting: 10/10
• National Perspective: 9/10
• Financial Outlook: 10/10
• Quick Success: 6/10
• Total: 45/50
Analysis: Auburn is one of the marquee programs in all of college football. They are part of the iconic Iron Bowl. They play in the SEC, where college football programs print money. Yes, they have a black eye with how they handled the Harsin situation, but time will heal those wounds. The only issue is the pathway to success. They need a coach who will understand what it takes to win at Auburn. They has some serious challenges in front of them in Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss and possibly more. Winning the west won’t be easy, but if you do, the College Football playoffs await. This is a true boom or bust coaching position.
Type of Coach: A Coach with SEC ties.
