2023-24 College Football Coaching Carousel
The silly season of hirings, firings, rumors and innuendo is upon us. Overall, between 500 to 600 coaches change jobs every year in the FBS. Roughly 509 coaches, including 24 head coaches, changed jobs in the 2022-23 cycle, according to 247Sports’ data.
Here are the running updates for the 2023-24 cycle.
Dec. 19
Georgia Southern/Western Kentucky: Georgia Southern is expected to hire Western Kentucky offensive line coach Zach Lankford as its new offensive line coach, sources tell 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
Dec. 18
Oregon State: Idaho special teams coordinator and running backs coach Thomas Ford has been hired as running backs coach at Oregon State, reports 247Sports’ Brandon Huffman.
Troy/Notre Dame: Troy is circling Notre Dame offensive coordinator Gerad Parker to be the Trojans’ head coach, sources tell 247Sports. Parker previously coached and played alongside former Troy head coaches Neal Brown and Jon Sumrall.
Dec. 17
Houston: The Cougars are set to hire former Mississippi State offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay as offensive coordinator, sources tell 247Sports’ Chris Hummer and Matt Zenitz. Additionally, Houston will hire Baylor tight ends coach Shawn Bell as quarterbacks coach. Bell’s brother, Brian, a QC at Baylor, will also join the staff in an off-field role.
Duke/Louisiana: Louisiana offensive line coach Jeff Norrid is set to be hired for the same position at Duke, a source tells ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg.
Penn State: Penn State is set to hire former Indiana head coach Tom Allen as defensive coordinator, a source tells 247Sports.
James Madison: Bob Chesney is expected to retain interim head coach Damian Wroblewski as offensive line coach and Rovers coach Eddie Whitley Jr. on staff at James Madison, a source tells 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello.
Wyoming: Wyoming offensive coordinator Tim Polasek is set to be hired as the head coach at FCS North Dakota State, sources tell FootballScoop.
Kentucky: Former Houston receivers coach Daikiel Shorts Jr. is set to be hired as Kentucky’s receivers coach, reports Josh Edwards of CatsPause.com.
Dec. 16
Mississippi State/New Mexico State: Mississippi State is set to hire New Mexico State cornerbacks coach Cliff Odom as special teams coordinator, a source tells 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello.
Vanderbilt/New Mexico State: Vanderbilt is expected to hire New Mexico State offensive coordinator Tim Beck for the same position, sources tell 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
USC: USC is expected to hire former Houston defensive coordinator Doug Belk as defensive backs coach, sources tell 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz. Belk was part of Dana Holgorsen’s staff at Houston the last three seasons.
Georgia/USC: USC defensive backs coach Donte Williams is expected to be hired as Georgia’s defensive backs coach, a source tells 247Sports. Williams resigned as USC’s cornerbacks coach Saturday. He fills a spot left open on Georgia’s staff by Fran Brown, who was hired away as Syracuse’s head coach.
James Madison: James Madison coach Bob Chesney has brought several coaches from his previous stop at FCS Holy Cross: offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy, special teams coordinator Drew Canan and recruiting coordinator Anthony DiMichele, reports ESPN’s Pete Thamel. DiMichele will have an on-field role but it has yet to be determined.
Dec. 15
San Diego State: Washington analyst CJ McGorisk is expected to be hired as safeties coach at San Diego State, sources tell 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
UCLA: Former Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo has been elevated to tight ends coach at UCLA, reports FootballScoop. Niumatalolo joined UCLA in an off-field role after he was fired at UCLA following the 2022 season.
Nevada: Texas analyst Joey Thomas has been hired as defensive backs coach at Nevada, sources tell 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
Dec. 14
Syracuse: Syracuse is expected to hire Texas A&M assistant Joe Schaefer as a defensive assistant, sources tell 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
Duke/SMU: Duke has hired SMU quarterbacks coach and co-OC Jonathan Brewer as offensive coordinator, a source tells 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello.
San Diego State: San Diego State is expected to hire Idaho defensive coordinator Rob Aurich to coach Edges on newly-hired DC Eric Schmidt’s staff, a source tells 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello. Idaho ranked 15th in total defense in FCS this season.
San Diego State/Washington: San Diego State is set to hire Washington assistant Eric Schmidt as defensive coordinator, a source tells 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello. Schmidt is the Huskies’ Edge coach and special teams coordinator. Huskies face Texas in the College Football Playoff on Jan. 1.
Nevada: Nevada is expected to hire Portland State assistant Parker Henry as special teams coordinator and linebackers coach, reports The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman.
2023-24 COACHING CAROUSEL UPDATES
Akron
Out: David Gilbertson, receivers (Nevada, quarterbacks)
Alabama
Out: Coleman Hutzler, special teams and outside linebackers (Mississippi State, defensive coordinator)
Arizona State
In: Diron Reynolds, defensive line (Michigan State, defensive line); Marcus Arroyo, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks
Out: Beau Baldwin, offensive coordinator (fired); Vince Amey, defensive line (Arizona State, analyst)
Arkansas
In: Bobby Petrino, offensive coordinator (Texas A&M, offensive coordinator); Eric Mateos, offensive line (Baylor, offensive line)
Out: Dan Enos, offensive coordinator (fired); Cody Kennedy, offensive line (Mississippi State, offensive line)
Auburn
Out: Wes McGriff, defensive backs (temporarily off field due to “personal matter”)
Baylor
In: Jake Spavital, offensive coordinator (Cal, offensive coordinator); Khenon Hall, running backs (SMU, running backs); Chris Kapilovic, offensive line (Michigan State, offensive line)
Out: Jeff Grimes, offensive coordinator (fired); Eric Mateos, offensive line (Arkansas, offensive line); Shawn Bell, tight ends (Houston, quarterbacks)
Boise State
In: Spencer Danielson, head coach (Boise State, defensive coordinator and interim head coach)
Out: Andy Avalos, head coach (fired); Kane Ioane, safeties (Nevada, defensive coordinator)
Buffalo
Out: Robert Wright, defensive coordinator (Syracuse, linebackers)
BYU
In: TJ Woods, offensive line (Georgia Southern, offensive line)
Out: Steve Clark, tight ends (fired); Darrell Funk, offensive line (fired)
Cal
In: Sterlin Gilbert, quarterbacks (Ole Miss, analyst); Mike Bloesch, offensive coordinator (Cal, offensive line)
Out: Jake Spavital, offensive coordinator (Baylor, offensive coordinator)
Charlotte
In: Tim Brewster, tight ends (Colorado, tight ends); Jason Barnes, receivers (Charlotte, analyst)
Out: Kyle De Van, offensive line (Oregon State, offensive line); Mike Hartline, receivers (fired)
Clemson
In: Matt Luke, offensive line; Chris Rumph, defensive ends (Minnesota Vikings, defensive line)
Out: Thomas Austin, offensive line (fired); Lemanski Hall, defensive ends (fired)
Colorado
In: Phil Loadholt, offensive line (Oklahoma, analyst)
Out: Sean Lewis, offensive coordinator (San Diego State, head coach); Tim Brewster, tight ends (resigned); Nick Williams, defensive ends (Syracuse, defensive ends); Darian Hagan, running backs (San Diego State, running backs)
Duke
In: Manny Diaz, head coach (Penn State, defensive coordinator); Jonathan Brewer, offensive coordinator (SMU, quarterbacks); Jeff Norrid, offensive line (Louisiana, offensive line)
Out: Mike Elko, head coach (Texas A&M, head coach); Adam Cushing, offensive line (Texas A&M, offensive line); Ishmael Aristide, cornerbacks (Texas A&M, cornerbacks); Trooper Taylor, running backs (Texas A&M, running backs)
ECU
In: John David Baker, offensive coordinator (Ole Miss, tight ends); Matt Mattox, offensive line (Ronald Reagan High School)
Out: Donnie Kirkpatrick, offensive coordinator
Florida
Out: Corey Raymond, secondary (fired); Sean Spencer, defensive line (fired)
FAU
Out: Corey Bell, secondary (Mississippi State, secondary)
Georgia
In: Donte Williams, defensive backs (USC, cornerbacks)
Out: Fran Brown, defensive backs (Syracuse, head coach)
Georgia Tech
Out: Travares Tillman, defensive backs (Georgia Tech, analyst); Andrew Thacker, safeties (Georgia Tech, analyst)
Georgia Southern
In: Zach Lankford, offensive line (Western Kentucky, offensive line)
Out: Kevin Whitley, cornerbacks (fired); TJ Woods, offensive line (BYU, offensive line)
Houston
In: Willie Fritz, head coach (Tulane, head coach); Shiel Wood, defensive coordinator (Tulane, defensive coordinator); Derrick Sherman, receivers (Tulane, receivers); Gerald Chatman, defensive line (Tulane, defensive line); James Ross III, inside linebackers (Tulane, analyst); Josh Christian-Young, defensive backs (Tulane, defensive backs); Kevin Barbay, offensive coordinator (Mississippi State, offensive coordinator); Shawn Bell, quarterbacks (Baylor, tight ends)
Out: Dana Holgorsen, head coach (fired); Doug Belk, defensive coordinator (USC, defensive backs); Daikiel Shorts Jr., receivers (Kentucky, receivers)
Indiana
In: Curt Cignetti, head coach (James Madison, head coach); Bryant Haines, defensive coordinator (James Madison, defensive coordinator); Mike Shanahan, offensive coordinator (James Madison, offensive coordinator); Tino Sunseri, quarterbacks (James Madison, quarterbacks); Grant Cain, special teams (James Madison, special teams and tight ends); Pat Kuntz, offensive line (James Madison, offensive line); Ola Adams, defensive backs (Penn State, analyst)
Out: Tom Allen, head coach (fired); Walt Bell, offensive coordinator (fired); Chad Wilt, co-defensive coordinator (fired)
Iowa
Out: Brian Ferentz, offensive coordinator (fired)
James Madison
In: Bob Chesney, head coach (Holy Cross, head coach); Dean Kennedy, offensive coordinator (Holy Cross, offensive coordinator); Drew Canan, special teams coordinator (Holy Cross, special teams coordinator); Anthony DiMichele, TBD (Holy Cross, recruiting coordinator)
Out: Curt Cignetti, head coach (Indiana, head coach); Bryant Haines, defensive coordinator (Indiana, defensive coordinator); Mike Shanahan, offensive coordinator (Indiana, offensive coordinator); Tino Sunseri, quarterbacks (Indiana, quarterbacks); Grant Cain, special teams and tight ends (Indiana, special teams); Pat Kuntz, offensive line (Indiana, offensive line)
Kansas
In: Jeff Grimes, offensive coordinator (Baylor, offensive coordinator)
Out: Andy Kotelnicki, offensive coordinator (Penn State, offensive coordinator)
Kansas State
Out: Collin Klein, offensive coordinator (Texas A&M, offensive coordinator)
Kent State
In: Mark Carney, offensive coordinator (Kent State, tight ends)
Kentucky
In: Daikiel Shorts Jr., receivers (Houston, receivers)
Out: Scott Woodward, receivers (fired)
Louisiana
Out: Jeff Norrid, offensive line (Duke, offensive line)
Louisiana Monroe
In: Bryant Vincent, head coach (New Mexico, offensive coordinator); Davern Williams, defensive line (Kennesaw State, defensive ends); Alec Osborne, linebackers (Baylor, quality control)
Out: Terry Bowden, head coach (fired)
Louisiana Tech
In: Jeremiah Johnson, defensive coordinator (Northern Iowa, defensive coordinator); Keelon Brookins, cornerbacks (Northern Iowa, defensive backs)
Out: Scott Power, defensive coordinator (fired); Myles Carelock, defensive backs (fired); Nate Johnson, defensive backs (fired)
Marshall
In: Seth Doege, offensive coordinator (Purdue, tight ends)
Out: Clint Trickett, offensive coordinator (fired); Jovon Bouknight, receivers (fired); Bill Legg, offensive line (fired); Shannon Morrison, linebackers (fired)
Memphis
Out: Matt Barnes, defensive coordinator (Mississippi State, safeties)
Michigan
Out: Chris Partridge, linebackers (fired)
Michigan State
In: Jonathan Smith, head coach (Oregon State, head coach); Jim Michalczik, offensive line (Oregon State, offensive line); Keith Bhonapha, running backs (Oregon State, running backs); Blue Adams, TBD (Oregon State, defensive backs); Brian Lindgren, offensive coordinator (Oregon State, offensive coordinator); Diron Reynolds, defensive line (Michigan State, defensive line); Joe Rossi, defensive coordinator (Minnesota, defensive coordinator)
Out: Mel Tucker, head coach (fired); Chris Kapilovic, offensive line (Baylor, offensive line)
Middle Tennessee
In: Derek Mason, head coach; Kendall Simmons, offensive line (Auburn, analyst)
Out: Rick Stockstill, head coach (fired)
Minnesota
Out: Andrew Sowder, tight ends (resigned); Joe Rossi, defensive coordinator (Michigan State, defensive coordinator)
Mississippi State
In: Jeff Lebby, head coach (Oklahoma, offensive coordinator); Jon Cooper, tight ends (North Texas, offensive line); Cody Kennedy, offensive line (Arkansas, offensive line); Coleman Hutzler, defensive coordinator (Mississippi State, special teams and outside linebackers); Anthony Tucker, running backs (Indiana, receivers); Matt Holecek, quarterbacks (Oklahoma, analyst); Matt Barnes, safeties (Memphis, defensive coordinator); Corey Bell, secondary (FAU, secondary); Cliff Odom, special teams coordinator (New Mexico State, cornerbacks)
Out: Zach Arnett, head coach (fired); Tony Hughes, running backs (retired); Kevin Barbay, offensive coordinator (Houston, offensive coordinator)
Navy
Out: Ashley Ingram, offensive line (Carson-Newman University, head coach)
Nevada
In: Jeff Choate, head coach (Texas, linebackers); Mike Lynch, running backs (Syracuse, running backs); Kane Ioane, defensive coordinator (Boise State, safeties); David Gilbertson, receivers (Akron, receivers), David Gilbertson, quarterbacks (Akron, receivers); Matt Lubick, offensive coordinator and receivers (Kansas, analyst); Joey Thomas, defensive backs (Texas, analyst); Parker Henry, special teams coordinator and linebackers (Portland State, assistant)
Out: Ken Wilson, head coach (fired)
New Mexico
In: Bronco Mendenhall, head coach; Charles Mack, secondary (VMI, safeties)
Out: Danny Gonzales, head coach (fired)
New Mexico State
Out: Cliff Odom, cornerbacks (Mississippi State, special teams coordinator); Tim Beck, offensive coordinator (Vanderbilt, offensive coordinator)
Northwestern
In: David Braun, head coach (Northwestern, interim head coach)
North Texas
In: Cutter Leftwich, offensive line (Oregon, graduate assistant)
Out: Jon Cooper, offensive line (Mississippi State, tight ends)
Notre Dame
In: Mike Brown, receivers (Wisconsin, receivers)
Out: Chansi Stuckey, receivers (fired); Gerad Parker, offensive coordinator (Troy, head coach)
Oklahoma
In: Seth Littrell, co-offensive coordinator (Oklahoma, analyst)
Out: Jeff Lebby, offensive coordinator (Mississippi State, head coach)
Ole Miss
Out: John David Baker, tight ends (ECU, offensive coordinator)
Oregon State
In: Trent Bray, head coach (Oregon State, defensive coordinator); Ryan Gunderson, offensive coordinator (UCLA, quarterbacks); Kyle De Van, offensive line (Charlotte, offensive line); Thomas Ford, running backs (Idaho, special teams coordinator and running backs)
Out: Jonathan Smith, head coach (Michigan State, head coach); Jim Michalczik, offensive line (Michigan State, offensive line); Brian Wozniak, tight ends (Michigan State, TBA); Keith Bhonapha, running backs (Michigan State, running backs); Blue Adams, defensive backs (Michigan State, TBA); Brian Lindgren, offensive coordinator (Michigan State, offensive coordinator); Ilaisa Tuiaki, defensive line (N/A); AJ Cooper, inside linebackers (Sacramento State, assistant); Jon Boyer, tight ends (Oregon State, analyst)
Penn State
In: Andy Kotelnicki, offensive coordinator (Kansas, offensive coordinator); Tom Allen, defensive coordinator (Indiana, head coach)
Out: Mike Yurcich, offensive coordinator (fired); Manny Diaz, defensive coordinator (Duke, head coach)
Pitt
In: Kade Bell, offensive coordinator (Western Carolina, offensive coordinator)
Out: Frank Cignetti Jr., offensive coordinator and quarterbacks (fired)
Purdue
Out: Seth Doege, tight ends (Marshall, offensive coordinator)
San Diego State
In: Sean Lewis, head coach (Colorado, offensive coordinator); Darian Hagan, running backs (Colorado, running backs); CJ McGorisk, safeties (Washington, analyst); Eric Schmidt, defensive coordinator (Washington, EDGEs and special teams coordinator); Rob Aurich, EDGES (Idaho, defensive coordinator)
Out: Brady Hoke, head coach (retired)
SMU
Out: Khenon Hall, running backs (Baylor, running backs)
Southern Miss
In: Chip Long, offensive coordinator (Louisville, analyst); Clay Bignell, defensive coordinator (Eastern Illinois, defensive coordinator)
Out: Dan O’Brien, defensive coordinator (fired); Brandon Lacy, defensive line (fired); Cayden Cochran, tight ends (fired); Mark Criner, outside linebackers (fired)
Syracuse
In: Fran Brown, head coach (Georgia, defensive backs); Elijah Robinson, defensive coordinator (Texas A&M, defensive line); Nick Williams, defensive ends (Colorado, defensive ends); Jeff Nixon, offensive coordinator (New York Giants, running backs); Ross Douglas, receivers (New England Patriots, receivers); Robert Wright, linebackers (Buffalo, defensive coordinator); Dale Williams, offensive line (Louisville, analyst); Joe Schaefer, TBD (Texas A&M, analyst)
Out: Dino Babers, head coach (fired); Mike Lynch, running backs (Nevada, running backs)
Texas A&M
In: Mike Elko, head coach (Duke, head coach); Sean Spencer, defensive line (Florida, defensive line); Adam Cushing, offensive line (Duke, offensive line); Ishmael Aristide, cornerbacks (Duke, cornerbacks); Collin Klein, offensive coordinator (Kansas State, offensive coordinator); Trooper Taylor, running backs (Duke, running backs)
Out: Jimbo Fisher, head coach (fired); Bobby Petrino, offensive coordinator (Arkansas, offensive coordinator); Elijah Robinson, defensive line (Syracuse, defensive coordinator)
TCU
In: Andy Avalos, defensive coordinator (Boise State, head coach)
Out: Joe Gillespie, defensive coordinator (fired)
Troy
In: Gerad Parker, head coach (Notre Dame, offensive coordinator)
Out: Jon Sumrall, head coach (Tulane, head coach)
Tulane
In: Jon Sumrall, head coach (Troy, head coach)
Out: Willie Fritz, head coach (Houston, head coach); Slade Nagle, offensive coordinator (Houston, offensive coordinator); Shiel Wood, defensive coordinator (Houston, defensive coordinator); Derrick Sherman, receivers (Houston, receivers); Gerald Chatman, defensive line (Houston, defensive line); Josh Christian-Young, defensive backs (Houston, defensive backs)
UCLA
In: Ken Niumatalolo, tight ends (UCLA, analyst)
Out: D’Anton Lynn, defensive coordinator (USC, defensive coordinator); Ryan Gunderson, quarterbacks (Oregon State, offensive coordinator); Jeff Faris, tight ends (Austin Peay, head coach)
USC
In: D’Anton Lynn, defensive coordinator (UCLA, defensive coordinator); Matt Entz, linebackers (North Dakota State, head coach); Doug Belk, defensive backs (Houston, defensive coordinator)
Out: Alex Grinch, defensive coordinator (fired); Donte Williams, cornerbacks (Georgia, defensive backs)
UTEP
In: Scotty Walden, head coach (Austin Peay, head coach); JJ Clark, defensive coordinator (Austin Peay, defensive coordinator); Jared Kaster, offensive line (Austin Peay, offensive line); Joe Pappalardo, special teams coordinator (Austin Peay, special teams coordinator); Jajuan Dulaney, tight ends (Austin Peay, tight ends); Aaron Foster, defensive backs (Austin Peay, defensive backs); Seth McDonald, outside linebackers (Austin Peay, outside linebackers)
Out: Dana Dimel, head coach (fired)
Vanderbilt
In: Tim Beck, offensive coordinator (New Mexico State, offensive coordinator)
Out: Nick Howell, defensive coordinator (demoted); Joey Lynch, offensive coordinator (fired); Dan Jackson, defensive backs (demoted)
Washington
Out: Eric Schmidt, EDGEs and special teams coordinator (San Diego State, defensive coordinator)
Western Kentucky
Out: Zach Lankford, offensive line (Georgia Southern, offensive line)
Wisconsin
Out: Mike Brown, receivers (Notre Dame, receivers)
Wyoming
In: Jay Sawvel, head coach (Wyoming, defensive coordinator)
Out: Craig Bohl, head coach (retired); Tim Polasek, offensive coordinator (North Dakota State, head coach)