\n<\/p>\n
Southern Mississippi <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: A+<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #1 <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Former Marshall coach Charles Huff takes over for SoMiss and is a spectacular hire for the Golden Eagles. Huff resigned from Marshall rather than put up with UM\u2019s care-less response to his concerns regarding the UM football program\u2019s needs. Huff is the coach who led Marshall to an upset win at Notre Dame in 2023 and to bowl-level performances every year. SoMiss was already building a strong roster and now with Huff at the helm, expect the Eagles to fly. <\/span><\/p>\n Huff hired program rebuilder (Utah St and Arkansas St) Blake Anderson as offensive coordinator so expect the offense to be in high gear from day one. <\/span><\/p>\n Jason Semoure followed Huff from Marshall to SoMiss. While at Marshall, Semore reduced defensive points allowed by more than five in two seasons. This group is the best there is among new hires in 2025. It grades as the highest A+ new coach hiring situation in college football.<\/span><\/p>\n Utah State <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: A<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #2<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Bronc Mendenhall is a miracle worker. After losing his first four games of last season at New Mexico, he took the Lobos to bowl eligibility before a season-ending loss to Hawai\u2019i by one possession. After that first dismal month, the Lobos posted wins over San Diego State, Air Force, and Washington State. <\/span><\/p>\n His OC will be Kevin McGiven who has been OC or AOC at many western schools such as Oregon State, San Jose State and in 2009, here at Utah State. He has 20 years on the offensive sideline and solid roots to regional recruiting. He is an outstanding hire for the Aggies. <\/span><\/p>\n Nick Howell has followed Mendenhall from New Mexico where he was DC. Howell was also DC at Virginia, BYU, and Vanderbilt so he has plenty of experience. He also rates as a top tier hire. <\/span><\/p>\n This is going to be a great situation for USU but I wonder if Bronc will be able to navigate an awful history by the Utah State admins who dismissed former head football coach Blake Anderson with little notice under speculative circumstances and women\u2019s basketball coach Kayla Ard who was on her way to a post game press conference when USU fired her in the hallway but still had her appear at the press conference.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n North Carolina <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: A<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #3<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n From a pure coaching standpoint, hiring former NFL great Bill Belichick is a slam-dunk winning hire for North Carolina. From the standpoint of outside distractions, it may prove to be a disaster.<\/span><\/p>\n There are also some concerns that Belichick has no FBS experience. However, Coach Bill is a proven winner and a resourceful leader.<\/span><\/p>\n That much is evidenced by his coordinator hirings.<\/span><\/p>\n His OC will be Freddie Kitchens and Kitchens will help Belichick\u2019s transition because Kitchens has been at UNC since 2023. Like Belichick, Kitchens has tons of NFL experience. <\/span><\/p>\n On the defensive side, Stephen Belichick will be DC after spending one year at U of Washington with mixed results. He was formerly position coach for the NE Patriots for 11 seasons. <\/span><\/p>\n The coaching history of this group is evident enough to make this a grade \u201cA\u201d- hire so UNC will be in a good situation for 2025. How long it lasts will depend on the leverage fo Coach B\u2019s notorious girlfriend. <\/span><\/p>\n Charlotte <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: A <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #4<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Tim Albin comes over from Ohio where he won 31 games in the past three seasons. He is an understudy to legendary coach Frank Solich and there are those at Ohio U. who will say he surpassed is mentor.<\/span><\/p>\n Albin hired Todd Fitch who has been an offensive coordinaor for 13 seasons including in the SEC, so the offensive side will have outstanding leadership. <\/span><\/p>\n Kurt Mattic will be the defensive coordinaor after leading San Diego State\u2019s four four seasons and a year at Ohio with Albin. <\/span><\/p>\n Every bit of this hiring situation tells me that Charlotte football is going to rise sharply in 2025 and beyond. <\/span><\/p>\n Purdue <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: B<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #5<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Barry Odom (Missouri, UNLV) takes over for Ryan Walters. The PU football situation stunk last year. The roster was down, morale was down, and there was no light in the Boilermaker tunnel.<\/span><\/p>\n Odom is not a magician but he has gone to work early to improve the roster through transfers.<\/span><\/p>\n He hired Josh Henson as OC. Henson has decent experience \u2026 two-years as OC at USC and 13 years as an FBS position coach. He knows how to recruit and he\u2019s experienced with NIL. He also knows the Odom scheme because these two coached together at Missouri from 2009 to 2015. <\/span><\/p>\n The defensive coodinator will be Michael Scherer who followed Odom to Purdue from UNLV where he was OC for two seasons. That is about his only FBS experience however so he doesn\u2019t have a very strong resume\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n Over all, these are good hires but this program has been so far down in the Big Ten that fans needed a telescope to see the next-worst program.<\/span><\/p>\n Expect there to be an immediate increase in competitiveness but a defense that will need to make some major leaps before the B\u2019Makers can get to even four wins this season. Next year \u2026 it\u2019s always been \u201cnext year\u201d for B\u2019Maker fans but this time, there is every reason to think that next year and beyond will continue with significant upward trends. <\/span><\/p>\n Wake Forest<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: B<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #6<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Jake Dickert comes to Wake Forest from Washington State where he salvaged a program that was in trouble. Although he doesn\u2019t have much of an eastern recruiting footprint, he has proven to be a resourceful roster builder.<\/span><\/p>\n He hired Rob Ezell as OC and Ezell does indeed have eastern ties afer a four-year stint at South Alabama. Ezell was a graduate assistant under Nick Saban which is a good thing. But, I wonder why he never advanced beyond the GA level after four years. Although Ezell has just one year of OC experience (S. Alabama), it was a fruitful one as the Jaguar offensive punch increased by nearly 1 1\/2 points per game in 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n The defensive coordinator will be Scottie Hazelton who was DC at Michigan State for four seasons, Wyoming for two, and Kansas State for one. He also has one year of experience in the NFL. Expect the Deacon defense to be immediately and vastly improved from the 32 ppg group it has been.<\/span><\/p>\n Deshawn Purdie led the Wake Forest campaign last year and is currently listed as the starter. However, I am projecting that former Oregon quarterback Robby Ashford will take over the position because Dickert favors running qbs. If so, expect the Deacon offense to spark and Deadon results to flourish above the four wins they have had the past two seasons.<\/span><\/p>\n New Mexico<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: B<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #7<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Jason Eck is the new coach at New Mexico after taking Idaho to a 26-13 record over three seasons that included three straight FCS playoffs. Eck will have pretty good talent to begin things at UNM but he opens at Michigan and then is at UCLA two games later. After that, the schedule gets a bit easier and he should keep the Lobos competitive and near bowl eligibility. <\/span><\/p>\n His OC is Luke Scleusner who is a creative offensive coach with plenty of success at South Dakota State. He doesn\u2019t have FBS experience or SW ties but he should be able to keep the Lobos moving.<\/span><\/p>\n Spence Nowisnky has been hired as DC after seven seasons in FBS as either a DC or a co-DC. He has been a college defensive coach since 2003 so he has plenty of experience.<\/span><\/p>\n I personally believe my Savvy rating system has Eck\u2019s hiring rated too low. I believe this is a B+ or A- hire. <\/span><\/p>\n New Mexico was 5-7 last year and has a pretty tough schedule in 2025. Even so, I see the Lobos greatly reducing their 38-point defensive ppg average and getting to bowl eligibility.<\/span><\/p>\n UNLV<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: B<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #8<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n I know that Savvy\u2019s ranking of Dan Mullen as a lowly \u201cB\u201d hire will bring out the doubters. At first, I felt the same especially since I have been a Mullen fan for a long time. But, when I looked at his history objectively, I found myself agreeing with Savvy. Mullen\u2019s name is bigger than his actual accomplishments.<\/span><\/p>\n Nonetheless, he is a good hire for UNLV and he is more than good enough to continue the Rebels\u2019 winning ways now that he is not facing SEC teams the majority of the time. He inherits a fantastic roster and facilities that are among the best in the Mountain West.<\/span><\/p>\n With all of those things going for him, I find it strange that he hired Corey Dennis as his OC. Dennis has three years as a quarterbacks coach at Ohio State and one at Tulsa (despite never having played the position) and he has no OC experience. That is likely to become a problem because UNLV\u2019s current depth chart shows Virginia transfer Anthony Colandrea as the likely quarterback. As a passer, Colandrea is graded as a \u201cC\u201d and as a runner, he is much less mobile than last year\u2019s UNLV quarterback Haji-Malik Williams. Colandrea threw 11 intereptions to go with just 13 touchdowns, so the inexperience of Corey Dennis as an OC may be a critical factor in UNLV\u2019s fortunes this season.<\/span><\/p>\n The DC is Zach Arnett who failed and caused all kinds of waves with administrators at Mississippi State. He has experience on the defensive side (Miss St and San Diego State) so if he can resist the temptation to act-out, the Rebel defense should do well.<\/span><\/p>\n The schedule is favorable for UNLV to easily make it to a bowl game but probably not to another double-digit win season.<\/span><\/p>\n West Virginia<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: B<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #9<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Rich Rodriguez followed the country roads back to West Virginia where he once impressed the mountain mamas. He should do well once again. In fact, he\u2019ll have to because WVU isn\u2019t patient with coaches who don\u2019t get past eight wins. Despite being a native of West Virginia and assembling an average of nine wins over seven seasons, WVU canned him inn 2007.<\/span><\/p>\n Rich Rod has elected to be his own offensive coordinator which is a concern in these days of NIL and transfer portals and other programs adding general managers to their staffs to lighten the head coach\u2019s responsibilities. <\/span><\/p>\n The DC is Zak Alley and he will produce great results in Mortantown. Alley who was DC at Lousiana Montroe in its successful 2021 season, then DC for two seasons at Jacksonville State with Rodgriguez. Last year, he was DC at Oklahoma and brought down the Sooners\u2019 ppg defensive average by over one full point.<\/span><\/p>\n West Virginia has a really tough schedule this year with games against 10-game winner Ohio, at Kansas, Utah, at BYU, at UCF, TCU, at Arizona State, and at Texas Tech. Four of those teams are ranked and one other (Ohio) is in the top 30.<\/span><\/p>\n Temple<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: B<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #10<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n I was suprised to see K.C. Keeler leave Sam Houston and even more surprised that of all the suitors over the years, he chose Temple.<\/span><\/p>\n Keeler comes to Temple after a 271-112 record as a college head football coach. He led Sam Houston to many final fours in the FCS and won the NCAA I national champonship in 2020-2021. Then, he led SHU into the FBS in 2023 and then to 10 wins last season.<\/span><\/p>\n His OC is Tyler Walker who has four seasons at Montana State but only one as OC. He has no experience in FBS, NIL, or transfer portals, so this rates as a \u201crisky\u201d hire.<\/span><\/p>\n Brian Smith is the new defensive coordinator at Temple and he has more than 20 years of experience on the defensive side. His experience includes time in the NFL to go with two seasons at Michigan (DB coach). <\/span><\/p>\n This is a strong coaching staff in a weak situation. If Keeler is a miracle worker, he\u2019ll need to pull out all of his tricks at Temple because the Owls have won exactly three games in each of the past four seasons. <\/span><\/p>\n Florida International<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: C<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #11<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Jovan Dewitt Willie Simmons has never been an FBS HC although he had nine seasons as HC in FCS. His last gig was RB coach at Duke last sesason. Simmons was 66-24 and no losing seasons in FCS but he is taking over an FBS program that has been awful. Much of NIU\u2019s problems are top-down in nature so until there is a change of admins, don\u2019t expect much from the Golden Panthers.<\/span><\/p>\n Nick Coleman is OC after being qb coach at UAB for two years. That is not a very good resume\u2019 for an OC. <\/span><\/p>\n Jovan Dewitt is DC and he has 24 years as a college coach and is in his fourth season as FIU defensive coorinator. Very good \u201cretain\u201d by Simmons because Dewitt is the real deal.<\/span><\/p>\n It is the retention of Dewitt that raises this hiring from a \u201cD\u201d grade to \u201cC\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Massachusetts<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: C<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #12<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Joey Haraymiak takes over for Don Brown as HC. Joe H. has never been HC at any FBS but he was DC at Rutgers for three recent seasons. He was former HC at Maine if the FCS where he was 20-15 in three seasons and 2-1 in playoff games. However, that was over a decade ago. His hiring might have been the best Umass could do given it\u2019s bottom-dweller legacy. <\/span><\/p>\n Mike Bajakian will be OC and he is a stellar hire! Bajakian was OC at Utah, Boston College, Northewester, Tennesee, and Cincinnati. It doesn\u2019t get much better than Bajakian and this is a true feather-in-the-cap for coach Haraymiak. <\/span><\/p>\n DC os Jared Keyte who has almost no experience in FBS and had never been a DC at this level. He was formely quite successful at Maine of FCS. Keyte is not a bad hire\u2014 but also not an impressive one either. <\/span><\/p>\n This program earns a \u201cC\u201d hiring grade because of its ability to retain Bajakian as DC.<\/span><\/p>\n Jacksonville State<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: C<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring ranking: #13<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Charles Kelly is the new HC and he has tons of experience not only at Jacksonsville State but also at Auburn, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Tennesee, Alabama (4 seasons\/DC) Colorado and Auburn. but he\u2019s never been a HC at any level. <\/span><\/p>\n That was a great start for Jacksonville State but the momentum didn\u2019t continue.<\/span><\/p>\n Clint Trickett was brought on as OC after being mostly a position coach at FAU and Marshall with two seasons as Marchall OC. Trickett is a better-than-average hire for JSU.<\/span><\/p>\n Brian Williams is DC. He was co-DC at Maryland for several years and has been an FBS coach since 2016. He\u2019s never an FBS DC all on his own however.<\/span><\/p>\n If JSU can keep its momentum going, it will be in large part because of Williams\u2019 defense.<\/span><\/p>\n Central Michigan<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: C<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #14<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Matt Drinkall is stepping in for retired coach Jim McElwain. Drinkall has been in college forotball since 2006 but never as a head coach. His last gig was offensive line coach at Army. <\/span><\/p>\n Jim Chapin has plenty of experience as OC but all of it at the FCS level, the last being at Eastern Washington which posted its worst record in decades. Not a strong OC hire whatsoever and is nearly enough to drop this hiring grade to \u201cD\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n What keeps that drop in grades from happing is that Drinkall was able to lure Sean Cronin away from Army as DC. Cronin hgas been very successful a DL coach at various places and has deep ties to Michigan which will help recruiting. <\/span><\/p>\n Over all, Drinkall should do well but I suspect offense is going to struggle early on.<\/span><\/p>\n Marshall<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: C<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #15<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Tony Gibson takes over for Charles Huff but I suspect that Huff\u2019s feud with Marshall admins constitutes a problem within the athletic department that will hinder Gibson\u2019s ability to succeed after an initial burst in his first season. <\/span><\/p>\n Gibson has been in FBS for 25 seasons but never as a head coach. He has plenty of DC experience but has never run a program and has no experience as an assistant at an elite institutiion. He will have to learn a lot on his own as he goes and that\u2014 coupled with Marshall\u2019s apparent upper-level issues- is going to make this a hard job. <\/span><\/p>\n Rod Smith will be his OC and Smith has a lot of experience in FBS with some near-elite stops. He was OC at Jacksonville State, Illinois, and co-OC at Inidana and Arizona. This is a strong hire on the offensive side of things. It would ordinarly earn a top rating but the grade is supressed because of concerns with Marshall over all. <\/span><\/p>\n DC will be Shannon Morrison who has been at UM for many years as LB coach and now as DC. Not much experience beyond that. <\/span><\/p>\n UM starts the season against Georgia after which I suspect UM admins will wish they had been more congenial and not run former coach Charles off in a Huff. <\/span><\/p>\n Rice<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: D<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #16<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Vince Munich has 13 seasons of HC experience at FCS Washington and Lee and Davidson. He has never been an FBS coach of any kind whatsover. Learning NIL and recruiting and FBS administration, conditioning, travel, etc. is going to be a change that takes time. He\u2019s been to five lower-level playoff games and lost all five. <\/span><\/p>\n It appears he will be his own OC and he has quite a bit of experience with that postiion. <\/span><\/p>\n John Kay should have stayed with Steppenwolf because he\u2019s probably not going to get hsi motor running at Rice. He has no college coaching experience. He had 25 years at North Shore High School. Rice is going to have problems on the defensive side.<\/span><\/p>\n Sam Houston State<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring grade: D<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n hiring rank: #17<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Phil Longo takes over for legendary KC Keeler who accepted the Temple job. Longo was HC at LaSalle 20 years ago and had a two-year record of 7-14. He has been OC at various schools the past 10 years \u2014 ACC, Big10, SEC. He has no hostory as an OC at any elite institution so this isn\u2019t a hire with a strong resume\u2019. <\/span><\/p>\n His coordinators have little experience at the FCS level and essentially no coordinator experience at the FBS level. <\/span><\/p>\n Zack Patterson will run the offense but I suspect it won\u2019t be a smooth start. <\/span><\/p>\n Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay might keep the defense respectable but projections suggest that offensive sluggishness will make the defense look worse than it is. <\/span><\/p>\n