2025-26 Coaching Carousel

[Purple Stein]

Don’t forget Rhule also played LB @ Penn State.

Also the current AD at Penn State was the AD at Temple when Rhule was in his glory days there.

 

[BRS24]

College football programs could spend $200 million in buyouts. Spare us the money moaning

Schools are clamoring for a way to control student athlete payments. We've yet to hear about coach contracts, of course.

www.nytimes.com

Archive here.

By year’s end, the combined cost of those buyouts could well exceed $200 million. Let that sink in for a second. Supposed institutions of “higher learning” have managed to negotiate themselves into paying $200 million to people who will no longer be working for them.​

​

Just how much is $200 million? Well, for one thing, it’s enough to pay for the scholarships of roughly 5,000 women’s and Olympic sports athletes.​

 

[huskymedic]

Assisted <

 

[huskymedic]

 

[ZooCougar]

It’s not like they have to pay the $50M all at once. They can allocate the proceeds to it depending on when it’s due.

 

[BRS24]

College football programs could spend $200 million in buyouts. Spare us the money moaning

Schools are clamoring for a way to control student athlete payments. We've yet to hear about coach contracts, of course.

www.nytimes.com

Archive here.

By year’s end, the combined cost of those buyouts could well exceed $200 million. Let that sink in for a second. Supposed institutions of “higher learning” have managed to negotiate themselves into paying $200 million to people who will no longer be working for them.​

​

Just how much is $200 million? Well, for one thing, it’s enough to pay for the scholarships of roughly 5,000 women’s and Olympic sports athletes.​

The other "money" (cough cough) quotes:

​

Fast forward to late October. News emerged that Franklin had abruptly fired his agent at the time and hired … Sexton. The man who has negotiated hundreds of millions in salaries (and buyouts) for the likes of Nick Saban, Kirby Smart, Lane Kiffin and, yes, Jimbo Fisher, he of Texas A&M’s infamous, fully-guaranteed $90 million contract.​

Coaching salaries have been going up and up for decades, of course, but that 2021-22 cycle reached new heights in absurdity. In addition to Franklin’s windfall, USC gave Oklahoma’s Riley a 10-year, $110 million contract, and LSU gave Brian Kelly a 10-year, $95 million deal; and the most insane of all, Michigan State’s 10-year, $75 million deal for the since-fired Mel Tucker.​

​

As of today, none of the four schools has gotten the return they were seeking.​

 

[KryHavok]

With the updated forum I miss the "Wow" emoji we had as part of the "Like" responses. It's been a busy weekend with firings:
The rise of Curt Cignetti, the fall of James Franklin and other midseason thoughts

Last offseason, in a strange moment of stasis, only five power-conference teams changed coaches (North Carolina, UCF, Purdue, Wake Forest and West Virginia). With the House settlement and the age of player compensation approaching, financial caution was the name of the game. (Well, sort of. We still saw 22 coaching changes at the Group of 5 level.)

Apparently, however, when our offseasons aren't crazy enough, the pressure builds and ferments and takes us to a very strange place. At the midway point of the season, we've already seen five power-conference teams fire their coaches: Virginia Tech, UCLA, Oklahoma State, Arkansas and, as of Sunday, Penn State. Wisconsin will probably be making a move soon -- especially after Saturday's humiliating 37-0 home loss to Iowa -- and lord only knows if or when the SEC (Florida? Auburn?) or ACC (Florida State? North Carolina?) might further join the party. Let this be a lesson to our future selves: If we don't hit the pressure release button quickly enough, things get wild.

Then you have former P5-to-G6 Oregon State and G6 UAB coaches getting the axe. How crazy is it that NCAAF has become like the NHL where in-season coach firings are becoming more common? Anyway, until the wow emoji comes back, I'll just go with whoa:

 

[huskymedic]

It’s not like they have to pay the $50M all at once. They can allocate the proceeds to it depending on when it’s due.

 

[ZooCougar]

And when you follow the money you’ll see that it’s impossible for that to be true.

Maybe they didn’t push him to be fired, but they will use some Adidas money for sure.

 

[Kolumbo]

How the heck can a University pay $50 million to fire a coach?! I'd be thrilled. It's like retiring and winning Lotto on the same day

 

[Kolumbo]

 

[Husky68]

Not a big fan of him, going back to Vanderbilt days, but firing him at this stage of year with his recent record seems too much. That is too much money available at a college to pay this type of money. Mora is vastly underpaid if schools can throw this type of money around to fire one of the most successful coaches of last few years.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[UConnJim]

Not a big fan of him, going back to Vanderbilt days, but firing him at this stage of year with his recent record seems too much. That is too much money available at a college to pay this type of money. Mora is vastly underpaid if schools can throw this type of money around to fire one of the most successful coaches of last few years.

24/7 has an article posted about Penn St. recruiting during the Franklin era. His 11 recruiting classes had an average rank of 13.9, which is good, but you are not going to win Big 10 or national championships with that level of recruiting.

For example, in the past 7 years, Penn St. has signed 3 of the top 10 recruits from New Jersey (70 total recruits). Three out of 70!

 

[UCTitleTown]

24/7 has an article posted about Penn St. recruiting during the Franklin era. His 11 recruiting classes had an average rank of 13.9, which is good, but you are not going to win Big 10 or national championships with that level of recruiting.

For example, in the past 7 years, Penn St. has signed 3 of the top 10 recruits from New Jersey (70 total recruits). Three out of 70!

Penn State used to live off NJ and Ohio recruits. I doubt the NJ kids are going to perennial Big 10 bottom dweller, Rutgers.

 

[B1GEast]

A lot of destination jobs there. I'm sure there will be several more when the season ends.

 

[gioff2323]

Not thrilled Mora and Benedict haven't put out a joint statement stating Mora isn't interested and wants to build UConn. Every time it looks like UConn football is getting some momentum, stuff like this happens and it's a program reset.

/s

In response to what?

 

[uconndogs]

Not thrilled Mora and Benedict haven't put out a joint statement stating Mora isn't interested and wants to build UConn. Every time it looks like UConn football is getting some momentum, stuff like this happens and it's a program reset.

/s

lol

 

[BugsyCT]

"Alex Mortensen, the son of late award-winning ESPN NFL Insider Chris Mortensen, will serve as interim coach."

UAB fires Dilfer, names Mortensen interim coach

UAB fired football coach Trent Dilfer on Sunday amid a 2-4 start to the season. Alex Mortensen will serve as interim coach.

www.espn.com

 

[ZooCougar]

Penn St should try to get Peterson out of retirement

Why?

There is literally nobody they can’t afford.

 

[Vowelguy]

B1G Network.

I gotta say I would listen to a B-tier coach than one who whiffed at the top level. Guys like Franklin are largely unaware of why they keep failing in the big moments, which is why it keeps happening. That doesnt lend itself to being a great analyst. Someone a little further down the totem pole seems to have a better understanding of it all.

I suppose you could counter by saying Franklin mastered the Xs & Os but not the "it" factor needed, and you only need the former not the latter to do well on TV.

 

[ZooCougar]

I gotta say I would listen to a B-tier coach than one who whiffed at the top level. Guys like Franklin are largely unaware of why they keep failing in the big moments, which is why it keeps happening. That doesnt lend itself to being a great analyst. Someone a little further down the totem pole seems to have a better understanding of it all.

I suppose you could counter by saying Franklin mastered the Xs & Os but not the "it" factor needed, and you only need the former not the latter to do well on TV.

Well Jimbo Fisher is now a denizen of the ACCN.

 

[Vowelguy]

Franklin to UAB. You heard it here first

I think he can do better than that. Other than losing the big games, he does have a strong record. If I were lower tier ACC or B12 that didnt aspire to win an NC, I'd consider. Think of him at Kansas, Houston, BC, or Wake. Hell he'd even be an improvement at UNC.

 

[BigTenFan]

Maybe Wisconsin

 

[ZooCougar]

I think he can do better than that. Other than losing the big games, he does have a strong record. If I were lower tier ACC or B12 that didnt aspire to win an NC, I'd consider. Think of him at Kansas, Houston, BC, or Wake. Hell he'd even be an improvement at UNC.

Maybe. Doesn’t he forfeit buyout money if he accepts a coaching job?

 

[freescooter]

Virginia Tech. I think he’d fit well.

 

[huskymedic]

Maybe. Doesn’t he forfeit buyout money if he accepts a coaching job?

Read a story that said Franklin’s PSU contract “no cause termination” language was structured as a $24.9 million lump sum payment within 60 days of being termed then $341,868 monthly payments through December 2031, monthly payments potentially partially offset if he secures another coaching job. (Actual offset language/duty to mitigate wording will key - I have not seen it yet)

 

[Vowelguy]

Well Jimbo Fisher is now a denizen of the ACCN.

Thank God I never watch ACCN.

He did at least win an NC. And wasn’t 3-800 against top 10 teams. That ranks him much much higher on the credibility scale than JF

 

[huskymedic]

Read a story that said Franklin’s PSU contract “no cause termination” language was structured as a $24.9 million lump sum payment within 60 days of being termed then $341,868 monthly payments through December 2031, monthly payments potentially partially offset if he secures another coaching job. (Actual offset language/duty to mitigate wording will key - I have not seen it yet)

 

[noeynox]

Take a job for 1$ a year.