{"id":353528,"date":"2025-11-03T21:57:12","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T21:57:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/353528\/"},"modified":"2025-11-03T21:57:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T21:57:12","slug":"the-vanishing-coaching-class-of-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/353528\/","title":{"rendered":"The Vanishing Coaching Class of 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

Forty names, games, teams and minutiae making news in college football, where another South Carolina loss led to another South Carolina staff change (offensive coordinator Mike Shula is gone). First Quarter:<\/strong> Slouching Tigers, Shrinking Canes<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The 2023 season dawned with fresh optimism on 25 campuses, after a momentous spin of the coaching carousel led to turnover in nearly 10% of the FBS jobs. New hires always spur hope that the best of times are ahead\u2014a downtrodden program will improve, or a good program will get even better.<\/p>\n

Fewer than three seasons later, 40% of those coaches are already gone. And only one of them left of his own accord for a higher-profile job. That turnover is likely to increase over the next month. By the time the smoke clears, more than half of those 25 new coaches figure to be somewhere different than where they were on Labor Day weekend 2023.<\/p>\n

\n

FREE. SI College Football Newsletter. Get SI’s College Football Newsletter. dark<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

A Dash breakdown of a coaching class that is giving new meaning to the term \u201cthree and out\u201d:<\/p>\n

Zach Arnett (11), Mississippi State<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure:<\/strong> 10 games, 4\u20136 record. Arnett was a stopgap internal promotion after the death of Mike Leach. As it turned out, he didn\u2019t even make it to his first Egg Bowl in charge. Arnett won one SEC game, beating Arkansas 7\u20133. He and Jimbo Fisher teamed up to make history by both being fired after Texas A&M routed the Bulldogs, 51\u201310.<\/p>\n

Tom Herman, Florida Atlantic<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure: <\/strong>22 games, 6\u201316 record. The former coach at Texas went to FAU for a reboot that many people figured would launch him back into the power-conference realm. Instead, it was a mess that led to an abrupt firing after a 2\u20138 start to his second season. Longhorns fans might find this familiar: Herman was 1\u20137 in one-score games at FAU.<\/p>\n

Biff Poggi, Charlotte<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure: <\/strong>22 games, 6\u201316 record. Sometimes, at a start-up like Charlotte, you have to take an unconventional swing and hire a guy in his 60s whose only head coaching experience was at the high school level. And sometimes, those swings strike out. Poggi was a strikeout.<\/p>\n

\"Michigan<\/p>\n

After two unsuccessful seasons at Charlotte, Biff Poggi is now assistant head coach at Michigan. \/ Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Kevin Wilson, Tulsa<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure: <\/strong>23 games, 7\u201316 record. The former Indiana head coach and Oklahoma offensive coordinator under Bob Stoops was an old-school coach in a new world, and it didn\u2019t work out. Wilson\u2019s Tulsa teams lost nine times by more than 30 points.<\/p>\n

Troy Taylor (12), Stanford<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure: <\/strong>24 games, 6\u201318 record. There have been several successful FCS-to-FBS jumps in recent years. This wasn\u2019t one of them. Taylor moved from Sacramento State to Stanford at a time when the Cardinal were falling behind in the NIL\/transfer world, and he compounded losing with off-field problems. He was fired last March after an investigation into alleged bullying behavior toward staffers.<\/p>\n

Ryan Walters (13), Purdue<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure:<\/strong> 24 games, 5\u201319 record. A lot of people thought Walters was a smart hire, but he flamed out quickly and ignominiously. The former defensive coordinator\u2019s second team went 1\u201311 and gave up 50 or more points four times, including a 66\u20130 humiliation at the hands of Curt Cignetti in Walters\u2019s final game.<\/p>\n

Kenni Burns, Kent State<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure:<\/strong> 24 games, 1\u201323 record. The Minnesota assistant took one of the hardest jobs in college football and made it worse, losing his last 21 games. Burns was fired in April for what the university said was violations of his contract<\/a>, including use of a personal credit card.<\/p>\n

Barry Odom, UNLV<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure:<\/strong> 27 games, 19\u20138 record. Behold, the only coach on this list to date who left the place he was hired voluntarily. Odom did great work establishing the Rebels at the high end of the Mountain West Conference before being hired to replace Walters at Purdue. His 19 wins across two seasons was the most at UNLV since 1973\u201374, when it was a Division II program.<\/p>\n

Trent Dilfer, UAB<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure: <\/strong>30 games, 9\u201321 record. This was another outside-the-box hire that ended badly<\/a>. Being a successful NFL quarterback didn\u2019t translate well to being a college head coach with no prior experience at that level. His UAB teams were bad defensively, turnover-prone and frequently penalized.<\/p>\n

\"Auburn<\/p>\n

Hugh Freeze walked off the field for the final time as Auburn\u2019s head coach after a 10\u20133 loss to Kentucky on Saturday. \/ Jake Crandall\/ Advertiser \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Hugh Freeze, Auburn<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure: <\/strong>34 games, 15\u201319 record. One of the biggest hires of this cycle turned out to be one of the worst. See the Dash First Quarter for further details<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

A couple of high-profile 2023 hires that are worth monitoring:<\/p>\n

Luke Fickell (14), Wisconsin<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure: <\/strong>34 games and counting, 15\u201319 record. This has been a surprising bust for a guy who was a massive success at Cincinnati. The problems started with Fickell\u2019s misguided decision to depart from the program\u2019s smashmouth offensive identity and install a spread attack. But it\u2019s gotten worse this season even after redirecting\u2014the Badgers are 2\u20136, with every loss by double digits. They\u2019re on an 11-game losing streak against power-conference opponents. It would cost more money than historically frugal Wisconsin would like to pay to buy out Fickell, but this situation seems unsalvageable.<\/p>\n

Deion Sanders (15), Colorado<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure: <\/strong>34 games, 16\u201318 record. If Sanders departs, it would be his decision\u2014and likely influenced by his continuing health problems. He\u2019s elevated the program from where it was when he took over. This figured to be a rebuilding year after losing Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, but it has taken a sharp turn for the worse the last two games. The Buffaloes were outscored 105\u201324 by Utah and Arizona combined, looking like a team that has bailed on the season.<\/p>\n

If they\u2019re leaving their current jobs, it\u2019s against those school\u2019s wishes. They\u2019ve been big successes.<\/p>\n

Alex Golesh, South Florida<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure: <\/strong>34 games, 20\u201314. A sharp offensive mind with a compelling backstory<\/a>, Golesh has had a breakthrough third season as coach of the Bulls. After consecutive years going 7\u20136, USF is 6\u20132 and in the thick of the American race\u2014which doubles as a playoff bid race<\/a>. There is a pretty clear path to 10\u20132, but Golesh\u2019s phone will be ringing along the way with interest from power-conference programs.<\/p>\n

Eric Morris, North Texas<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure: <\/strong>34 games, 19\u201315 record. Like Golesh, it has taken a couple seasons\u2014but the breakthrough is at hand<\/a>. The Mean Green are 8\u20131 and second in the nation in scoring at 44.4 points per game. A former player under Leach at Texas Tech who also coached Cam Ward for a season at Incarnate Word, he could be an attractive candidate at a program looking to light up the scoreboard.<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

Jeff Brohm (right) has Louisville at 7\u20131 so far this season, with the Cardinals\u2019 only loss coming against No. 12 Virginia. \/ Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Jeff Brohm (16), Louisville<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure:<\/strong> 35 games, 26\u20139 record. Brohm was the hometown savior Cardinals fans were pining away for and finally landed when Scott Satterfield\u2019s exit for Cincinnati gave the school an opening. Brohm has more than delivered, taking Louisville to its first ACC championship game and recording major upsets despite quarterback turnover every season. He is as Louisville as a human being could possibly be, but some blueblood programs are going to make him say no to them.<\/p>\n

Kenny Dillingham (17), Arizona State<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure: <\/strong>35 games, 20\u201315 record. He took over a dilapidated program at age 33, endured a 3\u20139 debut season and has been a home run ever since. Dillingham lifted the Sun Devils to 11 wins, the Big 12 championship and a College Football Playoff berth last year, and this year\u2019s team is 6\u20133 while enduring major injuries. More than a few people in the industry think he\u2019s the next great rising coach.<\/p>\n

Brent Key (18), Georgia Tech<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure:<\/strong> 43 games, 26\u201317 record. Key coached eight games in 2022 as the interim, then got the job full-time for \u201923. His first two seasons were marked by major upset victories, and this year he\u2019s elevated Tech to 8\u20131, contending for an ACC title and the College Football Playoff. He gives off Mike Elko vibes\u2014a hard-nosed football guy who keeps his sharp intellect camouflaged. Given the number of high-level openings, Key might have to weigh staying at his alma mater against taking on a new challenge at a more established program.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve had good moments. They\u2019ve had bad moments. No reason to build a statue, or fire them.<\/p>\n

David Braun (19), Northwestern<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure:<\/strong> 33 games, 17\u201316 record. Braun was elevated from defensive coordinator amid brutal circumstances after the abrupt firing of Pat Fitzgerald in the summer of \u201923. He immediately proved himself capable, guiding the Wildcats to an 8\u20135 season and earning the full-time job. Then came the backslide last year to 4\u20138, putting his status back in question. A four-game Big Ten winning streak put a shine on this season, with the Wildcats 5\u20133 heading into a challenging closing stretch.<\/p>\n

Matt Rhule (20), Nebraska<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure: <\/strong>34 games, 18\u201316 record. He has incrementally improved the product, although continued progress this season is in jeopardy after the season-ending injury to quarterback Dylan Raiola on Saturday. Given his ties to Penn State and athletic director Pat Kraft, there was immediate speculation about Rhule as a candidate at his alma mater. Nebraska responded by extending his contract last week for two years, through 2032, which seems like a lot for a guy who is barely above .500.<\/p>\n

\"Nebraska<\/p>\n

A former Penn State walk-on linebacker, many had Nebraska coach Matt Rhule pegged as James Franklin\u2019s replacement in Happy Valley. But the Cornhuskers coach signed a contract extension last week. \/ Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

G.J. Kinne, Texas State<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure:<\/strong> 34 games, 19\u201315 record. Kinne was a hot name after a year at Incarnate Word and two at Texas State, going 28\u201312 across that span. This year has been a curious backslide to 3\u20135, with a current four-game losing streak. The Bobcats\u2019 defense is giving up 42.8 points per game in Sun Belt play.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tim Beck, Coastal Carolina<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure: <\/strong>34 games, 19\u201315 record. The Chanticleers have slipped from the Jamey Chadwell\/Grayson McCall glory days, but that was probably inevitable. After going 6\u20137 last year, Coastal should get back to a winning record in 2025.<\/p>\n

Lance Taylor, Western Michigan<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure:<\/strong> 34 games, 15\u201319 record. Taylor seems to have things on a gradual build in Kalamazoo, Mich., going from 4\u20138 to 6\u20137 to the current 5\u20134. One thing in his favor: He\u2019s a combined 4\u20131 against in-state rivals Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan.<\/p>\n

Coaches who are stacking wins at places where they seem to fit.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Brian Newberry, Navy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure:<\/strong> 33 games, 22\u201311 record. Newberry took over a stagnant program from Ken Niumatalolo and has injected some offensive life into it, with the Midshipmen averaging 31.3 points per game last year and 34.8 thus far this season. He also scored a huge upset of Army last season. Navy\u2019s undefeated start this year ended Saturday against North Texas, and it could get ugly this week against Notre Dame.<\/p>\n

Jamey Chadwell, Liberty<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure: <\/strong>34 games, 25\u20139 record. Chadwell could well end up at a power-conference job, but he\u2019s experienced declining returns in his tenure with the Flames. They started out 13\u20131 and played in the Fiesta Bowl, then went 8\u20134 last year and were thumped in the Bahamas Bowl by Buffalo. This year they\u2019re 4\u20134, rebounding from a four-game losing streak to win three in a row.<\/p>\n

Scott Satterfield (21), Cincinnati<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenure: <\/strong>33 games, 15\u201318 record. After two straight losing seasons replacing Fickell, Satterfield began this year on a scorching hot seat. Winning seven straight games changed the temperature appreciably, as the Bearcats rose into contention in the Big 12. A 31-point loss to Utah on Saturday was a reality check<\/a>, but Cincinnati remains in the mix for the league title game with three games left to play.<\/p>\n

More College Football on Sports Illustrated<\/p>\n

Listen to SI\u2019s new college sports podcast, Others Receiving Votes, below or on Apple<\/a> and Spotify<\/a>. Watch the show on SI\u2019s YouTube channel<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Forty names, games, teams and minutiae making news in college football, where another South Carolina loss led to…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":353529,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[1318,1317,1315,1316,62,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-353528","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ncaa-football","8":"tag-football","9":"tag-ncaa","10":"tag-ncaa-football","11":"tag-ncaafootball","12":"tag-sports","13":"tag-united-states","14":"tag-unitedstates","15":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115488007470364562","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353528","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=353528"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353528\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/353529"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=353528"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=353528"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=353528"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}