It's not secret that coaches will sometimes be fired. It could be due to the fact that they are incapable getting wins on the board or it could be they have personal issues. Either way it's never a good thing to be mid-season and missing your head football coach.
This year is different.
Some of the more prestigious jobs in College Football are available for the 2016 season and some of the hottest coordinators and head coaches should be getting their resumes ready. Also, as the season is winding down to stand still, even some more prestigious programs are close to letting go of long time coaches.
It's always a risk when hiring a football coach, but it also could come with a high revenue. Sometimes it just takes a new face and a new vision to put you back on track and in the drivers seat.
Look, there isn't any real fact for these predictions. There are just speculated due to who fits in the category of what a team is looking for. With that in mind, let's take a look on who will be the new head coaches in College Football. There will also be an honorable mention to the list due to the fact some coaches will be mentioned twice. Just so you don't have to wait and see here's who I'll be covering.
Programs who have found their new Head Coaches:
Iowa St.- Matt Campbell, Head Coach, Toledo
Hawaii- Nick Rolovich, Offensive Coordinator, Nevada
Illinois- Bill Cubit, Offensive Coordinator/Interm Coach,, Illinois
Minnesota- Tracy Claeys, Defensive Coordinator/Interm Coach, Minnesota
Top program head coaching vacancies: Virginia Tech, Central Florida, Virginia, Rutgers, Syracuse, Maryland, Miami, South Carolina, Missouri, USC, Georgia
Also three surprises
VIRGINIA TECH- Justin Fuente, Head Coach, Memphis
What Justin Fuente has done for the Tigers since arriving in 2011 is phenomenal. Memphis has a high tempo offense that can score and the defense isn't a sleeper either. While they did loose to Houston, Temple and Navy, Fuente also has tuned his quarterback Paxton Lynch into a potential number one pick in the 2016 NFL draft. Fuente has been a very solid game manager as well, having his offense average over 325 yards a game. He's young, he's energetic and he's been nothing but hot this season. He's a perfect fit for a Power-Five Conference job and an upgrade in youth from the Legendary Frank Beamer.
Honorable Mention: Bud Foster, Defensive Coordinator, Virginia Tech
UPDATE: Fuente will be named Virginia Tech Head Coach this week
CENTRAL FLORIDA- Dino Babers, Head Coach, Bowling Green Head Coach
After UCF went from winning the Fiesta Bowl to going 0-12 in two years, they need major help on both sides of the ball. UCF ranked dead last in offensive production in 2015. The Knights averaged 260 total yards a game and only 13.2 points. Dino Babers has Bowling Green ranked 2nd in College Football with his offense averaging 387 total offensive yards. In a year where Non-power five coaches are getting hired, Babers is the next prime candidate to be offered a job.
Honorable Mention: Randy Shannon, Defensive Coordinator, Florida
UPDATE: Babers has been offered UCF job
VIRGINIA- Mike Sanford, Offensive Coordinator, Notre Dame
Mike London's offense never was able to produce during his six-year tenure. The cave ranked 89th with averaging only 25 points per game and ranked 74th with total yards average. Mike Sanford is an up and coming name in College Football and should be the next young coach to be hired by a power five conference. Notre Dame has been productive on offense, scoring 34.8 points a game on average. A huge upgrade from what London was able to do.
Honorable Mention: Mark Richt, Former UGA Head Coach
RUTGERS- DJ Durkin, Defensive Coordinator, Michigan
Kyle Flood wasn't the answer after Greg Schiano left for the NFL. Rutgers offense wasn't productive, but the Defense was atrocious. The Scarlet Knights ranked 104th in the nation and gave up over 35 points a game. DJ Durkin left Florida and head to Ann Arbor and has turned the Wolverines into a top five defense in College Football. Durkin can fix several issues early on and could return the Scarlet Knights to Schiano expectations in several years.
Honorable Mention: Gene Chizik, Defensive Coordinator, North Carolina
SYRACUSE- Scott Frost Offensive Coordinator, Oregon
Scott Shafer started out great in Syracuse but ended up losing 17 of his final 21 games. The Syracuse offense was atrocious in the ACC this season and needs a pickup. The Ducks started out slow but thanks to Scott Frost, the Ducks now finish the season 9-3 with a top 15 record. The Ducks offense ranks in the top 10 in yards per game and point average, roughly 60 spots higher than Syracuse. The Orange should say a prayer they get the Ducks coordinator.....if he decides to leave.
Honorable Mention: Ed Oregon, Defensive Line Coach, LSU
MARYLAND- Matt Rhule, Head Coach, Temple
Matt Rhule is an under the radar candidate for a Power five job. Rhule has led the Temple Owls, a small run of the mill program into the Top 25 and a 10 win season. Rhule will need time to work in the Big 10 but he could help turn the program around within several years just like he did for Temple. Maryland isn't a top destination in recruiting or in location. They won't be good in the Big10 for a while, but Rhule's offensive production could fix several issues early on for the Terps immediately. Not only that but Rhule knows how to beat over ranked teams, which several teams in the Terps division will be every year.
Honorable Mention- DJ Durkin, Defensive Coordinator, Michigan
MIAMI- Mario Cristobal, Offensive Line Coach, Alabama
This is a no brainer as reports have the former Miami player linked back to his school. Alabama's offensive line may have struggled recently but overall, they are a top 5 offensive line in the SEC. Here's the thing, Cristobal is a Miami guy. He lived there, he played there, he coached there, he knows the area. Cristobal is by no means a flashy hire but to be honest, Miami needs to make a smart hire, not a flashy one. Cristobal is a very smart hire.
Honorable Mention- Mark Richt, Former UGA Head Coach
SOUTH CAROLINA-Brent Venables, Defensive Coordinator, Clemson
South Carolina was a dumpster fire this year especially on defense. The Gamecocks only averaged giving up 27 points a game but a whopping 425 yards to SEC Opponents, the most in the SEC. Finding a defensive mind to fix those issues is key and the Gamecocks should look no further than 135 miles away. Brent Venables has stated he's not interested in a head coaching gig but South Carolina might be able to change his mind. Venables has led the Clemson Tigers defense to averaging 289 yards a game, a top 10 defense in the nation. Also, the Tigers defense has averaged allowing 18 points a game. Venables is a no-nonsense coordinator who could thrive in the SEC. Add in being in the SEC East and Venables could lead the Gamecocks back to glory after several season. If not Venables, the honorable mention should be the next coach to look at.
Honorable Mention: Gene Chizik, Defensive Coordinator, North Carolina
MISSOURI- Tom Herman, Head Coach, Houston
It will be weird not to see Gary Pinkel in the black and gold next season, but the Tigers will be forced to move on. Mizzou has been a winning program in the sense of they never seem to gain few elite recruits every season yet on average with 8+ games a season in a tough division. The Tigers have several pieces on the offensive side of the ball that could put up numbers in the SEC East if they have the right man calling the plays. Tom Herman would be the right man after what he has done in Houston this season.
One might credit the success of JT Barrett and Cardale Jones last season to Herman as he was the offensive coordinator for the 2014 National Champions. Now, he has his Houston offense 11-1 and averaging almost 500 yards of total offense a game, 260 of those yards through the air. While Mizzou may look in another direction, Herman is the epitome of what Gary Pinkel brought to the school back in 2001. Price should not be an option to get Herman in Columbia next season.
Honorable Mention: Barry Odom, Defensive Coordinator, Missouri
USC- Clay Helton, Interm Head Coach, USC
The Trojans need to not only make a slam dunk hire, but the smartest hire in program history. Athletic Director Joe Haden is need of finding the right coach in order to keep the Trojan faithful from hanging him from the coliseum. No matter who the next coach to be hired by the Trojans is, they need a proven winner.
Wait a minute, they already have a proven winner in interim head coach Clay Helton. Helton, who took over after Steve Sarkisian left five-game sin to the season has been with the organization since 2010. Not only that but he also has been the leader and play caller for USC's high tempo offense since 2013. Helton has led USC into the Pac12 Championship after many thought the Trojans would finish roughly at 500. While Helton isn't the falsest of hires, his results prove him to be a winner. USC should at least consider him since several other teams will for sure.
While USC will make a run for Chip Kelly, something feels like he'll stay one more year with the Eagles before coming back to College
Honorable Mention- Chip Kelly, Head Coach, Philadelphia Eagles
UPDATE: Helton officially named USC Head Coach
Georgia- Kirby Smart, Defensive Coordinator, Alabama
Kirby Smart has nothing left to prove as a Defensive Coordinator at Alabama. Alabama might have best defense in all of College Football in the 2015 season thanks to him. They most certainly have the most elite front seven, however. The Crimson Tide's defense average giving up only 78 rushing yards a game. The Bulldog shad issues on offense but their defense will be losing several key players this season including Jordan Jenkins and Leonard Floyd. The Bulldogs need a defensive mind to fix the issues Jeremy Pruitt brought from Florida State into Athens. While the Bulldogs only gave up 287 total yard on defense averagely, 78 rushing yards is defining.
Smart also coached at Georgia back in 2005 as a running backs coach before going to Alabama. Spending most of his career in the SEC, Smart knows the area and won't have to work out of his comfort zone if given the shot. Let's face it, keeping it in the SEC might always be the smart decision.
Honorable Mention: Tom Herman, Head Coach, Houston
So.....three top contenders lose their head coaches. who replaces Herman at Houston?
HOUSTON- Lincoln Riley, Offensive Coordinator, Oklahoma
All Lincoln Riley has done since leaving East Carolina is turn Baker Mayfield into one of College Football's most passer efficient quarterbacks and led Oklahoma's offense into possibly the top offense in the country. Oklahoma right now is also probably the only shoe-in for the College Football playoff thanks to Riley's offense dismantling Baylor and Oklahoma State in the month of November. Riley also showed his success last season with Shane Carden at East Carolina who was the surprise in the AAC. Riley is young, he's exciting and he is ready for a big time job. With Houston possibly moving conferences soon (Big 12 maybe?), getting a coach who can possibly make them contenders is key.
Finally, Memphis just announced that Justin Fuente will leave for Virginia Tech. according to reports, they may have already found their guy.
MEMPHIS- Barry Odom, Defensive Coordinator, Missouri
Missouri may not have had a fantastic season, but Barry Odom has been linked to head coaching job all season, however, he'd be a perfect fit for Memphis. Why? Well, Odom was the former defensive coordinator of Memphis for three seasons. This year, Mizzou ranks 7th in college football for defense, averaging 16.2 points allowed per game. Even more so, Odom knows the players at Memphis after leaving one year ago. It would be an easy replacement for Fuente since the staff knows and likes him already.
