Resetting the coaching carousel: What we’re hearing about Franklin, Kiffin, LSU and more

The defining trait of this coaching cycle in college football isn’t scope but speed.

Yes, the number of open jobs in the FBS seems to grow by the weekend, with LSU being the latest — and biggest — to drop. We’ve seen early-season and midseason firings before, most recently in 2021, when jobs including USC and LSU were already open at this point in the calendar. The number of power-conference vacancies before Nov. 1 this season, though, is notable.

More than anything, the pace at which the carousel is moving stands out. Consider the Penn State coaching search, only 18 days old. We barely had time to digest the magnitude of James Franklin’s firing after 11-plus seasons at PSU — and a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance in January — before potential replacement Curt Cignetti agreed to a new eight-year, $93 million contract with Indiana. A day later, Nebraska’s Matt Rhule — considered by many to be the favored target for Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft — saw the Cornhuskers lose 24-6 at Minnesota, their sixth consecutive defeat to the Golden Gophers. Then Rhule agreed to his own extension on Oct. 30.

Where will Penn State turn now? And how will Texas A&M’s surge under Mike Elko, a New Jersey native who played college football at Penn, impact the search? Who else is working their way into the mix?

The Lane Kiffin-Florida exclusive courtship lasted only a week before LSU entered the chat. Kiffin could end up deciding between two of the better jobs in the SEC or he could stay at Ole Miss, which he has built into a national contender and where he receives strong support. Ole Miss’ position as a CFP hopeful could take the process well into December.

“Hard for me to see Lane staying with this much movement,” a coaching agent said.

If Kiffin stays put, Florida will need to turn elsewhere. Missouri’s Eliah Drinkwitz, Louisville’s Jeff Brohm and SMU’s Rhett Lashlee are intriguing options, but would they get Gators fans anywhere near as excited?

LSU’s non-Kiffin options could include Drinkwitz, Brohm and others with varying profiles as the job is undoubtedly among the nation’s best. Can LSU swing big? Absolutely. Should it? That’s another question entirely.

Every weekend of results shapes the carousel, as so many sitting coaches are expected to be targeted for new jobs. Some are leading CFP hopefuls, which ultimately could limit their ability to move in December.

It’s time to reset the carousel as November nears, spotlighting jobs, candidates and an upcoming stretch that will reshape the leadership in several key spots around the country.

Targeted searches at PSU and Florida

Coaching circles often have a trickle-down effect, starting with the most appealing jobs, which are Penn State and Florida. What ultimately happens in State College and Gainesville might affect other open searches, as well as those that could come open, such as Florida State and Auburn. Kiffin, for example, will be high on FSU’s wish list, as well.

The belief among industry sources is that both the PSU and Florida candidate pools will be limited. If either school is talking to six or seven candidates, something probably isn’t right.

“Even though we have a ton of potential searches, there’s some niche searches,” a source said. “Penn State could not really be a search, and Florida might not really be a search. It might just be the obvious candidates.”

Those would have meant Rhule at Penn State and Kiffin at Florida, but that has changed. Elko, who has Texas A&M off to an 8-0 start, certainly would fit the PSU program, given his roots and how he spent the first 15 years of his coaching career in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic or Midwest.

Elko might be deciding between two well-resourced programs. The difference is that Penn State has accomplished way more on the field than Texas A&M has and is now clearly striving for national titles. Elko is certainly motivated to, as he has put it this season, break down doors. “We have high goals and expectations for this team and for this program,” he told ESPN last week. “We know in order to meet them, we have to do things that haven’t been done.”

Being the coach to elevate a historic underachiever is enticing. Elko also has followed college football for decades. He knows that outside Ohio State and Michigan, Penn State has had fewer barriers to success over the years, including no rival like Texas in the same state.

“Elko should take that [Penn State] job,” an industry source said.

Then again, if Texas A&M makes the CFP as a top-four seed, Penn State might have to make its hire sooner.

Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea is emerging as a name to watch at Penn State and elsewhere. Would Penn State hire a coach from Vanderbilt twice in a row? Until last season, Lea was 9-27 at his alma mater. But he’s now doing things that Franklin never did at Vanderbilt (7-1), and Lea showed his flexibility as a coach by bringing in quarterback Diego Pavia and others from New Mexico State to spark the program. Lea is an Elko protégé and could appeal to PSU for many of the same reasons.

“The guy can win big games when the lights are bright,” an industry source said. “Last year against Bama, this year against LSU and Missouri, like, he shows up.”

Florida clearly has interest in Kiffin, but what if he’s not the guy? Drinkwitz and Lashlee both seem ready for a jump and could be good fits in Gainesville. They’re both in good situations, though, especially Lashlee after making the CFP last season. Missouri has capitalized on its SEC schedule across the past two campaigns but hasn’t beaten a ranked opponent in the league. Next season, the Tigers will visit Georgia and Ole Miss, and they will host Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Florida.

“They’re not going to have this path,” an industry source said. “Drinkwitz is smart enough to know he’s got to get out.”

Brohm is another option, especially because of his big-game record. He is 4-4 against AP top-five opponents following an Oct. 17 win at Miami. Although Brohm also has struggled in losing games he shouldn’t, his big-game success and creative offense are appealing. He also is extremely rooted in Louisville — both at the university and in his hometown — so it would take a lot to pull him away.

---

Unique dynamics in the LSU search

When Brian Kelly was fired Sunday, LSU immediately shot to the top of open job lists. There are two truths about LSU, though: It is a great job; it also is a complicated job.

Tiger Stadium is about 3 miles south of the Louisiana State Capitol, and the football program and state politics are historically intertwined. LSU also doesn’t have a permanent university president, and while an answer is expected soon, the school’s Board of Supervisors has a significant role in major university matters. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry appoints the board, and was part of the discussions Sunday that led to Kelly’s firing.

Landry, on Wednesday, shook up the search when he lit into LSU athletic director Scott Woodward, making it clear Woodward would not be hiring Kelly’s successor. The governor pointed to Woodward’s hires of Kelly and Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M, and the significant costs both schools incurred when the coaches were fired.

“Scott Woodward is not selecting the next coach,” Landry said “Hell, I’d let [President] Donald Trump select him before I’d let him do it. The Board of Supervisors is going to come up with a committee and find us a coach.”

In announcing Kelly’s firing Sunday night, Woodward presented himself as LSU’s lead decision-maker, referring to being “a proud alum” and “the current caretaker of our athletics programs.” Woodward said he made the decision to fire Kelly.

But after Landry’s comments, it’s more than fair to wonder: Who will really make this hire?

Landry also criticized the hefty contracts coaches receive and the insular agent-administrator world that often yields those coach-friendly deals.

“This is a pattern,” Landry said.

Will this mean LSU avoids the big-splash hires Woodward has historically made, and the price tags that come with them? What’s the immediate future of Woodward, who has led LSU’s athletic department since 2019?

LSU’s search is clearly more complex than some of the others, and could take longer to wrap up. The school needs a clearly outlined process and might need to look at a wider candidate pool.

Remember, Kelly came to LSU with more accomplishments than his three predecessors — Orgeron, Les Miles and Saban — who all won national titles there. Coaches with different profiles can succeed there.

Kiffin has never worked at LSU but knows more than enough about the job from his time in the SEC. He might ultimately view Florida as a more sensible option, or even staying at Ole Miss.

LSU could prioritize SEC experience (Drinkwitz, Lea, Georgia Tech’s Brent Key, Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham) or those connected to the state (Tulane’s Jon Sumrall, Houston coach Willie Fritz, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator and former LSU linebacker Kelvin Sheppard).

But the candidates might be secondary right now, as LSU has to get its very stormy house in order.

---

The James Franklin factor

One emerging theme of this coaching cycle is potentially not having enough quality candidates to fill all of the major openings. But there’s also a sizable contingent of notable coaches not currently working and seemingly wanting to get back in the game.

The group includes two national-championship-winning coaches in Fisher and Orgeron. Former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald wants to coach again now that his wrongful termination lawsuit against the school has been settled. Dave Clawson, who resigned from Wake Forest after the 2024 season, also might see a path to the sideline.

Then there are the recently fired coaches, headlined by Franklin and now Kelly. Rarely has a coach with Franklin’s credentials — 128-60 FBS record, nine AP Top 25 finishes, a CFP semifinal appearance — been jettisoned so quickly, and Franklin made it clear on “College GameDay” that he wants to coach in 2026.

“The X factor right now in a bunch of these searches is James Franklin,” an industry source said.

Franklin told the “College GameDay” crew that he will resume his national championship quest at his next job. Does he see a program such as Virginia Tech having that potential? Virginia Tech has committed to fund its program better than it has previously, and the school has an easier CFP path in the ACC. Franklin would be a strong hire there, but the Hokies haven’t had an AP top-10 finish since 2009.

How Franklin views Big Ten jobs is another layer. Other than Penn State, UCLA is the only current vacancy. UCLA has some pluses, especially from a lifestyle standpoint, but would have to take a massive jump to become a national contender. Franklin could have more interest in Big Ten jobs that haven’t opened yet, such as Wisconsin and perhaps Michigan State.

Other potential vacancies such as Florida State and Auburn could enter Franklin’s radar too, especially FSU. He would bring a level of credibility to both jobs.

Kelly’s next move is a bit harder to plot out. His final game at LSU took place on his 64th birthday, so he likely won’t be coaching that much longer. Could he go from fired at LSU to another national contender such as Penn State? Probably not. The more sensible jobs for Kelly might not be open yet.

Before the LSU job, he spent 35 years of his coaching career in three states: Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. If Wisconsin or Michigan State make changes, Kelly would make sense. The same goes for other jobs in the Midwest or Northeast.

---

Resetting searches outside of the big three

Penn State, Florida and now LSU have taken up a lot of oxygen in the coaching world, and so have the will-they-or-won’t-they situations at Florida State, Wisconsin and Auburn. But several searches have been underway for more than a month and will be winding toward resolutions.

Before Oklahoma State fired Mike Gundy, there was a lot of chatter in industry circles that Cowboys athletic director Chad Weiberg, who was working without a contract, might be out first. Not only did Weiberg survive the transition but last week had a new four-year deal approved. His job stability is a good sign for the next Cowboys coach.

Who will that be? Oklahoma State could look at several sitting Group of 5 coaches, including North Texas’ Eric Morris, whose wizardry with quarterbacks has propelled his profile, and South Florida’s Alex Golesh, a former Oklahoma State graduate assistant. The school might want a clean break from the Gundy era, but former quarterback Zac Robinson, the current Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator, has some support around the program.

The candidate who has generated the most attention for Arkansas is former Razorbacks coach Bobby Petrino, who is leading the team on an interim basis. Despite how his first go-round ended, Petrino still has support in the state because of his on-field success. The problem is he hasn’t won a game as interim coach.

Lashlee might be the dream candidate, but as of now, it seems unlikely he’ll be headed home. Golesh, Sumrall and Memphis’ Ryan Silverfield could be in the mix. Silverfield works in the same region. He beat Arkansas on Sept. 20 and won the head-to-head battle with Golesh on Saturday. Silverfield is 49-22 at Memphis.

Stanford and UCLA are the two Power 4 jobs that have been open the longest — Stanford since the spring — and both have performed fairly well under respective interim coaches Frank Reich and Tim Skipper. Former Stanford quarterback Tavita Pritchard, who spent 2010 to 2022 as a Stanford assistant before becoming quarterbacks coach of the Washington Commanders, is the name generating the most attention for the Cardinal.

UCLA certainly could take a run at Franklin or perhaps one of the top Group of 5 candidates. If Michigan State fires Jonathan Smith, would UCLA pursue the Pasadena, California, native, who had a lot of success on the West Coast? The UCLA search has been fairly quiet so far, and there are questions swirling around athletic director Martin Jarmond. The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday that a group of 64 former UCLA players sent a letter to chancellor Julio Frenk asking for Jarmond to be replaced.

Baylor’s Dave Aranda could be a name to remember, especially if Wisconsin comes open. Aranda served as defensive coordinator for the Badgers from 2013 to 2015 and loves the area. Aranda, a California native, also would make sense at both UCLA and Stanford. He entered 2024 on the hot seat and went 8-5, but Baylor is just 4-4 this fall, setting up a potential split.

---

Jon Sumrall and the other non-Power 4 coaches to watch

Whenever a Power 4 job comes open, there’s an expectation, externally and even internally, that other Power 4 coaches will jump to take the job. But those moves happen less than people might think.

Given the number of Power 4 vacancies, which certainly will grow in the coming weeks, it’s a good time to be an emerging Group of 5 coach, and there are several names to know.

Tulane’s Sumrall is the most talked about Group of 5 coach entering the hiring cycle. He won two Sun Belt Conference championships at Troy, and he brings a 15-6 record at Tulane into Thursday’s game at UTSA. Sumrall is an Alabama native who played at Kentucky and also coached at his alma mater as well as Ole Miss. He would be a natural choice for just about any vacancy — current or future — in the SEC. After serious talks with North Carolina about its vacancy last year, he also might fit in the ACC at a job such as Virginia Tech. The 43-year-old Sumrall certainly will have options.

“Sumrall is probably the best G5 right now,” an industry source said.

Silverfield and Golesh are two other coaches to watch in the American Conference. Golesh has a diverse background, having coached in the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC as an assistant before landing his first head coaching gig at South Florida, where he is 20-14. Memphis’ Silverfield has done great work within the American, going 3-0 against Golesh and handing Sumrall his first conference loss last season. Silverfield operates a very productive offense, has NFL experience with the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions, and seems like a fit for jobs both in the South and the Midwest.

James Madison’s Bob Chesney is another intriguing Group of 5 candidate. He has spent his career in New England and the mid-Atlantic region, guiding Holy Cross to consistent FCS playoff appearances and a 44-21 record. Chesney is 15-5 at James Madison and could be a name to watch at Virginia Tech and maybe even Penn State.

Western Kentucky’s Tyson Helton has been a consistent winner, finishing with at least eight wins in five of his first six seasons with the Hilltoppers, who are 6-2 this fall. Helton, who has received interest from Purdue and other higher-profile jobs, runs a dynamic offense that ranks fifth nationally in passing offense during his tenure.

Southern Miss’ Charles Huff also merits consideration. He guided Marshall to a Sun Belt championship last season then made a unique intraleague move to Southern Miss, which went 1-11 in 2024 but is 6-2 — including 4-0 in league play — this fall under Huff. He is a Maryland native who played college football in Virginia (Hampton) and has made coaching stops in both the Big Ten (Penn State) and SEC (Alabama, Mississippi State). He could be an intriguing option for Virginia Tech or several other SEC, ACC or Big Ten jobs.

---

What about the coordinators?

A look at the AP top 10 reveals six teams — No. 1 Ohio State (Ryan Day), No. 5 Georgia (Kirby Smart), No. 6 Oregon (Dan Lanning), No. 8 Georgia Tech (Brent Key), No. 9 Vanderbilt (Clark Lea) and No. 10 BYU (Kalani Sitake) — overseen by first-time head coaches. The right hires in college football often have come from the assistant ranks, especially primary coordinators.

The coordinator pool isn’t overly deep, even after a light hiring cycle last season.

“It’s a little thinner there compared to years past,” an industry source said.

Still, there are several names to know, especially on the offensive side.

Texas A&M’s Collin Klein is thriving in his second season there, overseeing an offense that ranks 14th nationally in both scoring and plays of 20 yards or longer. Klein, 36, is a former Heisman Trophy finalist at quarterback for Kansas State who remains beloved at his alma mater after assisting there for many years but has enhanced his profile by leaving for a high-pressure gig at Texas A&M. He could be a name to watch for Big 12 or SEC openings.

Oregon’s Will Stein has continued the offense’s success from predecessor Kenny Dillingham and has done it with different quarterbacks in Dillon Gabriel and now Dante Moore. Stein could be a name to watch if Kentucky moves on from Mark Stoops or if Brohm were to leave Louisville, where Stein played quarterback. Stein also is an interesting name for possible jobs in Texas, where he spent time coaching from 2015 to 2022.

Ohio State’s Brian Hartline has been on the radar for Power 4 jobs and could be again, especially with more direct influence in the playcalling this season. Hartline, a former Buckeyes wide receiver who played in the NFL, is the best collector of wideout talent of his generation and has helped propel his alma mater. He won’t leave Ohio State for just any job but would make sense for Big Ten openings, in particular.

Georgia Tech’s Buster Faulkner is a veteran playcaller with a distinctive scheme that has helped put the Yellow Jackets into the CFP mix. The Georgia native has spent much of his career in his home state or in neighboring states and would be a good option for vacancies in the region.

On the defensive side, Georgia’s Glenn Schumann and Oregon’s Tosh Lupoi are both names to track.

Schumann has worked with Smart and/or Saban throughout his career and has been around Lanning and other top coaches. The 35-year-old from Georgia seems fairly tied to the Southeast, but that’s where many of the jobs (current and expected) are located.

Lupoi built his reputation as a West Coast recruiter then made coaching stops at Alabama and with three NFL teams before returning as Oregon’s defensive coordinator under Lanning. The 44-year-old former defensive lineman at Cal should be a name to watch for West Coast vacancies, in particular.

Indiana held onto both of its coordinators — Mike Shanahan (offense) and Bryant Haines (defense) — after its first CFP run. That might be tougher after an even more impressive 2025 season so far. Haines was a finalist for the 2024 Broyles Award, which goes to the nation’s top assistant, and has Midwest roots. Shanahan, a former Pitt wide receiver, has spent most of his career alongside Hoosiers coach Cignetti.