As sure as autumn fades into winter, as the college football season winds down, the coaching carousel starts to crank up.
The biggest early name to lose his job was Jimbo Fisher, who was fired at Texas A&M during his sixth season leading the Aggies.
As the list continues to grow, we’ll track all the comings and goings of head coaches and prominent coordinators, along with insight and intel on searches for replacements and who might be on the hot seat.
Jump to a school:
Texas A&M | Mississippi State
Michigan State | Northwestern
San Diego State | Boise State
Notable coordinators
A&M moves on from Fisher
Texas A&M‘s firing of coach Jimbo Fisher resets the paradigm for coaching buyouts and opens up one of the country’s most tantalizing jobs.
The move is expected to cost the school more than $76 million to buy out Fisher’s deal, which is nearly triple the highest known coaching contract buyouts at a public school.
Fisher was 45-25 in six seasons at Texas A&M, and he signed a new 10-year contract with $95 million guaranteed in 2021. The move came with the Aggies’ record at 6-4, 4-3 in the SEC, following a 51-10 rout of Mississippi State.
More: Fisher fired, gets record buyout | AD: Aggies stuck in neutral
Top candidates for Texas A&M job
Arnett out after one season at Mississippi State
Zach Arnett, who was promoted to head coach last December after the sudden death of Mike Leach, was fired Nov. 13 before completing his first season. Arnett had served as the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator for three seasons.
Mississippi State lost six of its last eight games under Arnett, falling to 4-6, 1-6 SEC, including a 51-10 loss to Texas A&M. The Bulldogs scored more than 17 points just once in seven SEC games under Arnett.
More: Mississippi State fires Arnett after 11 games
Top candidates for Mississippi State job
Tucker fired by Michigan State amid investigation
Michigan State fired football coach Mel Tucker for cause Sept. 27 as he was under university investigation for a sexual misconduct complaint brought by Brenda Tracy, a sexual assault awareness speaker.
The school opened up an investigation into Tracy’s complaint in December 2022. By firing him for cause, Michigan State is attempting to not pay Tucker any of the $79 million remaining on his contract.
Tucker had a 20-14 record at Michigan State, including an 11-2 campaign in 2021 that ended with a Peach Bowl victory. Harlon Barnett served as interim coach for the Spartans this season.
More: MSU fires Tucker for bringing ‘ridicule’ to program
Top candidates for Michigan State job
Northwestern fires Fitzgerald amid hazing claims
Northwestern fired longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald on July 10 amid allegations of widespread hazing within the football program.
Fitzgerald went 110-101 over 17 seasons and is by far the most successful football coach in school history. He spent more than 26 total seasons with the program — four as a player, five as an assistant and 17 as head coach. He led the school to five of its six bowl wins in program history, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Defensive coordinator David Braun has served as interim head coach this season.
More: School president says hazing in program ‘clearly not a secret‘
San Diego State’s Hoke set to retire
Hoke, who is in his second stint as San Diego State‘s head coach, announced he will retire at the end of the season. Hoke took over before the 2020 season after previously having led the program from 2009-10. He has a combined 39-31 record over those two stints and has twice been named Mountain West coach of the year.
SDSU will finish this season with its first losing record — both overall and in Mountain West play — since 2009. In 2021, Hoke led the Aztecs to a school-record 12 wins.
More: SDSU’s Hoke to retire at end of season
Boise State fires Avalos after 22-14 record
Boise State fired football coach Andy Avalos on Nov. 12, with the Broncos at 5-5 and in danger of the program’s first losing season since 1997.
Avalos went 22-14 in three seasons at Boise State, including a 10-4 record that resulted in him being named 2022 Mountain West coach of the year. At no point during Avalos’ two-plus seasons was Boise State ranked in the Associated Press poll; the Broncos’ 19-year streak of being ranked ended during his first season in 2021.
Defensive coordinator and longtime Boise State assistant Spencer Danielson is serving as the interim coach.
More: Avalos out as Boise State can’t match past success
Penn State fires OC Yurcich
Penn State fired offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich on Nov. 12, a day after the unit struggled in a high-profile loss for the second time this season.
The Nittany Lions scored only 15 points and managed just 238 yards of offense (74 through the air) in a 24-15 loss to Michigan. Penn State’s offense also struggled in a 20-12 loss to Ohio State on Oct. 21, finishing with 240 yards and not reaching the end zone until the game’s final minute.
Yurcich, 48, has been the team’s offensive playcaller and quarterbacks coach since 2021.
More: Franklin hears boos: ‘Not good enough’ | Yurcich fired
Grinch gone as USC’s defensive woes continue
After USC surrendered 101 total points in the past two games, defensive coordinator Alex Grinch was relieved of his duties, Trojans coach Lincoln Riley announced Nov. 5.
Grinch, who was Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator from 2019 to 2021 before leaving for USC alongside Riley, led a unit that allowed an average of 34.5 points per game this season and was in the bottom 30 in the country in nearly every statistical category, including 120th in rushing defense and 107th against the pass.
More: USC defensive coordinator Grinch let go
Brian Ferentz won’t return as Iowa’s OC
Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, the son of longtime coach Kirk Ferentz whose contract amid the offense’s historic struggles drew national attention, will not return for the 2024 season.
Brian Ferentz, a former offensive lineman at Iowa, has served as the team’s offensive coordinator since 2017 and has been on his father’s staff since 2012. In February, Iowa announced contract amendments for him that included an unusual points-per-game provision — the team would need to average 25 points per game during the 2023 season and win at least seven games for Ferentz’s two-year rolling contract to be reactivated beyond June 30, 2024. The Hawkeyes have fallen well short of that average.
More: Iowa falls short in ‘Drive for 325’ | Brian Ferentz out
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