12 Coaches Who Will Define College Football's Coaching Carousel

1. Lane Kiffin, Head Coach, Ole Miss
Kiffin is the biggest domino in the coaching carousel and his decision - to stay at Ole Miss or to leave for Florida or LSU - will have major ramifications for the rest of the cycle. Kiffin has thrived in the new era of college football and quickly adapted to the evolving landscape with transfer and NIL rules. He’s 54-19 since taking over at Ole Miss in 2020. The Rebels have won at least 10 games in four out of the last five seasons and are close to their first College Football Playoff appearance with a 10-1 mark headed into the Egg Bowl showdown against Mississippi State. However, Kiffin’s future in Oxford could be decided before that game. Ole Miss has reportedly set a deadline for the Nov. 28 matchup for Kiffin to decide where he wants to coach in ‘26.

2. Jon Sumrall, Head Coach, Tulane
Sumrall is expected to be in demand in this carousel as one of the top rising stars in the coaching ranks. The Alabama native guided Troy to a 23-4 mark with two Sun Belt titles from 2022-23 and is 17-7 in two years at Tulane. The Green Wave made an appearance in the American Conference title game last season and is in the mix for another trip with an 8-2 mark. As an Alabama native, along with experience as an assistant at Ole Miss and Kentucky, Sumrall is expected to factor into the mix for any openings in the SEC this offseason.

3. Eli Drinkwitz, Head Coach, Missouri
Drinkwitz went 17-19 in his first three years at Missouri (2020-22), but that slow build to reset the foundation paid off in ‘23. The Tigers finished 11-2 and No. 8 overall after beating Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl that season. Missouri won double-digit games again last year (10-3) and is 7-3 entering Week 13 in ‘25. Since ‘23, Drinkwitz is 28-8 overall and 14-8 in SEC play. With an ability to build productive offenses and recruit at a high level, Drinkwitz is a name to watch at SEC openings (LSU, Florida, and Auburn) and potentially at Penn State.

4. Alex Golesh, Head Coach, South Florida
Golesh has quickly transformed South Florida into one of the top Group of 5 programs with a 21-15 record since ‘23. The Bulls started ‘25 with upsets over Boise State and Miami and knocked off American Conference title frontrunner North Texas 63-36 in early October. At 7-3, USF is on pace for its best season since ‘17 when the program finished 10-2. In addition to his success in the win column, Golesh knows how to build high-powered offenses (41.6 points a game this year) and is also regarded as an excellent recruiter. 

5. Bob Chesney, Head Coach, James Madison
Chesney hasn’t garnered as much national attention as Tulane’s Jon Sumrall or South Florida’s Alex Golesh, but the 48-year-old coach is expected to attract interest from openings at the power conference level this offseason. The Pennsylvania native took over at James Madison after Curt Cignetti’s departure to Indiana and guided the program to an 18-5 mark over the last two seasons. Chesney has won everywhere he’s coached, including stints at Holy Cross (44-21), Assumption (44-16), and Salve Regina (23-9). 

6. Matt Campbell, Head Coach, Iowa State
Iowa State is one of the toughest jobs among teams at the power conference level. However, Campbell continues to churn out winning seasons, going 70-55 with two top-25 finishes since ‘16. Iowa State’s 11-win mark last year was the best win total in school history, while Campbell has also guided the program to two appearances in the Big 12 title game. Although Campbell has a good thing going in Ames and isn’t necessarily looking to jump, could this be the offseason where a big-time job in the Big Ten like Penn State is too much to pass up? 

7. Eric Morris, Head Coach, North Texas
Coaches with a track record of finding ways to build high-powered offenses are always attractive for athletic directors looking to create excitement after a coaching change. Morris certainly fits that bill, as the former Texas Tech receiver is 20-15 at North Texas since ‘23 and assembled an offense that leads the nation in scoring (45.3 points a game) this year. As a result of that high-powered attack, the Mean Green are 9-1 and a frontrunner to claim one of the spots in the American Conference title game. Prior to North Texas, Morris went 24-18 at Incarnate Word, including a 10-win campaign in ‘21. Morris is regarded for his work to develop quarterbacks, including Cam Ward and John Mateer during a stint as offensive coordinator at Washington State, and current starter Drew Mestemaker (300 passing yards a game in ‘25).

8. Pat Fitzgerald, Former Northwestern Head Coach
Fitzgerald has been away from the sidelines for the last two seasons but is potentially primed for a return in ‘26. The former Northwestern linebacker was dismissed at his alma mater in 2023 after hazing allegations in the program. However, Fitzgerald reached a settlement with Northwestern in early August, and the school released a statement indicating, “the evidence uncovered during extensive discovery did not establish that any player reported hazing to Coach Fitzgerald or that Coach Fitzgerald condoned or directed any hazing.” Fitzgerald went 110-101 and recorded three double-digit win seasons as Northwestern’s head coach from 2006-22.

9. Ryan Silverfield, Head Coach, Memphis
Silverfield was promoted to head coach after Mike Norvell left Memphis for Florida State prior to the Cotton Bowl in the 2019 season. After a 21-16 start to his career, Silverfield guided the Tigers to back-to-back 10-win campaigns and is 8-3 in ‘25 with a matchup against Navy remaining this year. With a 29-8 mark since ‘23, Silverfield has raised his profile nationally and showcased an ability to navigate the transfer portal to consistently build teams capable of contending in the American Conference.

10. Brian Hartline, Offensive Coordinator, Ohio State
Thanks to Hartline’s ability to recruit and develop talent, Ohio State has consistently produced some of the nation’s best receiving talent since his promotion to wide receivers coach in ‘18. Hartline added to his resume in ‘25 by taking over as the team’s offensive coordinator after Chip Kelly left for the NFL. The Buckeyes’ attack hasn’t missed a beat with Hartline's promotion to play-caller. Through 10 games, Ohio State is averaging seven yards per play and 37.5 points a contest. Hartline lacks head-coaching experience, but his recruiting and offensive background could be intriguing for open jobs this offseason - perhaps Big Ten rival Penn State?

11. Will Stein, Offensive Coordinator, Oregon
Stein has moved quickly through the coaching ranks after his playing career at Louisville ended in ‘12. The Kentucky native worked in off-field roles at Louisville and Texas before a two-year stint in the high school ranks. In ‘20, Stein was hired on UTSA’s staff and took over as the team’s play-caller in ‘22. The Roadrunners averaged 36.8 points a game and that season, which helped Stein land in Eugene as Oregon’s offensive coordinator. The Ducks have averaged over 35 points a contest in each of the last three years, including a No. 2 finish nationally (44.2 points a game) in ‘23. Stein doesn’t have any previous head-coaching experience, but his stock is on the rise after producing successful offenses in three years with three different quarterbacks at Oregon.

12. Jeff Traylor, Head Coach, UTSA
Could the 2025 carousel be the year Traylor finally gets an opportunity to lead a power conference team? The Texas native has extensive roots throughout the state as a successful head coach at Gilmer High School, along with stints as an assistant at Texas and SMU. Traylor also spent two years as an assistant at Arkansas (2018-19) before taking over at UTSA in ‘20. The Roadrunners immediately became one of the top Group of 5 programs under Traylor’s direction, winning 30 games in his first three years and two Conference USA titles. UTSA maintained its high-level success after it moved to the American Conference in ‘23, with Traylor guiding the team to a 21-15 mark over the last three seasons.