Coldest to Hottest: American

13. K.C. Keeler, Temple

2025 Record: 5-7, Years at School: 2, Overall Record: 276-119-1

Keeler has immediately stabilized Temple’s program, proving to be the ideal successor to Stan Drayton. With an astounding 276 career wins, Keeler brings a championship pedigree that is unmatched in the American Conference, anchored by his rare feat of winning FCS national titles at two different institutions: Delaware (2003) and Sam Houston State (2020). His debut 5–7 campaign at Temple, a significant improvement over the program’s recent losing cycles, highlights his ability to rapidly implement a winning culture. Keeler’s statistical consistency, featuring nine national championship game appearances, positions him as a foundation for Temple’s future success. 

12. Brian Newberry, Navy

2025 Record: 11-2, Years at School: 4, Overall Record: 26-12

Brian Newberry has rapidly solidified his standing as an elite program builder in the American and at another service academy. Transitioning seamlessly from his role as defensive coordinator, Newberry revitalized Navy by fusing traditional service academy discipline with a modern, aggressive defensive scheme. His 11–2 campaign in 2025 showcased his ability to maximize roster talent, consistently outperforming the physical limitations often inherent in service academy recruiting. By maintaining high defensive efficiency ratings and fostering a resilient team culture, Newberry has transformed the Midshipmen into a genuine conference contender, securing his position as a foundational leader for the Midshipmen. 

11. Scott Abell, Rice

2025 Record: 5-8, Years at School: 2, Overall Record: 91-60

Abell enters his second season at Rice tasked with revitalizing a program haunted by decades of inconsistency. His pedigree is undeniable; at Davidson, he revolutionized the FCS landscape with an explosive, high-tempo spread-option hybrid offense that consistently ranked among the nation’s most prolific. This unique offensive identity, which adapts traditional triple-option principles into a modern shotgun attack, fueled three consecutive FCS playoff appearances. Now, Abell is leveraging that tactical ingenuity to flip a historically stagnant Rice program, installing a culture of efficiency designed to overcome the Owls’ long-standing structural challenges. 

10. Jeff Traylor, UTSA 

2025 Record: 7-6, Years at School: 7, Overall Record: 53-26

Jeff Traylor has fundamentally transformed the UTSA football program, establishing a culture of high performance and sustained success during his seven-year tenure. His ability to elevate the Roadrunners from relative obscurity to immediate conference relevance remains his calling card. However, since the program’s move to the American Athletic Conference, Traylor has faced a noticeable hurdle in breaking through the league’s elite tier. While his recruiting prowess and schematic consistency keep the team consistently competitive, the “hump”, securing a major championship in the tougher American landscape, remains the singular challenge defining this critical chapter of his leadership. 

9. Blake Harrell, East Carolina

2025 Record: 9-4, Years at School: 2, Overall Record: 14-5

Harrell’s elevation from defensive coordinator to head coach has sparked a swift revival at East Carolina. Since taking over as interim in October 2024, Harrell has instilled a culture of grit and accountability, leading the Pirates to an impressive 14–5 overall record. His leadership reached a pinnacle during the 2025 season, capped by a resilient 23–17 victory over Pittsburgh in the Military Bowl. By transforming the team’s defensive identity and maintaining offensive efficiency, Harrell has maximized roster potential, quickly establishing himself as the architect of ECU’s most successful and stable era in years. 

8. Tre Lamb, Tulsa

2025 Record: 4-8, Years at School: 2, Overall Record: 31-33

At 36 years old, Tre Lamb faces the daunting task of reviving a Tulsa program long plagued by chronic inconsistency. Inheriting a team struggling to find its identity, Lamb must overcome a deep-seated historical culture of turnover that has prevented the Golden Hurricane from achieving sustained success in the American Conference. His 4-8 record in 2025 reflects the steep climb ahead. To quiet skepticism, Lamb must leverage his energetic, offense-oriented coaching philosophy to finally break the cycle of mediocrity and stagnation that has haunted the university for decades. 

7. Charles Huff, Memphis

2025 Record: 7-5 (Southern Miss), Years at School: 1st, Overall Record: 39-25

Huff brings a pedigree of proven success to Memphis, a program defined by some of the highest expectations in the American Athletic Conference. After a 2025 stint at Southern Miss, Huff arrives with tangible momentum, having steered Marshall to a Sun Belt Conference title in 2024. His challenge is steep: Memphis demands championship-level consistency and perennial contention. However, Huff’s track record as a proven winner suggests he is uniquely equipped to navigate the intense pressure of a program that views anything short of a conference title as an underachievement. 

6. Neal Brown, North Texas

2025 Record: 0-0, Years at School: 1st, Overall Record: 72-51

Neal Brown faces immediate pressure at North Texas, stepping into the program following the massive success established by Eric Morris. Brown is well-regarded for building a formidable Group of 6 contender during his tenure at Troy, bringing a wealth of head coaching experience to Denton. After spending the 2025 season as an assistant at Texas, he is looking to reignite his career trajectory. The expectations at North Texas are now sky-high, and Brown must quickly replicate his previous G6 success to meet the heightened standards that Morris left behind. 

5. Will Hall, Tulane

2025 Record: 0-0, Years at School: 1st, Overall Record: 32-20

Hall faces immense pressure at Tulane, tasked with maintaining the program’s elite status following Jon Sumrall’s departure. Having served as a Tulane assistant last year, Hall knows the roster, yet his previous head coaching tenure at Southern Miss, marred by significant struggles and a 14-30 record, creates skepticism. With Green Wave expectations at an all-time high, the margin for error is razor thin. Hall must prove he can elevate the program rather than repeating his past failures. Anything short of championship contention in the American will lead to immediate scrutiny, placing him squarely in the crosshairs of a demanding fanbase. 

4. Alex Mortensen, UAB

2025 Record: 2-4, Years at School: 1st*, Overall Record: 2-4

Mortensen inherits a UAB program desperate for stability it has lacked since the Bill Clark era. The administration’s recent history, highlighted by the swift termination of Trent Dilfer, proves that the grace period in Birmingham is virtually non-existent. While Mortensen navigated his interim stint capably last year, his 2–4 record was far from elite, leaving legitimate doubts regarding his ability to elevate a program currently struggling to find its footing. He must demonstrate immediate, tangible progress. With the fanbase demanding a return to winning, Mortensen sits on a seat that isn’t icy cold. 

3. Brian Hartline, USF

2025 Record: 0-0, Years at School: 1st, Overall Record: 0-0

Hartline arrives at South Florida as an elite recruiter and developer of wide receiver talent, yet he faces immediate, intense pressure. USF’s fanbase, emboldened by the rapid stabilization achieved by Alex Golesh following the Jeff Scott era, now harbors significantly inflated expectations. Hartline is a high stakes hire who must prove that his prowess in talent acquisition translates directly to winning games. In a climate where the program is viewed as “fixed,” there is zero margin for a learning curve. Hartline must deliver immediate results, or he will quickly find the fanbase’s patience wearing thin. 

2. Tim Albin, Charlotte

2025 Record: 1-11, Years at School: 2, Overall Record: 59-38

Tim Albin’s arrival at Charlotte was met with genuine excitement, as he was widely considered a savvy, high ceiling hire capable of elevating the program. Albin was one of my favorite hires that offseason. He remains a proven football mind with a strong coaching pedigree. However, Year 1 was undeniably poor, failing to meet the expectations that accompanied his appointment. While the belief in his ability as a coach persists, the honeymoon phase is officially over. For Albin, the margin for error has evaporated; substantial, immediate improvement is required in Year 2 to demonstrate that he is the long-term solution for the 49ers. 

1. Zach Kittley, Florida Atlantic

2025 Record: 4-8, Years at School: 2, Overall Record: 4-8

Kittley probably is in the hottest seat in the American, granted I think it’s more the place than him. His high-stakes appointment initially generated significant optimism, and it was another hire that I raved about. While he was a fan-favorite hire, the administrative patience at Florida Atlantic has proven historically thin, evidenced by the rapid exits of both Willie Taggart and Tom Herman. Kittley’s inaugural 2025 campaign resulted in a 4–8 finish, raising questions about the program’s direction. Given the organization’s propensity for quick triggers, Kittley must translate his offensive pedigree into immediate on-field improvement; otherwise, the pressure to break the cycle of instability will likely become insurmountable.