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G5 Head Coach Rankings: Conference USA
© Brian Bishop-USA TODAY Sports

G5 Head Coach Rankings: Conference USA

Originally posted on Mike Farrell Sports
By Mike Huesmann  |  Last updated Jul 5, 2025 9:13 PM ET

By Mike Huesmann

This is article four in a series of six where I go through every Group of 5 conference and rank head coaches, then for the finale I’ll do an overall G5 head coach ranking. We started out West with the MWC, then moved to the AAC, Sun Belt was third and here we are with Conference USA.

C-USA has become the catch all conference in recent years. Grabbing teams who jump from the FCS, dealing with conference realignment and basically just trying to survive. The conference has had successful teams, though, and despite being looked down upon by many there are some notable coaches here who have been remarkably consistent. We have a mix of coaches who’ve won at their school, other FBS programs and were successful FCS head coaches. In true C-USA fashion this is the most eclectic group of coaches we’ll see.

12. Tony Sanchez, New Mexico State

Record: 23-49 (3-9 at NMSU), 2nd season

Sanchez had a successful high school career at Las Vegas power Bishop Gorman but has yet to replicate that success in college. I was a critic of his at UNLV and that has only worsened in hindsight after Barry Odom succeeded there. Sanchez was fortunate to get promoted to head coach when Jerry Kill left. That guy can win in any situation. I’m not sure Sanchez can at this level.

11. Charles Kelly, Jacksonville State

Record: 0-0, 1st season

Similar to many coaches in my lists so far, we just don’t know about Kelly. There is zero sample size and he’s never been a head coach at any level before. He has been an extremely successful defensive coach at multiple top-notch programs, so I do have hope. You don’t coach at Auburn, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Tennessee, Alabama and Colorado by luck. He has worked with elite coaches and he takes over a situation that is decent in the wake of Rich Rodriguez leaving for West Virginia. There are quite a bit of new faces on the roster—hopefully Kelly has learned from the many good head coaches he’s worked with.

10. Derek Mason, Middle Tennessee

Record: 30-64 (3-9 at MTSU), 2nd season

In the changing landscape of the G5 I liked MTSU hiring an experienced veteran in Mason. For them it could be stabilizing. What hurts him is that his overall record just isn't good. He was a longtime David Shaw assistant at Stanford before succeeding James Franklin at Vanderbilt. He went to a couple bowl games with Vandy but never had a winning record. Many coaches have failed leading the Commodores so it’s tough to gauge him on that, but he took over right after the last truly successful coach they had. I think he can win here but this is also the right spot to rank him.

9. Ryan Beard, Missouri State

Record: 12-11, 3rd season

Admittedly, Beard is the FBS head coach I know the least about. We are going by little more than record here. He was the defensive coordinator for Bobby Petrino before being promoted to head coach. He now leads the Bears on the transition to the FBS. He does have some weapons at his disposal, primarily QB Jacob Clark. They won eight games a year ago his second season in charge. I look forward to being in the stadium for their week two game at Marshall this season.

8. Phil Longo, Sam Houston

Record: 7-14, 1st season

Longo has been an ultra successful offensive coordinator at multiple Power Four schools, though he hasn’t been a college head coach in 20 years. La Salle doesn’t even play football anymore. Sam Houston made a good transition to the FBS under KC Keeler (my third-ranked coach in the AAC) now that he left for Temple. Longo had stints calling plays at Sam Houston, Ole Miss, North Carolina and Wisconsin. He was top notch at all but the Badgers, where Luke Fickell is struggling at almost everything on the field. I like Longo and in the current state of C-USA, I think the Bearkats can consistently compete.

7. Scotty Walden, UTEP

Record: 30-26 (3-9 at UTEP), 2nd season

Walden has been on the fast rack of coaching for a few years. Only 35, he is entering season seven as a Division-I head coach. At Austin Peay he initially struggled after taking over a playoff team, but in year four he took them to the FCS playoffs which led to UTEP hiring him. UTEP has been starved for success. Dana Dimel had a few decent seasons but couldn’t turn the corner. Many think Walden can be the coach who does that. His reputation for innovation, offensive skill and energy are all lauded.

6. Sonny Cumbie, Louisiana Tech

Record: 13-29 (11-26 at La. Tech), 4th season

Cumbie took over a rough situation from Skip Holtz , a coach who did have success but faltered near the end. Louisiana Tech is a program where many have had success, and I believe Cumbie will in 2025, though his time has been underwhelming so far. He had three wins in consecutive years to start, that was up to five in 2024 and I expect a bowl game this year. Cumbie was the interim coach at Texas Tech in 2021, but they went with Joey McGuire after that season. If Cumbie regresses this year, he’s in trouble. I don’t expect that to happen with the talent he has returning.

5. Ryan Carty Delaware

Record: 26-11, 4th season

Our second neophyte to the conference, Delaware’s head coach. Carty has back-to-back nine-win seasons entering 2025. Prior to this he was the OC at Sam Houston for the aforementioned Keeler. In three years at Delaware he made the playoffs the first two and his Blue Hens were ineligible last year, though would have qualified if eligible. He has had success at the FCS level and some people are bullish on their ability to compete right away in the FBS. His team does appear to have identity and culture ahead of the jump.

4. Jerry Mack, Kennesaw State

Record: 31-15, 1st season

Mack is a coach I had on several lists for potential G5 coaches the previous two offseasons. He was on the cusp of many jobs, and it was inevitable he’d land one. I loved this hire for the Owls. Mack spent four seasons at NC Central and never had a losing record. As an HBCU school their conference chooses not to participate in the playoffs. He then went to Rice as OC before moving to Tennessee as Josh Heupel’s RB coach and then spent 2024 coaching that position for the Jacksonville Jaguars. I expect Mack to be a tremendous FBS head coach.

3. Willie Simmons, FIU

Record: 66-24, 1st season

Similar to Mack, I had pegged Simmons for a G5 head job long ago. He made many of my lists and it was only a matter of time before he got his shot. He was an ultra successful assistant at Alcorn State and Middle Tennessee before getting a head job at Prairie View and then Florida A&M. He, too, has never had a losing record as a head coach. Known for his work on offense and as a team builder, he is highly respected. Simmons spent 2024 at Duke as Manny Diaz’ RB coach. FIU was wise to hire him before someone else did. Mike MacIntyre left him a situation that isn’t too bad and I could see him hit the ground running. He and Mack are guys who the P4 teams may take notice of in the near future.

2. Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky

Record: 48-32, 7th season

The top two basically chose themselves, and Helton deserves all of this. In his six seasons the Toppers have made a bowl game in each season and played for two conference titles. He has been very adept at hiring assistant coaches, several of whom have moved on to bigger jobs. Zach Kittley, Ben Arbuckle, Tyson Summers, Bryan Ellis, Clayton White and Maurice Crum are all guys that fit this mold. Helton has kept the Air Raid scheme going at WKU and this has helped them forge an identity across America. Many might argue he should be the top guy on this list, and they have a point. It was a tough decision.

1. Jamey Chadwell, Liberty

Record: 95-41 (21-5 at LU), 3rd season

As I just said, it was a tough decision but Chadwell gets the top spot in my C-USA coaches rankings. Doing it successfully at multiple schools gave him the edge. Chadwell made multiple FCS playoffs at Charleston Southern before going to Coastal Carolina, briefly as OC and interim head coach before becoming the full-time boss. He has not looked back since. Joe Moglia was 5-7 in his last year and in year two Chadwell won 11 games. He did that two years in a row before going 9-3 in 2022 and leaving for Liberty before the bowl game. At Liberty he went 13-1 in 2023 and 8-4 this past season. It says a lot about him and Liberty that 8-4 was a relatively disappointing season. The Flames will always compete in the conference while Chadwell is the head coach. I am, along with many, surprised he hasn’t gotten a P4 job yet. 

This article first appeared on Mike Farrell Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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