Another year, another carousel:

Cougar High
Out: Major Applewhite (Fired on Dec. 30)
In: Dana Holgorsen (Hired Jan. 2)

West Virginia Mountaineers
Out: Dana Holgorsen (Resigned Dec. 2 to take Cougar High job)
In: Neil Brown (former Troy Head Coach)

Temple Owls
Out: Geoff Collins (Resigned Dec. 7 to take Georgia Tech job)
In: Manny Diaz (Hired Dec. 13) (resigned Dec. 30 with a $4 million buyout from Miami) (plus they got $2.5 million from Georgia Tech for Geoff Collins--so they have some extra money to play with)
Next In: Rod Carey (Hired Jan. 11) (former NIU coach)

Quote:Words from Temple athletic director Patrick Kraft earlier this month after hiring Diaz: “If I was sitting there hugging Coach Diaz on the stage at the Fiesta Bowl and he tells me my dream job is open, I’m going to go. Go get it. And we’ll be right back here bringing the next best coach to Temple.”

Northern Illinois Huskies
Out: Rod Carey (Resigned Jan. 11 to take Temple job)
In: Thomas Hammock (Hired Jan. 18)

Troy Trojans
Out: Neil Brown (Resigned Jan. 2 to take West Virginia job)
In: Chip Lindsey (Hired Jan. 10)

Miami (the "U") Hurricanes
Out: Mark Richt (Retired on Dec. 30)
In: Manny Diaz (Hired Dec. 30)(Miami's former D Coord., who was briefly hired by Temple)

Ohio State Buckeyes
Out: Urban Meyer (Announced his retirement on Dec. 4)
In: Ryan Day (Announced on Dec. 4)

Central Michigan Chippewas
Out: John Bonamego (Fired on Nov. 23 with a $1.13 million buyout)
In: Jim McElwain (Hired Dec. 3)

UMass Minutemen
Out: Mark Whipple (Fired Nov. 18 with a $300K buyout)
In: Walt Bell (Hired on Dec. 3) (34 years old)

Colorado Buffaloes
Out: Mike MacIntyre (Fired Nov. 18 with a $10.3 million buyout)
In: Mel Tucker (Hired Dec. 5)

Texas State Bobcats
Out: Everett Withers (Fired Nov. 18 with a $774K buyout)
In: Jake Spavital (Hired Nov. 28)

Charlotte 49ers
Out: Brad Lambert (Fired Nov. 18 with a $556K buyout)
In: Will Healy (Hired Dec. 4) (only 33 years old)

Louisville Cardinals
Out: Bobby Petrino (Fired Nov. 11 with a $14 million buyout)
In: Scott Satterfield (Hired Dec. 3)

Appalachian State Mountaineers
Out: Scott Satterfield (Resigned Dec. 3 to take Louisville job)
In: Eli Drinkwitz (Hired Dec. 13)

Kansas Jayhawks
Out: David Beaty (Fired Nov. 4 with a $3 million buyout)
In: Les Miles (Hired Nov. 18 with a 5-year, $13.88 million contract)

Kansas State Wildcats
Out: Bill Synder (Retired Nov. 2)
In: Chris Klieman (Hired Dec. 10)

Maryland Terrapins
Out: D.J. Durkin (Fired Oct. 31 with a $5.1 million buyout)
In: Mike Locksley (Hired Dec. 4)

Bowling Green Falcons
Out: Mike Jinks (Fired Oct. 14 with a $800K buyout)
In: Scot Loeffler (Hired Nov. 28)

Western Kentucky Red Marshmallows
Out: Mike Sanford, Jr. (Fired Nov. 26 with a $1.2 million buyout)
In: Tyson Helton (former Tennessee coach) (Hired Nov. 27)

North Carolina Tar Heels
Out: Larry Fedora (Fired on Nov. 25 with a $12.22 million buyout)
In: Mack Brown! (at 68 (next fall), really?)

Texas Tech Red Raiders
Out: Kliff Kingsbury (Fired on Nov. 25 with a $4.23 million buyout)
In: Matt Wells (Hired on Nov. 29)

(NOT Mike Leach! linky here: https://t.co/q26RCKGNBt)

Quote:I spoke to Mike Leach last night and he said he isn't interested in returning to Texas Tech. "They didn’t pay me last time. And I’m happy here.” Asked to elaborate, he said: "They haven’t paid me for 2009 and we won 9 games that year. And they haven’t won 9 games since."

Georgia Institute of Technology Ramblin' Wreck/Yellowjackets
Out: Paul Johnson (retired)
In: Geoff Collins (Hired Dec. 7)

Temple Owls
Out: Geoff Collins (Resigned Dec. 7 to take Georgia Tech job)
In: Manny Diaz (Hired Dec. 13) (resigned Dec. 30 with a $4 million buyout from Miami) (plus they got $2.5 million from Georgia Tech for Geoff Collins--so they have some extra money to play with)
Next In: ?

Quote:Words from Temple athletic director Patrick Kraft earlier this month after hiring Diaz: “If I was sitting there hugging Coach Diaz on the stage at the Fiesta Bowl and he tells me my dream job is open, I’m going to go. Go get it. And we’ll be right back here bringing the next best coach to Temple.”

Utah State Aggies
Out: Matt Wells (Resigned on Nov. 29 to take Texas Tech job)
In: Gary Andersen (Hired Dec. 9) (also was their former head coach)

East Carolina Pirates
Out: Scottie Montgomery (Fired Nov. 29 with a $1.2 million buyout)
In: Mike Houston (Hired Dec. 3)

Liberty Flames
Out: Turner Gill (Retired Dec. 3)
In: Hugh Freeze (Hired Dec. 7)

Akron Zips
Out: Terry Bowden (Fired Dec. 3 with a $689K buyout)
In: Tom Arth (Hired on Dec. 14)

Should be an interesting offseason of changes this year.

My adrenaline is pounding through my system awaiting the Chippewas choice on who comes off the board....

Reports say that Kingsbury is out at Texas Tech.

(11-24-2018 07:48 PM)dragon2owl Wrote:  Reports say that Kingsbury is out at Texas Tech.

Major won’t make Khator’s 10 win mandate unless they win 2 bowl games.

Larry Fedora out at North Carolina.

(11-24-2018 07:53 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  

(11-24-2018 07:48 PM)dragon2owl Wrote:  Reports say that Kingsbury is out at Texas Tech.

Major won’t make Khator’s 10 win mandate unless they win 2 bowl games.

Next season, UH gets @Oklahoma (11-1), Washington State (10-2) and North Texas (9-3) among their non-conference games. In conference, their crossover games include @UCF (11-0) and Cincinnati (10-2).

Ruh Roh ....

(11-24-2018 06:19 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Another year, another carousel:

Central Michigan Chippewas
Out: John Bonamego (Fired on Nov. 23 with a $1.13 million buyout)
In: ?

UMass Minutemen
Out: Mark Whipple (Fired Nov. 18 with a $300K buyout)
In: ?

Colorado Buffaloes
Out: Mike MacIntyre (Fired Nov. 18 with a $10.3 million buyout)
In:

Texas State Bobcats
Out: Everett Withers (Fired Nov. 18 with a $774K buyout)
In: ?

Charlotte 49ers
Out: Brad Lambert (Fired Nov. 18 with a $556K buyout)
In: ?

Louisville Cardinals
Out: Bobby Petrino (Fired Nov. 11 with a $14 million buyout)
In: ?

Kansas Jayhawks
Out: David Beaty (Fired Nov. 4 with a $3 million buyout)
In: Les Miles (Hired Nov. 18 with a 5-year, $13.88 million contract)

Maryland Terrapins
Out: D.J. Durkin (Fired Oct. 31 with a $5.1 million buyout)
In: ?

Bowling Green Falcons
Out: Mike Jinks (Fired Oct. 14 with a $800K buyout)
In: ?

Should be an interesting offseason of changes this year.

The fact that some of those coaches have eight-figure buyouts seems absurd.

(11-25-2018 02:00 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  The fact that some of those coaches have eight-figure buyouts seems absurd.

Indeed.

The scam of artificial scaricity in the coaching profession rivals the one involving De Beers and diamonds.

Mike Sanford out at Western Kentucky.

(11-25-2018 05:02 PM)Antarius Wrote:  

(11-25-2018 02:00 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  The fact that some of those coaches have eight-figure buyouts seems absurd.

Indeed.

The scam of artificial scaricity in the coaching profession rivals the one involving De Beers and diamonds.

Diamonds at least can be procured with certifications of quality. :)

North Carolina is hiring 67-year-old Mack Brown as its next coach.

There is an article in the Fort Worth Star Telegram suggesting Texas Tech hire Art Briles.

Hmmm. Brown, Briles, what other former college coach in the state of Texas whose last name begins with a B is available?

Well Kendall Briles is interviewing at TxSt.

I saw some kind of twitter campaign to bring Bailiff back there.

(11-26-2018 11:32 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  North Carolina is hiring 67-year-old Mack Brown as its next coach.

There is an article in the Fort Worth Star Telegram suggesting Texas Tech hire Art Briles.

Hmmm. Brown, Briles, what other former college coach in the state of Texas whose last name begins with a B is available?

I don’t mind Mack Brown but I think that’s a terrible hire. He’s supposedly considering Chizik as his DC.

Luckily I wish UNCheat failure in all of their endeavors. That sham of an institution deserved the death penalty in multiple sports and I hope they don’t make a bowl for the duration of Brown’s tenure.

(11-25-2018 02:00 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  The fact that some of those coaches have eight-figure buyouts seems absurd.

Yes, George, I agree. Yet this is the state of the game today, and reality needs to be accepted if we are to improve. I thought it was worth posting the buyouts here to give us some perspective on where the ball has been moved to currently.

(11-26-2018 12:17 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(11-25-2018 02:00 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  The fact that some of those coaches have eight-figure buyouts seems absurd.

Yes, George, I agree. Yet this is the state of the game today, and reality needs to be accepted if we are to improve. I thought it was worth posting the buyouts here to give us some perspective on where the ball has been moved to currently.

Yet Karlgaard argued recently in one of his increasingly rare podcasts that we don't need an indoor facility.

(11-26-2018 11:32 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  North Carolina is hiring 67-year-old Mack Brown as its next coach.

There is an article in the Fort Worth Star Telegram suggesting Texas Tech hire Art Briles.

Hmmm. Brown, Briles, what other former college coach in the state of Texas whose last name begins with a B is available?

Heh..... Mack went to Austin from NC. Doing the loop I guess.

Paul Johnson retiring at Georgia Tech. Is this goodbye to the triple option at the P5 level?

(11-28-2018 02:39 PM)illiniowl Wrote:  Paul Johnson retiring at Georgia Tech. Is this goodbye to the triple option at the P5 level?

Wow. Didn't exactly see that one coming, although it will make some tech alumns happy. His reasons given in article make sense, but wonder how much prodding there was.

Coaching the Yellowjackets is an appealing job. There are some hurdles. Georgia Tech is a clear second team in that state behind University of Georgia Dawgs and the school's stringent academic retirements can make recruiting more strenuous than at a normal Power Five institution (like at a certain Texas school we all know of) however, the advantages of being in downtown Atlanta, a college football hub and the center of one of the college game's most talent rich states cannot be downplayed too much. This will be a popular job with plenty of potential. It'll be interesting to see how far Georgia Tech wants to move away from Johnson's flexbone system. Wish we played them more. Would Army's Monken be a candidate here in your opinion due to similarity of styles?

Notable retentions and extensions:

Coach, Status, Analysis

Justin Wilcox, Extended, California extended Wilcox's contract through the 2023 season, and it looks like a smart move. Wilcox took over a Cal team that had allowed 42.6 points per game in 2016 and has improved that number to 24.8 points per game in his first two seasons, going 12-12 overall and 6-12 in the Pac-12.

Barry Odom, Extended, Mizzou extended Odom's contract through the 2024 season. He's gone 19-18 overall and 10-14 in SEC play during his three seasons, but Missouri's win total has improved in both Odom's second and third seasons, going from four to seven to 8 this year. Three of Missouri's losses this season came against top 15 teams.

Bill Clark, Extended, UAB announced an extension for Bill Clark that will make him the highest-paid coach in Conference USA. This is terrific news for the Blazers, as Clark's name was already being bandied about as a candidate at Power Five schools this winter. Instead, it looks as if UAB will hold onto the coach who has his team playing for a Conference USA title in only its second season back from having the program shuttered. Clark has been at UAB since 2014 but has only coached three seasons, going 23-14 overall with a 17-7 record against C-USA.

Jeff Brohm, Staying, Brohm has decided to remain at Purdue after entertaining an offer from his alma mater Louisville. This is huge news for Purdue as Brohm has revitalized a moribund program the last two seasons, and losing him could have been a major setback.


Clay Helton, Retained, It's a move that didn't make everyone involved with USC happy, but it's an understandable one. The results this season were well below the standard of USC football, but Helton did win 21 games the last two seasons, and this Trojans team dealt with a lot of injuries. Plus, would a fourth coaching change in the last decade fix things? Maybe stability is what's needed. Or maybe Helton better win at least 10 games next season with a refreshed staff.

Lovie Smith, Extended, Smith inherited an Illinois program that needed a complete overhaul and was told he would have the time to see it through. Illinois did double its win total from 2017 in 2018, but it also got blown out quite a bit, allowing 40 points or more in six different games. Smith is only 9-27 in his three seasons, and I would expect the extension won't mean much if the team doesn't make a significant step forward in 2019.

Chris Ash, Retained, Ash will enter the 2019 season on one of the hottest seats in the country. After going 1-11 this season, Ash's teams at Rutgers have gone 7-29 overall and 3-24 in the Big Ten. Nobody is expecting Rutgers to compete for division titles, but the team took a major step backward in 2018, and if not for a buyout of over $10 million, Ash might not have been given another chance.

Mike Bobo, Retained, Bobo dealt with health problems this season, and you have to think they had an impact on the Rams season. After posting 7-6 records in each of his first three years, the Rams went 3-9 in 2018. He'll enter the 2019 season on the hot seat, but he deserves a chance to rebound.

(11-29-2018 10:30 AM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Clay Helton, Retained, It's a move that didn't make everyone involved with USC happy, but it's an understandable one. The results this season were well below the standard of USC football, but Helton did win 21 games the last two seasons, and this Trojans team dealt with a lot of injuries. Plus, would a fourth coaching change in the last decade fix things? Maybe stability is what's needed. Or maybe Helton better win at least 10 games next season with a refreshed staff.

I have it on good authority that injuries are not an excuse.