The 2018 FBS head-coaching carousel ended, not surprisingly, on a quiet note Friday as Akron hired Chattanooga's Tom Arth as its coach, filling the last remaining vacancy.
Nothing against Arth, who holds the distinct achievement of playing quarterback in the NFL, CFL, Arena league and NFL Europa, but he's not a name that resonates outside his native northeast Ohio. There are resonating names among this year's batch of new coaches, but mainly because of who they once were, rather than who they are now. The returns of Les Miles and Mack Brown to Kansas and North Carolina, respectively, combined with no change at USC and Ohio State promoting Ryan Day to succeed Urban Meyer, made this year's carousel decidedly tamer than last year's, when many brand-name programs and recognizable coaches were involved. Like last year, 21 FBS schools made changes, but it felt decidedly different.
"Has there ever been a worse cycle?" a veteran coaching agent recently told me. "Not many forward-thinkers out there, apparently."
Barring a late surprise or two -- and there's usually something -- the carousel is complete, so it's time to grade the hires. They're not based upon flash, as we've seen several big-name coaches flop. It's about the right teams picking the right coaches with the right backgrounds at the right time. These hires are not easy, and there are no guarantees.
Let's get started.
East Carolina
2018 coach: Scottie Montgomery (fired)
Replacement: Mike Houston, previously James Madison coach
Grade: A
You rarely see a program land a football coach and an athletic director simultaneously, so ECU deserves credit for hiring both Houston and Jon Gilbert, the well-regarded AD from Southern Miss, on the same day. ECU acted quickly once it looked like Houston was headed to Charlotte and got an emerging star with an FCS national championship, another runner-up finish and an 80-25 record at three college stops (none in the FBS). Houston also has extensive experience at North Carolina colleges and high schools. The only possible concern is that lack of FBS experience, but Houston looks like what ECU needs to get back on track.
Liberty
2018 coach: Turner Gill (retired)
Replacement: Hugh Freeze, previously not coaching
Grade: A
Whatever you think of Freeze, it's a major coup for a program like Liberty to hire a coach who has twice beaten Nick Saban, won a Sugar Bowl, recorded two top-20 finishes at Ole Miss and won a Sun Belt title with Arkansas State. Freeze isn't for everybody, but he fits in perfectly at Liberty, where his willingness to display his faith will be appreciated more than most state schools. Liberty has the financial backing to be the next Appalachian State, transitioning from the FCS to the FBS, and Freeze could accelerate the progress before likely moving back to a Power 5 job.
Temple
2018 coach: Geoff Collins (left for Georgia Tech)
Replacement: Manny Diaz, previously Miami defensive coordinator
Grade: A
One of the smartest and best-executed coaching searches came toward the end of the cycle, as Temple athletic director Patrick Kraft knew what he wanted -- another top-level Power 5 defensive coordinator -- and targeted the right people. For full transparency, this grade would have been the same if Temple had hired Texas A&M's Mike Elko. But in Diaz, Temple gets an even more exciting personality who blends analytics and toughness in his approach, and excels on the recruiting trail. Although Diaz hasn't worked in the Northeast, it wasn't an issue for former coach Collins, who had been away for nearly two decades. Diaz, 44, steps into a winning culture and should keep the wins coming for the Owls.
Georgia Tech
2018 coach: Paul Johnson (retired)
Replacement: Geoff Collins, previously Temple head coach
Grade: A-
When Georgia Tech chose to split from the triple option -- probably the right long-term decision -- Collins made a lot of sense. The Georgia native has two previous stints at Georgia Tech and has a connection to former coach George O'Leary, who still resonates with key donors. More important, Collins is a relentless and savvy recruiter who has overseen player personnel at Georgia Tech, Alabama and UCF. He brings energy and attention to a program that became too easy to overlook despite Paul Johnson's success. He's also a gifted coach with top-level coordinator experience and two years as a head coach. My top choice here was Clemson offensive playcaller Tony Elliott, but Collins was 1A. He'll need some time to modify the roster but should win there long term.
Kansas State
2018 coach: Bill Snyder (retired)
Replacement: Chris Klieman, previously North Dakota State coach
Grade: A-
Schools shouldn't make hires based on social media reaction, so it's good Kansas State picked Klieman despite some negative feedback from fans. Fans could more easily identify with North Texas' Seth Littrell, Memphis' Mike Norvell, Troy's Neal Brown and even K-Staters like Jim Leavitt and Sean Snyder. But Klieman has achieved more as a head coach, understands the player development and creative recruiting components that Kansas State needs, and is widely respected in the coaching industry. Kansas State needed someone with strong accolades as a program leader to take over for Snyder, a Hall of Famer. Klieman's lack of FBS experience is a bit unsettling, but he should adjust soon enough.
Louisville
2018 coach: Bobby Petrino (fired)
Replacement: Scott Satterfield, previously Appalachian State coach
Grade: A-
Any coach not named Jeffrey Scott Brohm would have disappointed Louisville fans who yearned to bring home their football hero to replace Petrino. But in Satterfield, Louisville gains someone widely respected in the coaching industry who transitioned Appalachian State from the FCS to FBS with barely any difficulty. Satterfield went 40-11 in his final four seasons at Appalachian State, winning or sharing the Sun Belt championship in each of the past three years. He brings a steady demeanor and a proven track record that Louisville needs at a particularly tenuous time. The only concern with Satterfield, 45, is how he fares on unfamiliar soil. The ACC always seemed a logical landing spot for him, but the North Carolina schools made more sense as he has spent all but three years of his career in the state.
Texas State
2018 coach: Everett Withers (fired)
Replacement: Jake Spavital, previously West Virginia offensive coordinator
Grade: A-
For all the turmoil around the Texas State program, the coaching search went relatively well. Texas State wanted a younger, offensive-minded coach with regional ties -- Houston offensive coordinator Kendal Briles was also in the mix -- and landed Spavital, who has coordinated offenses at Texas A&M and Cal before joining Dana Holgorsen at West Virginia. Spavital knows the area well and should be able to strengthen relationships with high school coaches. He is young (33) but comes from a coaching family and should grow nicely in this role.
Appalachian State
2018 coach: Scott Satterfield (left for Louisville)
Replacement: Eliah Drinkwitz, previously NC State offensive coordinator
Grade: B+
When Satterfield left for Louisville, the belief in the industry was that Appalachian State would target one of its own to replace the alum it lost. A keep-it-in-the-family approach could have been fine, but I like that Appalachian State went a bit bolder with the hire. Drinkwitz is a gifted playcaller whose intelligence should help him as a program leader. He is still young at 35, and steps into a win-now situation with an Appalachian State team that is 41-11 since 2015. So there's certainly pressure, but Drinkwitz knows the landscape from coaching in the state and at two solid Group of 5 programs (Boise State, Arkansas State). The Mountaineers should remain an annual Sun Belt contender under his leadership.
Maryland
2018 coach: DJ Durkin (fired after suspension, did not coach team this season)
Replacement: Mike Locksley, previously Alabama offensive coordinator
Grade: B
This is among the more intriguing hires because of the risk-reward potential. Locksley's incredible connections to the Washington, D.C., recruiting scene made him a popular choice to continue the talent pipeline to College Park. There's little doubt Maryland will be talented enough to push teams like Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Michigan State in future years. But Locksley also brings baggage, particularly from his time as New Mexico's coach, where he went 2-26, but also from other stops. His time with Nick Saban in Alabama surely helped, though, and if he is a new and improved head coach, Maryland could really benefit from this move.
Texas Tech
2018 coach: Kliff Kingsbury (fired)
Replacement: Matt Wells, previously Utah State coach
Grade: B
Like Kansas State fans, Texas Tech supporters didn't seem thrilled with the hire but could be pleasantly surprised in how it turns out. Mike Leach wasn't coming back to Lubbock, and neither was Dana Holgorsen. Wells is a Big 12/Texas outsider, which could hurt his chances, but he also had two 10-win seasons and a nine-win season at Utah State, which has similar geographic challenges to Texas Tech in its own league (Mountain West). Texas Tech's offense should thrive under coordinator David Yost, who joins Wells in Lubbock. Wells also will bring greater attention and more of an edge to the defense, which often lagged under Kingsbury. The key unknown is recruiting, but Luke Wells, Matt's brother and Texas Tech's new tight ends and inside receivers coach, has recruited the Dallas-Fort Worth area for years and should provide a boost there.
Ohio State
2018 coach: Urban Meyer (retired)
Replacement: Ryan Day, previously Ohio State offensive coordinator (acting head coach during Meyer's three-game suspension to begin the season)
Grade: B
Ohio State would love to replicate the Bob Stoops-Lincoln Riley transition in going from Meyer to Day. Like Riley, Day has spent two years on staff as offensive coordinator before moving into the lead role. He enters this role more qualified than Riley was at OU, as he's six years older and boasts both college and NFL experience. Day's work with quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who set Ohio State records and could be a top-10 NFL draft pick, is undeniable and could reshape how the position is viewed. Still, he hasn't been a head coach, this is a massive job and he's taking over for a guy who went 54-4 in the Big Ten. There's tremendous pressure from Day 1.
North Carolina
2018 coach: Larry Fedora (fired)
Replacement: Mack Brown, previously not coaching
Grade: B-
Brown's popularity among UNC's who's who -- along with his willingness to return to Chapel Hill -- made this move a reality. While booster-driven hires can backfire, I see a better path to success for Brown at UNC than Les Miles at Kansas. Despite a brutal two-year stretch, the Tar Heels aren't that far away from success and play in a division, the ACC Coastal, where upward mobility can happen fast. Brown is an exceptional communicator who, despite being 67, should be able to connect with current players, recruits, high school coaches and parents. I don't see much boom-or-bust potential here, but if Brown gets UNC back to making bowl games and occasionally challenging for the division, this will be a solid move.
Charlotte
2018 coach: Brad Lambert (fired)
Replacement: Will Healy, previously Austin Peay head coach
Grade: B-
I like athletic director Mike Hill's approach to target FCS head coaches -- he initially wanted James Madison's Mike Houston before pivoting to Healy -- who know how to build a program. The Charlotte job attracted a ton of interest, including from Power 5 coordinators, but Hill had a plan and stuck to it. Healy, 33, engineered an incredible turnaround at Austin Peay and was in the mix at South Alabama last year. A 5-6 mark this year is a concern, and Healy is still young and lacks FBS experience. There's some risk-reward to this hire, but I think it will work out well as Charlotte increases its profile in the Group of 5.
Colorado
2018 coach: Mike MacIntyre (fired)
Replacement: Mel Tucker, previously Georgia defensive coordinator
Grade: C+
Tucker is ready to lead his own program. I just don't know about the fit here. He has great experience at both the college and NFL level, but hasn't worked anywhere near Colorado. His last college stint not with a blue blood -- Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State and LSU all belong in that category -- came at Miami (Ohio) in 1999. Colorado always will be somewhat of a developmental program, and Tucker can draw from his experience as a Wisconsin player to help in that area. His staff composition will be critical, though, especially as he spends more time recruiting in Texas, California and within the state.
Massachusetts
2018 coach: Mark Whipple (fired)
Replacement: Walt Bell, previously Florida State offensive coordinator
Grade: C+
Here's another opposite-profile hire, as UMass went from an older coach with New England roots (Whipple) to a much younger coach (Bell is 34) who hasn't worked in the region before. Bell will inject energy to the UMass program and pairs well with young athletic director Ryan Bamford. The question is whether his coordinator stops at Maryland and at Florida State, which didn't go particularly well, carry into this role or not. Bell, who took a pay cut for this opportunity, could be better suited as a head coach -- search firms have had him on their radar for a few years -- and while UMass is kind of an odd fit, a different approach may be needed there.
Central Michigan
2018 coach: John Bonamego (fired)
Replacement: Jim McElwain, previously Michigan's wide receivers coach
Grade: C
McElwain had success in his first Group of 5 job, going 18-8 in his final two years at Colorado State. He also won SEC East division titles in his first two years at Florida. But the way things ended in Gainesville, and the general gloom around McElwain's tenure there, makes this hire tough to fully support. Also, despite this past year at Michigan and a three-year stint at Michigan State from 2003 to 2005, McElwain isn't deeply rooted in the Midwest. Perhaps an opportunity outside the SEC pressure-cooker rejuvenates McElwain, but I thought CMU, like Bowling Green, could have looked at its own history of hiring a successful Division II coach (Brian Kelly from Grand Valley State) and replicated it with Ferris State's Tony Annese.
Utah State
2018 coach: Matt Wells (left for Texas Tech)
Replacement: Gary Andersen, previously Utah associate head coach/defensive line coach
Grade: C
I understand the criticism for the hire, especially how it went down, as Utah State employed a reputable search firm, started national interviews and then shut things down to hire the coach most popular with the school's power players. Some think Andersen, who stepped down at Oregon State midway through the 2017 season, shouldn't get another chance to lead an FBS program. Those are all fair points, but Andersen can win in Logan, as he showed in 2011 by ending Utah State's 14-year bowl drought and in 2012 when the Aggies won 11 games (they had never won more than nine). He's stepping into a great situation, thanks to Wells, at a program he knows inside and out. There are concerns here, including Andersen's ability to build a strong staff, but I expect him to keep the wins coming.
Akron
2018 coach: Terry Bowden (fired)
Replacement: Tom Arth, previously Chattanooga head coach
Grade: C-
Arth knows the landscape as a Cleveland native and former All-American at Division III John Carroll. In fact, I would have given a higher grade had Akron plucked Arth from John Carroll, where he went 40-8 and reached the Division III playoff semifinals in 2016. But Arth's time at Chattanooga didn't go particularly well (9-13 overall, 7-9 in the Southern Conference), and now he's moving up another level to the FBS. Like many, Akron hired an opposite from its previous coach -- Bowden is older and an outsider, while Arth is just 37 and from the area. Perhaps being close to home brings back the John Carroll-type results.
Bowling Green
2018 coach: Mike Jinks (fired)
Replacement: Scot Loeffler, previously Boston College offensive coordinator
Grade: D+
Loeffler certainly knows the region as a native of Barberton, Ohio, who played quarterback at Michigan and coached at Michigan, Central Michigan and with the NFL's Detroit Lions. He boosted his stock as a playcaller at Boston College after rough stints at Virginia Tech and Auburn. Then again, few schools were lining up to hire the 44-year-old to lead their program. After a complete whiff with Jinks, I thought Bowling Green would go back to what worked in the recent past with Dave Clawson and Dino Babers and find someone with FCS (or lower-level college) head-coaching experience. So this will be interesting.
Kansas
2018 coach: David Beaty (fired)
Replacement: Les Miles, previously not coaching
Grade: D+
I've gone back and forth on this hire more than any other. At first, I didn't like it. Then, I started to see the excitement Miles brings to a Kansas program that desperately needs some buzz. But I still struggle to get past the schematic stubbornness on offense that doomed Miles at LSU, a program with every resource that Kansas lacks. This job is all about player development and creativity, and while Miles certainly has the energy to boost KU, I just don't know about the fit at this stage in his career, especially with the program being so far down for a decade. Perhaps The Mad Hatter still has some magic left, but don't bet on it.
Western Kentucky
2018 coach: Mike Sanford (fired)
Replacement: Tyson Helton, previously Tennessee offensive coordinator
Grade: D+
Let's see, Western Kentucky fired a young offense-centric coach from a coaching family who had been a coordinator for a losing team (Notre Dame) and had previously worked at WKU (2010) to hire ... a young, offense-centric coach from a coaching family who had been a coordinator for a losing team (Tennessee) and had previously worked at WKU (2014-15). Helton's connection to the Jeff Brohm era at WKU certainly helps, and he upgraded Tennessee's quarterback play this past season. The speed of the transition -- WKU fired Sanford on Nov. 25 and officially hired Helton on Nov. 27 -- shows there was only one target. It could work out, but WKU, like a lot of schools this year, also could have been more creative with the hire.