Will Healy had a coaching story everyone wanted to love. He transformed one of the worst FCS programs at Austin Peay, winning national coach of the year honors in 2017. Then he landed the Charlotte 49ers job a few weeks shy of his 34th birthday.
Healy was young, engaging and charismatic. He created "Club Lit" to celebrate wins during a strong debut season in 2019 in which the 49ers went 7-6 and reached the Bahamas Bowl. He even generated some attention, albeit premature, for Power 5 vacancies. But the hype around Healy ultimately didn't translate onto the field, as Charlotte went 2-4 during the shortened 2020 season and 5-7 last fall. After a 1-7 start to this season, punctuated with Saturday's 19-point home loss to Florida International, Charlotte fired Healy.
As Group of 5 jobs go, Charlotte is a good and potentially great one, coveted by solid coaches even when Healy landed the gig. Charlotte will leave Conference USA to join the American Athletic Conference in 2023, which could mean some rocky years ahead on the field, but also the potential to thrive in a higher-profile league. The school will need to significantly increase its resources in the program, but with the right hires and decisions, Charlotte could emerge as a future power. The location in a major city and a strong recruiting area will draw a good candidate pool for athletic director Mike Hill. Potential candidates include Florida State offensive coordinator Alex Atkins, who held the same role at Charlotte under Healy, South Carolina defensive coordinator Clayton White and North Carolina offensive coordinator Phil Longo.
And so the coaching carousel continues to turn. Here's the latest on the open jobs, as well as some new information about the role of search firms and whether they're helping or hurting efforts to diversify the coaching ranks.
More coaching carousel coverage:
Jump to ranking the open jobs
Jump to assistant coaches on the rise
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The latest buzz: Everything I'm hearing (updated Oct. 25)
Several coaches are trending toward safety or peril as November approaches. Here's a snapshot of the key coaching situations and jobs to watch entering Week 9.
Bryan Harsin, Auburn: Harsin will continue to appear here even though Auburn first must hire a permanent athletic director before making the inevitable decision on the head coach. Harsin would need an incredible finish to make his future boss think twice about keeping him, and the remaining schedule has no easy games, beginning this week at home against Arkansas. Auburn showed more life on offense in its last game at Ole Miss, as Tank Bigsby led the team's 301-yard rushing effort.
Jim Leonhard, Wisconsin: Leonhard, the Badgers' interim head coach, will be included on the weekly watch as everything I hear points to Wisconsin wanting him to earn the permanent job. "It's on Jim to get it done," an administrator with ties to Wisconsin recently told me. Leonhard took a big step as Wisconsin beat surging Purdue, its 16th consecutive win in the series. The Badgers still have key games ahead against rivals Iowa and Minnesota. If Leonhard beats one or both and gets bowl eligible, he should have a good chance at the permanent role.
Neal Brown, West Virginia: After WVU's best win of the season, the team took a big step backward at Texas Tech, hemorrhaging points (48) and yards (594) in a blowout loss. Quarterback J.T. Daniels had his first really bad game as a Mountaineer, as the team was minus-4 in turnover margin. WVU needs three more wins to become bowl eligible, and still must face TCU, Kansas State and Oklahoma State. Could Brown return at 5-7? Given his contract, it's possible, but there would be pressure on athletic director Shane Lyons.
Ryan Silverfield, Memphis: At around 9:30 p.m. Central time on Oct. 7, Silverfield had seemingly secured his future at Memphis. The team was 4-1 and on the verge of beating Houston, a preseason Top 25 team. Then, Memphis imploded in the final four minutes, allowing two touchdowns (part of 26 fourth quarter points) to lose 33-32. There was a sense it could be a turning point for Silverfield, who hasn't built on inheriting a team headed to the Cotton Bowl in 2019. Memphis has lost three straight after falling behind 35-0 to Tulane before battling back. UCF is up next for Memphis before the schedule eases a bit, but Silverfield must reroute the season, or one of the better Group of Five jobs could come open.
Jeff Scott, South Florida: The Bulls fell to 1-6 after last week's 14-point home loss to Tulane, one of the nation's most improved teams. South Florida has shown a bit more zest on offense, but its defense simply can't stop opponents on a consistent basis. Scott's record sits at an unsightly 4-24 (1-17 in AAC play). The team still has three road games left, plus the home finale against 5-1 UCF. It's hard to see things turning around for Scott, or any path back for him in 2023.
Scott Satterfield, Louisville: Things are cooling off in a hurry for Satterfield, whose team suddenly has some momentum after an 0-3 start to ACC play. Louisville's defense has found its footing in wins over Virginia and Pitt, as linebacker Yasir Abdullah shined on Saturday night. The key now is whether the Cardinals can beat one of the ACC's best teams in Wake Forest this week. Games still remain against Clemson, Kentucky and NC State, but Satterfield and his team are certainly trending in a positive direction. Will bowl eligibility be enough to ensure he's back in 2023? He's two wins away.
Other situations to watch: Missouri's Eliah Drinkwitz had seen his team compete well in losses, but he absolutely had to get a win over Vanderbilt at home and barely did, as the Tigers held on for a 17-14 triumph. The improvement on defense under first-year coordinator Blake Baker is obvious, even though the offense has been shaky at times. As long as the Tigers win a few more times, Drinkwitz should be safe. ... Navy's Ken Niumatalolo fell to 2-5 -- and 9-20 since the start of 2020 -- as the Mids couldn't slow down Houston at home and fell 38-20. Coach Ken is 107-80 at Navy, but he's in danger of recording his fourth season of four or fewer wins in the past five. ... Tulsa will remain a potential hotspot to watch down the stretch, but coach Philip Montgomery recorded a key win Friday at Temple to improve to 3-4 on the season. Montgomery's team plays three of the next four at home. ... Jake Spavital's path to bowl eligibility -- and likely another year at Texas State -- took another hit as the Bobcats' inconsistent offense didn't show up in a 20-14 loss to Southern Miss. Texas State has been held to 14 points or less in all five losses. Spavital is 12-32 at the school. ... Florida Atlantic looks like a job to watch as November approaches. The Owls have dropped four of five after falling Saturday at UTEP, and Willie Taggart is 13-16 at the school. ... Stanford's David Shaw likely never was on the hot seat, but he has strung together consecutive wins for the first time since September 2021. The Cardinal defense has allowed only 14 points in each of the two victories. ... Another coach turning down the heat is Bowling Green's Scot Loeffler, whose team has won three of four games to sit at 3-1 in MAC play. Loeffler suddenly has a very realistic path to bowl eligibility.
Data on search firms and diversity hiring
When the coaching carousel wraps up early next year, the numbers will be analyzed in several ways, including through the diversity lens. Although there has been increased attention on diversifying college football's coaching ranks, the actual results have been disappointing, especially in leagues like the SEC.
A new assessment is trying to present diversity data before hires are made, and specifically examines the role of search firms, which assist almost every major program in the process of hiring football and basketball coaches, and often athletic directors. The newly formed Coalition, which includes the Black AD Alliance, Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA) and LEAD1 Association, collected the diversity hiring outcomes from eight leading search firms from the last five years.
Search firms do not make coaching hires, and only help assemble and vet candidate pools for their clients (presidents and athletic directors) at universities. But they carry influence in the landscape.
"One of the things we want to do is shine that spotlight before this [hiring] season starts," MOAA executive director Stan Johnson told ESPN. "To get [university] presidents to be thinking about, 'You're going to be hiring a search firm, and when you do that, are you looking at what those search firms have done in the past.' That's it. This data comes directly from the search firms. We're not trying to rate or rank. It's their records."
Not counting interim coaches, only 21 of the permanent FBS coaching jobs are filled by minorities. Two Black coaches, Arizona State's Herm Edwards and Colorado's Karl Dorrell, already have been fired this year.
Many of the football hires since 2017 come from schools that used three search firms: Parker Executive Search, TurnkeyZRG and College Sports Associates. Parker assisted in 10 football searches, which resulted in five Black coaches being hired. CSA assisted in 10 football searches, which resulted in two Black coaches and one Latino coach being hired. TurnkeyZRG assisted in 17 football searches, which resulted in one minority hire: UNLV's Marcus Arroyo, who is Latino.
"If we were grading the industry as a whole, I've seen some movement in a very positive direction," said Chad Chatlos, Turnkey's managing director of athletics administration and coach, "but we all need to get better, especially around football [coach] and AD [hires]."
Johnson said the Coalition isn't trying to pick on certain search firms, and commended them for participating in the data collection. LEAD1 president and CEO Tom McMillen told ESPN that search firms are "the gatekeepers, not the decision-makers," but underscored their importance and the need to have numbers attached to them.
"If you're a president and diversity is one of your major tenets, and you're getting ready to hire a search firm, wouldn't you want to hire a search firm that has a proven record of placing outstanding diverse candidates throughout administration, football jobs, basketball jobs," McMillen said. "The whole idea here is to close the equity gap."
McMillen noted that changing hiring patterns takes time, and that the search firm "scorecard" will be an annual reveal "to move the ball a few inches down the field." Johnson said the number of minority football coaches hasn't moved significantly in the past 20 years.
"Every one of [the schools] have in their mission statement, their value statements, that we're going to enhance diversity, yet some of them have never had a minority individual head up anything," Johnson said. "This goes beyond the process of college athletics, the AD or the head coach. ... That's what we're saying, when you use these big search firms, when you go through the process, is it a fair process? And here's what the results have been."
Five assistant coaches on the rise
The assistant coaching pool had a bit of a reset after the 2021-22 carousel, as several of the sport's top aides finally became head coaches. But athletic directors are always looking for the next big thing, and several coordinators have improved their chances for head-coaching jobs based on strong performance so far this season.
Here's a quick look at one from each Power 5 league:
Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters
Age: 36
Illinois needed less than a season to recognize it had someone special in Walters, awarding him a new contract and a raise in November 2021. Walters has truly taken off in Year 2 with the Illini, producing the nation's No. 1 defense in both points allowed (8.9 per game) and yards allowed (221 per game). The Illini defense ranks in the top three in most major categories and has propelled the team to a 6-1 start, tied for its best since 1953. He would be a natural choice at Colorado, his alma mater, but he also should gain traction elsewhere. Walters has the charisma and coaching chops to lead a program.
Tennessee offensive coordinator Alex Golesh
Age: 38
Golesh has been the offense version of Walters, building on a strong 2021 season to now orchestrate arguably the nation's most dangerous unit. Tennessee leads the nation in total offense (571 yards per game) and scoring (50.1 points per game). Although coach Josh Heupel also deserves credit for Tennessee's transformation on offense, Golesh is the playcaller and also an excellent talent evaluator. He has Midwest ties but also could be an intriguing option for South Florida if a change is made there.
USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch
Age: 42
Grinch has been on the head-coaching radar longer than any other coordinator listed here, but he needed a boost after never quite turning the corner at Oklahoma. Southern California's defense has been a takeaway machine, generating 12 interceptions and four fumble recoveries. A unit that struggled to stop anyone in 2021 has brought together transfers and holdovers, such as star end Tuli Tuipulotu. Grinch has worked in four power conferences and could be a fit at a number of programs, depending on what opens.
TCU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley
Age: 33
It's time to start talking about the other Riley brother. Lincoln has had a good start to his USC tenure, but Garrett is the one affiliated with an undefeated team. His TCU offense ranks No. 4 nationally in scoring (44.7 PPG) and No. 3 in yards (522.1 YPG), and quarterback Max Duggan's renaissance -- after initially losing the quarterback competition to Chandler Morris before the season -- has been remarkable. Garrett is only in his third year as an FBS coordinator (first year at a Power 5 school), and he doesn't need to jump at a job so quickly. But his career path is starting to mirror that of Lincoln, who spent only two years as Oklahoma's offensive coordinator before being promoted to head coach.
Syracuse defensive coordinator Tony White
Age: 43
Several Syracuse assistants could occupy this spot, including new offensive coordinator Robert Anae and quarterbacks coach Jason Beck, but White has built upon some defensive success in 2021 and taken the unit to a different level. The Orange rank sixth nationally in points allowed (15.1 per game) and 13th in yards allowed (294.7 per game). White has ties to the Southwest and Texas, and he could be an option for Arizona State -- where he worked in 2018 and 2019 -- and other potential openings in the region.
Ranking the open FBS jobs
While the 2021 coaching carousel came to be defined by high-profile movement and overall volume, this year's cycle likely will be remembered for its active start as five Power 5 jobs were open within days of the calendar flipping to October.
Each vacancy presents exciting opportunities for candidates, but also clear challenges. There are no USC-LSU-Notre Dame-type jobs open yet, but all five jobs have had some national relevance in the past.
Here's breakdown and ranking of the five open jobs, from worst to best.
5. Colorado
Former coach: Karl Dorrell | Record: 8-15 | Fired: Oct. 2
Job pros: Colorado's beautiful location, campus and stadium are among its strongest selling points, as well as a stretch of national success under coach Bill McCartney from 1989 to 1996, when the program won a national championship and had five AP top 10 finishes. With the right coaching staff, infrastructure and philosophy, Colorado can access both Texas and California for recruits and produce competitive teams in the Pac-12. Buffaloes fans will get behind a winner, and there's administrative continuity with athletic director Rick George and chancellor Philip DiStefano.
Job cons: None of the past five CU coaches has generated any consistency, preventing a generation of recruits from identifying the program as a winning destination. Colorado's financial issues have improved a bit but remain a clear challenge for any coach. George is well-regarded but needs to get the hire right and likely won't get much slack if the new coach starts slowly. The state doesn't produce a volume of FBS recruits, so Colorado always has to look elsewhere to fill out most of its roster. Colorado also has been hit especially hard by transfer portal departures and seems to have a hard time filling those spots with incoming transfers.
2023 recruiting class ranking: Outside top 40
Record since 2012: 45-79
Candidate to watch: Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters. Colorado might be hesitant about hiring coaches with direct ties after the struggles under Jon Embree and Dorrell, but Walters' surging stock can't be ignored. He's overseeing the nation's No. 1 scoring defense at Illinois, which has quickly become a player development haven under coach Bret Bielema. Walters also has seen life away from CU and could apply those lessons to his alma mater, which needs a jolt in recruiting, schemes and overall philosophy. George might want more experience but would be foolish not to give Walters an extended look. Full list of coaches Colorado could target.
4. Georgia Tech
Former coach: Geoff Collins | Record: 10-28 | Fired: Sept. 26
Job pros: The school is in the center of arguably the nation's hottest recruiting hub in Atlanta. Georgia Tech has had stretches of national relevance, including a co-national title in 1990, five straight AP Top 25 finishes under coach George O'Leary and only two non-bowl seasons between 1997 and 2018. The team's path to success in the ACC isn't as difficult as those in some other Power 5 conferences. The new coach will arrive alongside a new athletic director, so there should be some good alignment immediately.
Job cons: Financial issues have plagued Georgia Tech while other ACC programs have accelerated their spending, and the school's history of poor coaching contracts hasn't helped close key gaps. Atlanta is an incredibly crowded and competitive recruiting scene, and Georgia Tech is often competing with programs boasting much more recent success and better resources. Although Collins tried hard to brand the program better, Georgia Tech often struggles for attention, even when winning.
2023 recruiting class ranking: Outside top 40
Record since 2012: 61-70
Candidate to watch: Coastal Carolina coach Jamey Chadwell. Georgia Tech seems like the most natural fit for Chadwell to land his first Power 5 opportunity. He has spent his entire career in the Southeast, and would bring a fresh approach, both with schemes and branding/marketing. As Johnson showed, Georgia Tech is often best off with distinct schemes, which Chadwell can implement after an incredible run at Coastal Carolina the past two-plus seasons. Full list of coaches Georgia Tech could target.
3. Arizona State
Former coach: Herm Edwards | Record: 8-15 | Fired: Sept. 18
Job pros: A location in the growing Phoenix market and a massive student enrollment with no major hurdles for admissions. The state has increasingly produced more Power 5 players, especially quarterbacks, and ASU also has good access to both California and Texas. Unlike other programs listed here, Arizona State has avoided prolonged down periods in its history. Coaches have won there, but just not enough. ASU has upgraded its football facilities in the past decade and has shown a willingness to build a more consistent and successful program.
Job cons: Whoever takes the job will be arriving at a very tenuous time. An NCAA investigation for alleged recruiting violations during the COVID-19 pandemic loom over the program. Athletic director Ray Anderson is still in his post, but for how much longer after his gamble with Edwards and a "new leadership model" ultimately failed? ASU is a sleeping giant that just can't be stirred. Since 1998, ASU has held an AP ranking at some point in all but eight seasons. The team has finished in the poll just four times. ASU's inability to sign the best quarterbacks from the Phoenix area is troubling.
2023 recruiting class ranking: Outside top 40
Record since 2012: 73-55
Candidate to watch: Former Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule. The Panthers fired Rhule on Oct. 10 after a 1-4 start and an 11-27 overall record. Rhule might not want to return to college football immediately, but if he does, the timing works out well. ASU and any other college program that fired its coach early would want a replacement by early December at the latest. Rhule wouldn't flinch at the challenges currently surrounding ASU, as he inherited worse at Baylor and got the team to the Big 12 championship game in his third season. If Anderson gets to make the hire, his fondness for the NFL could benefit a candidate like Rhule, who also could be in play for the Big Ten vacancies. Full list of coaches Arizona State could target.
2. Nebraska
Former coach: Scott Frost | Record: 16-31 | Fired: Sept. 11
Job pros: Few schools and states are more invested in a football program than Nebraska is with the Huskers. The willingness to fire Frost weeks before his buyout dropped by $7.5 million underscored Nebraska will spare no expense with football. The Memorial Stadium sellout streak has continued through many years without a conference championship and some without a competitive product on the field. Nebraska has by far the most national success of any current vacancy, as the Huskers won five national titles between 1970 and 1997, and finished outside the national rankings just twice between 1963 and 2001.
Job cons: Nebraska is mired in its worst stretch since the pre-Bob Devaney era in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The program doesn't resonate with recruits and their families like it used to, and lacks some of the advantages that helped coach Tom Osborne create a dynasty in Lincoln. Leadership instability has really hurt Nebraska since it joined the Big Ten, a partnership that some questioned from the very start. Nebraska had some clear recruiting hubs in the Big 12 that have been harder to establish in the Big Ten. Coaches also might be leery of a fan base that remembers the glory years and has had a hard time accepting the program's current reality.
2023 recruiting class ranking: Outside top 40
Record since 2012: 65-64
Candidate to watch: Kansas coach Lance Leipold. He really checks all the boxes Nebraska needs at a turbulent and critical time. He has won everywhere, dominating the Division III ranks before reviving Buffalo's program and now guiding Kansas -- by far the worst Power 5 program of the past decade -- to its first 5-0 start since 2009. Leipold also spent 13 seasons coaching in the state, including 2001 to 2003 as a Huskers assistant under Frank Solich. The Wisconsin native understands the player development piece and the values Nebraska needs to compete more consistently in the Big Ten. Full list of coaches Nebraska could target.
1. Wisconsin
Former coach: Paul Chryst | Record: 67-26 | Fired: Oct. 2
Job pros: Wisconsin has been one of the nation's most consistent programs for three decades, and ranks 11th in winning percentage since 2012. Despite the recent dip in performance, Wisconsin has a blueprint for success, rooted in player development, stingy defense and running the ball. Unlike other jobs on the list, Wisconsin needs tweaks more than an overhaul. Wisconsin has never made the four-team College Football Playoff but can realistically contend for a 12-team field. Madison and the campus are selling points in recruiting, including NIL, and fan support is strong. Athletic director Chris McIntosh played for Wisconsin and has spent his entire athletic administrative career with the program. McIntosh has pushed for some key facilities upgrades and showed with the Chryst decision that he's open to new strategies.
Job cons: The state doesn't produce a volume of elite recruits, and Wisconsin's admission standards are higher than those of many Big Ten programs. Wisconsin became a steady winner with below-average facilities and without paying huge money for its coaches. Although the program has ramped up in both areas recently, it remains a bit behind the Big Ten's elite programs. Expectations have been raised after a run of Rose Bowls and Big Ten championship game appearances, but might be unrealistic given the changes in the sport and within the Big Ten.
2023 recruiting class ranking: Outside top 40
Record since 2012: 97-40
Candidate to watch: Interim coach/defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. He's not a typical interim coach, simply holding a spot until the new leading man can be hired. Leonhard had been pegged as Chryst's successor, as he became one of college football's best defensive coordinators despite no on-field coaching experience before joining the UW staff in 2016. He's the embodiment of what Wisconsin can be, a walk-on from the state who became a three-time All-America selection and played a decade in the NFL. Leonhard also likely would bring fresh eyes to Wisconsin's recruiting efforts. McIntosh has given him a seven-game runway to secure the permanent job. Full list of coaches Wisconsin could target.