The pathway for top college football coordinators to land notable head coaching jobs still exists, but it's undeniably harder to see these days.
Of the 25 teams that hired new coaches in late fall and early winter, only five hired Power 4 coordinators who weren't already working in their programs. Among that group, none was selected to lead a Power 4 program. The past cycle was very light on major job vacancies, and the ones that opened seemed more interested in hiring those already in head coaching roles, or, in the case of North Carolina, a former NFL coach with six Super Bowl rings from the New England Patriots.
Where have all the elite assistants gone? They haven't gone anywhere, but thanks to escalating salaries and a limited job carousel, many are back with their teams for the 2025 season. Of the five finalists for the 2024 Broyles Award, which goes to the nation's top assistant, only the winner, Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden, left for an NFL coordinator gig. Arizona State's Marcus Arroyo, Indiana's Bryant Haines, Tennessee's Tim Banks and Texas' Pete Kwiatkowski are all set to return in their roles this fall.
The winter featured some splashy coordinator moves, most notably Jim Knowles leaving national champion Ohio State for Big Ten rival Penn State, where he replaced Tom Allen, who left for the same role at Clemson. Promising young coordinators also landed new gigs.
My goal is to identify the on-the-rise assistants who could be best positioned to secure head coaching roles in the next few cycles. A disclaimer: Not every elite coordinator will appear below. That's not a knock against them. I know guys like Knowles and Allen are out there. There's just a distinct group who might be a little less known, but could be on the move toward becoming head coaches, even at major programs.
Let's look at who to watch for the 2025-26 coaching carousel.
Jump to a tier:
Power 4 launchpad | Splashy new hires | Names on the rise
On the Power 4 launchpad
Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann: Few assistants have experienced more high-level success than Schumann. A 2011 Alabama graduate who worked for the team as a student, he has been part of six national championships with the Crimson Tide or Georgia, where he joined coach Kirby Smart in 2016. Schumann, 35, has held a coordinator title with Georgia since 2019 and enters his second season as the team's primary D-coordinator. He gained interest for the North Carolina job and should be in the mix for more. The only question: How will Schumann fare at programs with fewer resources than the two where he has worked?
Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki: He left a good coordinator situation at Kansas for a better one with Penn State, which made the Big Ten championship game and its first College Football Playoff appearance, advancing to the semifinals. Not surprisingly, Kotelnicki received significant Power 4 coaching interest from West Virginia in his case. The 43-year-old is among the more creative playcallers in the country, and he will once again be working with NFL prospect Drew Allar as Penn State pursues its first national championship since 1986.
Arizona State offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo: Assistants on ascending teams who have previous head coaching experience can be especially enticing for those making hires. Arroyo, who spent three seasons at UNLV and was seemingly on the right path when he was fired, but could soon get another opportunity to lead. The 45-year-old helped Arizona State make a surprise CFP run in 2024, was a Broyles Award finalist and will once again coach quarterback Sam Leavitt, one of the nation's top returners. He also has assistant experience at Oregon, Oklahoma State and other stops.
"There's few guys like that who have had the success he's had," an industry source said.
Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley: The 2022 Broyles Award winner with TCU has Clemson's offense rolling, as he enters his third year as the team's playcaller. Riley, 35, once again will work with quarterback Cade Klubnik, whose numbers went up significantly last fall, and will oversee a unit returning wideout Antonio Williams and others. He's on his third coordinator stop and now has significant experience in the Carolinas to go with his time in his home state of Texas, as well as two seasons at Kansas. Riley could soon be in the mix for ACC, Big 12 or SEC jobs.
Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein: He's only 35, but he enters his third season leading Oregon's offense and had historic results with veteran quarterbacks Bo Nix (2023) and Dillon Gabriel (2024). Since the start of the 2023 season, Oregon leads the FBS in scoring at 39.5 points per game and ranks second in yards per play (7.1). Stein, a former Louisville quarterback, has had success with QBs at UTSA and now Oregon. If he can produce similar results this fall with Dante Moore, he should be on the radar for solid head coaching gigs.
Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline: He has built his reputation on overseeing the top wide receiver room in the country at Ohio State. A former Buckeyes wide receiver, Hartline returns to the primary coordinator role after Chip Kelly's departure and will have more autonomy overseeing the offense for the defending national champions. He's not going to leave his alma mater for just any job, but he can position himself as a higher-echelon candidate if Ohio State's offense can maintain or elevate its level of production.
Splashy first-year hires
Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle: Athletic directors always will be drawn to exciting young playcallers such as Arbuckle, who in 2022 became the youngest primary coordinator at a major program when Washington State hired him as O-coordinator. He spent two years in Pullman and mentored two highly productive quarterbacks in Cam Ward and John Mateer, who then followed Arbuckle to Norman. Just 29, Arbuckle has ties to Texas and also spent time at Western Kentucky. If he can revive OU's offense, bigger opportunities likely will come.
Florida State defensive coordinator Tony White: He took a big chance on himself this offseason, leaving a comfortable situation at Nebraska, which finally got back to a bowl game, for a Florida State program where coach Mike Norvell must deliver after a major step backward. If the Seminoles rebound, White could be rewarded with his first head coaching job. The 46-year-old interviewed with UCLA, his alma mater, in early 2024 and has worked on both coasts and now the Midwest. He also has a charismatic personality that should help him in the hiring process.
Miami defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman: He has worked his way up the coordinator ranks, going from Maine to James Madison, where he worked under Curt Cignetti, and eventually to Minnesota, where last fall he oversaw a defense that ranked fifth nationally in yards allowed and ninth in points allowed. Hetherman now gets an even bigger opportunity at Miami, which is seeking its first CFP appearance under coach Mario Cristobal. If he can boost a defense that slipped last fall, he should start generating more interest as a head coaching candidate.
Texas Tech offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich: Coaching candidates who are young, offensive-minded and boast Texas ties have an easier time getting hired to lead programs. Leftwich, like Arbuckle, fits the mold well. The 30-year-old grew up in Denton and played quarterback for UTEP, before beginning a career spent mostly alongside fellow Texans turned FBS coaches Eric Morris (North Texas) and GJ Kinne (Texas State). Leftwich now joins Texas Tech and replaces Zach Kittley, who became the youngest coach in the FBS (33) when Florida Atlantic hired him in December.
Other names to watch
Texas A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein: The former Heisman Trophy finalist will need a stronger second season with the Aggies, but he's very much on the radar for athletic directors and search firms. Klein is just 35 but will enter his fourth season as a coordinator after a successful run at Kansas State, his alma mater. If Klein generates more production with returning quarterback Marcel Reed and the Aggies' offense, he should position himself for potential options in the Big 12 and elsewhere.
Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson: The 47-year-old oversaw the nation's top total offense and scoring offense in 2024, helping Cam Ward and others blossom for a CFP contender. If Dawson can repeat his success with quarterback Carson Beck and some new contributors, he should position himself for a good set of head coach opportunities in the next cycle. He has vast coordinator experience with stops at Houston, Kentucky, West Virginia, Southern Miss and Stephen F. Austin, and strong ties to the South and Southeast.
Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks: He's a familiar name for those who have followed the coaching industry, coming up through the MAC before earning coordinator titles at Cincinnati, Illinois and Penn State, which he helped to a Big Ten title in 2016. But Banks has truly blossomed with Tennessee. The Volunteers made their first CFP appearance last fall largely because of his defense, which ranked No. 7 nationally in points allowed. Another strong season could put the 53-year-old Detroit native in the mix for head coaching opportunities.
USC defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn: The Trojans' strong start and clear improvement on defense last season elevated Lynn's profile. The 35-year-old has only been a college coordinator for two years after a lengthy run as an NFL assistant, and he has improved defenses at both UCLA and USC. If the Trojans can take the next step this fall, Lynn should rise into more head coaching discussions. He has the pedigree as the son of former NFL coach Anthony Lynn. The question is whether he wants to remain in college or pursue the NFL track.
SMU defensive coordinator Scott Symons: His name has bubbled up for head coaching jobs as he has made SMU much more than a program that revolves around offense and quarterback play. The Mustangs' defense has improved significantly the past two seasons under Symons, finishing No. 7 nationally against the run, No. 5 in defensive touchdowns and No. 10 in sacks per game. With SMU's first CFP appearance, Symons occupies a bigger platform and could be in play for a number of jobs, especially in leagues such as the AAC, Sun Belt and Conference USA.
LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan and defensive coordinator Blake Baker: The Brian Kelly era on the Bayou has been a bit bumpy, but not because of Sloan's offense. Since the start of the 2023 season, LSU ranks second nationally in scoring and third in yards. Sloan, 38, coached Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels in 2023 and 4,000-yard passer Garrett Nussmeier last fall. Baker, 42, came to LSU from Missouri and became the nation's highest-paid assistant with a contract that paid him $2.5 million annually. LSU is still waiting for its breakthrough on defense, which could come this fall with improved talent and depth. If so, Baker, who has worked extensively in the state, will see his head coaching profile grow.
Indiana coordinators Bryant Haines (defense) and Mike Shanahan (offense): Among the many signs of Indiana's newfound college football clout was its ability to retain both primary coordinators from a CFP team. "That was really important," coach Curt Cignetti told me. "They anted up to keep the staff." Both Haines and Shanahan have spent most of their careers alongside Cignetti. They might ultimately need to branch off to help their head coaching chances, but both led highly productive units in 2024 that bring back key players and added others from the portal.
Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner: His innovative system, especially with the run scheme, has helped Georgia Tech to several marquee wins under coach Brent Key. Faulkner, 43, coached Stetson Bennett as Georgia's quarterbacks coach when the team won two national titles. He also has made stops at Southern Miss, Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee. Faulkner drew interest from Southern Miss before Charles Huff became available, and should be a candidate for any Group of 5 job in the South or Southeast. He also could move to a higher-profile coordinator gig.
Georgia defensive backs coach Donte Williams: He brings impressive recruiting acumen, experience along both coasts and an interim head coaching stint at USC in 2021. Williams, 42, has generated some head coach interest in the Mountain West and could expand his job footprint after a second season at Georgia.
Iowa co-defensive coordinator Seth Wallace: When longtime Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz served a one-game suspension to start the 2024 season, the team called upon Wallace to step in. Wallace is the son of a coach who has worked his way up at Iowa, serving alongside primary defensive playcaller Phil Parker. The 46-year-old has had an integral role in one of the nation's most consistent defenses. He has passed up coordinator opportunities to remain at Iowa but would be tempted by a chance to lead his own program.