The 2026 Coaching Carousel
The 2026 college football season is poised to be defined by a wave of coaching movements that could reshape the power‑conference map.
Lane Kiffin, who guided Ole Miss to an 11‑1 record before departing for LSU, is set to take the reins at the Tigers, marking his third SEC stop and fifth overall Division I head‑coaching appointment.
At Michigan, Kyle Whittingham returns to the program he once led to a national title in 2023, inheriting a roster that fell short after the departure of Sherrone Moore and hoping to restore the Wolverines’ former dominance.
Bob Chesney, fresh from a 12‑1 season and a CFP appearance at UCLA, moves to the same conference to attempt a turnaround of a program that has posted just an 8‑16 record under DeShaun Foster in recent years.
James Franklin, after an abrupt exit from Penn State, now heads to Virginia Tech, a program that last reached double‑digit wins in 2016, and will look to revive its fortunes.
Matt Campbell, celebrated for guiding Iowa State to eight bowl games in a decade, replaces Franklin at Penn State, bringing a proven track record of steady growth to a program seeking stability.
Jon Sumrall, who lifted Tulane to a CFP berth before jumping to Florida, joins a growing list of mid‑major coaches making the leap to Power‑5 jobs, bringing a fresh offensive philosophy to the Gators.
Pete Golding, who steered Ole Miss to the CFP semifinals after Kiffin’s departure, now faces the challenge of sustaining that momentum while inheriting a talented but untested squad.
Will Stein, the former Oregon offensive coordinator, becomes Kentucky’s first Division I head coach, stepping into a basketball‑centric athletic department that has historically prioritized the hardwood.
Alex Golesh, arriving from USF with quarterback Bynum Brown in tow, takes over at Auburn, where the program has struggled to post a winning season since 2020.
Brian Hartline, known for building a prolific receiving corps at Ohio State, assumes the head‑coaching role at USF, aiming to translate his WR‑driven success to a new environment.
Each of these transitions carries its own set of expectations, from rebuilding programs to navigating departmental priorities, and the upcoming season will quickly reveal which strategies prove effective.