As early signing day starts tomorrow, there is a possibility that one of the four jobs I have yet to cover close immediately and hire their new head coach. I am going to try to spend today and tomorrow posting my coach candidate lists, so if you want to follow, catch up, or see how well I did on my lists, here is the link right down here:
https://fanspo.com/nfl/s/college_football/p/ehkeG_1Wbo6Yb-/coach-candidate-tier-list-links
South Florida has always been seen as a hub for coaches wanting a stepping stone after their first head coach, Jim Leavitt left to work for Jim Harbaugh in the NFL. Skip Holtz stepped in after a stint with East Carolina. He actually got fired by the Bulls and was able to have a successful career at Louisiana Tech and later in the UFL which he is a three time champ there. After Holtz, it was Willie Taggart who later became the Oregon (and eventually Florida State) head coach. They then hired Charlie Strong and Jeff Scott and both did not turn out as planned. Strong was hired to rebound his career after his Texas exit, and Scott was seen as a young, new coach on the rise which turned out to be false and is yet to get another job fter his exit. It looked like if though USF no longer had their magic of propelling coaches to bigger jobs, until Alex Golesh walked in and flipped everything immediately going 7-6, then 7-6, then beating ranked Boise State and Florida back to back. After that, everyone knew it was a matter of when and not if he leaves. I feel confident that USF would want to replicate what they have always done, and is hire a coach who will give them success and he ends up and walks for a bigger job. Allegedly, they also offered Golesh a contract that looked at close to $4 million a year which is like high end G5 money there, so feel like they were just flaunting around that the new hire is going to get paid and they expect a lot and expect if he does leave that it is for yet another SEC school like Golesh did.
The Top Options
Jerry Mack, Kennesaw State (2025-?)
I am going to coin the nickname "C-USA Lane Kiffin" because I expect almost any American or ACC school that is open, they will call for him right away and back their truck up to his house and just drop the bag. He was the HC at NC Central and went 31-15 and then took over at Kennesaw State after stints in between NCCU and KSU at South Alabama, Rice, Tennessee, and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He took a 2-10 team with no hope and won 9 games and will play (and are the favorites) in the C-USA Championship Game.
Willie Simmons, FIU (2025-?)
If he doesn't get this job, I expect him to be sought after in the future. A fantastic HBCU coach who seemed to always had the SWAC in the palm of his had when he was at Florida A&M, he just never could beat Deion. Once Deion left, they went 12-1 and a Celebration Bowl victory, the only loss was to USF. He left Florida A&M for Duke in obvious hopes to become a FBS HC, and a year later was offered the FIU job. He finished the regular season at 7-5 and with a four game win streak against teams like Jacksonville State and Liberty.
They Have Experience
Jason Candle, Toledo (2016-?)
The only reason he takes the job is because he is ready to leave Toledo. He may have missed on his opportunity to take a P5 job elsewhere and has to resort in an American job to elevate to the P5 level.
Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky (2019-?)
Same thing as Candle, just feel like he is enjoying being in Kentucky right now. If he does want out, feel like his name would be out there a little more than it has.
Jon Gruden, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach (2002-08)
I don't think there are a lot of schools who want Gruden because of his lack of college experience. He also only makes sense because he brought Tampa Bay their first Super Bowl of many... Well, it's two, but he got them one so, fair enough.
Jimbo Fisher, former Florida State (2010-17) and Texas A&M (2018-23) Head Coach
For Jimbo to be coaching in 2026, I think USF is his last chance. Not a bad coach and a fantastic recruiter, just going to lose games you would not imagine losing. Other than that, wouldn't be a bad fit.
Billy Napier, former Florida Head Coach (2022-25)
Feel like the same can be said for Napier, great coach who will just lose a game or two you shouldn't. Also think USF is a good stopping spot for his redemption arc.
Willie Taggart, Baltimore Ravens (RB; 2023-?)
The former Bulls head coach could return to college after his stint learning from John Harbaugh. I think we all know how it all went downhill for him, but I am not taking out of consideration the possibility of him returning and taking the Bulls back to a 10 win season right away.
Assistants That Can Shock Us
Robert Weiner, Toledo (co-OC; 2020-?)
This is a name thrown around by, and only by, local newspaper journalists because Weiner is a Tampa native and more like a city legend coaching Plant High School and winning them to four FSHAA Championships. This will be a hire out of left field, but because local journalists are crazy about him, there could possibly be truth behind this.
James Coley, Georgia (WR; 2024-?)
Another Florida native who has a longstanding tie to the SEC and has worked with people like Nick Saban, Bobby Bowden, Jimbo Fisher, and Kirby Smart. The experience carries a long weight, but the inexperience of not coaching feels like it might as well.
Kade Bell, Pitt (OC; 2024-?)
This was a hot name last year in the coaching cycle, died down for some reason but I have not heard his name thrown around this cycle even though they are having a statistically better season. I needed a name to replace Charlie Weis Jr, looked at some coaches in the ACC, looked at Pitt, immediately thought of Bell and added him here. Big fan of his and I hope he can earn a HC job soon.
There is the USF job. I think I feel more confident in my Memphis list right now then I do my Tulane list, so expect that soon. Coastal Carolina next and then James Madison to follow, when/if it opens.