First off, would like to apologize for the delay. There have been stuff that has happened the last day or two that has distracted me away from making a long post like this. I am going to try to get this one, Coastal Carolina, and James Madison finished posted pretty quickly. I expect another job or two to open up afterwards, but after that, that should be it for the season and I will take a break from college football coach candidates and the coaching search and the NFL's should be in full swing.
If you want to check out my other lists, here is the link below and you can go ahead and check it out:
https://fanspo.com/nfl/s/college_football/p/ehkeG_1Wbo6Yb-/coach-candidate-tier-list-links
Me and DeadPoole have been having a discussion and have been going back and forth about this, so let me just explain for the ones who don't understand my point of view. There are guys on this list who you can say is "unproven" and I would agree with most of them. Jerry Mack and Jason Eck are perfect examples of guys who have coached in the FCS level for majoirity of their careers, became a FCS HC, found success, moved up and now in their first season in their current school and first time as a FBS HC and both are 9-3. Both of them are seen as top candidates for another job, why? Because of their current success and the fact they both took bowl ineligible teams to 9-3 records. This is what I would like to call the Curt Cignetti effect, they look at a team who had overperformed expectations and expect if they would hire that same guy, he would give them the same results. This is more common in basketball (particularly in the men's side) when you look at Indiana hiring Darian DeVries after one year at West Virginia, or Jamion Christian was hired by George Washington after one year at Siena, or even Steve Lutz who replaced Rick Stansbury at Western Kentucky left after one year to go to Oklahoma State. Ten years ago, AD's would look at tenure and success and the longevity they have had and would try to hire a guy who would put them in the best success three to five years from now. Now, they see coaches as more of a loan that they put extra payment on because they want to know when you can get them to the CFP or the conference championship this year. It is a very different landscape we are in now, and I am nowhere near a fan, but it is the hard truth. I remember following the Rutgers coach search in 2019 since it was the first big job to open that year, and all they wanted was a coach to get them to a bowl game in the next three years because it was a while since they were above .500. That is why they hired Schiano and let him come back, now in 2025, I have been reading that boosters are unhappy with Schiano because he is not a good enough coach to lead them to the CFP or the Big Ten Championship Game. This right here, Schiano is probably the best HC the Scarlet Knights have ever had, or ever will and they are completely done with him.
Let me get off my rant and just say that Tulane hasn't had much success since leaving the SEC years ago like before the Simpsons was a thing long ago. They hired Willie Fritz who seemed to give them 7-5 every year until he started winning big games in his last year or two and earned a promotion at Houston. They then hired the best possible candidate in Jon Sumrall who left after two years to Florida. A lot of people are speculating they may go back and hire a Fritz assistant, others are saying otherwise.
The Fritz Connection
Slade Nagle, Houston (OC; 2025-?)
A Louisiana native, worked with Fritz at Tulane for forever, was the interim for him in the bowl game, was not retained and went to be a STC at LSU. I don't know what happened there, but I know it didn't work out because people during the season called Bob Diaco the STC, so he went back to Fritz and worked with him at Houston. People are calling him "Fritz' secret sauce."
Shiel Wood, Texas Tech (DC; 2025-?)
This is actually an interesting one because he was Jon Sumrall's first DC at Troy then joined Fritz has his last DC at Tulane first DC at Houston. He left for Texas Tech and has obviously turned things around with a top 15 defense.
Chris Hampton, Oregon (co-DC; 2023-?)
First off, this is who Wood replaced. Second off, he has done a fantastic job working with Tosh and the safety room there that he can either take the Tulane job or will be promoted to DC at Oregon with Tosh leaving for Cal. A fantastic coach who I see in the SEC in the next three to four years regardless his decision.
Will Hall, Tulane (PGC; 2025-?)
Like Wood, has Fritz and Sumrall ties. Was the HC at Southern Miss and had a great start, but things started to just spiral down and his inability to catch up in the NIL and transfer portal era put him near the bottom in the Sun Belt. There are more resources in Tulane then there are in Southern Miss, but he needs to have taken everything he could had from Sumrall and implement what he learned from his mistakes into this program.
If No Fritz Connection, Then
Blake Blaker, LSU (DC; 2024-?)
How about a Tulane alum? It seems everywhere he goes, he always finds ways to improve the teams defense, it took LSU a year but he probably had one of the best defenses he could had possibly coached talent wise. Reports are saying he wil stay as the DC, but this is his alma mater that is open, if he wants to be a HC why not take over your school?
Shannon Dawson, Miami (FL) (OC; 2023-?)
This is a guy who worked with Dana Holgorsen for forever then left to go to Miami and coached Cam Ward. Unlike the spread options they have ran at Tulane, he would bring in the Air Raid. Does Tulane want to with that option, or go with what they know?
Tim Beck, Vanderbilt (OC; 2024-?)
Made this list before Jared Curtis announced, but Curtis may have thrown a wrench in that. Had a very fun offense at Vandy the last two seasons and had a fun offense when he was at New Mexico State, he also coached Diego Pavia and Eli Stowers and others and both places and recruited Stowers to NMSU to be a QB, transitioned to TE and the rest is history. Now with Curtis on his way in, he may want to stay another year and prove he is not a one trick pony.
Going The Sumrall Route
Jerry Mack, Kennesaw State (2025-?)
We already covered him and he is in the Memphis and USF list, this one is the most unlikely but he is still listed no matter what.
Ryan Beard, Missouri State (2023-?)
This is obviously if he doesn't get the UAB job. Has done a great job getting first year FBS Bears team out there and playing. Outside of the five years with Missouri State before the FBS move, he has spent most of his career in the FBS level and has worked with his step father, Bobby Petrino who would likely be the OC.
Lance Taylor, Western Michigan (2023-?)
He skyrocketed this team all the way to the MAC Championship Game, there is still a possibility he decides to go to Tulane and prove he can do it here and head to the SEC that way.
There is the Tulane list. Jonathan Smith and Billy Napier have both been considered but decided against it as it seems as both of them will likely take assistant jobs this season instead of being a HC once again.