The Hot Seat IndexEvery FBS head coach, ranked by job security
GridironCircus
Week 9 Edition138 programs · 4 jobs open
Vol. I · No. 9Friday, October 30, 20262026 season · week 9
2026 season · through week 9

The Coaching Carousel

Every FBS head coaching change this season: who is out, how they left, and who takes over. A job stays open until a hire is named.

4Open
0Filled
4Fired
0Poached
0Retired
SchoolOutHowDateInterimHiredModel rank
Open jobs · 4
Sam HoustonCUSAPhil LongoFiredOct 28Eric Raisbeck and Freddie Aughtry-LindsayOpenNo. 20
BaylorB12Dave ArandaFiredOct 25Joe KlandermanOpenNo. 55
NC StateACCDave DoerenFiredOct 24–OpenNo. 14
MarylandB1GMike LocksleyFiredOct 21Aazaar Abdul-RahimOpenNo. 5

The Candidates

For each open job, the model's top five, blending career record with how often the national press names the coach, then two sleepers nobody has named. Consensus picks are marked. Reporting counts only from ESPN, CBS Sports, On3, The Athletic, USA Today, Yahoo Sports, FOX Sports, Sports Illustrated and AP, and names drop off after three weeks without a new mention.

Sam HoustonGroup of Six job · none named

Top fiveCareer

  1. 1Rick StockstillFlorida State director of offensive scouting · ex-Middle Tennessee head coach · not named+0.08
  2. 2Will HealyEast Tennessee State head coach (FCS) · ex-Charlotte head coach · not named−0.02
  3. 3Tim LesterIowa offensive coordinator · ex-Western Michigan head coach · not named−0.03
  4. 4Maurice LinguistAlabama co-defensive coordinator · ex-Buffalo head coach · not named−0.14
  5. 5Mike MacIntyreOregon State defensive coordinator · ex-Florida International head coach · not named−0.21

SleepersCareer

  1. ·Terry BowdenEdge −0.04 · step down · Monroe Greenheads (Arena League) head coach · ex-UL Monroe head coach−0.22
  2. ·Mike NeuEdge −0.06 · lateral · Illinois senior offensive assistant · ex-Ball State head coach−0.28

BaylorPower conference job · 16 named

Top fiveCareer

  1. 1Jason EckConsensusNew Mexico head coach · 3 outlets+1.39
  2. 2G.J. KinneConsensusTexas State head coach · 3 outlets+0.79
  3. 3Jeff TraylorConsensusUTSA head coach · 3 outlets+0.63
  4. 4Lincoln RileyConsensusUSC head coach · 3 outlets+0.21
  5. 5Spencer DanielsonBoise State head coach · 2 outlets+0.32

SleepersCareer

  1. ·Tom AllenEdge +0.08 · step down · Clemson defensive coordinator · ex-Indiana head coach+0.04
  2. ·Mike GundyEdge +0.06 · lateral · Former head coach, last at Oklahoma State+0.32

NC StatePower conference job · 14 named

Top fiveCareer

  1. 1Jason EckNew Mexico head coach · 1 outlet+1.39
  2. 2Philip RiversConsensusSt. Michael Catholic (Ala.) high school coach · 3 outlets
  3. 3Jeff TraylorUTSA head coach · 1 outlet+0.63
  4. 4G.J. KinneTexas State head coach · not named+0.79
  5. 5Kane WommackAlabama defensive coordinator · ex-South Alabama head coach · not named+0.63

SleepersCareer

  1. ·Paul ChrystEdge +0.16 · step down · Texas special assistant · ex-Wisconsin head coach+0.45
  2. ·Bobby PetrinoEdge +0.16 · step down · Former head coach, last at Arkansas+0.44

MarylandBig Ten/SEC job · 16 named

Top fiveCareer

  1. 1Jason EckNew Mexico head coach · 2 outlets+1.39
  2. 2Mike ShanahanConsensusIndiana offensive coordinator · 3 outlets
  3. 3Charles HuffConsensusMemphis head coach · 3 outlets+0.29
  4. 4Rhett LashleeSMU head coach · not named+0.89
  5. 5Jeff BrohmLouisville head coach · not named+0.61

SleepersCareer

  1. ·Paul ChrystEdge +0.09 · lateral · Texas special assistant · ex-Wisconsin head coach+0.45
  2. ·Bobby PetrinoEdge +0.09 · lateral · Former head coach, last at Arkansas+0.44

Also Mentioned

Baylor: Blake Baker (SI) · Dabo Swinney (USAT) · Dan Mullen (SI) · Jake Dickert (SI) · Josh McCown (SI) · Lance Taylor (SI) · Neal Brown (USAT) · Shannon Dawson (SI) · Slade Nagle (USAT) · Todd Whitten (SI) · Zach Kittley (USAT)

NC State: Dan Mullen (SI, CBS) · Glenn Schumann (SI, CBS) · Bryant Haines (CBS) · Buster Faulkner (SI) · Charles Huff (CBS) · Jake Dickert (SI) · Lance Taylor (SI) · Mike Shanahan (SI) · P.J. Fleck (SI) · Scott Satterfield (CBS) · Shannon Dawson (CBS)

Maryland: Billy Napier (CBS, SI) · Brian Kelly (CBS, SI) · Bryant Haines (CBS, SI) · Dan Mullen (FOX, CBS) · Manny Diaz (FOX, CBS) · Arthur Smith (CBS) · Corey Hetherman (FOX) · DeSean Jackson (SI) · Jake Dickert (CBS) · Jimbo Fisher (SI) · Lance Taylor (CBS) · Shane Beamer (SI) · Shannon Dawson (SI)

Consensus means three or more outlets named the coach; Reported means an outlet cited sources on contact, interviews or interest. Both always make the top five. Career is value added per season as an FBS head coach, in standard deviations of team strength, shrunk toward zero for short résumés. Coordinators, NFL, FCS and high school coaches have no score and count as average when ranked. Sitting coaches enter the model's pool only for a clear step up; former head coaches not currently running a program qualify for jobs up to about one level below their last. The model knows nothing about interest, salary, buyouts or regional ties.