IdaGriz01
Well-known member
The FBS coaching carousel gets a lot of attention, especially for the big-money Power-Five conference jobs. But, as we know, there is also a carousel at the FCS level. It’s just much, much harder to find the information. After looking over the sparse material out there, I decided I would look at who might be on the hot seat, based on those with bad records in 2017.
What I have found so far are ten school (including UM) that have new coaches. Of these teams, only one besides UM had a winning record: Hampton went 6-5, but their four-year 20-25 coach “stepped down” and was replaced. The combined 2017 records for the other eight teams was 24-64, a pretty dismal showing.
. East Tenn State (4-7) . . . . Holy Cross (4-7) . . . . Northwestern State (4-7)
. Florida A&M (3-8) . . . .. . . MVSU (2-9) . . . . . . . . Robert Morris (2-9)
. Fordham (4-7) . . . . . . . . . Montana (7-4) . . .. . . Tennessee Tech (1-10)
. Hampton (6-5)
I found seven teams that are currently looking for coaches. Their combined 2107 records were 17-60.
. Alabama A&M (4-7) . . . . . Delaware State (2-9)
. Alabama State (5-6) . . . . . Incarnate Word (1-10)
. Ark-Pine Bluff (2-9) . . . . . Morgan State (1-10)
. Davidson (2-9)
It’s changing fast, so the list could be different by the time I get this posted. But as of now, that’s a total of 17 teams out of all 123 FCS programs that are turning over their head coaches this year. And, despite the late date, there might be some other programs that could still pull the trigger.
Among the other major losers, there were several programs that have “excuses” or glimmers of hope that might allow the coaches some extra time. The coach for Albany (4-7), for example, started in 2014 and has a 21-24 record. But in two of those years, they had a winning record in the CAA. Houston Baptist has a disastrous record (12-39), but they only started football in 2014. Stetson is also a mess at 16-40, but they only restarted their program in 2013.
Still, in this block of teams where the coaches have had four to five years, I see four that seem primed for a change. Here, I show the 2017 record, [when the current coach was hired], his overall record, and comments.
. Stephen F. Austin (4-7) [2014] Overall 21-25. Not sure their fans are very happy with this.
. Cornell (3-7) [2013] Overall 12-38. School has buyout problems that may allow another year.
. Rhode Island (3-8) [2014] Overall 7-38. Expectations low, but maybe not that low.
. SE Mo State (3-8) [2014] Overall 13-26. Same as Rhode Island.
My list also includes three teams where the coaches have had more time … but the clock could be running out. (Same format)
. Bucknell (5-6) [2010] Overall 37-51. Apparently, winning doesn’t matter much.
. Northern Colorado (3-7) [2011] Overall 24-53. The coach is supposedly safe, but the college president who has supported his tenure is retiring … so he could have a problem with that feeble record.
. Cal Poly (1-10) [2009] Record 51-52. Has had some past success, but support is unraveling.
There were seventeen teams with awful records (none won more than four games and three didn’t win any) that had coaches completing their first, second or third years. These coaches might be safe, although the guys at Missouri State (8-25 overall since 2015) and VMI (5-28) should not feel too comfortable.
I also found seven programs with very bad 2017 records, but the coaches mostly have long tenures with reasonable success that cuts them a bit of slack. The William & Mary coach, for example, was 2-9 this year, but has an overall record of 245-189. Not sure the Sacred Heart (4-7, 2017) coach – who is 37-32 since 2012 – has a good enough record to feel safe.
Again, I know it seems way late to change now, but you really wonder how some of the programs noted above can afford to wait.
What I have found so far are ten school (including UM) that have new coaches. Of these teams, only one besides UM had a winning record: Hampton went 6-5, but their four-year 20-25 coach “stepped down” and was replaced. The combined 2017 records for the other eight teams was 24-64, a pretty dismal showing.
. East Tenn State (4-7) . . . . Holy Cross (4-7) . . . . Northwestern State (4-7)
. Florida A&M (3-8) . . . .. . . MVSU (2-9) . . . . . . . . Robert Morris (2-9)
. Fordham (4-7) . . . . . . . . . Montana (7-4) . . .. . . Tennessee Tech (1-10)
. Hampton (6-5)
I found seven teams that are currently looking for coaches. Their combined 2107 records were 17-60.
. Alabama A&M (4-7) . . . . . Delaware State (2-9)
. Alabama State (5-6) . . . . . Incarnate Word (1-10)
. Ark-Pine Bluff (2-9) . . . . . Morgan State (1-10)
. Davidson (2-9)
It’s changing fast, so the list could be different by the time I get this posted. But as of now, that’s a total of 17 teams out of all 123 FCS programs that are turning over their head coaches this year. And, despite the late date, there might be some other programs that could still pull the trigger.
Among the other major losers, there were several programs that have “excuses” or glimmers of hope that might allow the coaches some extra time. The coach for Albany (4-7), for example, started in 2014 and has a 21-24 record. But in two of those years, they had a winning record in the CAA. Houston Baptist has a disastrous record (12-39), but they only started football in 2014. Stetson is also a mess at 16-40, but they only restarted their program in 2013.
Still, in this block of teams where the coaches have had four to five years, I see four that seem primed for a change. Here, I show the 2017 record, [when the current coach was hired], his overall record, and comments.
. Stephen F. Austin (4-7) [2014] Overall 21-25. Not sure their fans are very happy with this.
. Cornell (3-7) [2013] Overall 12-38. School has buyout problems that may allow another year.
. Rhode Island (3-8) [2014] Overall 7-38. Expectations low, but maybe not that low.
. SE Mo State (3-8) [2014] Overall 13-26. Same as Rhode Island.
My list also includes three teams where the coaches have had more time … but the clock could be running out. (Same format)
. Bucknell (5-6) [2010] Overall 37-51. Apparently, winning doesn’t matter much.
. Northern Colorado (3-7) [2011] Overall 24-53. The coach is supposedly safe, but the college president who has supported his tenure is retiring … so he could have a problem with that feeble record.
. Cal Poly (1-10) [2009] Record 51-52. Has had some past success, but support is unraveling.
There were seventeen teams with awful records (none won more than four games and three didn’t win any) that had coaches completing their first, second or third years. These coaches might be safe, although the guys at Missouri State (8-25 overall since 2015) and VMI (5-28) should not feel too comfortable.
I also found seven programs with very bad 2017 records, but the coaches mostly have long tenures with reasonable success that cuts them a bit of slack. The William & Mary coach, for example, was 2-9 this year, but has an overall record of 245-189. Not sure the Sacred Heart (4-7, 2017) coach – who is 37-32 since 2012 – has a good enough record to feel safe.
Again, I know it seems way late to change now, but you really wonder how some of the programs noted above can afford to wait.