The college football coaching carousel has begun spinning following an unprecedented stretch of turnover across the Football Bowl Subdivision over recent years. CBS Sports is tracking major staff changes and potential replacements across Power Four programs.
Florida State and Baylor Make Leadership Changes
Florida State parted ways with head coach Mike Norvell on Nov. 1 following a loss to Clemson, ending his seven-season tenure in Tallahassee. Norvell’s stint was highlighted by an undefeated campaign in 2023 that ended in a missed College Football Playoff spot. The program now faces questions surrounding its underlying finances as it begins looking for its next head coach.
Baylor also made a change at head coach by dismissing Dave Aranda after seven seasons. Although Aranda led the Bears to a Big 12 title in 2021, he accumulated a 40-40 overall record and went 26-32 in conference play. Potential replacements reported by CBS Sports include UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor, Texas State head coach GJ Kinne, and USC head coach Lincoln Riley, all of whom have prominent ties to Texas high school football.
Maryland and NC State Part Ways With Longtime Coaches
Maryland initiated the current wave of firings on Oct. 21 by relieving Mike Locksley of his duties midway through his eighth season. Locksley recorded a 39-54 overall mark at Maryland, coming off consecutive 4-8 campaigns heading into 2026. Early candidates associated with the vacancy include Wake Forest head coach Jake Dickert and Memphis head coach Charles Huff, who is a Maryland native.
NC State brought Dave Doeren’s 14-year tenure to an end after a 31-28 defeat to Stanford left the Wolfpack at 1-3 in ACC competition. High-profile candidates under consideration for the Raleigh opening include former NC State quarterback Philip Rivers, who has coached high school football in Alabama for five years and interviewed with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills in January. Other names linked to the post include Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson, UNLV head coach Dan Mullen, and Charles Huff.
The initial wave of major conference openings comes after 93 FBS programs replaced their head coaches over the previous three offseasons, including 32 new head coaching hires made in 2025 alone.
