Chris Vannini’s College Football Coaching Tracker: Nov. 1-30, 2019 (2024)

CONTACT — E-mail: cvannini@theathletic.com or Twitter direct message @ChrisVannini. Sources remain confidential.

Nov. 30

Ball State: Defensive coordinator David Elson will not return, according to Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde.

Mississippi State: Head coach Joe Moorhead is expected to return, according to Steve Robertson and multiple reports.

Jackson State: Quarterbacks coach TC Taylor has been promoted to offensive coordinator, wide receivers coach Brady Ackerman has moved to running backs coach and previous offensive coordinator Ron Dickerson Jr. has moved to special teams coordinator. Running backs coach Sleepy Robinson is no longer on staff.

Missouri: Head coach Barry Odom has been fired, the school announced. Odom was 25-25 in four seasons, including 6-6 this year after a 5-1 start. Odom received a contract extension though 2024 last December after an 8-5 season. His buyout is an estimated $2.3 million. “As a program, we had tremendous momentum coming into the 2019 season with the opening of the new south end zone facility as well as other strategic investments in our football program,” athletic director Jim Sterk said in a statement released by Missouri. “However, we lost a great deal of that energy during the last half of the season. This decision was difficult to make but was necessary.”

Here is Chris Vannini’s Missouri job profile.

Nov. 29

UNLV: The Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Mark Anderson reports, “The agents for Cal DC and former Fresno State head coach Tim DeRuyter recently toured the Fertitta Football Complex and were very impressed. They say DeRuyter is heavily interested in the UNLV opening. They also represent Raiders coach Jon Gruden.”

Nov. 28

Mississippi State: Head coach Joe Moorhead said of job speculation after beating Ole Miss: “This is my team, this is my school, this is my program. You’ll have to drag my Yankee ass out of here.”

Nov. 27

New Mexico: Asked about the New Mexico job, Arizona State defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales told reporters, “I’m the defensive coordinator here at Arizona State. I do love this place. I was taught a long time ago, between Bronco Mendenhall and Rocky (Long) that when people talk, you always listen. And I think that’s the best thing to do. When you’re wanted, it’s always nice. … I haven’t made a single phone call and I won’t. It’s not what I do. I was also taught that in this profession those guys that are constantly chasing jobs get a reputation. And that’s just bad business. I love where we’re at.”

Missouri State: The school announced that head coach Dave Steckel will return next season. Steckel is 13-42 in five seasons.

Ball State: Athletic director Beth Goetz tells The Star Press that head coach Mike Neu will return and will receive an extension. Neu is 14-33 in four years at his alma mater, including 4-7 this year. His current contract has one year remaining on it.

New Mexico: Head coach Bob Davie’s buyout is around $840,000, per his contract, paid in monthly installments through 2021 and subject to offset. But athletic director Eddie Nuñez hinted a different buyout may be worked out.

UNLV: Head coach Tony Sanchez’s buyout is around $650,000, per his contract, and not subject to an offset.

Rutgers: Boston College head coach Steve Addazio has expressed interest in the Rutgers job, according to NJ.com.

Nov. 26

UTEP: Athletic director Jim Senter recently told KTSM in El Paso, “Everybody, including Coach (Dana) Dimel, would say they want to see more. The reality is you’ve got to build a program, and it takes time. It’s like building a house. That’s what we’re engaged in for the long-term, the big play, which is further out in year three, four, five six and seven. I know we all want to win and win right now. We’re going to do it the right way, with class and integrity and we’re going to see the benefits.”

Nov. 25

Cal Poly: Head coach Tim Walsh has announced his retirement after 11 seasons leading the program. Walsh went 59-66 at Cal Poly and spent a total of 29 years as a head coach, also working at Portland State and Sonoma State. Cal Poly went 3-8 this season.

New Mexico: Head coach Bob Davie will not return next season, the school announced. Davie is 35-63 in eight seasons, including bowl games in 2015 and 2016. Here is a breakdown of the job’s pluses and minuses.

“In stepping aside, I’m proud of what we accomplished at UNM, but we are all disappointed that we have not been able to sustain the success that we achieved and all desire” Davie said in a release. “My family and I will be forever grateful to UNM for giving me the opportunity to coach again after being at ESPN for 10 years.”

Lamar: Head coach Mike Schultz has been fired. Schultz went 13-22 in three seasons, including 7-5 in 2018.

Eastern Kentucky: Head coach Mark Elder will not return, a person with knowledge of the situation tells The Athletic’s Chris Vannini. The Richmond Register first reported the news. Elder went 21-24 in four seasons, including seven-win seasons in each of the past two years, but his contract will not be renewed.

UNLV: The UNLV staff and players have been told head coach Tony Sanchez will not return next season, a person with knowledge of the situation tells The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. Sanchez went 19-40 in five seasons. He was previously the head coach at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, posting an 85-5 record. Sanchez will coach the final game Saturday at Nevada, a person with knowledge of the situation tells The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach. Here is an analysis of the job and a breakdown of potential candidates.

Nov. 24

Mercer: Head coach Bobby Lamb has been fired. Lamb was 40-39 in seven seasons.

Gardner-Webb: Head coach Carroll McCray has been fired. McCray went 27-53 in seven seasons.

Rutgers: Greg Schiano will not return to Rutgers for a second tenure as head coach, a person with knowledge of the situation tells The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. Yahoo Sports’ Pete Thamel first reported the news. According to Stadium’s Brett McMurphy, Rutgers offered Schiano an eight-year, $32 million deal. With Schiano out, names to keep an eye on for the Rutgers job include Anthony Campanile, Jeff Hafley, Butch Jones, Bret Bielema and Joe Moorhead. For more, read Feldman’s story here.

Northern Colorado: Head coach Earnest Collins Jr. has been fired. Collins was 28-72 in nine seasons.

Rutgers: Two potential backup targets if Rutgers and Greg Schiano don’t come to terms include LA Rams assistant coordinator for offense Jedd Fisch and Michigan linebackers coach Anthony Campanile, according to NJ.com. Both are New Jersey natives.

Murray State: Head coach Mitch Stewart has been reassigned within the athletic department. He went 19-37 in five years as head coach.

Nov. 23

Kentucky: After Saturday’s win, head coach Mark Stoops responded to Florida State reports by saying, “This is where my heart is. This is where I’m going to be. I’m going to be at Kentucky.”

Nov. 21

Arizona: Athletic director Dave Heeke will receive an extension through March 2023 with a $100,000 salary raise to $750,000, pending board approval.

Arizona: Defensive line coach Iona Uiagalelei has been fired. This was his first season on staff. Kevin Sumlin has now fired three defensive assistants this season. Defensive analyst Greg Patrick will take over defensive line duties.

Nov. 20

South Carolina: After making conflicting comments about head coach Will Muschamp’s future, school president Bob Caslen said in a Wednesday statement, in part, “I apologize for any confusion my comments have created with Gameco*ck fans or our program. Our athletic director and I support Will Muschamp, and we look forward to him being our coach next year and for seasons to come.”

Arkansas: Former Arkansas and Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt said on 103.7 The Buzz, “Jon fa*gg, the assistant AD, has called me just to touch base. Nothing big. I think they’re down the road a little bit. I think they’ve zeroed in on a few guys. It’s still early.”

Nov. 19

Alabama: Athletic director Greg Byrne has received a raise to $1.3 million in 2019-20 with annual raises through 2026, according toAL.com.

Vanderbilt: Head coach Derek Mason will return next season. Athletic director Malcolm Turner said on Twitter: “I want to make it very clear that Derek Mason will be our head football coach moving forward. Coach Mason has my full support and I am committed to working with him to ensure our football program has the necessary resources and support to succeed. We are in the midst of developing a new and robust athletic strategic plan with the vision to put the football program and all of our varsity sports in a position to win on and off the field of play. Coach Mason is committed to leading Vanderbilt’s football program the right way and we will move forward in that spirit together.” Mason is 26-46 in six seasons, including 2-8 this year, with two bowl games in that span.

Michigan State: Asked Tuesday if he plans to coach Michigan State in 2020, Mark Dantonio responded, “Yes.” He added that certain things are out of his control, but he plans to be the coach.

Rutgers: Greg Schiano has signaled to Rutgers officials he is willing to accept the head coaching job, and the final step isapproval from the school’s board of governors, according toNJ.com.

Nov. 18

South Carolina: School president Robert Caslen told SCNow that athletic director Ray Tanner spoke with Florida State about how it is paying Willie Taggart’s buyout, adding that FSU has a lot more money. Tanner said last week that Muschamp will remain as head coach moving forward. Caslen also told the paper, “If we’re totally imploding and no one shows up, I’d say we’ll have a discussion. But there’s no desire intended to make a change.” Muschamp’s buyout is around $19 million. Caslen later released a statement saying Tanner did not speak with FSU about coaching contracts.

Florida State: Recruiting coordinator David Kelly is no longer on staff, and senior defensive analyst Mario Edwards has been promoted to an on-field assistant position. Last offseason, FSU tried to move Kelly to an off-field role, but an NCAA waiver to get around the IWAP rule was denied, keeping Kelly as one of 10 countable full-time assistants.

BYU: The school has officially announced a contract extension for head coach Kalani Sitake through 2023. Sitake, whose original contract ran through 2020, is 26-23 in four seasons, including 6-4 this year.

Nov. 17

Hawaii: Head coach Nick Rolovich has triggered a one-year extension with the team’s seventh win on Saturday.

Iowa: The Hawkeyes’ win vs. Minnesota was their seventh of the season, fully guaranteeing another year of buyout in Kirk Ferentz’s current 10-year contract.

Nov. 16

BYU: Head coach Kalani Sitake will receive a contract extension, athletic director Tom Holmoe told players after BYU’s win today. Sitake is 26-23 in four seasons, including 6-4 this year.

Nebraska: Head coach Scott Frost has received a two-year extension through 2026. Frost is 8-13 in two years. The original terms remain intact. His salary is $5 million. The original buyout was $2.5 million per year remaining if Frost left for another job. It’s $5 million per year if Frost is fired before 2023 and $2.5 million per year in 2023 or later, subject to offset.

Nov. 15

South Carolina: Athletic director Ray Tanner announced that Will Muschamp will remain as head coach, saying in a statement: “Today, I want to make it clear that Will Muschamp is our football coach and will be our coach going forward. President (Robert) Caslen and I are fully supportive of his leadership and his development of student-athletes on and off the field. Coach Muschamp and our staff are dedicated to the success of Gameco*ck football. They have built a program where our team plays for each other and for our University, and they deserve our support. While we wish the outcome of some of our games would have been different, we are excited about the future of our program.”

Ohio: Head coach Frank Solich said today that there have been discussions about a contract extension. His current contract ends in January. At 75 years old, Solich is the oldest FBS coach.

Florida State: The school has been in contact with representatives of former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, but he is not a candidate for the FSU job, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.

Illinois: Athletic director Josh Whitman’s contract has been extended through June 2024.

Nov. 13

Texas: Athletic director Chris Del Conte is set to receive a new contract into 2027 worth more than $18 million, according to the Austin American-Statesman. Del Conte’s starting salary will be $2.08 million and continue to increase up to $2.45 million, making him one of the highest-paid public-school athletic directors.

Rutgers: Greg Schiano recently met with New Jersey governor Phil Murphy, according toNJ.com. The state government could play a role in Rutgers’ potential football facility upgrades, something Schiano wants secured as part of a possible return as head coach.

Nov. 12

Louisiana Tech: Head coach Skip Holtz has received an automatic one-year extension through 2023 for winning eight games this season, according to USA Today.

Oklahoma State: Former Kansas linebackers coach Todd Bradford has joined the OK State staff as director of recruiting. Bradford coached linebackers at OK State from 2005-07 and had coached at many other stops from 1987-2017, before spending the past year-plus in private business.

Nov. 11

Florida State: Deion Sanders said Sunday that he has not spoken to anyone at Florida State about their head coaching job.

Nov. 10

LSU: The school is working on a new deal for passing game coordinator Joe Brady that could worth as much as $1.5 million annually, according to Yahoo Sports’ Pete Thamel. Brady currently earns $400,000.

Boise State: Bryan Harsin’s contract added another year with his eighth win Saturday, per a contract cause, and he now has five years remaining on the deal.

Arkansas: Head coach Chad Morris has been fired, the school announced Sunday. Morris went 4-18 in two years, losing to Western Kentucky on Saturday. Morris posted a 0-14 record in SEC games and a 2-4 record against Group of 5 teams. Morris’ buyout will be around $10 million, but that is paid out in monthly installments through 2023 and is subject to offset from salary at Morris’ next job. Tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. will serve as interim head coach. “As part of my continued evaluation, I have come to the conclusion that a change in leadership is necessary to move our football program forward and position it for success,” Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek said. “It is clear that we have not made the progress necessary to compete and win, especially within the Southeastern Conference.”

Here is Chris Vannini’s Arkansas job profile.

Nov. 8

Michigan State: Asked about the idea of firing Mark Dantonio after the season, athletic director Bill Beekman tells the Lansing State Journal, “That is not even a discussion. Mark’s our head coach, there’s no question about that.”

Rutgers: The school “is prepared to meet Greg Schiano’s requirements to accept its head coaching vacancy,” moving the sides closer to a reunion, according toNJ.com. It has not been finalized.

Florida State: Regarding a report from NFL Network that Deion Sanders is a candidate for the Florida State head coaching job, theTallahassee Democrat reports Sanders is not a candidate.

Nov. 7

USC: The school has officially introduced Cincinnati athletic director Mike Bohn as its AD. Bohn noted at the press conference, “It would be premature to talk about coaches.”

Nov. 6

Indiana: The school is working on a contract extension and raise for head coach Tom Allen, athletic director Fred Glass tells the Indianapolis Star.

Howard: Head coach Ron Prince has been placed on administrative amid an investigation into abuse allegations.

Rutgers: Greg Schiano met with Rutgers officials in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday, but no decision has been made between the sides, according toNJ.com, which adds that Schiano is believed to want “significant improvements to the football infrastructure.”

Nov. 5

Florida State: Analyst Jim Leavitt will fill the open on-field coaching position following the firing of head coach Willie Taggart and promotion of Odell Haggins to interim head coach.

Minnesota: Head coach P.J. Fleck has agreed to a new seven-year contract through 2026, the school announced Tuesday. The contract will pay $4.6 million annually, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, and is guaranteed at 65 percent. The buyout if Fleck leaves in the first year is $10 million. Fleck’s current contract includes a buyout of $1 million per year remaining on the deal. Minnesota is 8-0 this season and 20-13 in three years under Fleck.

“It is a tremendous honor to lead this team and represent the University of Minnesota and this great state,” said Fleck. “Our family absolutely loves Minnesota, and we are excited to continue to call this state home. We are building a championship culture — one that our fans can be proud of — through the academic, athletic, social and spiritual development of our student-athletes.”

Florida State: Athletic director David Coburn tells theTallahassee Democrat that the Seminoles are interested in former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, but any rumors that a deal is in place are not true. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit adds that he talked to Stoops and that Stoops said he is not a candidate

Nov. 4

FAU: CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd reports Lane Kiffin has expressed interest in the Florida State job. Kiffin reacted on Twitter by telling people to come to FAU. Asked who would stay at FAU, Kiffin replied, “Me.”

Florida State: Athletic director David Coburn says he will hire a search firm, and boosters will assist in the search. Here is Chris Vannini’s job profile and Bruce Feldman’s potential candidates.

Nov. 3

Rutgers: School officials are expected to meet with former head coach Greg Schiano this week, and there is an internal belief that a reunion could happen quickly, according toNJ.com. A formal interview has not yet happened.

Florida State: Head coach Willie Taggart has been fired. Taggart went 9-11 in two seasons, including a 4-5 start this year. FSU lost 27-10 to Miami (Fla.) on Saturday. Odell Haggins will serve as interim head coach. Taggart’s buyout is expected to be around $17 million, subject to offset. Athletic director David Coburn said in a release, “I spoke to Coach Taggart this afternoon to let him know of our decision. I met with the team and coaches immediately after that conversation to let them know of the change. It was very important to us that the student-athletes know right away.” President John Thrasher added, “I think very highly of Coach Taggart and wish him well, but in the interest of the university we had no choice but to make a change. We will support our student-athletes in every way and do all we can to return to the winning tradition that is Seminole football.”

Syracuse: Syracuse has fired defensive coordinator Brian Ward. The Orange lost 58-27 to Boston College on Saturday and gave up 691 total yards. Defensive ends coach Steve Stanard will be the interim defensive coordinator.

Nov. 1

Rutgers: Former Tennessee head coach Butch Jones interviewed for the Rutgers head coaching job on Friday, according to 247Sports andNJ.com.

USC: USC is nearing a deal with Cincinnati’s Mike Bohn to become its new athletic director, a person with knowledge of the situation tells The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman.