The Energy 4 teaching carousel is off to a gradual begin, however the Group of 5 is transferring full steam forward. As of Nov. 20, 9 coaches have been fired through the 2024 season. Together with two interim coaches who aren’t assured to be retained and one retirement, there are 12 jobs open heading into late November.
Whereas the profile of jobs like Alabama or Michigan converse for themselves, digging into the Group of 5 is a distinct problem. For some, looming convention realignment hangs over their head. For others, it is a flat-out financial challenge. Kennesaw State, for instance, has barely even began the method of transitioning as much as FBS. The following coach should stay with that.
Hiring on the Group of 5 stage has by no means been extra difficult. Within the final yr alone, a number of sitting coaches have left positions within the Solar Belt or MAC to grow to be place coaches at Energy 4 colleges. For these hoping to sometime grow to be coaches within the SEC, an influence convention coordinator job is perhaps the simpler path than successful massive on a smaller stage. And with the growth of energy convention assistant jobs and salaries, an enormous variety of these gigs pay extra, too.
The sorts of candidates these jobs can courtroom finally play a big position within the carousel. Simply final yr, Tulane poached extremely profitable Troy coach Jon Sumrall. UTEP employed Scotty Walden from the FCS ranks. Center Tennessee (Derek Mason) and New Mexico (Bronco Mendenhall) introduced in main convention retreads, whereas Troy (Gerad Parker) and Nevada (Jeff Choate) seemed to prime energy convention assistants.
With that in thoughts, we went by and ranked all 12 FBS openings utilizing our personal subjective standards.
All wage information is from the USA At the moment School Soccer salaries database
1. Fresno State
Earlier Coach: Jeff Tedford (45-22, 27-13 MWC in two stints)
Earlier Wage: $1.55 million
Final Convention Title: 2022
Fresno State has quietly been probably the greatest Group of 5 applications within the final 15 years. Since 2012, the Bulldogs have received 4 convention titles and 5 straight coaches have received a minimum of 10 video games in a season relationship again to 1980. The Bulldogs ought to solely proceed to raise this system as they be part of the new-look Pac-12 in 2026 with playoff-contending upside.
“Recruiting will solely be enhanced,” 247Sports’ Brandon Huffman mentioned of the transfer. “They’ve carried out a terrific job within the Fresno space within the 2025 class, and with the area robust within the subsequent few years, the potential is there to essentially take benefit with the transfer to the Pac-12 for whoever fills Tedford’s position”
2. East Carolina
Earlier Coach: Mike Houston (27-38, 15-28 AAC)
Earlier Wage: $2.46 million
Final Convention Title: 2009
Among the many 11 openings, East Carolina has maybe probably the most financial funding for a brand new coach. Houston ranked among the many Group of 5 leaders in wage and the Pirates are critical about spending for NIL. Even underneath Houston, ECU ranked within the prime half of the AAC within the 247Sports Expertise Composite.
“East Carolina has a robust convention affiliation within the American, a reasonably fertile recruiting floor in North Carolina (in addition to proximity to Virginia and South Carolina) and a robust historical past of fine recruits and participant improvement,” Huffman mentioned. “It doesn’t matter what, the help from the college, being within the American and their historical past makes this a program that ought to proceed to be one of many higher recruiting alternatives from the openings.”
3. FAU
Earlier Coach: Tom Herman (6-16, 3-9 AAC)
Earlier Wage: $1 million
Final Convention Title: 2019
The professionals and cons of the FAU job are the identical: Florida. The state is without doubt one of the most overrecruited areas within the nation. It is also one of the expertise wealthy. Outdoors of Lane Kiffin, the Owls have averaged 4.2 wins per yr since 2005. On the similar time, Kiffin received two Convention USA titles in three years. Whoever is available in subsequent should convey consistency to this place. Whereas rumors of Ray Lewis are unlikely, pondering outdoors the field is not a foul thought.
“From a geographical standpoint, FAU shouldn’t be not like Fresno State (California), Kennesaw State (Georgia) or Rice (Texas) in sitting in a talent-rich state, regardless of being a tier beneath the in-state powers that be,” Huffman mentioned. “However you’ll be able to win right here — Lane Kiffin did. You may recruit right here. It has amenities and an athletic division that helps it. It simply must — after Kiffin, Taggart, Tom Herman, and Howard Schnellenberger, who obtained this system began — perhaps steer away from the fired-Energy-4-at-a-major-school-retread route.”
4. Southern Miss
Earlier Coach: Will Corridor (14-30, 8-19 Solar Belt/CUSA)
Earlier Wage: $824,000
Final Convention Title: 2011
Souther Miss boasts among the proudest custom of any workforce on this listing. Beneath Jeff Bower, this was a legendary Group of 5 program that cherished to punch up. The fan help is there. Sadly, it is also one which’s suffered from the financial realities of contemporary school soccer. Southern Miss’s working income ranks 104 out of 110 public colleges, per Sportico, and the anticipated wage will mirror that. What retains Southern Miss aggressive is that Mississippi stays a goldmine of underrecruited expertise. Corridor was additionally a stable recruiter and developer. Do not be shocked if the subsequent coach is ready to capitalize and produces one of the gifted rosters within the Solar Belt.
5. Utah State
Earlier Coach: Blake Anderson (23-17, 15-9 Mountain West)
Earlier Wage: $1.3 million
Final Convention Title: 2021
Few states love soccer fairly like Utah and the Aggies have been a beneficiary lately. Outdoors of the pandemic, Utah State had made 11 bowls in 12 seasons earlier than Anderson was dismissed following Title IX violations. The comparatively distant location implies that recruiting can be a nationwide endeavor and the cash is center of the pack, although becoming a member of the reformed Pac-12 will assist enhance profile. Taking on a program after a coach was fired for trigger at all times places a minimum of a small asterisk on it.
6. Charlotte
Earlier Coach: Biff Poggi (6-16, 4-10 AAC)
Earlier Wage: $1 million
Final Convention Title: n/a
In some ways, Charlotte is this system most set to outline its identification with this subsequent rent. The college made a serious gamble by including FBS soccer barely a decade in the past and spent handsomely to construct an on-campus stadium. Outdoors of a bowl journey in 2019, outcomes have been blended. There’s nonetheless little proof of idea of Charlotte as a vacation spot for recruits, regardless of its positioning in a serious metropolis. This system has a 48-101 all-time document. Metropolis applications is usually a entice for many who assume proximity to inhabitants will translate into followers and recruits. For many, that by no means comes true.
7. Rice
Earlier Coach: Mike Bloomgren (24-52, 17-32 AAC/CUSA)
Earlier Wage: $981,781
Final Convention Title: 2013
Rice is without doubt one of the most original jobs within the nation. The Owls sit in Houston, Texas — one of the aggressive recruiting territories in your entire nation. Due to their strict enrollment requirements, recruiting can nonetheless be a problem. Moreover, it is a program that merely doesn’t get constant fan help. Outdoors of a one-year cease by Todd Graham (naturally), Rice has solely had three coaches since 1994, an unimaginable run of stability. Program boosters have proven they’re prepared to financially help the proper coach.
8. Temple
Earlier Coach: Stan Drayton (9-25, 4-18 AAC)
Earlier Wage: $1.9 million
Final Convention Title: 2016
When issues go dangerous at Temple, they go astronomically dangerous. Since Rod Carey’s second season in 2020, Temple is 13-40 as a program, together with 6-31 in AAC play. Matt Rhule proved it is attainable to win in Philly, however the faculty has proven little curiosity in investing on the stage it takes to maintain success — even within the watered down AAC. Regardless of Drayton’s robust popularity as a recruiter, Temple nonetheless ranked final amongst non-academy groups in 247Sports Expertise Composite. It takes a particular skillset to even compete right here.
9. Central Michigan
Earlier Coach: Jim McElwain (33-35, 23-22 MAC)
Earlier Wage: $1.05 million
Final Convention Title: 2009
Central Michigan is considered one of a number of groups within the MAC’s center class, however the Chippewas have some benefits to promote. CMU ranks within the prime half of the convention in each income and spending, and this system was considered one of solely three to pay their coach greater than $1 million. Over a 16-year stretch from 2006-21, the Chippewas made 11 bowl video games. Brian Kelly and Butch Jones additionally elevated their careers on the faculty. Questions on upside exist, but it surely’s a stable job within the MAC.
10. UMass
Earlier Coach: Don Brown (49-47 in two stints)
Earlier Wage: $882,586
Final Convention Title: 2007 (CAA)
UMass is without doubt one of the extra intriguing jobs on the board. The Minutemen are hampered by poor amenities and sparse recruiting territory in New England. On the similar time, Brown’s wage would have ranked No. 4 within the MAC, the place the Minutemen head in 2025. Becoming a member of a convention can be an enormous profit for the subsequent coach, however discovering a candidate that may appeal to gamers and coaches is a novel problem.
11. Ball State
Earlier Coach: Mike Neu (40-63, 25-43 MAC)
Earlier Wage: $705,000
Final Convention Title: 2020
Ball State is considered one of many MAC colleges going through main challenges. The Cardinals rank final amongst legacy FBS openings in working income and determine to supply one of many lowest wage ranges available on the market. The excellent news is that Ball State usually provides you time – just one rent since 1978 has been there lower than 5 years.
12. Kennesaw State
Earlier Coach: Brian Bohannon
Earlier Wage: $376,000
Final Convention Title: n/a
There are issues to love about Kennesaw State as this system strikes to FBS, particularly its location outdoors of talent-rich Atlanta. That mentioned, the subsequent man will basically serve in a transition position after the Owls fired longtime coach Brian Bohannon lower than a yr into his first season. Bohannon made $150,000 lower than another coach in FBS and the subsequent rent probably will not fare significantly better. The following coach may also need to construct and keep a roster transitioning into the mercurial Convention USA. There isn’t any clear path ahead.
