College football’s coordinator carousel is often about the next big thing, the name you don’t know yet but will soon enough. The most recent hiring cycle, though, will be defined by familiar names in familiar places.
Chad Morris is back as offensive coordinator at Clemson, where he helped engineer the program’s rise alongside Dabo Swinney from 2011 to 2014. Will Muschamp is back as defensive coordinator at Texas, where he accelerated his “Coach Boom” reputation and spent 2009 and 2010 as head coach-in-waiting behind Mack Brown. Gary Patterson has not worked at USC before, but his arrival as defensive coordinator — a role he hasn’t held since 2000 — under a coach he knows well (Lincoln Riley) qualifies as one of the splashiest moves of the winter.
The most familiar name in a familiar place is that of Brent Pry, whom Virginia Tech hired as defensive coordinator in a truly historic move. Pry began the 2025 season as the Hokies’ head coach and will begin 2026 as their defensive playcaller, working for the coach (James Franklin) who replaced him, and for whom he last served as a DC at Penn State.
Got all that?
The theme of the cycle, and a subplot for the 2026 season, is whether proven playcallers can replicate their success at places they know and at new ones.
This past coordinator carousel still has some names on the rise and key staff retentions, including at national championship participants Indiana and Miami, and several other CFP teams. Here’s a look at the key coordinator moves made in each Power 4 conference and how they could impact the 2026 season.
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Big Ten | SEC | ACC | Big 12
BIG TEN
Most interesting hire: Northwestern OC Chip Kelly
Timing is everything when it comes to many coaching hires, and Kelly’s availability — after being fired just 11 games into his tenure as Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator — and willingness to take on a role like this made Northwestern jump at the opportunity. Northwestern needs excitement around its program as it opens new Ryan Field. Despite seven bowl appearances since the start of the 2015 season, Northwestern ranks 129th nationally in scoring during the span. “If I was going to make a change, we can’t just make a change to make a change,” Northwestern coach David Braun told me. “Let’s make an aggressive, transformational change.”
Kelly gives Northwestern a proven playcaller who can help improve its situational offense. The Wildcats tied for 60th nationally in red zone drives but were 129th in red zone touchdown percentage last season.
“Chip’s acumen and understanding for how we can manipulate coverages and utilize the QB run game is really exciting,” Braun said. “Ultimately, someone who understands, you win in the NFL by winning on third down, winning on two-minute drives and being successful in the red zone. That’s one area of the field where players matter, but scheme really matters.”
Another notable OC hire from the NFL is Ohio State‘s Arthur Smith, the former Atlanta Falcons coach who held coordinator stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans. Like Kelly in 2024, Smith arrives as a true autonomous playcaller, and will allow Buckeyes coach Ryan Day to focus on overall management of the team. Day likely would have needed to be more directly involved if he promoted an assistant to the OC role, and Smith’s hiring makes the responsibilities clear.
Name on the rise: Nebraska DC Rob Aurich
Shutouts don’t occur very often in college football, especially from Group of 5 defenses, but San Diego State blanked three opponents in 2025 and allowed 10 points or fewer in five other victories. The Aztecs finished sixth nationally in points allowed (15.4 PPG), behind four CFP teams and Toledo. Aurich, in his first season as SDSU’s defensive coordinator, oversaw the surge and put himself on the radar for a significant opportunity with Matt Rhule at Nebraska. He returned to the Midwest, where he grew up, played college football and began his career at stops like Bemidji State and South Dakota. Among Aurich’s top priorities will be improving Nebraska’s run defense, which slipped to 98th nationally last fall.
Another new Big Ten defensive coordinator with FCS roots is Travis Johansen, set to join Rutgers after serving as South Dakota’s coach in 2025. Johansen has been at USD since 2019, spending six seasons as defensive coordinator — Aurich worked under him from 2019 to 2021 — before taking over the program.
Key retentions: Indiana’s Bryant Haines and Mike Shanahan, Ohio State’s Matt Patricia
Not long ago, teams like Indiana, that had seasons like Indiana had, would almost certainly lose top assistants, often for the same roles at higher-profile programs. But nothing is typical about Indiana’s rise. The Hoosiers have not only recorded consecutive CFP appearances and their first national title, but also have made the necessary investments to keep coach Curt Cignetti’s top assistants. Since Shanahan and Haines arrived in 2024, Indiana leads the FBS in scoring (41.5 PPG) and ranks second in fewest points allowed (13.5 PPG). Both coordinators are rooted with Cignetti, but other opportunities have surfaced and they’ve stayed put for a third season.
Patricia is back for a second season at Ohio State after overseeing a historically strong group that led the FBS with just 9.3 points per game allowed.
Blast from the past: USC DC Gary Patterson
This will be interesting. Patterson is a Hall of Fame coach with a keen eye for defensive talent and developing players, as he displayed throughout his 22-year run as TCU coach. He has never worked at a program with USC’s combination of history, resources and access to talent, and could be a significant asset for Lincoln Riley as the Trojans attempt to make their first playoff. Although Patterson has held some support roles since the end of his TCU tenure, he hasn’t been a coordinator for more than a quarter-century. How will the headstrong Patterson adjust to answering to a boss 23 years younger than him?
Also worth mentioning is Kevin Kane, who returns to Purdue as defensive coordinator, a role he held in 2023 and 2024. Although Kane was on hand for a very rough stretch for Boiler football, he also has extensive Big Ten experience and solid coordinator stints at SMU and Northern Illinois.
Joining new coaches: Jason Beck and Jay Hill (Michigan), D’Anton Lynn (Penn State)
The Big Ten adds four new coaches, but most eyes will be on Kyle Whittingham and Matt Campbell at Michigan and Penn State, respectively. Both are bringing their offensive coordinators from previous stops while adding notable DCs. Beck, in particular, arrives with great anticipation after significantly elevating Utah’s offense, which finished fourth nationally in scoring (41.2 PPG) and second in rushing (266.3 YPG) last season. He now must work his magic with a very different type of quarterback in sophomore Bryce Underwood, who flashed his talent at times in 2025 but also struggled to find consistency. Hill joins Whittingham from rival BYU, which he helped to the Big 12 championship game in 2025 and 23 wins the past two seasons.
Promotions of note: Drew Mehringer and Chris Hampton, Oregon
Continuity is the clear theme for Oregon ahead of a season where anything short of a national title might be deemed a disappointment. After losing coordinators Will Stein (Kentucky) and Tosh Lupoi (Cal), coach Dan Lanning looked within the program for their replacements. Hampton, who spent 2021 and 2022 as Tulane’s defensive coordinator before joining Oregon’s staff as Lupoi’s lead aide, was a fairly clear choice. Lanning went outside the program for Stein but opted to elevate Mehringer, who has coached the Ducks’ tight ends for the past four seasons but also has coordinator experience from Rutgers, Florida Atlantic and New Mexico. Mehringer’s work with Dante Moore and a passing game that regains wide receiver Evan Stewart from injury will be under the microscope.
SEC
Most interesting hire: Tennessee DC Jim Knowles
When Knowles left 2024 national champion Ohio State for Penn State, he did so with the hope of elevating the program he grew up rooting for to similar heights and likely setting up roots in his home state. But Penn State’s surprising struggles and the midseason firing of coach James Franklin put Knowles’ future in flux. Tennessee dumped defensive coordinator Tim Banks just a year after he was a Broyles Award finalist for a CFP team and quickly jumped at the chance to hire Knowles, one of the nation’s most respected coordinators. Knowles takes over a defense that finished 91st in both points allowed and yards allowed. Several key Penn State transfers followed him to Knoxville, including linebacker Amare Campbell and defensive end Chaz Coleman. If Tennessee makes a move back toward the CFP in 2026, Knowles’ defense likely will be leading the way.
Name on the rise: Ole Miss OC John David Baker
Many Ole Miss fans won’t miss Lane Kiffin, but even they must acknowledge that the offensive structure he and former OC Charlie Weis Jr. created dramatically elevated the program and will be missed. Offensive coordinator was coach Pete Golding’s most important transition hire, and he went with Baker, who spent 2021 to 2023 as an Ole Miss assistant before landing his first lead coordinator role at East Carolina. He developed quarterback Katin Houser there and helped ECU rise to No. 19 nationally in passing offense and No. 24 in scoring. Baker inherits a very talented group, which includes Doak Walker Award runner-up Kewan Lacy, quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (if he is available to return), wide receiver Deuce Alexander and others. Kiffin and Weis set a very high standard for production at Ole Miss, and Baker will be expected to match it. He will be helped by Joe Judge, whom Golding kept on as quarterbacks coach.
Key retentions: Auburn DC D.J. Durkin and LSU DC Blake Baker
When Auburn rallied to tie Alabama in the fourth quarter of the 2025 Iron Bowl, momentum grew for Durkin, the team’s interim coach, to land the permanent role. Auburn ended up losing and hiring Alex Golesh instead, but Golesh retained Durkin in his original coordinator role. The veteran DC oversaw top-35 defenses at Auburn despite getting very little help from the offense and has experience from Texas A&M, Florida, Michigan and elsewhere. Golesh hasn’t worked with Durkin before but has known him for many years. If the partnership between the two holds up, Auburn should be better off. Kiffin scored a major win for LSU in keeping Baker, a candidate for Tulane‘s head coaching vacancy. Baker’s 2025 defense held opponents to fewer than 20 points per game, and his extensive experience recruiting and coaching in the state will be a big boost as Kiffin gets settled.
Blast from the past: Texas DC Will Muschamp
Texas provided some shock value in both its firing of Pete Kwiatkowski, an experienced coordinator who did solid work in Austin, and its hiring of Muschamp, who hasn’t been a full-time on-field coach since 2023 and last held a primary coordinator role in 2015 at Auburn. Muschamp has been close to the Georgia program, where he served as co-defensive coordinator alongside Glenn Schumann in 2022 and 2023, and at Vanderbilt, where his son Whit plays quarterback. He certainly knows the SEC as a former Florida and South Carolina coach, and has familiarity with Texas from his time there under Brown. Muschamp also recognizes Texas is in win-now mode and inherits a defense that returns star edge Colin Simmons and adds key linebacker transfer Rasheem Biles from Pitt and two five-star defensive recruits.
Mississippi State also brought back a familiar name in Zach Arnett, who will return to the defensive coordinator role he held for the Bulldogs from 2020 to 2022. Arnett then took over as head coach following the death of Mike Leach, only to be fired after one season. He spent the past two seasons as an analyst for Florida State and Ole Miss.
Joining new coaches: LSU OC Charlie Weis Jr. and Florida OC Buster Faulkner
Arguably no coordinator enhanced his value in the postseason more than Weis, who briefly left Ole Miss to join Kiffin at LSU, only to slingshot back and forth and help the Rebels win two CFP games and nearly advance to the national championship. The 32-year-old no longer lives in Kiffin’s shadow, as his playcalling and work with Chambliss and others stood out and will now help LSU, which tumbled to 109th nationally in offense and 101st in scoring last season. New Florida coach Jon Sumrall plucked Faulkner from Georgia Tech. The Gators rank 82nd nationally in scoring since the start of the 2023 season. Faulkner’s run schemes stood out at Georgia Tech, but he also has ties to the Air Raid from his time at Valdosta State and spent time with Todd Monken at Georgia. “[Monken] taught me that volume is more,” Faulkner told me last spring. “More volume gives you more answers, and it allows you to define yourself. The game’s about being explosive. The biggest thing he talked about was, ‘Don’t bring me plays that are 5-yard gains. Bring me the 25-yard gains.'”
Promotions of note: Holmon Wiggins and Lyle Hemphill, Texas A&M
After a historic season that featured Texas A&M’s first 11-0 start since its last national championship team in 1939, coach Mike Elko chose continuity when coordinators Collin Klein and Jay Bateman left College Station. Wiggins, the team’s co-OC the past two seasons next to Klein, will handle the primary role for the first time in his career. He has coached wide receivers since 2012, including a five-year stretch at Alabama, and will once again have Mario Craver at his disposal, along with Crimson Tide transfer Isaiah Horton and others. The question is how he will fare as the lead playcaller, and whether he can help quarterback Marcel Reed take the next step. Hemphill, who served as a senior defensive assistant in 2025, brings more coordinator experience after stops at James Madison, Duke (with Elko), Wake Forest and Stony Brook. He will oversee a unit seeking another reload up front after losing top pass rusher Cashius Howell.
ACC
Most interesting hire: Virginia Tech DC Brent Pry
Pry’s rehiring at Virginia Tech is unprecedented in major college football. Coaches have returned to programs they once led, but not right away, like Pry will in 2026. His fondness for both Virginia Tech and Franklin, who became emotional at his own introduction when talking about his history with Pry and Pry’s family, should remove any awkwardness or bitterness from the reunion. But Pry still will be coaching many of the players he recruited to Virginia Tech in a different capacity, while helping Franklin fast-track the program to ACC contention. As Penn State’s defensive coordinator under Franklin, Pry helped the team to a Big Ten title and four straight CFP top-12 finishes.
Name on the rise: Syracuse DC Vince Kehres
The son of Hall of Fame coach Larry Kehres, who won 11 Division III national titles at Mount Union, is charting his own path in the FBS. Vince Kehres replaced his father and won two Division III titles at Mount Union before spending the past six seasons as Toledo’s defensive coordinator. Last fall, he put together the top Group of 5 defense and one of the best in the country, as Toledo finished fourth nationally in fewest points allowed (13.3 PPG), surrendering nine or fewer in each of its final four regular-season games and more than 14 in just three regular-season contests. The Rockets were second nationally in yards allowed (254.3 YPG) behind Ohio State. He makes his first move to a Power 4 program with Syracuse, which went 3-9 last season and allowed the most points (419) of any ACC team.
Key retentions: Miami’s Corey Hetherman and Shannon Dawson
Mario Cristobal hasn’t been shy about shuffling his staff, even after strong seasons, but he’s pushing forward with both Hetherman and Dawson after the team’s run to the national championship game. Hetherman made a massive impact in his first season with the U, elevating the defense from 70th nationally in points allowed to fifth. Dawson displayed his flexibility as a playcaller, pivoting from a high-octane style under quarterback Cam Ward to a more deliberate but effective system built around the power run with Mark Fletcher Jr., and converting third downs at a good clip. ACC championship game participants Duke and Virginia also both retained their primary coordinators, including Virginia DC John Rudzinski, who worked with the nation’s No. 20 overall defense.
Notables joining new coaches: Cal OC Jordan Somerville
New Cal coach Tosh Lupoi is making some interesting moves in returning to his alma mater, including with his first staff. Somerville has been a full-time coach only since 2020 but moved up rapidly, making stops at New Mexico and Oregon — where he worked alongside Lupoi — before landing the assistant quarterbacks coach job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He spent the past three seasons helping Baker Mayfield revive his career and become one of the NFL’s top passers. Somerville now will work directly with Cal’s Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, one of the nation’s top young quarterbacks and the centerpiece of Lupoi’s first Bears team.
Blasts from the past: Clemson OC Chad Morris and North Carolina OC Bobby Petrino
Swinney is, if nothing else, loyal to the people and methods that helped build Clemson into a two-time national champion under his watch. The offense clearly needed a reset after a 2025 season where neither Garrett Riley’s playcalls nor quarterback Cade Klubnik’s performance met expectations. Rather than look for another up-and-coming outsider, Swinney picked Morris, who held a range of roles since being fired as Arkansas coach, including his last coordinator post in 2020 with Auburn, which finished 89th nationally in scoring that fall. Morris will try to recapture the magic of his first go-around as Clemson’s OC, when the offense ranked 15th nationally in scoring (36.4 PPG).
The thought of Petrino calling offensive plays for Belichick at an ACC program seemed unfathomable just two years ago, but here we are. North Carolina averaged just 19.3 points per game in Belichick’s first season, and Petrino should provide an upgrade. Arkansas ranked sixth in yards per game and 30th in scoring during Petrino’s return the past two seasons.
Promotions of note: Pitt DC Cory Sanders, Florida State OC Tim Harris Jr.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi is still a defensive coordinator at heart and clearly thinks highly of Sanders to promote him. Sanders replaces Randy Bates, who led Pitt’s defense for the past eight seasons and helped the team to an ACC title and six bowl appearances before retiring. Pitt should benefit from Sanders being on the defensive staff throughout Bates’ tenure, working primarily with the safeties. He coached standouts like Donovan McMillon, Erick Hallett and Damar Hamlin. Although Sanders hasn’t been an FBS coordinator, he has head coaching experience from Division II St. Joseph’s, his alma mater, where he went 23-18 in four seasons.
Harris, who served as Florida State’s passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2025, will take over the primary coordinator duties from Gus Malzahn, who retired from coaching. He served as UCF’s offensive coordinator under Malzahn in 2024 and also held a playcalling coordinator role at Florida International, following a stretch as a high school coach in Miami. Harris takes over a unit that started strong in 2025, faded a bit down the stretch but still finished 22nd nationally in scoring.
BIG 12
Most interesting hire: Colorado OC Brennan Marion
Colorado’s problems in 2025 stretched beyond its offense, but elevating production can help coach Deion Sanders’ tenure get back on track. Marion is a young, dynamic coach who quickly facilitated improvement at UNLV, which ranked 11th nationally in scoring (34.9 PPG) during his two seasons as coordinator. The “go-go offense” operates with pace and applies pressure to defenses in different ways by varying formations and emphasizing the downhill run game. Marion also has head coaching experience from Sacramento State, where he went 7-5 in his only season and had the No. 2 rushing attack in the FCS. If things go well in Boulder, Marion should put himself in position for Power 4 jobs.
Name on the rise: TCU OC Gordon Sammis
The Sammis hire is notable not only because of his recent success, but also the pivot TCU could make in coach Sonny Dykes’ fifth season. Sammis is a former Virginia offensive lineman who has spent his entire coaching career in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, including at UConn, where he moved from offensive line coach to offensive coordinator to interim head coach for last year’s bowl game. Last season, UConn finished 15th nationally in scoring (35.3 PPG), quarterback Joe Fagano had 28 touchdown passes and only one interception, and wide receiver Skyler Bell was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award. His scheme has some parallels with what Dykes has used previously but likely will emphasize the run game more and in different ways. Longtime quarterback Josh Hoover transferred out and will be replaced by Jaden Craig, a Harvard transfer who will work under Sammis after recording 6,074 passing yards and 52 touchdowns.
Key retentions: Texas Tech, Arizona State, Arizona, Houston
Stability was a theme in the Big 12 coordinator ranks, especially with several potential contenders. League champion Texas Tech retained coordinators Shiel Wood (defense) and Mack Leftwich (offense) after making its first CFP appearance, awarding both three-year contract extensions through 2028. Both oversaw top-10 units in 2025. Arizona State not only kept coach Kenny Dillingham, but also coordinators Marcus Arroyo (offense) and Brian Ward (defense), who will return for their fourth seasons in Tempe. Retention was a theme at both sides of the Territorial Cup rivalry, as Arizona will run it back with Seth Doege (offense) and Danny Gonzales (defense) after a rebound season on the field. Houston also will keep coordinators Slade Nagle (offense) and Austin Armstrong (defense) after a six-win improvement in 2025.
Notables joining new coaches: OCs at Utah, Kansas State, Iowa State
Three Big 12 schools had head coaching changes following the season, and the new offensive playmakers for each team will be worth watching. Utah’s offense surged last year under Jason Beck, and new coach Morgan Scalley looked within the state for his first OC hire in Kevin McGiven, who has extensive experience within the state, including two stints as Utah State‘s OC. Collin Klein’s return to Kansas State as coach brought several interesting staff hires, including OC Sean Gleeson, who first built his reputation at Princeton before OC stints at Oklahoma State and Rutgers. Gleeson spent the past two seasons at Missouri. New Iowa State coach Jimmy Rogers leaned on his FCS background in hiring OC Tyler Roehl, whom Rogers faced in the South Dakota State-North Dakota State rivalry. Roehl coached ISU’s running backs in 2024 and spent last season as Detroit Lions tight ends coach.
Blast from the past: Kansas associate head coach Andy Kotelnicki
Although technically not a coordinator, Kotelnicki qualifies because of the job he used to have and the place where he had it and thrived. As Jayhawks OC from 2021 to 2023, Kotelnicki facilitated a unit that, in his final two seasons, ranked fifth nationally in yards per play (7.06) and in 2022 broke a 72-year-old team record in that category. Kansas had arguably its most explosive and balanced offense in 2023, finishing in the top 10 nationally in both yards per rush and yards per completion. Although Kotelnicki’s approach at Penn State ultimately didn’t deliver the desired results, Kansas also backslid without him, going 10-14 the past two seasons. His return could help as KU must replace longtime quarterback Jalon Daniels and others on offense.
Promotion of note: BYU DC Kelly Poppinga
Thanks to Crumbl cookies and other influencers, BYU kept coach Kalani Sitake from leaving for the Big Ten but wasn’t as fortunate with Jay Hill. Fortunately for Sitake, he had a capable replacement on staff in Poppinga, in his second stint at BYU after returning 2023 as special teams coordinator and rush ends coach. He served as co-DC at Virginia Cavaliers from 2018 to 2021 under coach Bronco Mendenhall, and at BYU has been on staff for eight seasons of eight or more wins, including 23 total victories since the start of the 2024 season. He takes over a defense that should be among the Big 12’s best and returns safety Faletau Satuala, linebacker Isaiah Glasker, cornerback Evan Johnson, tackle Keanu Tanuvasa and others.