The 2024-25 coaching cycle got off to a slow start, but more than 25 jobs ultimately changed hands ahead of the 2025 season. Already, coaches are starting to establish themselves as future stars — or set themselves up for failure. Very early on, the returns have been solid.
Since it’s so early, 14 of the 28 coaches — a full half — earned Bs. Only four earned As, three of which were coincidentally in the Mountain West. The conference had a great hiring cycle. Only two coaches got failing grades. One was Joe Harasymiak, who took over a UMass team that won eight games in the previous six years. The other is Bill Belichick.
Before we dive in, it’s important to know our grading system. Additionally, we did not give grades to interim coaches Frank Reich (Stanford) or Mark Carney (Kent State) since neither received a normal hiring process.
- A: Wild success
- B: Encouraging signs
- C: Meeting expectations
- D: Below expectations
- F: A total disaster
Keep in mind, this is a progress report, not a final report card. There’s plenty of time left in the semester for even the most struggling figures to find themselves down the line. Here’s how we grade all 28 first-year coaches at the four-game mark.
Bottom 25 college football rankings: UNC reenters as Clemson, Florida slip further amid dreadful starts
David Cobb
Power Four
Bill Belichick, North Carolina
Belichick took on a major project when he decided to transition from NFL to the college level for the first time in his career. Four games in, it looks like one of the most disastrous hires in recent memory. The Tar Heels are 2-2, but have been outscored 82-23 against Power Four competition. Going on the road and losing 34-9 against a UCF team projected among one of the worst in the Big 12 was a historically awful moment for the program. There’s a realistic chance that the Tar Heels lose out, which would mark the worst season in Chapel Hill since 2003. For comparison, Mack Brown posted six straight bowl appearances. Grade: F
Jake Dickert, Wake Forest
Dickert stepped into one of the messier situations in the Power Four when he took the Wake Forest job, and it looked rough during a narrow 10-9 win over Kennesaw State. However, the offense has shown a little spark as quarterback Robby Ashford has been a nice surprise. Grade: C
Barry Odom, Purdue
Only four games into his tenure, Odom has Purdue looking like itself against — in a positive way. The Boilermakers obliterated Ball State and played competitive enough games against USC and Notre Dame. That alone is enough to essentially eclipse the Ryan Walters era. Grade: B-
Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia
Rodriguez had exactly one job when he returned to Morgantown this year: Beat Pittsburgh. It took a 10-point comeback in the final six minutes and overtime, but he got the job done. After a season-ending injury to running back Jahiem White, the Mountaineers will have a real chance to finish last in the Big 12, but the vibes have been good enough that fans will take the trade. Grade: B-
Scott Frost, UCF
Did you know that Scott Frost has a 16-game winning streak as UCF coach? After a 13-0 campaign in 2017, Frost is now 3-0 after thrashing North Carolina in his first Power Four game. Since turning to Indiana QB transfer Tayven Jackson, the offense has taken off, including 34 points against the Tar Heels. The thing keeping this grade from an “A” is that the recruiting has not picked up yet (and the wins have come against poor competition), but early signs look solid. Grade: B+
Group of Six
The American
Scott Abell, Rice: Abell’s gun option offense has been an immediate hit and defensive coordinator Jon Kay has done a strong job. The Owls are 3-1 for the first time in 20 years. Grade: A-
Tim Albin, Charlotte: The 49ers were in a rough spot when Albin took the job, and it’s looked like a rebuilding program and roster. At least, the program managed to narrowly outlast Monmouth for one win. A second won’t be easy to find. Grade: C-
Blake Harrell, East Carolina: Harrell was promoted from the interim job after a strong finish to the 2024 season and 2025 has started strong. The Pirates played NC State to the wire and dominated Coastal Carolina 38-0 in their only Group of Six game. Grade: B+
K.C. Keeler, Temple: The Owls are in the midst of a rebuild, but Keeler has brought a sense of competence from Sam Houston. Temple showed some fight against Georgia Tech. Quarterback Evan Simon has been a bright spot. Grade: B
Tre Lamb, Tulsa: Under Lamb, Tulsa beat Oklahoma State in Stillwater for the first time since 1951… and also lost to lowly New Mexico State. Let’s call it even? Grade: B
Zach Kittley, FAU: The program is turning over a decent amount of its roster, but losing to South Florida rival FIU for the first time since 2016 wasn’t the greatest start. Grade: C-
Conference USA
Charles Kelly, Jacksonville State: Replicating Rodriguez after a CUSA title season was a tough ask, but the Gamecocks have played solid football through four games. Jacksonville State beat Liberty and took UCF and Georgia Southern to the fourth quarter. Running back Cam Cook is one of college football’s breakout players. Grade: B
Jerry Mack, Kennesaw State: This job isn’t easy after transitioning up from the FCS last year, but Mack has the team playing well. The Owls took Wake Forest to the wire and shocked Arkansas State. The offense has hit another level under sophomore Amari Odom. Grade: B+
Phil Longo, Sam Houston: Longo had an impossible job after the Bearkats graduated and lost nearly every impact player on the roster. There’s been very few bright spots during an 0-4 start. Grade: C-
Willie Simmons, FIU: The Panthers were on the other side of the first rivalry win vs. FAU since 2016, but losing by three touchdowns to Delaware wasn’t how the staff wanted to keep it going. Still, the start is strong enough to get FIU into the bowl eligibility race. Grade: B-
MAC
Matt Drinkall, Central Michigan: A season-opening win on the road against San Jose State looked a little more intriguing before the Spartans’ struggles, but losses to Pittsburgh and Michigan don’t tell us much. Grade: B-
Eddie George, Bowling Green: The Falcons have played with solid effort since George was hired late in the cycle. They shocked Liberty with a 23-13 victory and also showed promise against Cincinnati and Louisville. A road trip to Ohio this week on CBS Sports Network could be a breakout moment. Grade: B
Brian Smith, Ohio: The Bobcats have been a solid program for many years, and Smith seems ready to keep the train on track. Beating West Virginia and taking Rutgers to the wire are great signs. Grade: B+
Mike Uremovich, Ball State: The Ball State job was a rough situation, and it’s looked like a rough situation through four games. Hanging with UConn was an encouraging sign. Grade: C+
Mountain West
Jason Eck, New Mexico: Eck is a breakout star in college football after leading a 25-point beatdown of UCLA that cost DeShaun Foster his job. The Lobos boast a diverse run game and should have one of the best crowds of the past few years against New Mexico State on Saturday. Grade: A
Matt Entz, Fresno State: The Bulldogs hired Entz to bring some of physical, defensive culture from North Dakota State. During a 4-1 start, the Bulldogs have looked the part, holding non-power opponents to 17.3 points per game. If quarterback E.J. Warner can stop turning the ball over, the ceiling is high. Grade: A-
Bronco Mendenhall, Utah State: Mendenhall is one of the best coaches in the sport, so it should come as little surprise that the Aggies are already rolling. Utah State is 3-1 and gave Texas A&M a fight in Week 2. Add them to the list of MWC dark horses. Grade: A-
Dan Mullen, UNLV: The Rebels took one of the more ridiculous pathways to their 4-0 start, needing every second to outlast Idaho State, beating a UCLA team that appears to be one of the worst in the sport and needing a furious comeback to survive winless Miami (Ohio). But undefeated is undefeated, and the Rebels can again enter the conference title race if the defense can settle in. Grade: B+
Sun Belt
Tony Gibson, Marshall: It’s been an up-and-down start for Gibson at Marshall, but the Thundering Herd had to replace much of their roster after several players transferred to Southern Miss. The grade would be a little higher if Marshall managed to outlast Missouri State. Grade: C+
Charles Huff, Southern Miss: Huff brought many of the aforementioned Marshall players from his Sun Belt title team, and housed App State in his first Sun Belt game. However, a 10-point road loss to Louisiana Tech was a head scratcher. Jacksonville State this week is a big test. Grade: B-
Dowell Loggains, Appalachian State: Going on the road and losing by two touchdowns to Southern MIss was not an auspicious start for the Mountaineers under Loggains, nor was beating FCS Lindenwood by only one touchdown. Grade: C
Other
Joe Harasmyiak, UMass: The Minutemen will be in a tight battle with Kent State for worst in America. If it ends close, UMass’s loss to FCS Bryant could seal the deal. Grade: D
Jimmy Rogers, Washington State: It’s hard to know exactly how to evaluate the Cougars as they wait in conference limbo, but giving up 118 combined points to North Texas and Washington isn’t ideal. Bowl eligibility could be a heavy lift. Grade: C
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