The coaching carousel has stopped, at least for the time being.
A total of 22 coaches were replaced during and after the 2016 season, and it’s time to grade the replacements. A trio of former American Athletic Conference coaches sits at the top of this list for now.
The only question is will there be more additions after the bowl season?
MORE: Give Lane Kiffin a chance at FAU
1. Tom Herman, Texas
Herman’s charisma and candor is just what the Longhorns need. He’ll be a hit with more talent and resources. Expect the Longhorns to be in the mix for Big 12 championships again soon.
2. Charlie Strong, South Florida
Remember, Strong was 37-15 at Louisville before his stint at Texas and he has roots in Florida as a former Gators’ defensive coordinator. This is a get for the Bulls, and it’s going to work. How long will Strong stay here?
3. P.J. Fleck, Minnesota
Fleck's one-of-a-kind style helped take Western Michigan from the basement to the Cotton Bowl Classic, and he'll take on an interesting task with Minnesota in the Big Ten West. It's the kind of boom-or-bust hire that should draw a lot of attention.
4. Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma
Riley is a first-time head coach, and he's been handed the keys of an immediate playoff contender in Oklahoma. The Sooners have a Heisman Trophy contender with Baker Mayfield and a big test at Ohio State on Sept. 9. Can Riley make an instant impact in that transition?
5. Willie Taggart, Oregon
Taggart won’t be out of place at Oregon. He’s had success at two previous coaching stops and brings a new perspective to a program that needed it. This could easily turn out to be the best hire of this bunch.
6. Ed Orgeron, LSU
Orgeron did enough as the interim coach to win the full-time job and hired an excellent offensive coordinator in Matt Canada. Standards are high at LSU, and there’s a lot of ground to cover in the SEC West.
7. Matt Rhule, Baylor
After back-to-back 10-win seasons at Temple, Rhule took on the challenge of Baylor, where his work off the field will be just as important. If Rhule’s introductory press conference is any indication, then he should be up to that challenge.
8. Jeff Brohm, Purdue
Brohm has done amazing work with quarterbacks during his time at Western Kentucky, and that’s typically the building block for success at Purdue. This is a fit that should point the Boilermakers in the right direction.
9. Butch Davis, Florida International
We know Davis can win big, but this is a much smaller stage for the former Miami and North Carolina coach. How will he add to the recruiting intrigue in Florida?
10. Justin Wilcox, Cal
Wilcox is a renowned defensive coordinator tasked with bringing that edge to a Cal program that has fallen off in the Pac-12. It might take a year or two to make that transition, but the Golden Bears will be tougher because of it.
11. Randy Edsall, UConn
Edsall worked at UConn the first time around. It can work again.
12. Lane Kiffin, Florida Atlantic
Do your best to erase the coaching stops with Oakland, Tennessee and USC from the memory bank. Kiffin earned this chance through excellent work at Alabama, and the results might surprise you here. This is a good hire for the Owls.
13. Jeff Tedford, Fresno State
Tedford is back in the college game — and we know he can have success as a head coach. Tedford had nine winning seasons in 11 years Cal. He’ll be just fine with the Bulldogs.
14. Tom Allen, Indiana
Given the circumstances surrounding Kevin Wilson’s untimely departure, Indiana could have done worse. Allen improved the Hoosiers’ defense this season. Indiana’s players responded to his coaching style. We’ll see if that continues.
15. Luke Fickell, Cincinnati
Fickell – a lifetime Ohio State player and assistant coach with the exception of a two-year stint at Akron — will take those lessons to Cincinnati. If he can tap into the recruiting base there, then the Bearcats will get back to contender status in the AAC.
16. Major Applewhite, Houston
Despite the Las Vegas Bowl loss, Applewhite was ready for a head coaching job and this is a good fit. He gives Houston stability in the short term, and that’s what this competitive program needs.
17. Geoff Collins, Temple
This ranking might be a little low. Collins has coaching experience all over the SEC, and he’ll bring those lessons to a Temple program that doesn’t need a makeover. That should translate into immediate success.
18. Mike Sanford, Western Kentucky
Sanford was going to take a job as a head coach soon, and the former Notre Dame offensive coordinator should be able to build on Jeff Brohm’s work here.
19. Shawn Elliott, Georgia State
Elliott served as South Carolina’s interim coach in 2015 when Steve Spurrier retired. That should give the Panthers a boost.
20. Jay Norvell, Nevada
Norvell is a renowned offensive assistant who has coached all over the map. This shot at a head coaching job was long overdue.
21. Tim Lester, Western Michigan
The former Broncos quarterback gets his first coaching gig at his alma mater. Expect the Broncos to have a quarterback-friendly system as a result.
22. Brent Brennan, San Jose State
Brennan fits here — he was an assistant coach for the Spartans from 2005-10 before leaving for Oregon State.
