The Other 14

Hey All,

Big Ten media days start on July 23rd and that's where we will get our first look at a league that now boasts 18 teams and stretches from New Jersey to California and seemingly all points in-between. USC along with UCLA, Washington and Phil Knight University are very familiar as old foes from as far back as the old PCC days, so the focus of this column will be on the other 14 schools of the Big Ten. Let's get to it, but first a very short look at the history of the Big Ten itself.

The Big Ten

The Big Ten is the oldest NCAA D-1 athletic conference.  It's actually older than the NCAA by ten years having been founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives back in 1896. On February 8, 1896 seven school presidents met to discuss control and regulation of college sports. The presidents were from Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Purdue, Northwestern, the University of Chicago and Lake Forest College.  Relatively soon Lake Forest dropped out and the other schools then decided to extend an invitation to Michigan. One of the reasons Michigan was invited to join was that it was thought Michigan could sway Notre Dame to join the league. Seems like the Big 10 has always had a thing for ND. When ND didn't join, (shocker), the league went forward with seven members and was known as the Western Conference. Indiana and Iowa joined in 1899.  Then in 1907, Michigan had issues with the leadership of the league and left to go independent. In 1912, Ohio State joined. They were just Ohio State, the Theee came later.  1917 saw Michigan rejoin when it was obvious they needed the league and vice-versa. Fast forward now to 1946 when Chicago decided their money wasn't well spent on sports and dropped out of the league. 1950 saw Michigan State voted into the league which is something Michigan never wanted. They voted for Pittsburgh to be admitted instead. From that point on, the Big Ten stayed at 10 members until 1993 when Penn State joined the group. 2011 saw Nebraska become the 12th Big Ten team. 2014 saw Rutgers and Maryland become teams 13 and 14. That brings us back to this year when USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington officially bring the total to 18 teams.  Got that? Good.  There will not be a quiz later. 

Football Meet & Greet Of The 14 Schools That Aren't From The Conference of Champions

Illinois 

Nickname: Fighting Illini

Status: Charter Member

Location: Champaign-Urbana, IL

Student Population: 33,915

Stadium: Memorial Stadium (60,670) Memorial One

Fight Song: Oskee-Wow-Wow

They've played football at Illinois since 1890 and lay claim to National Titles in 1914, '19, '23, '27, '51, and a share of or outright claim to 15 Big Ten Titles in 1910, '14, '15, '18, '19, '23, '27, '28, '46, '51, '53, '63, '83, '90, and 2001. 

Biggest Rival: Northwestern. Illinois leads the series 57-55-5.  The teams used to play for the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk, but that trophy was retied after the NCAA ruled that all Native American imagery deeemed hostile and abusive must be removed from college athletics. Since 2009 the teams have played for the Land of Lincoln Trophy. 

Rose Bowl Record:  The Fighting Illini are 3-2 in Pasadena with their last appearance being a 49-17 loss to USC in 2008.  

USC record v. Illinois: The Trojans sport an impressive 11-2 record v. the Fighting Illini. The series goes back to 1935. 

Illinois Fun Fact

The Fighting Illini whipped UCLA, 45-14 in the 1947 Rose Bowl. That was the first year under the agreement that would annually bring the Big Ten Champion to the Rose Bowl to play the Pacific Coast Conference Champion. 

Indiana

Nickname: Hoosiers

Status: Joined the league in 1899

Location: Bloomington, IN

Student Population: 34,253

Stadium: Memorial Stadium (52,929) Memorial Two

Fight Song: Indiana, Our Indiana

Indiana's first football season was in 1897 and the Hoosiers have never won the national title. They have won only two Big Ten titles. The years were 1945 and 1967. 1945 was their only outright Big Ten title and they didn't play in a bowl game because the league did not allow teams to go to bowls then.  

Biggest Rival: Purdue, Purdue Leads the overall series 77-42-6.  Their first meeting was in 1891 and the rivalry trophy is The Old Oaken Bucket. The bucket has a chain on it with a brass P on it for every Purdue win and a Brass I for every Indiana win.  Ties are represented by a an IP stuck together. 

  

Rose Bowl Record: The Hoosiers are 0-1 with their only appearance coming in the 1968 Rose Bowl. They lost to USC that day, 14-3.  Some guy named Simpson scored both of the Trojans TDs.  

USC record v. Indiana. The Trojans hold a 4-0 series lead over the Hoosiers. 

Indiana Fun Fact 

The HC of the Indiana teams that lost in 1981 and 1982 to USC was Lee Corso. 

Iowa 

Nickname: Hawkeyes 

Status: Joined league in 1899

Location: Iowa City, IA

Student Population: 21,608

Stadium: Kinnick Stadium (69,250) Named after Nile

Fight Song: On Iowa

Iowa first fielded a football team in 1889. They claim 12 league titles. Eight of those titles are co-championships.  The years are 1900, '07, '21, '22, '56, '58, '60, '81, '85, '90, 2002, and 2004.  Iowa boasts one Heisman winner and he is Nile Kinnick as in Kinnick Stadium.  Kinnick won in 1939 and died in 1943 in a flight training accident in World War II. 

Biggest Rival: In the Big Ten, Minnesota is the big rival for the Hawkeyes, while their instate rival is Iowa State.  Minnesota holds a 63-52-2 edge over the Hawkeyes, while the Iowa holds a 47-23 lead in the series with the Iowa State.  The rivalry trophy for the Minnesota game is statue of pig known as Floyd of Rosedale.  The Iowa State game trophy is the Cy-Hawk award. 

Rose Bowl Record: The Hawkeyes sport a 2-4 record in Pasadena and are riding a four -game losing streak in the classic affair after getting ran over, around and through by RB Christian McCaffrey and Stanford, 45-16 back in 2016. 

USC record v. Iowa: USC holds a 7-3 edge in the series that goes back to 1925.  

Iowa Fun Fact

Before he was USC's first legendary HC, Howard Jones was the headman at Iowa where his Hawkeyes upset Notre Dame in 1921. ND HC Knute Rockne recommended Jones to USC when they were looking for a HC after the dismissal of Gloomy Gus Henderson. Rockne thought he was getting rid of a thorn in his side. Funny how it didn't work out that way.  

Maryland

Nickname: Terrapins

Status: Joined the league in 2014

Location: College Park, MD

Student Population: 30,762

Stadium: SECU Stadium (54,000) Turtleville

Fight Song: Maryland Fight Song, (yeah, that's the name)

Maryland has never won the Big Ten title.  They say they are the 1953 national champs and they do lay claim to nine ACC crowns. The years are 1953, '55, '74, '75, '76, '83, '84, '85 and 2001. 

Biggest Rival: Maryland was thrown together with Rutgers as a league rival when they both entered the league in 2014. However, their historic league rival from all the years they spent in the ACC is Virginia.  The Terps hold a 45-32-2 lead over the Cavaliers in a series that was halted after the 2013 season, but started up again in 2023.  There is no trophy for this rivalry game. 

Rose Bowl Record: Maryland has never played in the Rose Bowl.

USC record v. Maryland: 0-0, The Trojans and Terrapins have never squared off on the gridiron.

Maryland Fun Fact

The Terps claim the 1953 national title. They were ranked #1 by AP at the end of the regular season and crowned the champs.  However. in their bowl game they were beaten, 7-0 by Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl.  That opened the door for Notre Dame to also lay claim to the national title.  ND beat Oklahoma, 28-21 at OU to start the season. ND finished the year at 9-0-1 and has been widely considered the national champs after Maryland's loss.  

Michigan 

Nickname: Wolverines 

Status: Charter Member, left the league in 1907 and then rejoined in 1917.

Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Student Population:

Stadium: Michigan Stadium (107,601) The Big House

Fight Song: The Victors

The Wolverines  claim 12 national titles. They are from 1901, '02, '03, '04, '18, '23, '33, '47, '48, '97 and 2023. As for league titles, Michigan has won the outright or been co-champs of the Big Ten 44 times.  The Wolverines sport there Heisman winners in Tom Harmon (1940), Desmond Howard (1991) and Charles Woodson (1997).  

Biggest Rival: Ohio State,  Michigan holds a 61-51-6 series lead.  How dominant has Michigan been historically against TheeeOSU?  Well, even with the Buckeyes winning 15 of 16 games from 2004-19, the Buckeyes were only able to get within seven games of tying the series before the Wolverines won the last three contests to extend their series lead to 10 games. There is no rivalry trophy in this game. 

Rose Bowl Record: The Wolverines have an 8-12 record in The Grandaddy of Them All.

USC record v. Michigan: USC has a 6-4 series lead with the Trojans wining six of the previous seven meetings dating back to 1970. 

Michigan Fun Fact

Michigan is the only school in college football 1,000 victories. Michigan's 1,000th win was a 31-24 decision at Maryland last November 18th. They currently stand at 1,004 wins. 

Michigan State 

Nickname: Spartans

Status: Joined the league in 1950

Location: East Lansing, MI

Student Population: 51,316

Stadium: Spartan Stadium (75,000) Green and White

Fight Song: Victory For MSU

The Spartans lay clam to six national titles in 1951, '52, '55, '57, '65 and '66. Their last title in 1966 was a  split title with Notre Dame after the two squads played to a 10-10 tie and finished at 9-0-1.  ND HC Ara Parseghian took massive heat after just running the clock out and playing for the tie in that contest with the Spartans.  MSU also has won outright or shared the Big Ten title nine times. The years are 1953, '65, '66, '78, '87, '90, 2010, '13 and '15. 

Biggest Rival: Michigan is the Spartans arch rival. There's lots of bad blood in this rivalry going all the way back to when Michigan tried to keep the Spartans out of the league back in 1950. Michigan fans do not care for MSU, but most of their hatred is reserved for the Buckeyes. The two teams play for the Paul Bunyan Trophy. 

Michigan State Rose Bowl Record: MSU is 4-1 in Pasadena with their last appearance being a 24-20 win over Stanford in the 2014 game. Their only loss in the New Year's Classic was 14-12 L handed to them by UCLA in the 1966 game. 

USC record v. Michigan State: This series is tied at 4-4-0 with MSU winning the last three meetings. 

Michigan State Fun Fact: The Spartans squared off against Army in the first ever bowl game for the Black Knights of the Hudson. MSU lost 10-6 to the Cadets in the 1984 Cherry Bowl.   

Minnesota 

Nickname: Golden Gophers

Status: Charter Member 

Location: Minneapolis, MN

Student Population: 51,147 

Stadium: Huntington Bank Stadium (66,000)  Gopherland

Fight Song: Minnesota Rouser

The Golden Gophers haven't been a football power for many years, but they have seven national titles. Those titles were for the 1904, '34, '35, '36, '40, '41, and 1960 seasons. They also have owned outright or shared in 17 Big Ten titles. Those years are 1900, '03, '04, '06, '09, '10, '11, '15, '27, '33, '34, '35, '37, '38, '40, '41, and 1960.  The Maroon and Gold also have one Heisman winner.  RB Bruce Smith took home the Stiffarm Statue in 1941. 

Biggest Rival: Minnesota has several big rivals.  Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan top the list, but Wisconsin is the biggest one.  The Minnesota-Wisconsin rivalry is the most played in. the FBS.  The two teams have logged 133 games going back to 1890. The Badgers had a slim 63-62-8 series lead. The rivalry trophy is Paul Bunyan's Axe.  

Minnesota Rose Bowl Record: The Golden Gophers are 1-1 in Pasadena.  Their last appearance was in 1962 when a pair of short TD runs by QB Sandy Stephens sparked the Gophers to a 21-3 win over UCLA.

USC record v. Minnesota: USC holds a 6-1-1 series lead and has won the last five games in the series. 

Minnesota Fun Fact: The Golden Gophers were the first team ever to be ranked #1 in the AP poll. The Associated Press started ranking college football teams in 1936 and the Golden Gophers were #1 in the first poll released on 10/19/36.  They stayed in the top spot for the whole season to claim the first AP national title. 

 

Nebraska 

Nickname: Cornhuskers (They were the Bugeaters before 1900.) 

Status: Joined the league in 2011

Location: Lincoln, NE

Student Population: 23,805

Stadium: Memorial Stadium (85,458) Memorial Three

Fight Songs: No Place Like Nebraska/ Hail Varsity

The Huskers claim five national titles from the 1970,'71, '94, '95, and '97 seasons.  They have not won the Big Ten tile in their time in the league. However, Nebraska does own or share in 46 conference titles from the WIFU/ Big 8/ Big 12. Nebraska is home to three Heisman winners.  Johnny Rodgers grabbed the trophy in 1972, while Mike Rozier and Eric Crouch claimed the fancy doorstop in 1983 and 2001. 

Biggest Rival: Historically it is Oklahoma, but in Big Ten play my research shown that it is Iowa. The series goes all the way back to 1891 with the Big Red holding a 30-21-3 edge. However, in the Big Ten era, Iowa holds a 9-4 lead which includes a seven-game Hawkeye win streak from 2015-21. 

Nebraska Rose Bowl Record: The Huskers are 1-1 in Pasadena with a 21-13 win over Stanford in 1941 and a 37-14 loss to Miami in the national title game held there in 2002.

USC record v. Nebraska: The Trojans are 4-0-1 v. the Cornhuskers in a series that goes back to 1969. The teams last met in the 2014 Holiday Bowl where SC held on for a 45-42 win. 

Nebraska Fun Fact: This a state fact not a football fact, Nebraska is the only state in the union with a unicameral legislature.

Northwestern 

Nickname: Wildcats 

Status: Charter Member

Location: Evanston, IL

Student Population: 8,000

Stadium: Ryan Field (47,130) Remodel in Progress

Fight Song: Go U Northwestern

Northwestern has never won the national title in football, but they claim an outright win or share of 10 Big Ten titles. Those years are 1903, '26, '30, '31, '36, '95, '96 and 2000. 

Biggest Rival: Illinois. Illinois leads the series 57-55-5. The Wildcats are the owners the aforementioned Sweet Sioux Tomahawk. The two schools agreed that the Trophy would remain permanently retired in Evanston. 

Northwestern Rose Bowl Record: The Wildcats are 1-1 in. Pasadena, beating Cal 20-14 in 1949 and losing   41-32 to USC in 1996. 

USC record v. Northwestern: The Trojans are 5-0 v. the Wildcats in a series that goes back to 1952. 

Northwestern Not So Fun Fact

The Wildcats lost 34 straight games from 9/22/79 to 9/18/82.  The snapped the streak with a 31-6 win over Northern Illinois on 9/25/82

Ohio State

Nickname: Buckeyes

Status: Joined the league in 1912

Location: Columbus, OH

Student Population: 66,444

Stadium: Ohio Stadium (102,780) The Horseshoe

Fight Songs: Battle Cry, Across the Field

TheeeOSU lays claim to eight national titles. The years are 1942, '54, '57, '61, '68, '70, 2002, and '14. The Buckeyes have also shared or outright won 39 Big Ten titles. They also are home to six Heisman winners with a total of seven trophies. Les Horvath won in 1941, followed by Vic Janowicz '50, Howard Hopalong Cassaday '55, Eddie George '95 and Troy Smith in 2006. Archie Griffin has a pair of the statues for bookends from the 1974 and '75 seasons.

Biggest Rival: Michigan. Nobody embodies the hatred that TheesOSU has for "That Team Up North" than  the legendary HC Wayne Woodrow Hayes. After the Buckeyes whipped Michigan, 50-14 in 1968 Hayes was asked why he put his first string in to go for two points and pile it on the Wolverines at the end of the game. A flippant Hayes quipped, "Because they wouldn't let me go for three." 

TheeeOSU's Rose Bowl Record: The Buckeyes are 9-7 in Pasadena. 

USC record v. TheeeOSU: USC owns a 13-10-1 record v. the Buckeyes. They have met in the Rose Bowl seven times.

Ohio State Fun Fact: Ohio State's rivalry with Michigan started in 1897, however the Buckeyes didn't beat the Wolverines until 1919 in a stunning 13-3 upset in Ann Arbor.  Buckeyes halfback Chic Harley ran all over the Wolverines that day. 

Penn State

Nickname: Nittany Lions

Status: Joined the league in 1993

Location: State College, PA

Student Population: 88,116

Stadium: Beaver Stadium (106,572) General Beaver

Fight Song: Fight On State

Penn State has won two national titles and both were won in the 1980s.  The 1982 and '86 teams accomplished the feat for legendary coach Joe Paterno. The Fighting Nittanys also claim four Big Ten crowns from 1994, 2005, '08 and '18. Penn State was originally a member of the Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Football Association. That league began in 1891 and dissolved in 1892. From that point on until 1992 PSU was independent in football.  The only Heisman winner form Penn State is John Cappaletti. His acceptance speech about his ailing little brother Joey is a tearjerker for the ages.  

Biggest Rival: Prior to joining the Big Ten in 1993 is a team that still lingers in the hearts of elder fans of the Nittany Lions. That team is Pittsburgh. This clash of Western PA foes started in 1893 and was played almost every year from 1901-1992.  They have only met nine times since then. PSU holds a 53-43-4 edge in the series. As far as Big Ten rivals go, that seems to shift a bit as the years wear on, but Ohio State, Iowa and Maryland seem to dominate the research I've done here. Ever since Iowa beat PSU 6-4 back in 2004, the Hawks have been a thorn in PSU's side. Ohio State's era of league dominance has sparked the ire of the Lons faithful as well. Maryland appears on the list for being an old foe and also because the Terps captains refused to shake the Lions captains hands during the coin toss back in 2014. That angered the PSU team and their fans. 

Rose Bowl Record: Penn State is 1-3 in Pasadena.  USC has beaten PSU three times in the Grandaddy of Them All, including the first Rose Bowl game played on the current stadium site back in 1923. The Nittany Lions only win is over Oregon in 1995. 

USC record v. Penn State: USC holds a 6-4 series lead over PSU. The series goes back 1923. 

Penn State Fun Fact: PSU is one of a handful of schools to notch wins in the Rose, Orange, Sugar and Cotton Bowls. 

Purdue 

Nickname: Boilermakers

Status: Charter Member 

Location: West Lafayette, IN

Student Population: 41,573

Stadium: Ross-Ade Stadium (61,441) Ade, Trains and Old Gold

Fight Song:  Hail Purdue

The Boilermakers have never won the national title, but they have won or shared in 8 Big Ten titles from the years 1918, '29, '31, '32, '43, '52, '67 and 2000. Also, no player from Purdue has ever won the Heisman. 

Biggest Rival: Indiana. Purdue Leads the overall series 77-42-6. Their first meeting was in 1891 and it's a wonder the rivalry even exists after the first four games in the series. From 1891-94, the Boilermakers went 4-0 and outscored the Hoosiers, 193-0 including 1-0 forfeit in 1894.  According to Purdue the game was a 1-0 forfeit, but IU claims it was a 5-0 forfeit.  So is 197-0 correct? who knows?  No date can be found for this forfeited game either. Hmmmmm  

Rose Bowl Record: PU is 1-1 in the Rose Bowl with a 14-13 win over USC in the 1967 Rose Bowl and a 34-24 loss to Washington in the 2001 game. 

USC record v. Purdue:  USC holds a 3-1-0 lead in the series which dates back to 1967. 

Purdue Fun Fact: The Boilermakers are tied for fourth all-time in wins v. #1 ranked teams. It happens more often now with in the BCS/CFP era, but their seven wins are impressive considering that they are tied with USC and Oklahoma and haven't beaten a #1 team since 1976.  In case you were wondering, the teams tied for #2 on the list are Miami and Notre Dame with nine wins and Alabama is among at #1 with 11 wins.  

Additional note: In 1976, Purdue hosted both teams that would face off in the 1977 Rose Bowl. On 9/25 USC whipped the Boilermakers, 31-13 while on 11/6 PU upset #1 Michigan, 16-14.  USC went on to beat Michigan, 14-6 in Pasadena. 

Rutgers 

Nickname: Scarlet Knights 

Status: Joined the league in 2014

Location: New Brunswick, NJ

Student Population: 67,556

Stadium: SHI Stadium (52,454) Eh, Jersey, Meh

Fight Song: The Bells Must Ring

Rutgers is the birthplace of college football as the story goes when they beat Princeton, 6 goals to 4 in 1869. Rutgers has never won a national title and lays claim to a share of just one league tile when they finished tied for the Big East crown back in 2012.  The Scarlet Knights haven't won a Big Ten title and have never had a Heisman winner.

Biggest Rival: Rutgers really doesn't have a modern day rival, nor do they really have a historic one.  They regarded Princeton as a rival, but the teams haven't played each other since 1980 and even then Princeton holds a 53-17-1 series lead. Really hard to call that a rivalry at that point. The Big Ten has tried to pair them up with Maryland, but in my research it seems that most Rutgers fans really hate Penn State. That might be because PSU owns a 32-2-0 series lead and has beaten the Scarlet Knights 17 times in a row. 

Rutgers Rose Bowl Record:  The Scarlet Knights have never played in Pasadena.

USC record v. Rutgers: USC and Rutgers have never squared off on the gridiron. 

Rutgers Fun Fact: Rutgers was originally Queens College, named in 1766 in honor of Queen Charlotte, the wife King George III.  In 1825 the n name of the school was changed to Rutgers in honor of Revolutionary War hero Colonel Henry Rutgers who was an early benefactor of the school. The school shifted form private to public in 1945 when it was designated the state college of New Jersey by the NJ legislature.  

Wisconsin 

Nickname: Badgers

Status: Charter Member 

Location: Madison, WI

Student Population: 49,886

Stadium: Camp Randall Stadium (80,321) Beer and Cheese

Fight Song: On Wisconsin

The Badgers have no national titles and have shared or outright won 14 Big Ten titles.  Those title years are 1896, '97, 1901, '06, '12, '52, '59, '62, '93, '98, '99, 2010, '11, '12.  Wisconsin boasts two Heisman winners.  Alan "The Horse" Ameche won in 1954 and powerful Ron Dayne won in 1999. 

Biggest Rival: Minnesota, earlier you've read about the series and the Paul Bunyan Axe trophy that now goes to the winner of this game.  However, have you heard of the Slab of Bacon trophy?  It was a trophy made from a piece of  black walnut wood that resembled a huge slab of bacon and had the game scores painted on it from 1930-43. The trophy then disappeared. Rumors persisted that Wiscsonsin had stolen the trophy because they hated seeing 11 losses 14 years to the Golden Gophers painted on it.  Nobody knew where the trophy was until 1994 when it was "discovered" in a an old storage locker at Camp Randall Stadium.  Someone had taken care of it for while at least as they had continued to update the scores on the trophy until 1970.  Wow.  Wisconsin still has the trophy. 

Wisconsin Rose Bowl Record: The Badgers are 3-7 in Pasadena and lost their last game there 28-27 to Nike University. 

USC record v. Wisconsin: The Trojans are 6-1 v. Wisconsin in a series that goes back to 1953.  The Badgers only win in the series is a 23-21 win over the Trojans in the 2015 Holiday Bowl.  Thanks, Clay Helton.  

Wisconsin Fun Fact: Wisconsin beat UCLA, 38-31 in the 1999 Rose Bowl.  UCLA hasn't been to the Rose Bowl since.  

Until next time folks, remember that being the new kid at school is not easy.

-The Commissioner 

The Coaching Carousel

Hey All,

It's that time of year again.  Summer is in full swing.  The CFL regular season has started, NFL training camps will open soon and it's time to take another ride on the old Coaching Carousel.  This year's trip won't be presented in its' usual alphabetical order, but rather in a way that focuses first on the dominoes that fell with the retirement of Saint Nicholas of Tuscaloosa and the demise of the Conference of Champions. Then everything after that will follow. So, pick out your horse, buckle up and get ready for another ride on the Coaching Carousel. 

The Saban Effect/Pac 12 Demise

When leaving this past Rose Bowl after Michigan defeated Alabama in the CFP Semi-final game, 27-20, I and others in my net puller group, found ourselves walking past Alabama HC Nick Saban who was waiting in a golf cart to return to the locker room after the postgame press conference.  We all noticed a rather odd look on Saban's face than didn't reflect the disappointment of defeat or the anger of opportunity lost.  Rather it was the wistful look of a man who had paced the Crimson Tide sideline for the last time.  Eleven days after the loss, Saban announced his retirement from coaching.  Within 48 hours, Bama AD Greg Byrne had his new coach. This move along with the demise of the Pac 12 set off a chain reaction of coaching changes like we haven't seen in quite awhile.   

Alabama 

OUT: Nick Saban

IN: Kalen DeBoer

With Nick Saban off to a retirement of golf, Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies and being hailed as the greatest coach in college football history, it would take a one heck of a confident guy to step into the breach as the next man up in Tuscaloosa.  It would also take a friendly agent as well.  Jimmy Sexton, the agent for both Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer facilitated the quick signing with AD Greg Byrne. Now, all the unreasonable expectations of Alabama fans rest on Kalen DeBoer's shoulders.  DeBoer has done nothing but win wherever he has been. In his first HC gig, DeBoer guided the Sioux Falls Cougars to a 67-3 record in five seasons with three NAIA nationals titles in 2006, 2007 and 2009. After that he went to Fresno State where in two seasons he took the Bulldogs from oblivion to a 9-3 record in 2021 and a win over UTEP in the New Mexico Bowl. He then succeeded Jimmy Lake at Washington.  In 2021 Lake's Dogs went a dismal 4-8 with an embarrassing home loss to FCS power Montana.  All DeBoer did in his first year on Montlake was go 11-2 with an Alamo Bowl win over Texas.  In 2023 his Huskies went 12-0 in the regualr season, beat Oregon a second time to claim the last Pac 12 title then go on to beat Texas, 37-31 in the CFP Semifinal in the Sugar Bowl before falling to Michigan in the title tilt. If this hire does not workout for Alabama, you really can't blame Byrne or the rest of the admin.  DeBoer stacks up as a great hire here in July of 2024.

Washington:

OUT: Kalen DeBoer

IN: Jedd Fisch

Just days after the Huskies were crushed in the title game by Michigan, the team and their fans were dealt another crushing blow when HC Kalen DeBoer bolted for the Crimson Tide. However, in the rubble of the destruction of the PAC 12 the Huskies sniffed out a gem in Jedd Fisch.  Fisch comes from Arizona where after having almost no head coaching experience at all, he took the Wildcats from 1-11 in 2021 to 10-3 in 2023 and an Alamo Bowl win over Oklahoma. The 2023 Wildcats three losses in were all on the road and by a total of 16 points which included a 43-41 triple OT loss at USC.  Fisch already has gained positive traction in Seattle by holding together a good recruiting class and stemming the tide of departures from the program after DeBoer left.  Fisch can win at UW, but will the Husky faithful give him the time to build his team while pining away for what could have been with DeBoer?

Arizona 

OUT: Jedd Fisch 

IN: Brent Brennan

It seems that almost everyone of note in the admin and athletic department has left Arizona.  That unsteadiness and a huge athletic budget shortfall where the actual dollar amount seems to change hourly have created a sense of general unease on the Tucson campus.  Into that void steps Brent Brennan.  Brennan may be the perfect guy for the job.  Brennan a former WR in his playing days for UCLA has spent most of his coaching career at San Jose State, a program that has found recent stability but has been on the chopping block several times and always seems to be in flux financially. Yes, Brennan 's 34-48 overall record as a HC isn't inspiring, but he does get his teams to follow his program and the stability he provides could ease the Wildcats transition to the Big XII. Oh,  and having QB Noah Fifita and WR Tetairoa McMillan coming back this year is a very good thing for Brennan to have in his first year at the helm. 

San Jose State

OUT: Brent Brennan

IN: Ken Niumatalolo

With Brennan forging a trail to Tuscon a very interesting replacement for him has been hired. Ken Niumatalolo, a fixture as the headman at Navy from 2007-2022, has found his way to San Jose and will bring his brand of option football to the west coast.  This scribe wonders how he will handle running a normal football program and not an academy team where discipine is baked into the players, off field incidents rarely ever occur and recruiting doesn't come down to who gets a congressional appointment to attend school. I wonder how he will handle NIL as well.  This will be a very interesting season in San Jose.  I also wonder if Niumatalolo will actually open up his offense as he has promised.  However, open for him would be calling 10 passes a game. 

Michigan State

OUT: Mel Tucker 

IN: Jonathan Smith 

Hey, we all remember Mel Tucker, right?  He was the HC at Colorado who told a room full of deep-pocketed Buffalo boosters that he was fully committed to reviving the moribund Colorado program.  About an hour after that meeting, Tucker's agent had struck a deal for Tucker to leave the Flatiron Mountains for the Banks of the Red Cedar in East Lansing.  That was 2020. Fast forward now to 2021 where Tucker led Michigan State to an 11-2 record and a Peach Bowl win over Pitt.  Tucker was given a 95 million dollar contract extension. The 2022 Spartans went 5-7 and Tucker was on the hot seat.  That brings us to last year when USA Today ran a story on Tucker on 9/10 detailing sexual harassment claims.  Tucker was first suspended on 9/18 then fired with cause on 9/27. That firing with cause voided Tucker's buyout and freed up a lot of money for a new HC. That's where Jonathan Smith comes in. Smith never wanted to leave Oregon State. The former Fiesta Bowl winning QB had comeback to lead his alma mater to greatness. Smith had built a developmental program based on physical defense, a strong running game and just enough passing to win games. However, Smith saw the writing on the wall and left Oregon State after it was clear they would be an orphaned school after the collapse of the Pac 12. Smith should be a great fit in East Lansing. His style of play is classic Big Ten football. He could have a long career on the Spartan sidelines.

Oregon State 

OUT: Jonathan Smith 

IN: Trent Bray

As one valued Beaver alum leaves OSU, another stays to help rebuild from the wreckage in Corvallis. Trent Bray did not follow Jonathan Smith to MSU and was promoted from DC/LB Coach to the HC position to provide some stability for the program. Bray played LB for the Beavers from 2002-05 and started his coaching career as a GA at Arizona State in 2008.  He's been on the defensive side of the ball his whole carreer that spans stints at ASU, Nebraska and OSU.  This is his first time as an HC. After all that has transpired in the last year, the Beaver fans should warm up to this coach and this squad who did not abandon them when everyone else has.  

UCLA

OUT: Chip Kelly 

IN: DeShaun Foster 

Chipper's many shortcomings became glaring points of contention for UCLA fans over the years.  One; ol' Chip hates recruiting. Two; he's been accused of playing favorites with his players too.  His contract also had a few years to run and what's left of the bRuin faithful were resigned to waiting out the end of his contract. Then out of the blue, or should we say scarlet and gray,  Theee OSU HC Ryan Day made Chip an offer he couldn't refuse to be the OC for the Buckeyes.  Despite all his shortcomings, Kelly can still coordinate an explosive offense.  In quiet, dark corners of the Big Ten, many a fan is fearing what he will do with Theee OSU's talent.  In Chip's Stead comes DeShaun Foster who is a link to when UCLA was very good under ol' Buffet Bob Toledo.  Foster has spent all but one year of his coaching career in Westwood. However, he has made the folks happy already in bRuinland by just hitting the recruiting trail and reestablishing contact with the local high schools. UCLA does have a decent team returning. Add in some recruiting wins over the next few years and the bRuins could make some waves in the Big Ten. 

Michigan

OUT: Jim Harbaugh

IN: Sherrone Moore

Jim Harbaugh led the Wolverines for nine seasons.  The favorite son of Ann Arbor led the Maize & Blue back to the promised land last year.  His charges beat Washington in the CFP title game, 34-13 to secure Michigan's first undisputed national title since 1948.  With the NCAA hot on his heels and a ton of seniors  leaving for the Sunday league, Harbaugh left too.  He is now back in the NFL as the HC of the Los Angeles Chargers. Can Harbaugh pull off the coveted coaching double of winning both a national title and a Super Bowl?  Ask Pete Carroll. He knows how hard that is.  Into the large footsteps left behind by Harbugh comes Sherrone Moore.  The 38-year old Moore is a favorite of both players and fans alike in Ann Arbor.  He started as the TE coach then worked his way up to OL/OC/Acting HC. Most folks remember him from last year when he led the Wolverines when Harbuagh was suspended five games in Michigan's sign stealing scandal. Moore was everyone's pick to lead Michigan after Harbaugh's exit.  Despite the senior exodus there is still a deep and talented roster at his comnand.  How long will the honeymoon for Moore last? Time will tell.

Texas, The Big Easy And The (Other) Land Of Troy 

Houston 

OUT: Dana Holgorsen 

IN: Willie Fritz

Dana Holgorsen's second time with Cougars was not nearly as fun as his first.  Holgorsen was the HC at West Virginia from 2012-2018. When the HC Job at Houston became available in 2019. . Holgorsen jumped at the chance to be there and left Morgantown in his rear view mirror. However in five years on the sidelines, his UH teams compiled a meager 28-31 record including a 4-8 mark in 2023.  2023 was the Cougars first year in the Big XII.  Disgruntled/embarassed alums and admin bought out Holgorsen for nearly 15 million dollars and plucked Willie Fritz from Tulane.  Fritz, as many of us recall led Tulane to a win over USC in the 2023 Cotton Bowl.  Fritz is a true coaching lifer. He started out as a GA at his Alma Mater Pittsburg State and went on to be a HC at the Juco, D-II, FCS and FBS level.  He's been everywhere from Blinn JC in Texas to Central Missouri to Tulane.  If anyone is ready for his shot in a power conference it is the 64-year old Fritz. 

Fun Fact: In 1995 and '96, Willie Fritz led Blinn College to back to back 12-0 seasons, a pair of Texas Juco titles and also a pair of wins in the Mineral Water Bowl. 

Tulane

OUT: Willie Fritz

IN: Jon Sumrall

Willie Fritz''s leaving for Houston could have buried Tulane just faster than he took to resurrect the program.  However, the reports of the program's doom may be premature with the hiring of Sumrall.  Sumrall comes from Troy where he took the Trojans to 23-4 mark over his two seasons and a win in the Cure bowl over UTSA in 2022. Sumrall played his college ball at Kentucky from 2002-2004 as LB for HC Guy Morris. An in jury derailed his playing career and set him on the coaching path. His experience is all on the defensive side of the ball as he has been a DC, LB coach or both for University of San Diego, Tulane, Ole Miss, and Kentucky. Fritz did not leave the cupboard bare when he left and Summrall has the opportunity to keep the winning going in The Big Easy.  We will find out just where the program is in its' early stages under Summrall as the Green Wave hosts Kansas State in week two then travels to Oklahoma in week three. 

Troy

OUT: Jon Summrall

IN: Gerard Parker 

Losing promising HCs is commonplace at Troy, however the replacement they found for Jon Summrall after his departure for Tulane has a lot of folks scratching their heads at Troy.  Parker has very little HC experience.  He was the interim HC at Purdue after Darrell Hazel was fired midway through the 2016 season.  The team went 0-6 with him at the helm.  He has spent almost his entire career coaching TEs and WRs.  He has just one year of even being a coordinator.  Last year he was the OC at Notre Dame after Tommy Rees left the Golden Dome behind for the same position at Alabama.  This is one of the most underwhelming hires of the offseason.  

Aggieland And Tobacco Road 

Texas A&M

OUT: Jimbo Fisher 

IN: Mike Elko

Well, just what do we say about the Jimbo Fisher era in College Station? It seems like one crazy story, scandal and one coaching meltdown after another during Jimbo's time.  It made George Steinbrennner's stewardship of the Yankees look tranquil.  However, a 75-million dollar buyout has made a clean slate of things for the Maroon and White. The powers that be in Aggielnad have now brought in a Yankee they are familiar with to run the show. Mike Elko comes from Duke where helped the Blue Devils to a 16-9 record over the last two seasons. Prior to that he was the DC/S coach for TAMU from 2018-2021. I say Elko is a Yankee in the fact that he played his college ball at Penn, then coached at Stony Brook, Penn, Merchant Marine, Fordham, and Hofstra.  He then took his trade a bit further south with stints at Bowling Green, Wake forest and Notre Dame as their DC.  Elko isn't a bluster guy.  He's a defense first guy who gets just enough offense to win games.  That might be what Texas A&M needs right now. 

Duke

OUT: Mike Elko

IN: Manny Diaz 

Manny Diaz has had an interesting career as a coach.  He grew up in Miami as the son of the mayor of Miami.  The he went to Florida State and began his coaching career there.  He has always coached defense.  He worked his way back home, becoming the DC of The U from 2016-2018.  He then accepted the job at Temple as their HC on 12/13/2018.  17 days later he went back on his commitment to Temple and was now the new HC of Miami after Mark Richt stepped down unexpectedly from the job. Diaz then had three pedestrian seasons and was escorted out of Coral Gables at the end of the 2021 season. He has spent the last two seasons as James Frankin's HC at Penn State.  Can Diaz win enough to build his program at a school. where football is an adjunct to the basketball program?  Hmmmmmm

They Were Known As Eastern Independents Once Upon A Time

Boston College

OUT: Jeff Hafley

IN: Bill O'Brien

The best thing about Jeff Hafley's tenure as HC of the Eagles was that he wasn't Steve Addazio.  Addazio, Hafley's predecessor,  went 44-44 at Chestnut Hill and managed to offend almost everyone with a personality euphemistically described as "abrasive." Folks in Beantown were happy with Hafley even though his squads went just 22-26 over four years.  So it came as quite a shock when he abruptly left to be the DC of the Green Bay Packers. However, BC looks to have rebounded nicely worth the hiring of Bill O'Brien.  He comes to the job with a resume that could warm the coldest of New England hearts.  He's got a few Super Bowl rings from his time as an assistant with The New England Patriots.  He's also been the HC at Penn State, and for the Houston Texans.  He brings an absolute world of experience to the job.  He's a helluva hire by BC when they were left flat footed after Hafley's departure. 

Syracuse

OUT: Dino Babers 

IN: Fran Brown 

Dino Babers looked like he had turned the Orange program around.  After a pair of 4-8 seasons, his 2018 team went 10-3 with a win over West Virginia in the Camping World Bowl.  Then mediocrity set in. His teams went 24-36 over the last five seasons.  Babers teams would get off to hot starts then just fade into obscurity once they hit the teeth of their schedule. In Babers' place comes Fran Brown. Brown comes to upstate New York from Georgia where was their DB coach the last two seasons.  He has no HC experience, but he is familiar with football in the east.  He spent six seasons at Temple where went from the GA ranks to AHC/DB coach in 2018.  He was also the DB coach at Rutgers for two seasons from 2020-2021.  Brown was hired more for his recruiting prowess than his on field abilities.  He knows the Northeast well and has deep recruiting ties to the top prep schools. A strong staff around him will be a must if he is to succeed.  Most of the staff is young but they are talented.  CO-DC Robert Wright was named an AFCA 35-under 35 winner for 2024. 

Rounding Out The Big Ten With Some Dukes On The Side

Indiana

OUT: Tom Allen

IN: Curt Cignetti

Nobody could say that Tom Allen did not give it his all as the HC at Indiana.  He was elevated from the DC role to lead the program when then HC Kevin Wilson resigned amidst an investigation into mistreatment and abuse of players. Allen's 2020 team went 6-2 in the COVID year with a 38-21 thumping of Michigan in Bloomington.  The losses piled up from there with the Hoosiers going 9-27 over the last three years. Despite Allen's heart-on-his-sleeve love of Indiana and his players, he was let go at the end of the 2023 campaign. Allen's replacement, Curt Cignetti comes from James Madison.  Cignetti oversaw one of the smoothest transitions from the FCS to the FBS that anyone has ever seen.  The Dukes went from the FCS directly the Sun Belt Conference and all they did under his tenure was 8-3 in 2022 and then 11-1 with a berth in the Armed Forces Bowl.  Cignetti has been in coaching for 40 years and now he has the opportunity to build up a power four program in the Hoosiers.  Nobody doubts that he has the experience and talent to make Indiana a winner, but can he do it at a basketball school that has only notched two nine-win seasons in the history of the program?

Fun Fact: When Indiana beat Michigan, 38-21 back in 2020 their QB was Michael Penix, Jr.

Northwestern 

OUT: Pat Fitzgerald

IN: David Braun 

One of the shocking stories of the 2023 season was the hazing scandal that led to the firing of Pat Fitzgerald.  Then one of the feel good stories of the 2023 unfolded when David Braun, who had spent less time at NU that almost any member of his players, was named the Interim HC. All he did was guide the Wildcats to a 8-5 record and a win over Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. In the middle of the season, the interim tag was removed and he was named the full-time HC. Braun now faces higher expectations in Evanston going into season two.  Braun main challenge this year is that he has only two returning starters in his LB corps and secondary.  If the new starters find their feet early, the Cats will go bowling.   

James Madison

OUT: Curt Cignetti

IN: Bob Chesney

With Curt Cignetti headed to lead the 18th ranked team in the Big Ten, the Dukes admin went with what they know and drew from the FCS ranks to take his place.  The 46-year old Chesney comes to James Madison from Holy Cross.  Chesney's Crusaders won five straight Patriot League titles from 2019-2023.  His 111-46 record as an HC has a decidedly northeastern flavor as he's also been the HC at Salve Regina and Assumption.  Despite his FCS excellence and loaded roster left to him at JMU, Chesney will have an uphill climb adjusting to the Sun Belt Conference. 

Time Out For Trivia

 

ESPN College Gameday legend and former FBS HC Lee Corso only won one bowl game in his coaching career.  What game was it?

An SEC Leftover And Other Southern Locales 

Mississippi State

OUT: Zach Arnott

IN; Jeff Lebby

After the sudden death of Mike Leach back on December 12, 2022.  The MSU admin promoted Arnett from the DC position and backed him for a new defensive minded Bulldog program.  The backing of Arnett lasted one season.  Arnett's Bulldogs were 4-6 and had lost six of their last eight games when Arnett was shown the door.  The AD that hired Arnett, John Cohen had left for the Auburn AD job a month earlier.  The new AD, Zac Selmon, didn't waste any time to put his mark on the program and move to put his man at the helm in Starkville. That choice is Jeff Lebby.  Lebby brings an offensive minded attitude back to MSU from Oklahoma where he was the OC.  Lebby was also the OC at Ole Miss and UCF over the last five years.  Lebby will be asked to bring the Leach level of offense back to MSU.  He may at times ask his father-in-law for advice.  That guys is former Baylor HC Art Briles. 

Louisiana-Monroe

OUT: Terry Bowden

IN: Ryan Vincent

There are graveyards of college football that have been known to end the career of many a coach and then there is ULM.  Since jumping from the the Juco ranks to being a full four year college in 1951, the Warhawks have had never had much success.  They can lay claim to just four conference titles and one Division I-AA title since then. In fact, ULM has posted just one winning season since joining D-I, (now the FBS), back in 1994. So it is no surprise that Terry Bowden failed in creating a winning team over the last three seasons, compiling a 10-26 mark.  Bowden was let go and the next victim up is Bryant Vincent.  The 48-year old Vincent is an Alabama kid.  Almost his entire coaching career has been spent in the 22nd state. He's been a HC on the high school level and spent a few years at UAB where he filled in as the interim HC at UAB where he led the Blazers to a 7-6 record only to watch Trent Dilfer be handed the full time HC job at season's end. Vincent really loves coaching or there's no way he'd take this job. A winning season for the Warhawks would be a miracle. Good luck, Mr Vincent. 

Lone Raiders And A Sun Belt Duo

Middle Tennessee State

OUT: Rick Stockstill

IN: Derek Mason

Rick Stockstill compiled a 113-111 record in 18 years on the MTSU sidelines. He would not see a 19th year as he was fired shortly after the Blue Raiders finished their third losing season in the last five years.  In comes Derek Mason.  Yes, Derek Mason. You know, the guy with a 27-55 record in seven seasons at Vanderbilt from 2014-2020. Mason has coached everywhere form Bucknell to Oklahoma State to Stanford and he will need all that experience to raise the Blue Raiders out of their near 20-year cycle of .500 football. 

South Alabama 

OUT: Kane Womack 

IN: Major Applewhite 

After three years on the sidelines in Mobile, Kane Womack moved up to Tuscaloosa to be the DC/ILB Coach for the Crimson Tide.  In his stead comes one of the assistants to have his career resurrected by Saint Nicholas of Tuscaloosa.  That assistant is Major Applewhite.  Applewhite was the big up and coming name in the coaching ranks from 2008-15 where he was the OC/QB Coach for both Texas and Houston.  He was then handed the reigns of the Cougar program back in 2016.  Houston went a mediocre 15-11 in a little over two seasons and he was let go. Applewhite then was yet another rehab project for Nick Saban as an analyst at Bama for 2019 and 2020 season.  The last three years have fond him as the OC/QB Coach at South Alabama.  He was a pretty safe choice for the admin, but can Applewhite make the most of his second chance?   

Georgia State

OUT: Shawn Elliott

IN: Dell McGee

Shawn Elliott came to Georgia State from South Carolina where he spent seven seasons as primality the OL coach for the Gamecocks.  Elliott leapt at the chance to head up the GSU program, but left his family behind in Columbia, SC.  After seven seasons and four bowl wins, Elliott decided he needed to be with his family more and left GSU for a second stint with the Gamecocks as the TE/RGC.  McGee comes to GSU from nearby Georgia where he was the RB/RGC coordinator for Kirby Smart. McGee has been lauded as an ace recruiter who knows the region well.  He was a successful HS HC compiling a 85-21 record at George Washington Carver High in Columbus, GA. The one knock on McGee is that he's never been a coordinator or HC on the college level.  One lingering question  about McGee is whether he will be able to recruit at a  high level without the Georgia Bulldog recruiting war chest at his disposal.  Only time will tell. 

Marty Robbins, The Land Of Enchantment And Mountain Westward

UTEP

OUT: Dana Dimel

IN: Scotty Walden 

So, you want to be a HC at the FBS level?  Well, that's about all that UTEP had to offer Scotty Walden and he jumped at the chance after turning Austin Peay from a doormat into a FCS playoff team over the last four seasons.  The 34-year old Wallden is young for the job, but he was first a HC at 26 years old when he was named the headman at D-III East Texas Baptist back in January of 2016.  The expectations are low at UTEP and with some patience and luck Walden could bring some winning seasons to Minerland.  He couldn't do much worse as the residents of the Sun Bowl haven't won 10 games in a season since 1988 when Bob Stull guided the team to a 10-3 record and a berth in the Independence Bowl. In fact, the Miners have had only seven winning seasons in the last 60 years. 

New Mexico

OUT: Danny Gonzales

IN: Bronco Mendenhall

Back in 2020 Gonzales, the former Lobo who comes from the Rocky Long coaching tree was looked upon as a man who could make New Mexico football a force in the Mountain West Conference.  That didn't come close to happening.  Gonzales was fired after posting an 11-32 record over four seasons.  New Mexico then got lucky when Bronco Mendenhall decide to come out of retirement.  Mendenhall, who left Virginia HC gig after the 2021 season to "spend more time with his family" must have really been really wanting to be a HC again to take this job.  UNM has been a graveyard for coaches for a long long time. 

New Mexico State 

OUT: Jerry Kill

IN: Tony Sanchez

You have to wonder how great a career Jerry Kill could have had without his litany of medical problems. Health concerns stemming from Epilepsy has forced Kill to leave Las Cruces after leading the Aggies to the first 10-win season in their 140 year history. The Aggie admin has turned to Tony Sanchez to keep the program on an upward trajectory.  You might remember Sanchez was the HC at Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman High and was hand-picked to be UNLV's HC back in 2015.  Sanchez had no college coaching experience at all and it showed with his 20-40 record over five years. So this job becomes a second chance for Sanchez to prove he can win on the FBS level.  Good luck, man. Only a very few have won at NMSU.

Boise State 

OUT: Andy Avalos

IN: Spencer Danielson

Andy Avalos played linebacker at BSU and then became a trusted assistant at his alma mater.  He rose up from being the DL coach in 2012 to the DC/LB job in 2016. After two seasons in that post he left for the same job at Oregon. After two seasons with the Quacks, he returned home to the Blue Turf as the HC when Brian Harsin took the Auburn HC job.  Avalos posted a 22-14 overall record, but after the Broncos started off the 2023 season at 5-5, the admin decided he needed to go.  DC Spencer Danielson was tagged as the interim HC and all he did was guide the team to three straight wins and the Mountain West Conference crown.  That was enough for AD Jeremiah Dickey to remove Danielson's interim tag on 12/3 of last year.  BSU then went out and lost to UCLA in the LA Bowl.  Danielson is a Southern California native having grown up in Solano Beach and playing his college ball at Azusa Pacific. However his coaching resume screams BSU lifer.  All but one year of the 35-year old's coaching life has been spent in Boise.  Hopes are high that the energetic Daielson can keep the Broncos at the top of the MWC for years to come.  

Nevada

OUT: Ken Wilson

IN: Jeff Choate

Ken Wilson's time at Nevada was painful to say the least. The Wolfpack went just 4-20 over his two years in Reno. Half of Wilson's four wins came against fellow bottom feeders New Mexico and New Mexico State.  He was fired shortly after Nevada was pasted 42-6 by Wyoming to finish off the 2023 campaign.  The admin at Nevada have turned to Jeff Choate to run the team.  Choate comes to the Wolfpack from Texas where he has been the CO-DC/ILB coach the last three seasons. However, Choate has plenty of experience in the land of the Big Sky.  He was the HC of Montana State from 2016-2019 and served as an assistant at Boise State, Utah State and Washington.  Choate is a tough-minded defense first HC.  He may just be what Nevada needs to be competitive in the Mountain West. 

San Diego State 

OUT: Brady Hoke

IN: Sean Lewis

Brady hoke's first stint at SDSU ended when he was tabbed for the Michigan HC gig back in 2011. However, the folks in Ann Arbor did not like his 31-20 record that featured a declining win total in each one of his four years on the job. Hoke bounced around a few programs before returning as the HC for the Aztecs. The descendants of Motezuma produced a mundane 40-32 record under Hoke from 2020-23. Hoke retired at the end of last season where the Aztecs went a pedestrian 4-8. Sean Lewis was tabbed to replace Hoke after a tumultuous year on Deion Sanders' staff at Colorado.  Lewis left Kent State where he was the HC to be the OC for Sanders.  That lasted eight games. After eight games Sander demoted Lewis from the OC position even though the Buffs were averaging 32.1 points per game. Lewis immediately drew interest from a lot of programs. Lewis landed in at SDSU shortly after Colorado's season ended and now he has the task of getting the Aztecs to win.  SDSU has a new stadium and are hoping Lewis can get the offense clicking well enough to challenge for the Mountain West title. The problem is that despite the belief that Lewis can ramp up the SDSU offense, the Aztecs have only one returning starter on defense.  Ask USC fans about how well a potent offense and a poor defense go together. Hmmmm

Wyoming

OUT: Craig Bohl

IN: Jay Sawvel

Craig Bohl came to Wyoming back in 2014 from North Dakota State.  Yes, that North Dakota State. Bohl led the transition of the Bison from D-II to the FCS and and went 104-32 in eleven years at the helm. His teams won three straight FCS National Titles from 2011-13.  He then left a loaded program behind to revive the decidedly down Wyoming program. In 10 years with the Cowboys he did lead the program back to respectability with four bowl wins including a 16-15 win over Toledo in last year's Arizona Bowl.  The 65-year old Bohl then rode off into the sunset and turned the reigns over to his DC Jay Sawvel. After serving as defensive assistant in a 30-year career, he gets his chance to run his own program. Sawvel has the ability and the talent to make Wyoming an upper tier team in the Mountain West. 

Trivia Answer

Lee Corso's Indiana Hoosiers stunned undefeated BYU, 38-37 in the 1979 Holiday Bowl. A 62-yard punt return for a TD by CB Tim Wilbur in the final period provided the margin of victory.   

Until next time folks remember, all coaches know their X's and O's, but you win the game with the Johnnys and the Joes. 

-The Commissioner