It is a busy time around the sport of college football. The College Football Playoff is around the corner, the signing period is underway, and the coaching carousel is spinning at full speed. Here’s a grade for every major Power 4 coaching hire so far.
SEC
Will Stein, Kentucky: A
Kentucky is not usually in the business of making splash hires, so landing one of the hottest coordinators in the country is a massive win. Stein engineered Oregon’s elite offense, helped turn Bo Nix into an NFL quarterback, and has strong ties to the state after growing up in Louisville and playing for the Cardinals. He instantly upgrades the Wildcats’ identity and recruiting footprint. If he hits big in Lexington, he’s not likely to leave. Kentucky patiently waited, swung big, and may have landed the next rising star.
Lane Kiffin, LSU: A
LSU hired one of the best offensive minds in the sport, and Kiffin inherits a roster loaded with local talent. Pair his offensive acumen with Blake Baker’s defense and there is championship upside. The only ding is the chaotic, messy way the process unfolded. Still, LSU hired a proven winner who should energize the program immediately.
Jon Sumrall, Florida: A
Florida fans might hesitate given how the last G5-to-SEC hire ended, but Sumrall is wired completely differently than Billy Napier. He’s fiery, defensive-minded, and commands a room. His teams are tough, disciplined, and physical. The concern is whether Florida’s offense will be explosive enough, but if he nails the coordinator hire, this becomes a home run. Florida needed a cultural reset, and Sumrall brings exactly that.
Alex Golesh, Auburn: A-
Auburn can always recruit, but finding the right quarterback has been the issue. Golesh’s track record developing QBs, including Brock Purdy, Hendon Hooker, and Joe Milton, is exactly what Auburn needed. He kept DJ Durkin and an elite defensive staff intact, and he understands the SEC footprint. And if you’re worried about pressure? The man literally fled the Soviet Union at age seven. He’ll be fine. High upside hire.
Pete Golding, Ole Miss: C-
Ole Miss went all in on Lane Kiffin, so when that fell through, they were on their heels. This feels like a move intended to keep as much of their current roster intact as possible. In the short-term, this hire is fine, but I don’t think he is the guy in the long run.
RYan Silverfield, Arkansas: C-
This feels like a reach. Silverfield inherited a strong Memphis program but never elevated it, and nothing on his résumé screams SEC-ready. The American conference also isn’t what it used to be. Arkansas missed on its top options, and this seems like a panic hire. NIL experience helps, but the Razorbacks are a long way from finding their identity and this doesn’t inspire confidence.
Big Ten
Matt Campbell, Penn State: A
After a long and chaotic process that looked like it might end in disaster, Penn State actually pulled off a huge win by landing Matt Campbell. He’s easily the greatest coach in Iowa State history and should bring stability and a real identity to the Nittany Lions. This would be an A+ hire on its own, but losing almost the entire recruiting class knocks the short-term outlook down a bit. They’ll need to crush the transfer portal to stay competitive in 2026. Long-term, though, this is a fantastic move and Campbell should get Penn State back on the right track.
Bob Chesney, UCLA: A
UCLA pulled a stunner. Chesney wasn’t expected to leave James Madison, yet the Bruins convinced him. He has only two years of FBS experience, but both were incredible with 9 wins last year, 11-1 this year, and a legitimate chance at the CFP. He’s a culture-builder and a proven winner. Tremendous get for UCLA.
Pat Fitzgerald, Michigan State: C+
Fitzgerald was a fantastic coach in the 2010s, taking Northwestern to heights the program had no business reaching. But his final years were ugly, and he hasn’t coached in the NIL/portal era. There is upside here, and he’ll stabilize the program, but it comes with legitimate risk.
ACC
James Franklin, Virginia Tech: A+
Virginia Tech just landed one of the best coaches in America, and they did it without a bidding war. Franklin turned Vanderbilt into a winner and built Penn State into a perennial contender. He is already recruiting at a level Hokies fans haven’t seen in years. This is one of the biggest coups of the entire cycle.
Tosh Lupoi, Cal: B+
Lupoi has built one of the nastiest defenses in America at Oregon and has deep Cal ties as a former player and assistant. If he can keep Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and the offensive pieces together, this could work fast. His pedigree under Nick Saban and experience everywhere from Washington to the NFL makes this a strong, calculated hire.
Tavita Pritchard, Stanford: B
A high-risk, high-reward move. Pritchard is beloved at Stanford, has coached nearly every offensive position, and spent the last three years in the NFL. He’s never been a head coach, so growing pains are coming. But if you trust Andrew Luck, you should love this hire because he has stood firmly behind this decision.
Big 12
Colin Klein, Kansas State: A
With the sudden retirement of Chris Klieman, Kansas State had to move fast to protect their recruiting class and long-term stability. They landed Colin Klein, Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator and a former assistant under Klieman. The Wildcats produced some of their best offensive football with Klein on staff, and the Aggies are having their strongest season in years under his direction. Kansas State fans are fired up about the hire, and they should be.
Eric Morris, Oklahoma State: B+
Oklahoma State desperately needed life on offense, and Morris is tailor-made for that. He has North Texas on the doorstep of the CFP with a young, explosive attack, and he’s coached successful quarterbacks everywhere he’s been, including Cam Ward. Even if he can’t bring some of his North Texas stars with him, he should jump-start this program immediately.
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