Coaches get hired to be fired. Hopefully, they win a few games in between. But let's face it, they usually don't win enough. That's just speaking on average. It's also why every winter is filled with college football coaches losing jobs, moving on to other opportunities and trying on new polo shirts and hats.
It's a dizzying process and one that can be hard for the average fan to follow. After all, why should you have to keep track of every single move that's being made? Lucky for you, we here at CBS Sports do have the time. We are tracking every hiring and firing in the 2020 coaching carousel and not only breaking each down but providing a grade for how every school performed in its decision making.
Since the carousel is in full swing with the 2020 regular season about to come to a close, let's take a look at what we know so far. Below you will find CBS Sports' one-stop shop for all of your coaching hire needs. (Well, except those polos.)
FBS hirings and firings
| Team | In | Out | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Gus Malzahn | Josh Heupel (hired by Tennessee) | This is a tremendous hire for the Knights. Malzahn's proven track record of success combined with the speed of the athletes in central and south Florida should put the Knights back into a New Year's Six bowl game in a hurry. A+ |
 | Josh Heupel | Jeremy Pruitt (fired) | Heupel is the perfect hire at the perfect time for Tennessee. New AD Danny White committed to building a program that is sustainable over time, and Heupel's offensive prowess and familiarity with White mean that he will make Tennessee what it needs to be ... a long-term offensive force. Grade: A- |
 | Andy Avalos | Bryan Harsin (hired by Auburn) | Avalos returns home to his alma mater after spending two years as defensive coordinator on Mario Cristobal's staff at Oregon. He doesn't have any experience as a college head coach, but he knows the Boise State landscape and culture of competition that has led to so much success. Grade: B+ |
 | Charles Huff | Doc Holliday (fired) | Huff comes to the Thundering Herd after a successful stint on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama. It's his first head coaching job, so there will be a learning curve. But Huff's ability to recruit should replenish the roster in a hurry. Grade: B |
 | Steve Sarkisian | Tom Herman (fired) | Sarkisian will take over the Longhorns after serving as Alabama's offensive coordinator for two seasons. The former USC and Washington coach has a tremendous mind for offensive football, develops quarterbacks and has had two seasons learning from the best coach of all time. He will bring Texas "back." Grade: A |
 | Bryan Harsin | Gus Malzahn (fired) | Harsin was 69-19 in seven seasons at Boise State. He is a relative outsider to the SEC, so hiring a staff will be a big key to his success. If he lures assistants with deep recruiting ties, this could turn out to be one of the best hires of the offseason. Grade: B+ |
 | Jedd Fisch | Kevin Sumlin (fired) | After working all over the NFL and college football, the 44-year-old Fisch gets his first head coaching opportunity. He is regarded as a quality offensive mind. His lack of head coaching experience -- two games as UCLA's interim -- means that Wildcat fans will have to be patient. Grade: B- |
 | Terry Bowden | Matt Viator (fired) | Two years after getting fired at Akron, Bowden is back in the game. The 64-year-old recently did a stint at Clemson as a graduate assistant. He only went to two bowl games in seven years with the Zips, and the competition is much tougher in the Sun Belt. Grade: C |
 | Clark Lea | Derek Mason (fired) | Lea spent the last four seasons on Notre Dame's staff, and the last three as its defensive coordinator. He is a former Vandy player who knows the challenges that the school faces. Grade: B |
 | Bret Bielema | Lovie Smith (fired) | Bielema returns to the BigTen after a stint as an NFL assistant and should fit well with the program. Smith recruited well enough for Bielema to hit the ground running with his old-school style. Grade: B+ |
 | Butch Jones | Blake Anderson (resigned) | Jones was solid as a Group of Five coach at Central Michigan and Cincinnati, but drove Tennessee into the ground. The real Jones coached on Rocky Top, and a brief stint as Nick Saban's intern won't change him. Grade: F |
 | Kane Wommack | Steve Campbell (fired) | Wommack is a former player at Arkansas and Southern Miss. The 33-year-old is now the youngest FBS coach, and will bring well-documented recruiting prowess to a Group of Five program with a lot of potential. Grade: B+ |
 | Blake Anderson | Gary Andersen (fired) | The former Arkansas State coach was wildly successful in Jonesboro, going 51-37 in seven seasons, including two Sun Belt titles. His success with a wide open offense should play well with an Aggies program that needs a spark. Grade: A- |
 | Shane Beamer | Will Muschamp (fired) | This hire had been rumored for awhile. It's a risk for South Carolina to go with a coordinator, but he's been with the Gamecocks before. Beamer is also a relentless recruiter and well-respected within the coaching community. South Carolina will have to be patient with Beamer as he jumps in the deep end of the pool as a first-time coach in the SEC. Grade: B- |
 | Will Hall | Jay Hopson (resigned) | Hall comes from the Willie Fritz school of spread option football, which should work well at a school that has a strong talent base to recruit from. He has head coaching experience at West Alabama and West Georgia, so Golden Eagles fans shouldn't have to worry about the responsibilities being to big for Hall to handle early in his career. Grade: B+ |
Notable retentions and extensions
| Team | Coach | Status | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Mario Cristobal | Extended | Cristobal agreed to a contract extension through 2025. He had been mentioned in Auburn's coaching search. |
 | Jamey Chadwell | Extended | Chadwell agreed to a seven-year contract extension to stay with the Chanticleers. |
 | Justin Fuente | Retained | There had been talk that Fuente could be on the outs. AD Whit Babcock announced in mid-December that he will be the Hokies' coach in 2021. |
 | Scott Satterfeld | Reaffirmed | Satterfield flirted with South Carolina before withdrawing his name one day before Shane Beamer was hired in Columbia. Satterfield's Cardinals entered the 2020 season with high expectations, but injuries and ineffectiveness have ravaged the roster, which is a big reason why they'll finish under .500. |
 | Billy Napier | Reaffirmed | Napier recommitted to the Ragin' Cajuns one day before Shane Beamer was hired at South Carolina. That typically means, instead of re-committing to his current job, he didn't get the job that he wanted. Napier is a rising star and will get looks at other SEC schools either this offseason or next. |
