whittingham.png
Getty Images

Shortly after landing the Michigan job, Kyle Whittingham made two substantial coordinator acquisitions in short order to help ensure success in Year 1 with the Wolverines.

Whittingham is one of 32 new head coaches in the FBS as a result of the 2025-26 carousel, tying the record for a single cycle. There were 17 moves at the Power level, including six within the SEC, most notably at Florida, LSU and Auburn. Nearly all of the new hires have filled their offensive and defensive coordinator roles, the most critical positions on any staff beneath the head coach.

The biggest current coordinator vacancies belong to Ohio State and Oregon. With Brian Hartline departing for South Florida to become a head coach, Ryan Day is searching for a new play-caller for 2026. Dan Lanning, meanwhile, must replace both OC Will Stein, now the head coach at Kentucky, and DC Tosh Lupoi, who left for the same role at California.

With the new condensed transfer portal cycle in full swing and staffs deep into player evaluations, here's a look at this cycle's 10 best hires, along with a few worth monitoring that could move the needle.

1. Jason Beck, Michigan OC

Previous job: Utah OC

Kyle Whittingham is bringing his hot-shot play caller to Ann Arbor as the first major acquisition for Michigan's staff. Utah ranked second nationally in rushing at 269.7 yards per game and fifth nationally in scoring at 41.1 points per game under Beck's tutelage.

Whittingham has acknowledged Michigan's offense will employ a "physicality-first" mindset, with everything beginning at the line of scrimmage. If Bryce Underwood returns -- and that is the expectation with Beck in tow -- he will headline a Michigan offense also expected to re-sign ballcarrier Jordan Marshall, several players up front and wideout Andrew Marsh, among others.

2. Buster Faulkner, Florida OC

Previous job: Georgia Tech OC

Jon Sumrall's swiped Brent Key's top assistant from Georgia Tech for one of the splashiest coordinator hires in the new-look SEC. The Yellow Jackets averaged a school-record 6.98 yards per play this season with Faulkner calling the shots through veteran quarterback Haynes King.

Georgia Tech fielded the ACC's second-best rushing attack at 197.5 yards per game -- an area Sumrall wants to dominate in Gainesville -- and finished among the league's top tier in both total offense and scoring.

Faulkner also brings SEC experience. He served as an offensive quality control assistant under Kirby Smart from 2020-22, overseeing the development of Stetson Bennett as part of two national championship teams. 

"Throughout his impressive career, not only has Buster led some of the highest-scoring offenses in the country, but he's also shown the ability to design and implement his offenses to the strengths of his players," Sumrall said. "There is not a doubt in my mind that Buster will have our offense lighting up the scoreboard."

3. Will Muschamp, Texas DC

Previous job: Georgia defensive analyst

Steve Sarkisian tapped the former Texas defensive coordinator to return to the Forty Acres and fix issues on his side of the ball. Muschamp left the Longhorns for the Florida job after the 2010 season and later led South Carolina before spending the past few years on Kirby Smart's staff at Georgia.

Muschamp is an elite recruiter and defensive mind and, if Sarkisian stays out of his way, he should maximize a talented roster that includes returning superstar Colin Simmons off the edge. Muschamp's return should allow Sarkisian to spend more time focused on the offense with Arch Manning back under center.

4. Jim Knowles, Tennessee DC

Previous job: Penn State DC

The Vols moved on from Tim Banks after his fifth season, turning to Knowles, who directed Ohio State's elite, title-winning defense in 2024 before a forgettable campaign with the Nittany Lions. Knowles' scheme is relatively simple, built around putting playmakers in position to execute rather than overwhelming opponents with complexity.

That approach worked during his three seasons in Columbus thanks to an abundance of talent. Tennessee is betting he can replicate that success in the SEC. Knowles will be tasked with overhauling a defense that ranked 92nd nationally in points allowed this season at 28.8 per game, the Vols' worst showing since 2021.

"Hiring Jim Knowles was our top priority from the start of this process," Vols coach Josh Heupel said. "Jim has a proven track record of developing elite defenses that play with an edge, and we got to see that first-hand during the 2024 College Football Playoff." 

5. Charlie Weis Jr., LSU OC

Previous job: Ole Miss OC

Lane Kiffin will have his fingerprints all over LSU's offensive scheme, but he trusts Weis, who has been by his side the past four seasons as his right-hand man. An essential hire for the Tigers and one of several assistants who followed Kiffin to Baton Rouge, Weis helped Ole Miss finish the regular season atop the SEC offensively, ranking third nationally in total offense at 498.1 yards per game.

The Rebels were the only SEC team to average at least 300 yards passing and 180 yards rushing per contest. That balance, which earned Weis Broyles Award semifinalist honors this season, is something LSU's offense has lacked in recent years.

6. Jay Hill, Michigan DC

Previous job: BYU DC

Tasked with continuing Whittingham's bring-the-pain defensive mindset at Michigan, Hill comes over from BYU, where he spent the past three seasons as the Cougars' defensive coordinator and associate head coach. BYU made a significant leap on defense under Hill's watch, pairing sound fundamentals with a consistent presence at the line of scrimmage. The Cougars ranked 109th nationally in total defense during his first season before improving to 13th and 35th overall the past two years. Hill played for Whittingham at Utah and later served on his staff in various roles from 2001 through 2013.

7. Chip Kelly, Northwestern OC

Previous job: Las Vegas Raiders OC

Kelly's arrival signals a dramatic offensive shift for the Wildcats. The former Oregon and UCLA head coach has long recruited with a scheme-fit mindset and is known for speed-driven, run-first attacks. Armed with one of the nation's most talented rosters at Ohio State, Kelly helped the Buckeyes produce two 1,000-yard rushers, a breakout season from freshman wideout Jeremiah Smith and developed Kansas State transfer Will Howard into a dynamic passer. His return to the NFL was short-lived, but his track record at the college level should bring immediate improvement at Northwestern.

8. D'Anton Lynn, Penn State DC

Previous job: USC DC

A former Penn State defensive back, Lynn is heading back to his alma mater after three seasons under Lincoln Riley, where he helped USC make tangible strides defensively. He helped infuse the Trojans front seven with Big Ten strength and physicality. Matt Campbell adds a familiar face in Happy Valley as the Nittany Lions look to reestablish themselves in the national conversation.

9. Kendal Briles, South Carolina OC

Previous job: TCU OC

After a 4-8 finish, Shane Beamer made a home run hire for returning quarterback LaNorris Sellers and wideout Nyck Harbor. Briles brings former TCU offensive line coach Randy Clements with him, and the pair has already cleaned house up front with expected portal reinforcements on the way. Briles' scheme previously produced big numbers at Arkansas with KJ Jefferson, a signal caller with traits similar to Sellers.

"This job is not for on-the-job training," Beamer said on Briles. "When you talk about someone that has done it in this league and done it in other conferences at a high level, has done it with multiple personnel, different styles of quarterbacks. It's really impressive.

10. Brent Pry, Virginia Tech DC

Previous job: Virginia Tech head coach

Much like Muschamp at Texas, some coaches are just better at focusing on their particular expertise rather than trying to lead a program. It didn't work out as head coach for Pry with the Hokies, but he's beloved in Blacksburg and is in lockstep with James Franklin, whom he previously served under at Penn State. Most assumed Pry would be retained by Franklin, but now he'll have better talent to work with, leading a unit that could quickly become one of the ACC's best.

Other notable hires

Joe Sloan, Kentucky OC

Previous job: LSU OC

Expect the Wildcats to be explosive under new coach Will Stein, whose offenses under Dan Lanning at Oregon always ranked among the nation's elite in production. He'll oversee Sloan's plan offensively and assist where he can. Sloan called plays the last two seasons at LSU and, prior to that, helped develop former Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels into a Heisman winner. Quarterback play should be considerably better in the Bluegrass.

Joe Klanderman, Baylor DC

Previous job: Kansas State DC

The assumption around the Kansas State program was that new coach Collin Klein would be able to retain Klanderman -- who worked the previous seven seasons with the Wildcats -- but it didn't happen. Klanderman was instrumental in Kansas State's defensive prowess during the 2022 campaign when the Wildcats captured a Big 12 Championship, and his units create turnovers -- 26 takeaways was fifth-most nationally this season.

Brennan Marion, Colorado OC

Previous job: Sacramento State head coach

The Buffaloes need change on offense in 2026 given the turnover in the quarterback room beyond Julian Lewis. Marion went 7-5 this season at Sacramento State, but returns in an exclusive play-calling role, where he's had success previously at UNLV and other stops with his Go-Go offense. Marion's system produced the second-best run game in FCS this season, so there's an expectation Lewis and Colorado's backfield will get plenty of action.

John David Baker, Ole Miss OC

Previous job: East Carolina OC

Baker had never called plays prior to the 2024 season with the Pirates, but helped ECU finish with consecutive impressive campaigns under Blake Harrell before returning to Oxford, where he worked under Kiffin from 2021-23. The 35-year-old's offense is predicated on speed, and if he can convince Trinidad Chambliss to stay (if granted another year of eligibility), the Rebels might not miss a beat. Baker will press the issue and try to get opposing defenses out of position with a rapid pace.

Chad Morris, Clemson OC

Previous job: Texas State WRs (2024)

Will Morris pay off a second time for Dabo Swinney? The Tigers axed Garrett Riley to bring in the play-caller from yesteryear who struck gold with Clemson from 2011-14. Morris handled the offense during that span, guiding the Tigers to 42 wins with his memorable hurry-up attack. He parlayed that success into head-coaching opportunities at SMU and Arkansas, which ultimately failed, before returning to his strengths as a play-caller exclusively.