It’s the midpoint of the school soccer season and normally, the teaching carousel is spinning a lot sooner. It’s spinning slower this yr for just a few causes. First, the previous two seasons had a lot extra turnover than initially anticipated; second, that is the primary yr of the 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff, which is extending the potential ready time on some search choices.
Issues might get energetic on the Group of 5 degree quickly, although. Right here’s our midseason evaluation after speaking to quite a few business sources concerning the FBS teaching panorama.
AAC
Mike Houston, East Carolina: 3-3 document this season
Earlier than getting the ECU job, Houston went 37-6 at James Madison and gained an FCS nationwide title. He led the Pirates to 2 bowl video games in his first 4 seasons however went 2-10 final yr. His crew simply received whupped by 31 at Charlotte, now a rival program, and has misplaced by far its greatest participant, cornerback Shavon Revel, to a season-ending knee harm. ECU nonetheless has Military and Navy, each Prime 25 groups, plus 5-1 North Texas left. Tulsa, FAU and Temple are all very winnable. Getting to 6 wins would possibly purchase him extra time, however his crew might use just a few wins down the stretch. Temperature examine: Heat.
Mike Bloomgren, Rice: 2-4
It is a robust job. The previous Stanford assistant received the Owls right into a bowl sport in his fifth yr. Final season was his greatest: a 6-7 document that included snapping a seven-game shedding streak to Houston. The Owls received off to a 1-4 begin however simply notched a pleasant, shut win towards UTSA for his or her first win towards an FBS opponent. Getting bowl eligible appears uncertain, particularly with solely UAB seemingly trying like a possible win — and that one is on the highway. Temperature examine: A bit of heat.
Stan Drayton, Temple: 1-5
It’s been robust for Drayton to get a lot traction to date. The Owls are 2-16 in AAC play. This system wasn’t in nice form when Drayton took over for Rod Carey, whose groups solely gained two of his final 15 AAC video games earlier than he was fired. The Owls might actually use a win at residence towards struggling Tulsa this weekend to get a little bit momentum going. Temperature examine: Getting hotter.
Trent Dilfer, UAB: 1-5
The previous NFL quarterback-turned-TV analyst had a whole lot of success constructing a powerhouse highschool program in Nashville earlier than getting the Blazers job over then-offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent, who not so coincidentally has executed terrific in his debut season as the top man on the College of Louisiana-Monroe. That dynamic isn’t serving to the state of affairs for the first-time faculty coach. Vincent’s crew blew out UAB 32-6 in early September. Dilfer went 4-8 final yr and the Blazers are actually struggling this yr. Except for a win over FCS Alcorn within the opener, this has been tough. They hung round towards Arkansas and gave the Hogs a sport, however the remainder of the slate has been blowouts. They’ve residence video games towards Tulsa, UConn and Rice. They should win a minimum of one in all two of these to indicate some progress to quiet among the critics since this was a reasonably high-profile, outside-the-box rent. Temperature examine: Getting scorching.
Dilfer was a splashy, leap-of-faith rent for UAB, however the Blazers have struggled to date beneath his tenure. Photograph: Wesley Hitt / Getty
ACC
Mack Brown, North Carolina: 3-4
The Tar Heels has been fairly good in Brown’s second stint with this system. In his second season again, they completed No. 18. The Tar Heels have gained 17 video games the previous two seasons but it surely appears like this system has fallen off fairly a bit this yr. They’ve misplaced 4 in a row, together with giving up 70 to JMU at residence. The brilliant facet: three of their remaining 5 opponents have shedding data. Getting to 6 wins isn’t out of the query however there’s been rising chatter that it is likely to be time for a change from the 73-year-old Brown. Temperature examine: Getting quite a bit hotter.
Huge 12
Dave Aranda, Baylor: 2-4
The wild curler coaster trip that has been Aranda’s tenure in Waco, Texas has struggled to ramp again up. He went 2-7 in his first season after which, after overhauling his offensive workers, led Baylor to a 12-2 season, ending No. 5. Since then, the Bears are 11-20. Baylor virtually made a training change final winter however confirmed extra endurance with Aranda. There have been extra workers strikes made that included Aranda taking up the protection this season. However after some good early indicators, that facet of the ball is struggling once more. The difficulty has been that Aranda hasn’t recruited effectively sufficient or near the extent that Matt Rhule did. Except for this weekend’s sport at Texas Tech, not one of the subsequent 5 opponents have profitable data. Temperature examine: Sizzling.
GO DEEPER
Khan: Can Dave Aranda come again from Baylor’s collapse at Colorado?
Huge Ten
Mike Locksley, Maryland: 3-3
A quick begin has cooled shortly, with two double-digit losses together with a dismal residence displaying the place the Terrapins misplaced by 27 to a middling Northwestern crew. Worse nonetheless, they’ll most likely be underdogs in every of their final six video games. A rebuilt O-line has struggled mightily, as has the secondary. Phrase out of Faculty Park is that Locksley, who’s so well-respected regionally, has constructed up a lot goodwill in his time there, particularly having posted back-to-back eight-win seasons whereas within the a lot harder facet of the Huge Ten and that’ll afford him a mulligan this yr. Within the earlier 40 years, the Terps had just one stretch of three consecutive profitable seasons till Locksley did it from 2021-2023. Temperature examine: Lukewarm.
Ryan Walters, Purdue: 1-5
The previous Colorado defensive again did excellent work as Illinois’ defensive coordinator earlier than getting this job. The Purdue offense sputtered in his debut season, managing 17 factors or much less six occasions in a 4-8 yr. Walters fired OC Graham Harrell early this season and Purdue’s woes have continued. A 49-0 win over FCS Indiana State is the lone victory, however they did present indicators of life, virtually knocking off No. 23 Illinois on the highway final weekend, 50-49, with freshman QB Ryan Browne in his first begin. 4 of their remaining six video games are towards top-16 groups. The opposite two groups are .500 Northwestern and at Michigan. Can the Boilers notch a minimum of one win to indicate some progress? Two years isn’t near sufficient time, so I’d be very shocked if the Boilers made a transfer. In spite of everything, it is a program that hasn’t completed within the Prime 25 as soon as previously 20 years and solely had 4 profitable seasons previously 16 years. Temperature examine: Getting a little bit heat.
Convention USA
Sonny Cumbie, Louisiana Tech: 2-4
He went 6-18 in his first two years. The Bulldogs misplaced their first three video games towards FBS groups this season. They hammered a foul MTSU crew for his or her first FBS win of the season final week however weren’t in a position to construct off of that. They misplaced in double-overtime to New Mexico State. Subsequent up is one other woeful crew, UTEP. I believed 5-7 regarded like the place they had been headed, however that was earlier than shedding to NMSU. Temperature examine: Getting hotter.
I believe Cumbie should buy himself one other yr with 5 wins. Photograph: Jaylynn Nash / Imagn Photographs
MAC
Mike Neu, Ball State: 2-4
A former star QB for the Cardinals, Neu truly led Ball State to a Prime 25 season in 2020, when the Cardinals completed No. 23. Neu adopted that up with one other bowl journey. They’ve tailed off some previously two years and are off to a shaky begin. They escaped with a two-point win towards a hapless Kent State crew on the highway for his or her first FBS win. With the way in which their schedule units up, getting greater than three wins looks as if a attain. He’s been the top coach for 9 years and he’s the one one in class historical past that ever produced a Prime 25 season, though Pete Lembo and Brady Hoke every did have double-digit win seasons. Nonetheless, it is a very robust place to win at. Temperature examine: Heat.
Joe Moorhead, Akron: 1-6
One of many sport’s higher offensive minds has struggled to get any momentum right here. He had back-to-back 2-10 seasons to start out and appears like he is likely to be headed to a different one. Past Kent State, they gained’t play one other crew with a shedding document this season. Temperature examine: Fairly heat.
Scot Loeffler, Bowling Inexperienced: 2-4
He’s coming off of his greatest season of his first 5 years, when the Falcons went 7-6. They’re off to a sluggish begin this fall however they’ve had three losses by a landing or much less, together with towards two ranked groups on the highway — Penn State and Texas A&M. I believe they’re ok to rally for six wins however even when they don’t, it’s arduous to suppose they will count on higher than what they’ve had from Loeffler. Temperature examine: Type of heat.
Kenni Burns, Kent State: 0-6
He took over for Sean Lewis, who left to turn into an OC at Colorado. Lewis led Kent State to its first bowl win and had two seven-win seasons at a spot that’s solely had three profitable seasons since 1987. Burns, a former Minnesota working again coach, gained one sport in his first season, and remains to be searching for his first win this season. Shedding to FCS St. Francis nonetheless stings. Can they knock off Akron in late November to get a win? I believe it’s fairly poor type to rent somebody and solely give him two seasons, but when there is just one win or much less in every of Burns’ first two years, it wouldn’t be stunning if the college received itchy. Temperature examine: Getting heat.
Mountain West
Tim Skipper, Fresno State: 3-3
A former Bulldogs center linebacker, Skipper is a well-respected a part of the Fresno household and stepped up after Jeff Tedford stepped down for well being causes. Fresno State received off to a 3-1 begin earlier than shedding the previous two video games. The Bulldogs have an honest shot to turn into a bowl crew. If Fresno can go on an enormous run within the second half of the season, perhaps Skipper can maintain this job. Temperature examine: Heat.
Nate Dreiling, Utah State: 1-5
The 33-year-old interim remains to be searching for his first FBS win. They pounded FCS Robert Morris within the opener and had been then blasted of their subsequent 5 video games. Temperature examine: They’ll be beginning over this winter.
SEC
Sam Pittman, Arkansas: 4-2
After going 4-8 final season, Pittman’s seat was scorching coming into this yr, however he is likely to be teaching his technique to one other. The Razorbacks gained at Auburn and have a pleasant win towards Tennessee their final trip. They nonetheless have 1-5 Mississippi State forward and 2-3 Louisiana Tech. They might even be able to knocking off LSU with the Tigers coming off the comeback win towards Ole Miss final week. Barring a collapse, I believe he’ll earn extra time, until the college is satisfied it has an enormous improve ready within the wings. Temperature examine: Sizzling however cooling off a bit.
Billy Napier, Florida: 3-3
Florida doesn’t have a whole lot of endurance with soccer coaches. The Gators fired Dan Mullen, who’d gained 29 video games in his first three seasons however received the axe after going 5-6. Jim McElwain gained 19 video games in his first two seasons after which went 3-4 and received fired. Will Muschamp received 4 years. Ron Zook didn’t even get three. Napier went 11-14 his first two years after a powerful run at Louisiana. This season has been a combined bag. The Gators received pounded by Miami within the opener in The Swamp however the crew remains to be battling for Napier. That’s been an enormous plus, along with the tough timeline now with CFP candidates doubtlessly in play.
There’s been a ton of dysfunction across the college, all the way in which as much as the college president fleeing.
The excellent news: the Gators thumped Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss., beat UCF by double-digits and virtually upset Tennessee in Knoxville earlier than shedding in time beyond regulation. They’ve 4 top-20 opponents left, together with two within the high 5, vs. Georgia and at Texas. The one crew with a shedding document remaining is their highway journey to 1-5 FSU. They simply misplaced beginning QB Graham Mertz for the remainder of the season. Can true freshman DJ Lagway spark a robust second half to get Florida to 6-6? In the event that they win this weekend towards Kentucky, don’t rule it out. Temperature examine: Toasty.
GO DEEPER
Billy Napier beware: Florida has not traditionally been affected person in rebuilds
Solar Belt
Shawn Clark, Appalachian State: 2-4
The previous App State offensive lineman is effectively considered within the Mountaineer neighborhood and he has three seasons with a minimum of 9 wins in his first 4 years. This yr has been messy. They’ve misplaced three in a row, all by double digits and by giving up a ton of factors. Simply getting to 5 wins (the sport towards Liberty was canceled final month) appears dicey. And Appalachian State shouldn’t be used to shedding. Temperature examine: Getting heat.
Butch Jones, Arkansas State: 3-3
Beneath Jones, the Pink Wolves have gone from two wins to a few wins to 6 and bowl sport final yr. I believe they need to get bowl eligible once more. Their subsequent two video games are towards Southern Miss and Troy, each 1-5 groups. Additionally they have two video games towards two-win groups, so 6-6 appears like the ground, with seven wins seemingly practical.
Temperature examine: A bit of heat.
Will Corridor, Southern Miss: 1-5
The son of a Mississippi highschool legend, Corridor, a really profitable Division II coach, appeared like a wonderful selection when he received this job 4 years in the past. After a strong season season the place the Golden Eagles went 7-6 and gained a bowl sport, they’ve backslid fairly a bit. They went 3-9 final yr and are actually struggling now. All 5 losses have been by double-digits. They nonetheless should go to JMU and Texas State. The ultimate two video games of the season are towards two-win South Alabama and one-win Troy on the highway. Temperature examine: Extremely popular.
(Prime illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Pictures: Adam Davis, James Gilbert, Grant Halverson / Getty)
