2025 College Football Thread

[Pakuni]

Nobody's having a worse coaching carousel than Ole Miss' athletic director.

[The Sultan]

You are seeing some "traditional" powers struggling with this new environment where even Vanderbilt and Indiana can win if they direct their resources wisely.

[wadesworld]

Nobody's having a worse coaching carousel than Ole Miss' athletic director.

Mizzou's not going to be far behind.

[JWags85]

UCLA AD: "Who's the next UCLA coach?"

Kelly: "Right here dude"

"Me and my FAAA-MUH-LEEE just...love catching a good wave down in Manhattan Beach and then getting fish tacos.  Basically our tradition"

[MUBurrow]

You are seeing some "traditional" powers struggling with this new environment where even Vanderbilt and Indiana can win if they direct their resources wisely.

What is this going to mean for the coaching market generally?  It seems that at a certain point, the whole thing is enough of a crapshoot now that these massive coaching contracts might be worse investments than they were a few years ago?  Or maybe is the money for a coach's contract no longer mutually exclusive from the money that puts the product on the field?

[CreightonWarrior]

He'll get the Nebraska job when rhule leaves and start talking like Larry the cable guy

[tower912]

Wojo is available.   Although you have to call Brad and Billy.   Seriously, how many good coaches are actually out there?

[MU82]

Gotta say I was legit surprised by the Kelly firing. But in today's landscape I obviously shouldn't have been.

Folks talk about college sports being the Wild Wild West due to the way the athletes move around ... but this coaching shyte far surpasses that in Wild Wild Westness.

These guys have buyouts of tens of millions of dollars, and universities barely shrug as they pay 'em off. Yee-haw!

[The Sultan]

Gotta say I was legit surprised by the Kelly firing. But in today's landscape I obviously shouldn't have been.

Did you watch the A&M game Saturday night? It looked like LSU just gave up and the crowd started filing out. I knew right then it was over, whether yesterday or at the end of the season.

And I cannot believe the LSU AD is going to survive this. His last two football hires were Kelly, and Jimbo Fischer at A&M. Just lighting money on fire.

[Billy Hoyle]

the craziest (or most LSU) part of the firing it was done by the governor of Louisiana.

As we know, there are no more important issues in LA that the Governor could be acting up, it's firing the football coach who lost to three straight top 10 teams:

https://lsutigerswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/lsu/football/2025/10/26/lsu-football-fires-brian-kelly-louisiana-governor-jeff-landry/86921861007/

[The Sultan]

Yeah, the governor in Louisiana really has an inordinate amount of power over the university. It's been that way since the days of Huey Long.

[JWags85]

Another funny thing about this firing is the reactions from people and especially former players that show Kelly is a unique level of pretty boy, even for the coaching profession.  Normally there are a bunch of tweets of support and reflections on better memories of the coach, but nope.  Just a bunch of players tweeting snarky emojis and bloggers being like "it's a huge buyout but I get why they paid it.  F him"

I know someone who was a graduate staffer for him at GVSU who basically decided against pursuing a career in coaching after 2 years with him.  A HS teammate of a good friend of mine in college played DB for him at CMU and was ready to graduate early and not take his RS Sr year rather than play another year under Kelly, even after they won the MAC  , then Kelly left for Cincy so he stayed.

Then I knew about half dozen of his former players at Cincy and literally everyone was like "great football coach, terrible person, won't get a Christmas card from me" to the player.  I remember Connor Barwin specifically saying "I don't know if his kids even love him, but he's a psycho who wouldn't give a crap as long as they feared and respected him".

...and that's all before he killed someone

[Pakuni]

The Athletic is reporting that the AD demanded Kelly fire his OC, and Kelly refused. And then Kelly said he wanted to fire other coaches, and the AD refused and fired Kelly.

While we're all enjoying the schadenfreude, I do wonder if LSU played themselves here. Who are they getting that's better, that they can afford, wants to go to Baton Rouge and is willing to go to a program the fires mostly successful coaches on a whim?

[Uncle Rico]

The Athletic is reporting that the AD demanded Kelly fire his OC, and Kelly refused. And then Kelly said he wanted to fire other coaches, and the AD refused and fired Kelly.

While we're all enjoying the schadenfreude, I do wonder if LSU played themselves here. Who are they getting that's better, that they can afford, wants to go to Baton Rouge and is willing to go to a program the fires mostly successful coaches on a whim?

I think you underestimate how insane coaches are.  They're the living embodiment of the "but it can work for us" meme.

[The Sultan]

Another funny thing about this firing is the reactions from people and especially former players that show Kelly is a unique level of pretty boy, even for the coaching profession.  Normally there are a bunch of tweets of support and reflections on better memories of the coach, but nope.  Just a bunch of players tweeting snarky emojis and bloggers being like "it's a huge buyout but I get why they paid it.  F him"

I know someone who was a graduate staffer for him at GVSU who basically decided against pursuing a career in coaching after 2 years with him.  A HS teammate of a good friend of mine in college played DB for him at CMU and was ready to graduate early and not take his RS Sr year rather than play another year under Kelly, even after they won the MAC  , then Kelly left for Cincy so he stayed.

Then I knew about half dozen of his former players at Cincy and literally everyone was like "great football coach, terrible person, won't get a Christmas card from me" to the player.  I remember Connor Barwin specifically saying "I don't know if his kids even love him, but he's a psycho who wouldn't give a crap as long as they feared and respected him".

...and that's all before he killed someone

There is a reason a bunch of his former assistants stayed behind to work with Freeman at Notre Dame.

[The Sultan]

The Athletic is reporting that the AD demanded Kelly fire his OC, and Kelly refused. And then Kelly said he wanted to fire other coaches, and the AD refused and fired Kelly.

While we're all enjoying the schadenfreude, I do wonder if LSU played themselves here. Who are they getting that's better, that they can afford, wants to go to Baton Rouge and is willing to go to a program the fires mostly successful coaches on a whim?

It was completely untenable for him to continue at LSU. It was turning toxic in a way that he would never recover from.

LSU is the best opening right now by a significant margin. It's a better job than both Florida and Penn State. If Kiffin wanted to move on from Ole Miss, LSU would be a better landing spot IMO.

[WhiteTrash]

Another funny thing about this firing is the reactions from people and especially former players that show Kelly is a unique level of pretty boy, even for the coaching profession.  Normally there are a bunch of tweets of support and reflections on better memories of the coach, but nope.  Just a bunch of players tweeting snarky emojis and bloggers being like "it's a huge buyout but I get why they paid it.  F him"

I know someone who was a graduate staffer for him at GVSU who basically decided against pursuing a career in coaching after 2 years with him.  A HS teammate of a good friend of mine in college played DB for him at CMU and was ready to graduate early and not take his RS Sr year rather than play another year under Kelly, even after they won the MAC  , then Kelly left for Cincy so he stayed.

Then I knew about half dozen of his former players at Cincy and literally everyone was like "great football coach, terrible person, won't get a Christmas card from me" to the player.  I remember Connor Barwin specifically saying "I don't know if his kids even love him, but he's a psycho who wouldn't give a crap as long as they feared and respected him".

...and that's all before he killed someone

Sounds similar to the stories my friend tells me about Rich-Rod at WV.

I appreciate Shaka when I hear this stuff. Maybe he will not get another Championship for MU, but he's a person I can be proud of as MU's coach.

[JWags85]

It was completely untenable for him to continue at LSU. It was turning toxic in a way that he would never recover from.

LSU is the best opening right now by a significant margin. It's a better job than both Florida and Penn State. If Kiffin wanted to move on from Ole Miss, LSU would be a better landing spot IMO.

Yea, in a world of rash firings, I don't really think any of LSU's recent moves have been reckless.  Kelly was toxic and lost control.  Coach O won a Natty based on an otherwordly roster of talent.  Once that talent moved on, his deficiencies were exposed and Burrow/Chase Pt 2 weren't walking through the door.  Ive seen interviews with him over the past few years where he basically says he doesn't blame LSU for moving on, he gets it.

And then Les Miles was a similar situation to Kelly.  He hadn't bottomed out, but he lost his touch, things were spiraling within the program and they got out in front of it (and that was before all the forfeited games).

LSU's expectation is to be contending for National Titles.  And unlike some of the schools in delusional expectation mode, they have the evidence to back it up.  3 titles in the last 20 years under 3 different coaches.  Its easily a top 5 job in the country, IMO, when you talk about history, culture, recruiting footprint, resources...and its all modern, not places like ND or other schools who haven't have the success in decades.

[MU82]

Did you watch the A&M game Saturday night? It looked like LSU just gave up and the crowd started filing out. I knew right then it was over, whether yesterday or at the end of the season.

Didn't see the game, just the score. But you're right, even with that I should have realized he was gone.

I think you underestimate how insane coaches are.  They're the living embodiment of the "but it can work for us" meme.

This. Any proven coach has a massive ego, believing he will be the one to fix whatever's broken.

[Uncle Rico]

Didn't see the game, just the score. But you're right, even with that I should have realized he was gone.

This. Any proven coach has a massive ego, believing he will be the one to fix whatever's broken.

Until proven otherwise.  This includes AD's giving out ridiculous buyouts and hiring bad dudes.  Like, if Urban Meyer wants back in, he'll get hired.  And I won't be surprised if Jon Gruden gets a gig this cycle. 

I mean, Arkansas is begging for Bobby Petrino to give them a reason to hire him.

[WhiteTrash]

Until proven otherwise.  This includes AD's giving out ridiculous buyouts and hiring bad dudes.  Like, if Urban Meyer wants back in, he'll get hired.  And I won't be surprised if Jon Gruden gets a gig this cycle.

I mean, Arkansas is begging for Bobby Petrino to give them a reason to hire him.

If an average NFL coach like Belichick can have success at the college level, why not Gruden? 

[Uncle Rico]

If an average NFL coach like Belichick can have success at the college level, why not Gruden? 

Gruden knows his NFL days are done.  He's made it known he's willing to listen to college offers. 

Again, AD's are non different than coaches and think things will work differently for them.

[JWags85]

If an average NFL coach like Belichick can have success at the college level, why not Gruden? 

Gruden knows his NFL days are done.  He's made it known he's willing to listen to college offers. 

The Gruden college rumors come up every year but I still can't see it.  I feel like him mentioning interest is good for buzz around his brand, especially since his gig at Barstool has a bunch of college programs interacting with him, sending him gear, having him glaze the program, etc...

He hasn't coached in college in 35 years.  Other than the constantly repeated Tennesee connection, he has no real ties to any major school, even from family.  And more so, not sure why he would want to.  I get why he went back to the Raiders, but getting back to coaching in college seems odd.  He's got plenty of money and his media gig right now is pretty sweet.  Regardless of how you feel about Barstool, the lane and set-up the got for Gruden is solid and he's really great at it and seems like he's having a blast.  Transitioning from that to the insane expectations and meat grinder of a top program seems crazy. 

[Uncle Rico]

The Gruden college rumors come up every year but I still can't see it.  I feel like him mentioning interest is good for buzz around his brand, especially since his gig at Barstool has a bunch of college programs interacting with him, sending him gear, having him glaze the program, etc...

He hasn't coached in college in 35 years.  Other than the constantly repeated Tennesee connection, he has no real ties to any major school, even from family.  And more so, not sure why he would want to.  I get why he went back to the Raiders, but getting back to coaching in college seems odd.  He's got plenty of money and his media gig right now is pretty sweet.  Regardless of how you feel about Barstool, the lane and set-up the got for Gruden is solid and he's really great at it and seems like he's having a blast.  Transitioning from that to the insane expectations and meat grinder of a top program seems crazy.

He's crazy

[Shaka Shart]

you have to at least give Marc Trestman a call