It’s the midpoint of the faculty soccer season and normally, the teaching carousel is spinning a lot quicker. It’s spinning slower this 12 months for a couple of causes. First, the previous two seasons had rather more turnover than initially anticipated; second, that is the primary 12 months 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 stage quickly, although. Right here’s our midseason evaluation after speaking to quite a few trade sources in regards to the FBS teaching panorama.
AAC
Mike Houston, East Carolina: 3-3 report 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 12 months. His workforce simply acquired whupped by 31 at Charlotte, now a rival program, and has misplaced by far its finest participant, cornerback Shavon Revel, to a season-ending knee damage. 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 may purchase him extra time, however his workforce might use a couple of wins down the stretch. Temperature test: Heat.
Mike Bloomgren, Rice: 2-4
This can be a robust job. The previous Stanford assistant acquired the Owls right into a bowl sport in his fifth 12 months. Final season was his finest: a 6-7 report that included snapping a seven-game shedding streak to Houston. The Owls acquired 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 seems to be uncertain, particularly with solely UAB seemingly wanting like a possible win — and that one is on the highway. Temperature test: Just a little heat.
Stan Drayton, Temple: 1-5
It’s been robust for Drayton to get a lot traction thus far. 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 dwelling towards struggling Tulsa this weekend to get somewhat momentum going. Temperature test: Getting hotter.
Trent Dilfer, UAB: 1-5
The previous NFL quarterback-turned-TV analyst had a variety 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 carried out terrific in his debut season as the pinnacle 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 workforce blew out UAB 32-6 in early September. Dilfer went 4-8 final 12 months and the Blazers are actually struggling this 12 months. Apart from 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 dwelling video games towards Tulsa, UConn and Rice. They should win at the very least 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 test: Getting scorching.
Dilfer was a splashy, leap-of-faith rent for UAB, however the Blazers have struggled thus far underneath 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 however it looks like this system has fallen off fairly a bit this 12 months. They’ve misplaced 4 in a row, together with giving up 70 to JMU at dwelling. 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 may be time for a change from the 73-year-old Brown. Temperature test: Getting quite a bit hotter.
Massive 12
Dave Aranda, Baylor: 2-4
The wild curler coaster journey 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 nearly made a training change final winter however confirmed extra endurance with Aranda. There have been extra workers strikes made that included Aranda taking on 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 properly sufficient or near the extent that Matt Rhule did. Apart from this weekend’s sport at Texas Tech, not one of the subsequent 5 opponents have profitable data. Temperature test: Sizzling.
GO DEEPER
Khan: Can Dave Aranda come again from Baylor’s collapse at Colorado?
Massive Ten
Mike Locksley, Maryland: 3-3
A quick begin has cooled rapidly, with two double-digit losses together with a dismal dwelling displaying the place the Terrapins misplaced by 27 to a middling Northwestern workforce. Worse nonetheless, they’ll in all probability 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 domestically, 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 Massive Ten and that’ll afford him a mulligan this 12 months. Within the earlier 40 years, the Terps had just one stretch of three consecutive profitable seasons till Locksley did it from 2021-2023. Temperature test: 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 12 months. 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, nearly 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 at the very least 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, this can be a program that hasn’t completed within the Prime 25 as soon as prior to now 20 years and solely had 4 profitable seasons prior to now 16 years. Temperature test: Getting somewhat 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 workforce 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 workforce, UTEP. I believed 5-7 regarded like the place they had been headed, however that was earlier than shedding to NMSU. Temperature test: Getting hotter.
I believe Cumbie should purchase himself one other 12 months with 5 wins. Photograph: Jaylynn Nash / Imagn Photographs
MAC
Mike Neu, Ball State: 2-4
A former star QB for the Cardinals, Neu really 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 prior to now two years and are off to a shaky begin. They escaped with a two-point win towards a hapless Kent State workforce 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 pinnacle coach for 9 years and he’s the one one at school historical past that ever produced a Prime 25 season, though Pete Lembo and Brady Hoke every did have double-digit win seasons. Nonetheless, this can be a very robust place to win at. Temperature test: 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 begin and appears like he may be headed to a different one. Past Kent State, they gained’t play one other workforce with a shedding report this season. Temperature test: Fairly heat.
Scot Loeffler, Bowling Inexperienced: 2-4
He’s coming off of his finest 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 adequate to rally for six wins however even when they don’t, it’s exhausting to suppose they will count on higher than what they’ve had from Loeffler. Temperature test: Form of heat.
Kenni Burns, Kent State: 0-6
He took over for Sean Lewis, who left to change 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 in search of his first win this season. Dropping 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 varsity acquired itchy. Temperature test: 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 acquired off to a 3-1 begin earlier than shedding the previous two video games. The Bulldogs have an honest shot to change into a bowl workforce. If Fresno can go on an enormous run within the second half of the season, perhaps Skipper can hold this job. Temperature test: Heat.
Nate Dreiling, Utah State: 1-5
The 33-year-old interim remains to be in search of his first FBS win. They pounded FCS Robert Morris within the opener and had been then blasted of their subsequent 5 video games. Temperature test: 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 12 months, however he may be teaching his solution to one other. The Razorbacks gained at Auburn and have a pleasant win towards Tennessee their final day out. They nonetheless have 1-5 Mississippi State forward and 2-3 Louisiana Tech. They could 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 varsity is satisfied it has an enormous improve ready within the wings. Temperature test: Sizzling however cooling off a bit.
Billy Napier, Florida: 3-3
Florida doesn’t have a variety of endurance with soccer coaches. The Gators fired Dan Mullen, who’d gained 29 video games in his first three seasons however acquired the axe after going 5-6. Jim McElwain gained 19 video games in his first two seasons after which went 3-4 and acquired fired. Will Muschamp acquired 4 years. Ron Zook didn’t even get three. Napier went 11-14 his first two years after a formidable run at Louisiana. This season has been a blended bag. The Gators acquired pounded by Miami within the opener in The Swamp however the workforce remains to be battling for Napier. That’s been an enormous plus, along with the difficult 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 nearly upset Tennessee in Knoxville earlier than shedding in extra time. They’ve 4 top-20 opponents left, together with two within the prime 5, vs. Georgia and at Texas. The one workforce with a shedding report 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 test: 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 properly considered within the Mountaineer group and he has three seasons with at the very least 9 wins in his first 4 years. This 12 months 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) seems to be dicey. And Appalachian State will not be used to shedding. Temperature test: Getting heat.
Butch Jones, Arkansas State: 3-3
Underneath Jones, the Pink Wolves have gone from two wins to 3 wins to 6 and bowl sport final 12 months. 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. In addition they have two video games towards two-win groups, so 6-6 looks like the ground, with seven wins seemingly sensible.
Temperature test: Just a little heat.
Will Corridor, Southern Miss: 1-5
The son of a Mississippi highschool legend, Corridor, a really profitable Division II coach, appeared like a superb selection when he acquired this job 4 years in the past. After a stable 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 12 months and are actually struggling now. All 5 losses have been by double-digits. They nonetheless must 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 test: Extremely popular.
(Prime illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Photographs: Adam Davis, James Gilbert, Grant Halverson / Getty)
