It’s the midpoint of the school soccer season and normally, the teaching carousel is spinning a lot quicker. It’s spinning slower this yr for just a few causes. First, the previous two seasons had rather more 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 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 file 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 group simply bought 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 damage. ECU nonetheless has Military and Navy, each High 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 group might use just a few wins down the stretch. Temperature test: Heat.
Mike Bloomgren, Rice: 2-4
It is a robust job. The previous Stanford assistant bought the Owls right into a bowl sport in his fifth yr. Final season was his greatest: a 6-7 file that included snapping a seven-game shedding streak to Houston. The Owls bought 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 trying like a possible win — and that one is on the street. Temperature test: A little bit heat.
Stan Drayton, Temple: 1-5
It’s been robust for Drayton to get a lot traction up to now. 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 house towards struggling Tulsa this weekend to get slightly momentum going. Temperature test: Getting hotter.
Trent Dilfer, UAB: 1-5
The previous NFL quarterback-turned-TV analyst had plenty 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 accomplished 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 school coach. Vincent’s group 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 house video games towards Tulsa, UConn and Rice. They should win at the very least considered one of two of these to point out some progress to quiet a few of 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 up to now below his tenure. Picture: 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 yr. They’ve misplaced 4 in a row, together with giving up 70 to JMU at house. The intense aspect: 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 virtually 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 aspect of the ball is struggling once more. The problem has been that Aranda hasn’t recruited properly 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 successful 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 shortly, with two double-digit losses together with a dismal house exhibiting the place the Terrapins misplaced by 27 to a middling Northwestern group. 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 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 aspect of the Massive Ten and that’ll afford him a mulligan this yr. Within the earlier 40 years, the Terps had just one stretch of three consecutive successful 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 instances 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 street 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 point out 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 High 25 as soon as previously 20 years and solely had 4 successful seasons previously 16 years. Temperature test: Getting slightly 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 group 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 group, UTEP. I believed 5-7 seemed 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 yr with 5 wins. Picture: 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 High 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 group on the street for his or her first FBS win. With the way in which their schedule units up, getting greater than three wins looks like 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 High 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 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 start out and appears like he may be headed to a different one. Past Kent State, they gained’t play one other group with a shedding file this season. Temperature test: 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 gradual begin this fall however they’ve had three losses by a landing or much less, together with towards two ranked groups on the street — Penn State and Texas A&M. I believe they’re adequate to rally for six wins however even when they don’t, it’s onerous to suppose they will anticipate 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 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 successful seasons since 1987. Burns, a former Minnesota operating again coach, gained one sport in his first season, and remains to be on the lookout 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 shocking if the college bought 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 bought 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 group. If Fresno can go on a giant run within the second half of the season, possibly Skipper can maintain this job. Temperature test: Heat.
Nate Dreiling, Utah State: 1-5
The 33-year-old interim remains to be on the lookout 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 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 yr, however he may be teaching his option to one other. The Razorbacks gained at Auburn and have a pleasant win towards Tennessee their final outing. 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, except the college is satisfied it has a giant improve ready within the wings. Temperature test: Sizzling however cooling off a bit.
Billy Napier, Florida: 3-3
Florida doesn’t have plenty of endurance with soccer coaches. The Gators fired Dan Mullen, who’d gained 29 video games in his first three seasons however bought the axe after going 5-6. Jim McElwain gained 19 video games in his first two seasons after which went 3-4 and bought fired. Will Muschamp bought 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 combined bag. The Gators bought pounded by Miami within the opener in The Swamp however the group remains to be battling for Napier. That’s been a giant 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 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 group with a shedding file remaining is their street 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 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) seems to be dicey. And Appalachian State isn’t used to shedding. Temperature test: Getting heat.
Butch Jones, Arkansas State: 3-3
Underneath Jones, the Purple 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 looks like the ground, with seven wins seemingly real looking.
Temperature test: A little bit 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 alternative when he bought 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 yr 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 street. Temperature test: Highly regarded.
(High illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Images: Adam Davis, James Gilbert, Grant Halverson / Getty)
