It’s the midpoint of the faculty soccer season and normally, the teaching carousel is spinning a lot quicker. It’s spinning slower this yr for a number of causes. First, the previous two seasons had far 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 lively 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 document this season
Earlier than getting the ECU job, Houston went 37-6 at James Madison and received 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 workforce 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 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 workforce might use a number of wins down the stretch. Temperature examine: Heat.
Mike Bloomgren, Rice: 2-4
This can be 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 document that included snapping a seven-game dropping 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 appears to be like uncertain, particularly with solely UAB seemingly trying like a possible win — and that one is on the street. Temperature examine: A little bit heat.
Stan Drayton, Temple: 1-5
It’s been robust for Drayton to get a lot traction to this point. 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 received 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 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 carried out terrific in his debut season as the top man on the College of Louisiana-Monroe. That dynamic isn’t serving to the scenario for the first-time faculty coach. Vincent’s workforce blew out UAB 32-6 in early September. Dilfer went 4-8 final yr and the Blazers are actually struggling this yr. Other than 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 one in every 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 examine: Getting sizzling.
Dilfer was a splashy, leap-of-faith rent for UAB, however the Blazers have struggled to this point 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 received 17 video games the previous two seasons nevertheless 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 facet: three of their remaining 5 opponents have dropping information. Getting to 6 wins isn’t out of the query however there’s been growing chatter that it is likely to be time for a change from the 73-year-old Brown. Temperature examine: Getting so much hotter.
Huge 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 employees, 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 persistence with Aranda. There have been extra employees 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 problem has been that Aranda hasn’t recruited properly sufficient or near the extent that Matt Rhule did. Other than this weekend’s sport at Texas Tech, not one of the subsequent 5 opponents have successful information. Temperature examine: Scorching.
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 rapidly, with two double-digit losses together with a dismal house exhibiting 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 more durable 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 successful 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 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 stunned 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 successful 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 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 appeared like the place they have been headed, however that was earlier than dropping to NMSU. Temperature examine: Getting hotter.
I feel Cumbie can purchase 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 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 previously two years and are off to a shaky begin. They escaped with a two-point win towards a hapless Kent State workforce on the street for his or her first FBS win. With the best way 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 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, 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 received’t play one other workforce with a dropping 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 street — Penn State and Texas A&M. I feel they’re ok to rally for six wins however even when they don’t, it’s exhausting to suppose they will anticipate 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 out to be 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, received 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 feel 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 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 bought off to a 3-1 begin earlier than dropping the previous two video games. The Bulldogs have a good shot to turn out to be a bowl workforce. If Fresno can go on an enormous run within the second half of the season, possibly 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 have 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 sizzling coming into this yr, however he is likely to be teaching his technique to one other. The Razorbacks received 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 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 feel he’ll earn extra time, until the college is satisfied it has an enormous improve ready within the wings. Temperature examine: Scorching however cooling off a bit.
Billy Napier, Florida: 3-3
Florida doesn’t have a whole lot of persistence with soccer coaches. The Gators fired Dan Mullen, who’d received 29 video games in his first three seasons however bought the axe after going 5-6. Jim McElwain received 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 workforce remains to be battling for Napier. That’s been an enormous plus, along with the difficult timeline now with CFP candidates probably in play.
There’s been a ton of dysfunction across the college, all the best way as much as the college president fleeing.
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) appears to be like dicey. And Appalachian State will not be used to dropping. Temperature examine: Getting heat.
Butch Jones, Arkansas State: 3-3
Below Jones, the Crimson Wolves have gone from two wins to a few wins to 6 and bowl sport final yr. I feel 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 life like.Temperature examine: 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 superb selection when he bought this job 4 years in the past. After a stable season season the place the Golden Eagles went 7-6 and received 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 need to 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 examine: Highly regarded.
(Prime illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Images: Adam Davis, James Gilbert, Grant Halverson / Getty)
