The top college head coaches on the rise halfway through the season
College football’s coaching carousel never stops, as programs are always looking for the next big thing or rising star when it comes to finding its head coach. All 128 coaches enter the season with the pressure to win at a high level, but there’s a hierarchy of jobs within each conference that set the level of expectations each season. And of course, there’s always some exterior factors than just the win and loss record that impacts a coach and his future with a particular program.
With the immense pressure on coaches to win every season, there’s always a handful of jobs open by December. Which coaches could athletic directors look to fill voids at the Power 5 level? Here’s a breakdown of the college football’s top 10 coaches on the rise:
1. Justin Fuente, Memphis
2015 Record: 5-0
Career Record: 22-20 (4th season)
Fuente inherited a program that went 3-21 in two seasons (2010-11) under Larry Porter and has transformed Memphis into one of the American Athletic Conference’s top teams over the last two years. The Tigers are 15-3 since the start of 2014 and finished No. 25 in last year’s final Associated Press poll. Prior to taking over at Memphis, Fuente worked for five seasons as an assistant under Gary Patterson at TCU.
2. Tom Herman, Houston
2015 Record: 4-0
Career Record: 4-0 (First Season)
Herman was a key cog in Ohio State’s national championship run last season as the team’s play-caller and quarterback coach. And the California native is already turning plenty of heads in his first year as Houston’s head coach. The Cougars are 4-0 – which includes a win over Louisville in Week 2 – average 45.8 points per game and won three out of their four contests by at least 14 points.
3. Matt Wells, Utah State
2015 Record: 2-2
Career Record: 20-11 (3rd season)
Utah State didn’t miss a beat after Gary Anderson left for Wisconsin following the 2012 season. Wells was promoted to head coach and guided the Aggies to a 19-9 mark in his first two seasons at the helm. Despite numerous injuries at the quarterback position from 2013-14, Utah State played in the Mountain West title game in 2013 and won 10 games last year. The Aggies are 2-2 through four contests in 2015 and should be the biggest threat to Boise State in the Mountain West’s Mountain Division.
4. Mark Hudspeth, UL Lafayette
2015 Record: 1-3
Career Record: 103-39 (12th season)
UL Lafayette has become a consistent Sun Belt power under Hudspeth’s direction, finishing with a 9-4 record in each of the last four seasons. Additionally, the Ragin’ Cajuns have earned a bowl trip in all four of Hudspeth’s years on the sideline. Prior to taking over in Lafayette, Hudspeth was a successful coach at North Alabama and spent time as an assistant under Dan Mullen at Mississippi State. Hudspeth built a consistent winner at UL Lafayette and is ready for the opportunity to run a Power 5 program.
5. Matt Campbell, Toledo
2015 Record: 4-0
Career Record: 30-13 (4th season)
Campbell worked as an assistant at Toledo from 2009-11 and was promoted to head coach after Tim Beckman left for Illinois. The Ohio native and former Mount Union player has claimed 30 victories over the last four seasons, including a win over Air Force in 2011 in the Military Bowl in his first game as the head coach. Campbell has recorded a winning record in all three of his full seasons at the helm, including two nine-win marks in 2012 and 2014. Toledo already has a victory over Arkansas this year and ranks No. 24 in the latest Associated Press poll.
6. Bryan Harsin, Boise State
2015 Record: 4-1
Career Record: 23-8 (3rd season)
After Chris Petersen left Boise State for Washington, Harsin was the perfect choice as the program’s next coach. As a Boise native, a former quarterback for the Broncos and a full-time assistant with the program from 2002-10, Harsin knows what it takes to win at a high level at Boise State. The Broncos were the top Group of 5 program last season by reaching the Fiesta Bowl and defeating Arizona, and Harsin’s team is already off to a good start with a 4-1 mark through five games in 2015.
7. P.J. Fleck, Western Michigan
2015 Record: 1-3
Career Record: 10-19 (3rd season)
Fleck’s tenure at Western Michigan got off to a rocky start with a 1-11 record, but the Broncos finished 8-5 last season and should push for a finish in the top three of the MAC West in 2015. Fleck played at Northern Illinois as a receiver from 1999-03 under Joe Novak and had a short stint in the NFL with the 49ers. Fleck quickly moved through the assistant ranks after a year as a graduate assistant with Ohio State in 2006, spending time at Northern Illinois (2007-09), Rutgers (2010-11) and in the NFL with the Buccaneers (2012). Fleck is known as an ace recruiter and isn’t short on enthusiasm. He should be a name to watch for Power 5 jobs over the next few seasons.
8. Matt Rhule, Temple
2015 Record: 4-0
Career Record: 12-16 (3rd season)
Temple has made steady improvement under Rhule’s direction, and the Owls are one of the frontrunners to win the American Athletic Conference title in 2015. Rhule is a former Penn State linebacker and was hired as Temple’s head coach after spending time as an assistant with Buffalo, UCLA, Western Carolina, Temple and the Giants from 1999-11. Rhule was brought back to Philadelphia after Steve Addazio left for Boston College and is 12-16 over the last three years. While Temple was 2-10 in 2013, the Owls lost seven of those games by 10 points or less. And over the last two seasons, Temple is 10-6 and has wins over Penn State and Cincinnati in 2015.
9. Dino Babers, Bowling Green
2015 Record: 3-2
Career Record: 30-15 (4th season)
Bowling Green has already made plenty of noise nationally this season, as the Falcons knocked off two Power 5 programs – Bowling Green and Maryland – and gave Tennessee plenty of headaches in the opener. Babers went 8-6 in his first season with Bowling Green and still managed to win the MAC East despite losing star quarterback Matt Johnson in the first game of the year due to a hip injury. With Johnson back under center, the “Falcon Fast” offense is firing on all cylinders. Prior to the last two years at Bowling Green, Babers spent two seasons as the Eastern Illinois’ head coach and also has a wealth of experience as an assistant from stops at Baylor, UCLA, Pittsburgh, Texas A&M, Arizona and Purdue.
10. Willie Fritz, Georgia Southern
2015 Record: 4-1
Career Record: 189-71-1 (22nd season)
Fritz was a successful coach at three previous jobs prior to taking over at Georgia Southern in 2014. And after 17 games with the Eagles, it’s clear Fritz has already emerged as one of the Sun Belt’s top coaches. Fritz is 13-4 since taking over in Statesboro and 10-0 in conference games. Expect Fritz to have the Eagles in a bowl and in contention for the Sun Belt title this season.
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