Tracking college football coach firings and changes in 2024
Few things remain recognizable in college football in 2024, but at least one thing remains constant: The coaching carousel is always spinning.
Inevitably, teams will choose to part ways with their current coaching staff and embark on a new, more exciting era while hoping they don’t find themselves back in the same spot just a few years later.
One coach was fired before the 2024 season even began, as Utah State’s Blake Anderson was let go in July for allegedly failing to follow his contractual obligations regarding the reporting of sexual misconduct allegations. And Fresno State’s Jeff Tedford resigned in July due to health reasons.
The timing of coaching searches in the sport will certainly change this season thanks to the expanded College Football Playoff. Coaches of teams participating in the 12-team field won’t be available until after the first round at least, which comes after early signing day the first week of December.
But that won’t stop athletics directors from making mid-season changes in an attempt to get a leg up in the coaching market. With that in mind, here’s every coach fired so far in 2024.
Jeff Tedford, Fresno State
BOISE, ID – DECEMBER 03: Head Coach Jeff Tedford of the Fresno State Bulldogs suffers through a Gatorade bath during the second-half of the game against the Boise State Broncos at Albertsons Stadium on November 25, 2022 in Boise, Idaho. Fresno State won the game 28-16. (Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images)
At the age of 63, Tedford resigned from his post at Fresno State on July 15, paving the way for linebackers coach Tim Skipper to take the reins on an interim basis. Tedford, who was previously the coach at Cal for some of the Golden Bears’ best seasons, went 44-22 with three bowl wins at Fresno.
Blake Anderson, Utah State
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Anderson was fired ahead of the 2024 season in July after being placed on administrative leave, with Utah State writing in a press release that he “failed to manage the team in a manner that reflects USU’s academic values.” Defensive coordinator Nate Dreiling took over as interim coach for the 2024 season.
Anderson, who previously coached at Arkansas State from 2014-20, went 11-3 with a Mountain West title in his first season in 2021 but finished 6-7 with bowl losses in each of the last two seasons.
Will Hall, Southern Miss
Sep 16, 2023; Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA; Southern Miss Golden Eagles head coach Will Hall looks on from the bench in the second half against the Tulane Green Wave at M.M. Roberts Stadium.
Southern Miss pulled the plug on the Will Hall era on Oct. 20, the morning after a 44-28 home loss to Arkansas State. Hall, a former offensive coordinator at Tulane and Louisiana, was 14-32 across four seasons. The lone bright spot was 2022, which featured a 7-6 finish after a win in the LendingTree Bowl.
Mike Houston, East Carolina
Sep 14, 2024; Greenville, North Carolina, USA; East Carolina Pirates head coach Mike Houston looks on against the Appalachian State Mountaineers during the first half at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Houston had a ton of success as a coach before arriving in Greenville, North Carolina, taking Lenoir-Rhyne to the Division II national championship, taking The Citadel to the FCS Playoffs and winning an FCS title with James Madison in 2016.
He never quite replicated that sort of winning for the Pirates. ECU went 8-5 and won the Birmingham Bowl in 2022 but followed that up with a 2-10 finish in 2023. East Carolina got off to a 3-4 start before Houston was fired on Oct. 20 after losing 45-28 to Army. For fans of the ECU, Houston’s biggest sin was how the Pirates performed against in-state opponents, going a combined 0-7 against N.C. State, Appalachian State and Charlotte during his tenure.
Mike Bloomgren, Rice
Oct 26, 2024; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Rice Owls head coach Mike Bloomgren watches from the sideline as they take on the Connecticut Huskies at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
It felt like Bloomgren lived on the hot seat for a few seasons at Rice, but the Owls finally cut him loose on Oct. 27 after a 17-10 loss at UConn. Bloomgren, a former understudy of David Shaw at Stanford, never had a winning season in seven years at Rice and went 24-52.
Brian Bohannon, Kennesaw State
Kennesaw State head coach Brian Bohannon on the sidelines during the football game against Middle Tennessee at MTSU, on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
Kennesaw State announced on Nov. 10 that Bohannon resigned, but the coach said that he was fired. Nevertheless, he’s out after leading the Owls for 11 years, from the inception of the program to its transition to FBS. Bohannon led the Owls to three Big South Championships and a pair of appearances in the FCS quarterfinals, but never won at the same frequency at the FBS level. The Owls were 1-8 this season when Bohannon was let go.
Mike Neu, Ball State
Ball State head coach Mike Neu leads his team out to face Vanderbilt at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024.
A former MAC MVP for Ball State, the Cardinals let Neu go after a 51-48 overtime loss to Buffalo that ensured a third straight bowl-less season. Neu went 40-63 in nine seasons leading Ball State.