The landscape of college football is undergoing significant shifts with a wave of coaching changes poised to impact the 2026 season. Several prominent programs have brought in new leadership, betting on established coaches and rising stars to revitalize their teams and secure future success.
Lane Kiffin, after leading Ole Miss to an 11-1 record and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2025, has moved to SEC rival LSU. This marks Kiffin's fifth Division I head coaching position and third within the SEC. At LSU, he has recruited Arizona State transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt, aiming to restore the Tigers' SEC championship contention, a feat last achieved in 2019.
New Leaders in the Big Ten and Beyond
Bob Chesney is taking his Sun Belt championship-winning experience from James Madison to UCLA. In 2025, Chesney guided JMU to a 12-1 season and a CFP berth. He now faces the challenge of transforming a Bruins program that has struggled in its early Big Ten years. UCLA's roster features 63 newcomers, including 42 transfers, 10 of whom followed Chesney from JMU.
Kyle Whittingham is set to lead Michigan, succeeding Sherrone Moore. Whittingham, who spent 23 years at Utah and secured two Pac-12 championships, aims to return the Wolverines to the national championship form they displayed in 2023.
James Franklin has ended his 12-year tenure at Penn State to take over the Virginia Tech football program. Franklin has already begun recruiting, flipping 10 Penn State commits to the Hokies. His task is to elevate a program that has not reached 10 wins since 2016.
Matt Campbell has been appointed as Penn State's new head coach, replacing Franklin. Campbell earned a reputation for maximizing performance with limited resources at Iowa State, where he led the team to eight bowl games over 10 seasons. He will be joined by Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht as he establishes a new foundation in State College.
Moves to the SEC and Other Power Conferences
Jon Sumrall is making a rapid ascent in the coaching ranks, moving from Tulane to the SEC with Florida. After leading Tulane to a CFP appearance, Sumrall, who began his Division I head coaching career at Troy in 2022, is now tasked with reviving a Florida program that has not achieved 10 wins since 2019.
Pete Golding assumed interim head coaching duties at Ole Miss following Kiffin's departure. He guided the Rebels to the CFP semifinals, defeating Tulane and Georgia before a loss to Miami (FL). Golding, who retained quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, will aim to build upon the program's historically successful 2025 season.
Will Stein has been named the new head coach at Kentucky, returning to his home state after three seasons as Oregon's offensive coordinator. He faces a challenging environment where basketball often takes precedence, and the football team has rarely achieved double-digit wins in the past decade. Stein's fundraising abilities will be crucial for the Wildcats' success.
Alex Golesh transitions from South Florida to Auburn after leading USF to three consecutive winning seasons. He inherits an Auburn program that has not had a winning season since 2020. Golesh has brought USF quarterback Bynum Brown with him to Auburn as they compete in the SEC.
Brian Hartline is moving from Ohio State, where he gained acclaim for developing wide receivers, to lead South Florida. Hartline's challenge will be to demonstrate that his coaching acumen can translate to managing an entire collegiate roster at USF, a program that has achieved three straight winning seasons.