It’s the midpoint of the school soccer season and often, the teaching carousel is spinning a lot sooner. It’s spinning slower this yr for a couple of causes. First, the previous two seasons had a lot extra turnover than initially anticipated; second, that is the primary yr of the 12-team School Soccer Playoff, which is extending the potential ready time on some search choices.
Issues may get energetic on the Group of 5 degree quickly, although. Right here’s our midseason evaluation after speaking to quite a few trade sources concerning the FBS teaching panorama.
AAC
Mike Houston, East Carolina: 3-3 report 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 group simply obtained whupped by 31 at Charlotte, now a rival program, and has misplaced by far its finest 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 may purchase him extra time, however his group may use a couple of wins down the stretch. Temperature verify: Heat.
Mike Bloomgren, Rice: 2-4
This can be a robust job. The previous Stanford assistant obtained the Owls right into a bowl recreation in his fifth yr. Final season was his finest: a 6-7 report that included snapping a seven-game dropping streak to Houston. The Owls obtained off to a 1-4 begin however simply notched a pleasant, shut win in opposition to UTSA for his or her first win in opposition to 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 highway. Temperature verify: 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 may actually use a win at residence in opposition to struggling Tulsa this weekend to get somewhat momentum going. Temperature verify: Getting hotter.
Trent Dilfer, UAB: 1-5
The previous NFL quarterback-turned-TV analyst had a number 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 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 in opposition to Arkansas and gave the Hogs a recreation, however the remainder of the slate has been blowouts. They’ve residence video games in opposition to Tulsa, UConn and Rice. They should win a minimum of one in every of two of these to indicate some progress to quiet a few of the critics since this was a reasonably high-profile, outside-the-box rent. Temperature verify: Getting scorching.
Dilfer was a splashy, leap-of-faith rent for UAB, however the Blazers have struggled to this point 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 received 17 video games the previous two seasons nevertheless it seems 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 residence. The brilliant 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 could be time for a change from the 73-year-old Brown. Temperature verify: Getting loads hotter.
Massive 12
Dave Aranda, Baylor: 2-4
The wild curler coaster experience 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 facet of the ball is struggling once more. The difficulty has been that Aranda hasn’t recruited properly sufficient or near the extent that Matt Rhule did. Except for this weekend’s recreation at Texas Tech, not one of the subsequent 5 opponents have profitable information. Temperature verify: 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 residence exhibiting the place the Terrapins misplaced by 27 to a middling Northwestern group. Worse nonetheless, they’ll most likely be underdogs in every of their final six video games. A rebuilt O-line has struggled mightily, as has the secondary. Phrase out of School 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 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 profitable seasons till Locksley did it from 2021-2023. Temperature verify: 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 occasions 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 highway final weekend, 50-49, with freshman QB Ryan Browne in his first begin. 4 of their remaining six video games are in opposition to top-16 groups. The opposite two groups are .500 Northwestern and at Michigan. Can the Boilers notch a minimum of one win to indicate some progress? Two years isn’t near sufficient time, so I’d be very stunned if the Boilers made a transfer. In any case, this can be a program that hasn’t completed within the Prime 25 as soon as up to now 20 years and solely had 4 profitable seasons up to now 16 years. Temperature verify: Getting somewhat 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 in opposition to FBS groups this season. They hammered a nasty MTSU group for his or her first FBS win of the season final week however weren’t capable of construct off of that. They misplaced in double-overtime to New Mexico State. Subsequent up is one other woeful group, UTEP. I assumed 5-7 appeared like the place they have been headed, however that was earlier than dropping to NMSU. Temperature verify: Getting hotter.
I believe Cumbie can purchase himself one other yr with 5 wins. Picture: Jaylynn Nash / Imagn Pictures
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 up to now two years and are off to a shaky begin. They escaped with a two-point win in opposition to a hapless Kent State group on the highway for his or her first FBS win. With the way in which their schedule units up, getting greater than three wins looks as if 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 Prime 25 season, though Pete Lembo and Brady Hoke every did have double-digit win seasons. Nonetheless, this can be a very robust place to win at. Temperature verify: Heat.
Joe Moorhead, Akron: 1-6
One of many recreation’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 could be headed to a different one. Past Kent State, they received’t play one other group with a dropping report this season. Temperature verify: Fairly heat.
Scot Loeffler, Bowling Inexperienced: 2-4
He’s coming off of his finest 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 in opposition to two ranked groups on the highway — Penn State and Texas A&M. I believe they’re ok to rally for six wins however even when they don’t, it’s arduous to suppose they will anticipate higher than what they’ve had from Loeffler. Temperature verify: Kind 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 profitable seasons since 1987. Burns, a former Minnesota operating again coach, received one recreation in his first season, and continues 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 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 stunning if the college obtained itchy. Temperature verify: 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 obtained off to a 3-1 begin earlier than dropping the previous two video games. The Bulldogs have a good shot to turn into a bowl group. If Fresno can go on a giant run within the second half of the season, perhaps Skipper can maintain this job. Temperature verify: Heat.
Nate Dreiling, Utah State: 1-5
The 33-year-old interim continues 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 verify: 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 could be teaching his technique to one other. The Razorbacks received at Auburn and have a pleasant win in opposition to Tennessee their final day trip. 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 in opposition to 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 verify: Sizzling however cooling off a bit.
Billy Napier, Florida: 3-3
Florida doesn’t have a number of endurance with soccer coaches. The Gators fired Dan Mullen, who’d received 29 video games in his first three seasons however obtained the axe after going 5-6. Jim McElwain received 19 video games in his first two seasons after which went 3-4 and obtained fired. Will Muschamp obtained 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 obtained pounded by Miami within the opener in The Swamp however the group continues to be battling for Napier. That’s been a giant plus, along with the tough 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 dropping in extra time. They’ve 4 top-20 opponents left, together with two within the high 5, vs. Georgia and at Texas. The one group with a dropping report remaining is their highway journey to 1-5 FSU. They only misplaced beginning QB Graham Mertz for the remainder of the season. Can true freshman DJ Lagway spark a powerful second half to get Florida to 6-6? In the event that they win this weekend in opposition to Kentucky, don’t rule it out. Temperature verify: 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 a minimum of 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 in opposition to Liberty was canceled final month) appears to be like dicey. And Appalachian State is just not used to dropping. Temperature verify: Getting heat.
Butch Jones, Arkansas State: 3-3
Underneath Jones, the Purple Wolves have gone from two wins to 3 wins to 6 and bowl recreation final yr. I believe they need to get bowl eligible once more. Their subsequent two video games are in opposition to Southern Miss and Troy, each 1-5 groups. In addition they have two video games in opposition to two-win groups, so 6-6 seems like the ground, with seven wins seemingly lifelike.
Temperature verify: 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 obtained this job 4 years in the past. After a stable season season the place the Golden Eagles went 7-6 and received a bowl recreation, 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 should go to JMU and Texas State. The ultimate two video games of the season are in opposition to two-win South Alabama and one-win Troy on the highway. Temperature verify: Highly regarded.
(Prime illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Images: Adam Davis, James Gilbert, Grant Halverson / Getty)