Grading College Football's First-Year Head Coaches for 2025
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The 2025 college football season featured 29 new full-time coaches at FBS programs, and with the campaign completed, it’s time to grade and rank the hires. Kennesaw State’s Jerry Mack, New Mexico’s Jason Eck, and Wake Forest’s Jake Dickert are just a couple of the coaches getting high marks from Athlon Sports for their performance in ’25.
Judging any coach on just one season is difficult, and that task is even more challenging with the increased transfer portal usage and overall roster shifts from year to year. With week-to-week roster uncertainty, along with a limited sample size, the college football world should have a better gauge of where these coaches stack up after another complete season in 2026. Preseason expectations and the overall shape of the program and roster were factored into these grades and rankings.
With the season officially in the books, Athlon Sports has graded the 29 full-time coaching hires from the 2025 coaching carousel.
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Grading College Football’s First-Year Head Coaches for 2025
Jerry Mack, Kennesaw State
Mack exceeded all expectations in his debut after Kennesaw State was projected to finish at the bottom of Conference USA. The Owls won 10 games, defeated Jacksonville State to win the conference title, and made the program’s first bowl appearance.
Grade: A+
Jason Eck, New Mexico
New Mexico was the Mountain West’s biggest surprise in ‘25. Eck’s arrival marked the program’s third coach in three years, but the Lobos overcame that transition to finish 9-4 and nearly made the conference championship after a six-game winning streak to close the year. New Mexico pounded UCLA 35-10 in early September and made the program’s first bowl trek since ‘16.
Grade: A+
Mark Carney, Kent State
Of all the new coaches in 2025, none stepped into a more challenging situation than Carney. Kent State went 0-12 in ‘24, suffered late roster attrition to the portal in the spring, and navigated a late coaching transition with Carney promoted to interim head coach after Kenni Burns was fired in April. Despite all of those obstacles, Carney guided the Golden Flashes to a 5-7 mark and just missed on a bowl with two losses by one score. As a result of the strong performance as interim coach, Kent State promoted Carney to the full-time role for ‘26 and beyond.
Grade: A+
Dan Mullen, UNLV
Mullen picked up where Barry Odom left off and maintained UNLV’s place as one of the top teams in the Mountain West. The Rebels finished 10-4, with two of those defeats coming to Boise State, including a 38-21 loss in the Mountain West title game. Mullen guided the program to a win over UCLA (30-23) in September and crushed rival Nevada 42-17 on Nov. 29. As expected with a Mullen-coached team, the Rebels were prolific on offense and led the conference with an average of 34.1 points a contest.
Grade: A
Charles Kelly, Jacksonville State
The Gamecocks returned less than five starters off the ‘24 squad that won nine games and the Conference USA title. Kelly picked up where Rich Rodriguez left off, guiding Jacksonville State to a 9-5 record and an appearance in the CUSA Championship. The Gamecocks capped the season with a 17-13 win over Troy in the Salute to Veterans Bowl.
Grade: A
Willie Simmons, FIU
FIU’s seven wins in Simmons’ debut marked just the fifth time the program posted a winning record since ‘04. The Panthers started 3-5 but rallied down the stretch with a four-game winning streak that included a 27-21 victory over Jacksonville State. All five of FIU’s losses in the regular season came against teams that made a bowl in ‘25.
Grade: A
Matt Entz, Fresno State
Considering Entz’s track record as the head coach at North Dakota State from 2019-23, it was no surprise Fresno State returned to a spot among the Mountain West’s best last year. After a 6-7 record in ‘24, the Bulldogs finished 9-4 and capped the season with a win over Miami (Ohio) in the Arizona Bowl. Entz’s background on defense was on display, as Fresno State finished second in the Mountain West in yards per play allowed (4.7).
Grade: A
Blake Harrell, East Carolina
Maintaining success or momentum from an interim role into the full-time job is never easy. However, that’s exactly what Harrell accomplished. After going 5-1 in an interim spot in ‘24, the Pirates finished 9-4 in Harrell’s first full season in charge. Included in the team’s nine victories was an upset of Memphis (31-27) and a bowl victory over Pitt (23-17).
Grade: A
Jake Dickert, Wake Forest
Wake Forest was one of the ACC’s biggest surprises in Dickert’s debut. Despite being picked to finish near the bottom of the ACC, the Demon Deacons picked up upset wins against SMU and Virginia. A victory over Mississippi State in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl put the finishing touches on a 9-4 mark. The program’s nine victories were more than the previous two years combined (8-16 from 2023-24).
Grade: A
Charles Huff, Southern Miss
A late three-game losing streak cost Southern Miss a chance to play for the Sun Belt Championship in Huff’s debut. However, a seven-win season still represented a six-game improvement from ‘24 (1-11) for the Golden Eagles, which also allowed the program to make its first bowl trek since ‘22. Huff departed after the season to take over at Memphis.
Grade: A-
Matt Drinkall, Central Michigan
Drinkall made an instant impact in Mount Pleasant by guiding Central Michigan to its first winning season and bowl appearance since ‘21. Two losses by one score to Western Michigan and Akron prevented the Chippewas from contending for a spot in the MAC title game. However, Drinkall’s ability to get the most out of the roster, along with a track record of building productive offenses, should place CMU among the MAC favorites in ‘26.
Grade: A-
Brian Smith, Ohio
Smith’s stint atop the Ohio program was short after his dismissal due to off-field factors prior to the Bobcats’ appearance in the Frisco Bowl. However, Smith’s one year in charge was solid. Ohio went 8-4 in the regular season, defeated West Virginia and lost to another power conference opponent by three points (Rutgers) and two other defeats came by one score.
Grade: B+
KC Keeler, Temple
Considering Keeler’s long track record of winning at different levels, it was no surprise Temple displayed marked improvement in ‘25. The Owls won six games from ‘23-24 but finished 5-7 in Keeler’s debut. A win over UTSA was the team’s high point, while Keeler’s squad suffered one-point defeats to both Navy (32-31) and Army (14-13).
Grade: B+
Jimmy Rogers, Washington State
Washington State returned only three starters last season, but Rogers reloaded from the portal and kept the Cougars competitive throughout ‘25. Close losses at Ole Miss (24-21), Virginia (22-20), and James Madison (24-20), along with a bowl win over Utah State, were high points of Rogers one and only season in Pullman as he left for Iowa State.
Grade: B+
Bronco Mendenhall, Utah State
Utah State’s program is in good hands with Mendenhall’s return to the Beehive State. The Aggies finished 6-7 in his debut, with all six of the team’s regular season losses coming to bowl teams, including by one to Boise State and a three-point defeat to UNLV.
Grade: B+
Tony Gibson, Marshall
Despite a massive roster overhaul with over 60 new players, Gibson guided Marshall to a 5-7 record and was just a couple of plays away from a bowl with four losses by one score in ‘25. Gibson has to find a way for this program to finish better in ‘26, as the Thundering Herd went 1-4 in their last five games last year.
Grade: B
Scott Abell, Rice
Transitioning Rice’s offense to option attack was no easy assignment, but Abell guided the Owls to one more win (five) than the team had in ‘24 (four). Wins over Louisiana (14-12) and UConn (37-34) were high points in the regular season, while a high APR score allowed Rice to play in the Armed Forces Bowl.
Grade: B
Tre Lamb, Tulsa
A 4-8 record in Lamb’s debut represented a one-game jump in wins for Tulsa from the previous year. But the progress extended beyond the win column, as the Golden Hurricane were more competitive with three of the team’s defeats coming by one score, along with victories over Oklahoma State and Army. After giving up 42.5 points a game in ‘24, Tulsa’s defense showed progress by surrendering 28.9 a contest in Lamb’s debut.
Grade: B-
Eddie George, Bowling Green
George is graded on a bit of a curve for his first season after a late arrival (March) to Bowling Green. The Falcons defeated rival Toledo (28-23) and knocked off Liberty (23-13) to headline a 4-8 record in George’s debut. Three of the team’s six defeats in MAC play were by one score.
Grade: B-
Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia
Better days (and more wins) are coming, but the ‘25 season showed Rodriguez has a lot of work ahead to transform West Virginia into a Big 12 title contender. The Mountaineers finished 4-8 in Rodriguez’s return to the program, with just two of those victories coming in Big 12 play. The highlight of ‘25 was a 31-24 win over rival Pitt in the Backyard Brawl.
Grade: C+
Zach Kittley, Florida Atlantic
Kittley’s high-powered offense in Boca Raton led the nation in passing yardage (340.2 yards a game) but it wasn’t enough to get the Owls into the postseason with a 4-8 record. Improving the defense (36.3 points a game allowed) would help Florida Atlantic take the next step and contend for the postseason in ‘26.
Grade: C+
Scott Frost, UCF
Frost’s return to Orlando featured its share of ups and downs in ‘25. The Knights finished 5-7 but three Big 12 losses were by 20 or more points. A high-powered offense was the centerpiece of Frost’s teams at UCF from 2016-17. However, UCF’s attack is a work in progress after managing only 24.3 points a contest last season.
Grade: C+
Mike Uremovich, Ball State
Uremovich’s debut largely met preseason expectations in a transition season for the roster. Ball State won three MAC contests, including a 20-14 upset over Ohio and a 17-13 victory over Kent State. The offense – Uremovich’s side of the ball – needs to take a step forward this offseason after averaging only 15.8 points a game in ‘25.
Grade: C
Barry Odom, Purdue
Odom wasn’t projected to deliver a quick fix in West Lafayette after the program went 1-11 in ‘24. Progress in the win column was minimal (2-10), but the Boilermakers displayed improvement on both sides of the ball and lost three Big Ten games by one score.
Grade: C-
Bill Belichick, North Carolina
Belichick’s arrival in Chapel Hill was one of the biggest storylines entering the ‘25 season. However, after an offseason filled with optimism, reality quickly set in for the Tar Heels. Belichick’s transition to the college game was not an easy one, as North Carolina finished 4-8 and had one of the worst offenses among power conference teams (4.94 yards a play). After a rough start, the Tar Heels did show some signs of life on defense (No. 49 nationally in success rate).
Grade: D
Dowell Loggains, Appalachian State
Loggains matched (five) the team’s win total from ‘24 (five) and lost four games by one score for his debut in Boone. However, three victories came against teams with a combined 4-32 record, and the offense (Loggains’ speciality) averaged only 24.3 points in Sun Belt games.
Grade: D
Tim Albin, Charlotte
After a successful stint at Ohio, Albin was regarded as one of the top hires in the 2024-25 cycle. Replicating that success at Charlotte may take longer than expected after the 49ers went 1-11 in Albin’s debut. The team’s only victory was a 42-35 win over Monmouth, while all 11 defeats came by 11 points or more.
Grade: D
Phil Longo, Sam Houston
The transition to Longo’s spread attack on offense, along with a significant roster overhaul, presented several obstacles for Sam Houston in ‘25. The Bearkats’ win total regressed by eight (10-3 in ‘24 to 2-10 last year), and the defense took a massive step back (37.8 points a contest allowed last season).
Grade: D
Joe Harasymiak, UMass
UMass has only eight victories since ‘19, so it was no surprise Harasymiak inherited a major rebuilding effort. The Minutemen finished 0-12 in their return to the MAC and lost 10 games by 18 points or more. The ‘26 season should provide better insight into Harasymiak’s progress in Amherst.
Grade: D
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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