The college football offseason is far from slow with coaching changes and the red-hot transfer portal.
While the FCS is less “cut-throat” than the FBS, every year sees several programs looking for a new direction. There are also coaches who retire or find other opportunities in the coaching world.
Here are the FCS teams with a change at head coach before the 2023 season. Last year saw 22 head coaching changes before the 2022 season.
Wofford
Departing coach: Josh Conklin
Date: 10/6
Reason: Resigned
New hire: Shawn Watson (Wofford OC)
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Departing coach: Doc Gamble
Date: 10/20
Reason: “Parted ways”
New hire: Alonzo Hampton (Louisiana-Monroe assistant HC,ST coordinator)
North Alabama
Departing coach: Chris Willis
Date: 10/30
Reason: “Change in leadership”
New hire: Brent Dearmon (FAU OC)
Charleston Southern
Departing coach: Autry Denson
Date: 11/14
Reason: “Contract will not be renewed”
New hire: Gabe Giardina (Albany State HC)
VMI
Departing coach: Scott Wachenheim
Date: 11/21
Reason: Resigned
New hire: Danny Rocco (Penn State defensive senior analyst)
The Citadel
Departing coach: Brent Thompson
Date: 11/21
Reason: “Contract will not be renewed”
New hire: Maurice Drayton (Las Vegas Raiders assistant ST coach)
Towson
Departing coach: Rob Ambrose
Date: 11/21
Reason: “Move in a different direction”
New hire: Pete Shinnick (West Florida HC)
Lamar
Departing coach: Blane Morgan
Date: 11/21
Reason: “Parting ways”
New hire: Peter Rossomando (Charlotte OL coach)
Northern Colorado
Departing coach: Ed McCaffrey
Date: 11/21
Reason: “Will not return”
New hire: Ed Lamb (BYU assistant HC, ST coordinator)
Lehigh
Departing coach: Tom Gilmore
Date: 11/21
Reason: Stepped down
New hire: Kevin Cahill (Yale associate HC, OC)
Houston Christian
Departing coach: Vic Shealy
Date: 11/21
Reason: Resigned
New hire: Braxton Harris (Campbell associate HC)
Idaho State
Departing coach: Charlie Ragle
Date: 11/28
Reason: Accepted the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator job at Arizona State
New hire: Cody Hawkins (UC Davis OC)
Texas A&M-Commerce
Departing coach: David Bailiff
Date: 11/28
Reason: “Couldn’t come to terms on a contract extension”
New hire: Clint Dolezel (Frisco Fighters HC – Indoor Football League)
Delaware State
Departing coach: Rod Milstead
Date: 11/28
Reason: “Relieved of his duties”
New hire: Lee Hull (Howard OC, QBs coach)
Dayton
Departing coach: Rick Chamberlin
Date: 11/29
Reason: Retired
New hire: Trevor Andrews (Western Michigan LBs coach)
Bethune-Cookman
Departing coach: Terry Sims
Date: 11/29
Reason: “Part ways”
New hire: Raymond Woodie (FAU Associate HC)
Central Connecticut State
Departing coach: Ryan McCarthy
Date: 11/30
Reason: “Contract will not be renewed”
New hire: Adam Lechtenberg (University of Central Oklahoma assistant HC, co-OC)
Incarnate Word
Departing coach: G.J. Kinne
Date: 12/2
Reason: Accepted the head coach job at Texas State
New hire: Clint Killough (UIW associate HC, WRs coach)
Cal Poly
Departing coach: Beau Baldwin
Date: 12/2
Reason: Accepted the OC job at Arizona State
New hire: Paul Wulff (Cal Poly associate HC, OL coach)
Jackson State
Departing coach: Deion Sanders
Date: 12/3
Reason: Accepted the HC job at Colorado
New hire: T.C. Taylor (Jackson State TEs and WRs coach)
Weber State
Departing coach: Jay Hill
Date: 12/7
Reason: Accepted the associate HC, DC job at BYU
New hire: Mickey Mental (Weber OC)
Mississippi Valley State
Departing coach: Vincent Dancy
Date: 12/8
Reason: Accepted an assistant coaching job at Colorado
New hire: Kendrick Wade (Delta State WRs coach)
Sacramento State
Departing coach: Troy Taylor
Date: 12/10
Reason: Accepted the HC job at Stanford
New hire: Andy Thompson (Sac State DC)
Missouri State
Departing coach: Bobby Petrino
Date: 12/15
Reason: Accepted the OC job at UNLV, then was hired shortly after as Texas A&M’s new OC
New hire: Ryan Beard (Missouri State DC)
North Carolina A&T
Departing coach: Sam Washington
Date: 12/15
Reason: “Parting ways”
New hire: Vincent Brown (William & Mary associate HC, DC)
South Dakota State
Departing coach: John Stiegelmeier
Date: 1/19
Reason: Retired
New hire: Jimmy Rogers (SDSU assistant HC, DC)
San Diego
Departing coach: Dale Lindsey
Date: 3/21
Reason: “Retired”
New hire: Brandon Moore (Colorado School of Mines HC)
Columbia
Departing coach: Al Bagnoli
Date: 8/4
Reason: Retired due to health reasons
New hire: Interim HC Mark Fabish (Columbia OC)
