The school soccer teaching carousel is already in full swing.
Following the conclusion of Week 7, Trent Bray (Oregon State), Trent Dilfer (UAB) and James Franklin (Penn State) joined a rising listing of head coach firings halfway by way of the 2025 season.
As potential candidates start surveying their choices, which present openings are essentially the most engaging? Beneath, we rank the highest 5 from most to least fascinating.
What occurred: The Razorbacks fired former head coach Sam Pittman 5 video games into his sixth season after posting a 32-34 report, together with 3-0 in bowl video games. This system named offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, who beforehand served as head coach from 2008-2011, as interim head coach.
Why it is engaging: Moderately than being a deterrent, the SEC’s energy might make Arkansas one of the best accessible opening. With this system’s final double-digit win season coming in 2011, the subsequent head coach might produce a 10-win season and be hailed as a hero. Most coaches need to compete in opposition to one of the best, and Arkansas would offer them with an opportunity to take action weekly.
What occurred: Following a 1-2 begin, Oklahoma State fired longtime head coach Mike Gundy. The Cowboys are 4-14 because the begin of the 2024 season. Amongst energy convention packages, solely Purdue (3-15) has a worse report throughout that span.
Why it is engaging: With Texas and Oklahoma out of the image, the Massive 12 has develop into school soccer’s most unpredictable energy convention. Whoever will get the job will definitely have a full plate in entrance of them, however Oklahoma State is just two seasons faraway from its final 10-win marketing campaign. As rapidly because the group fell, it might simply as quickly ascend.
What occurred: The Brent Pry period ended after 40 video games, with the ultimate straw being a 45-26 house loss to Outdated Dominion (4-2, 1-1 in Solar Belt). The Hokies have had one profitable season since 2020.
Why it is engaging: The sturdy 2025 begins of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Virginia Cavaliers underscore what’s attainable within the ACC when a program finds the proper head coach. Georgia Tech, which completed no higher than 7-6 from 2018-24, is 6-0 in Brent Key’s first season. Virginia, two seasons faraway from a 3-9 end, is 5-1 in Yr 4 beneath Tony Elliott.
The Hokies have a proud soccer custom, they usually may very well be subsequent in line from the convention to rise from the ashes.
What occurred: James Franklin’s failure to win large video games snowballed after an extra time house loss to Oregon. The Nittany Lions could not recuperate, dropping to UCLA and Northwestern, which dropped them to 3-3 and eradicated them from School Soccer Playoff competition.
Why it is engaging: Penn State has means an excessive amount of expertise to be a .500 group. Whereas Franklin’s firing might immediate a mass exodus by way of the switch portal, the Nittany Lions possible will not be fully devoid of expertise. This system is without doubt one of the high manufacturers within the Massive Ten, and the subsequent full-time coach should not need to attempt arduous to lure recruits. Nonetheless, after followers (justifiably) grew dissatisfied with Franklin, who led the group to a program-record 13 wins in 2024 and left Blissful Valley with a .698 win proportion, his successor should win instantly. This provides substantial strain that does not exist in different locales.
What occurred: In March, the group fired head coach Troy Taylor after a scathing ESPN report detailed a poisonous setting propagated by the previous Sacramento State head coach, who completed his run at Stanford with a 6-18 report in two seasons. The group’s basic supervisor, Andrew Luck, employed his former Indianapolis Colts head coach, Frank Reich, as interim HC six days later.
Why it is engaging: Lower than a 12 months into his run as basic supervisor, we do not know what long-lasting affect Luck, who starred as Stanford quarterback from 2009-11, can have, however his presence at the least provides this system a glimmer of hope. Reich’s alternative should make vital inroads within the switch portal and recruiting path. Per On3, the Cardinal ranked No. 67 out of 70 groups within the website’s 2025 switch portal group rankings. Stanford additionally ranks No. 8 within the ACC (No. 32 total) in 2026 high-school recruiting rankings, per 247Sports.
Different openings: Oregon State Beavers, UAB Blazers, UCLA Bruins
