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G5 Head Coach Rankings: MAC

Ranking al the MAC football head coaches entering the 2025 season from Jason Candle to Mark Carney

Avatar photoMike Huesmann
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Dec 20
Dec 20

By Mike Huesmann

This is article five in a series of six where I go through every Group of 5 conference and rank head coaches, then for the finale I’ll do an overall G5 head coach ranking. We started out West with the MWC then moved to the AAC, Sun Belt was third, next was Conference USA, and our final conference is the Mid-American.

The MAC is probably the most traditional of any conference in the country. They are close geography wise, all seem to fit each other and there is little drama. Their teams have, along with the MWC, been in the top division of college football the longest, and due to “MACtion” on ESPN they are among the most recognizable teams. Until very recently I would have said it’s the strongest G5 conference, though that has dramatically changed. We have some ultra-stable veteran coaches who I have praised, we also have many under the radar guys, and a bunch of newbies, making the bottom half of this conference extremely tough and subjective to rank. Note:  as with other rankings, only Division-I coaching records accounted for.

13. Mark Carney, Kent State

Record: 0-0, Interim head coach for 2025

I really feel for Carney. He takes over the worst team, by a wide margin, in the FBS on an interim basis. Kenni Burns was absolutely awful going 1-23 in two seasons. Last year Kent State would’ve been an average FCS team. They lost to St. Francis who was 4-7 at the FCS level. This year’s team will struggle to win two games. Carney might be a good coach, but I don’t think he can prove it here.

https://twitter.com/TheMSCPodcast/status/1910714353680031862

12. Matt Drinkall, Central Michigan

Record: 0-0, 1st season

Similar to many coaches on my lists so far, we just don’t know about Drinkall. There is zero sample size from the FBS but did spend five years as head coach of Kansas Wesleyan of the NAIA. He was very successful as an assistant for Army and Jeff Monken. His offensive lines played tough and smart, in true service academy fashion. I liked this hire as he has generated quite a bit of good buzz around the program. This is a place I believe he can win, and it appears as though he’s doing a good job starting a foundation. 

https://twitter.com/Emilnem/status/1875199730869043651

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11. Brian Smith, Ohio

Record: 1-0, 1st season

Similar to Drinkall we just don’t know about Smith. He was the interim last year for the bowl game but that was playing another team with an interim coach. He’s been an assistant at Ohio for a few years and prior to that coached under Nick Rolovich at Hawaii and Washington State, where he had success at both. This program is extremely consistent, well supported and efficiently run. If Smith can hit it down the fairway here, he’ll be just fine.

https://twitter.com/OhioFootball/status/1869384040559558759

10. Lance Taylor, Western Michigan

Record: 10-15, 3rd season

I wasn’t a massive fan of the Taylor hire but, to his credit, he improved in year two by two games. That’s a significant improvement. The Broncos played well in 2024 to win six and get to a bowl game. That was important for his tenure and this team. Going 5-3 in the conference was a good step for Taylor. If he can keep the progress moving forward and increase the win total from last year, he’ll move up this list even more next year.

https://twitter.com/philsteele042/status/1929946908212043999

9. Joe Moorhead, Akron

Record: 60-53 (8-28 at Akron), 4th season

Moorhead has been a good coach but he has not been a good head coach at Akron. His reputation is that he’s a top-notch offensive mind and coordinator who lacks as a head coach. That is looking more true as his tenure at Akron doesn’t seem to be improving. His two years at Mississippi State were better than most give him credit for, bowl games in each season. He also made three consecutive FCS playoffs at Fordham. At Penn State and Oregon he was as good as they come as an offensive coordinator. I wonder if in 2026 we see him back as an OC in the Power Four. The Zips are ineligible for the postseason this year due to deficient APR scores.

https://twitter.com/4thandsaturday/status/1904574696462434574

8. Mike Uremovich, Ball State

Record: 23-11, 1st season

Uremovich has significant experience in the MAC as an assistant coach, that should help him. I was not massively excited about this hire when it happened because his FCS record was decent but his teams never made the playoffs. To me it seemed like they wanted a local guy and had a narrow viewpoint. My stance has changed the more I have researched him. I think he’ll bring a solid brand of fundamental football that can succeed here and get them competitive after many years of being poor.

7. Eddie George, Bowling Green

Record: 24-22, 1st season

One of the higher profile first year head coaches in the FBS. George takes over after Scot Loeffler left for the Philadelphia Eagles. George should certainly bring buzz and the ability to attract guys in the transfer portal. He’s the kind of guy who has potential to excel by getting players who usually wouldn’t be MAC guys. You can do that when you’re a Heisman Trophy winner and longtime NFL star. George had an average record at the FCS level, but his squad did significantly improve from when he took over and 2024 saw them make the playoffs. That growth is what I love to see in coaches.

6. Joe Harasymiak, UMass

Record: 20-15, 1st season

This will be Harasymiak’s first season as an FBS head coach. He took Maine to an FCS semifinal in 2018 and since has been an assistant at Minnesota and Rutgers. His success there and as a DC for Greg Schiano makes me rank him as the “best of the unknowns” in this conference. For UMass I think it was a good hire who can elevate the program and bring wins in the MAC.

5. Thomas Hammock, Northern Illinois

Record: 32-38, 7th season

I was ready to write off Hammock after a winless 2020, his second season, and I would’ve been wrong. He has only had one losing season since and won eight games last year. He has recruited well and coached well when his teams have had major injury issues. He will be a good coach to lead the Huskies into the Mountain West for the 2026 season.

4. Chris Creighton, Eastern Michigan

Record: 101-97 (57-75 at EMU), 12th season

In 2014 Creighton took over an EMU team who hadn’t had a winning record since 1995. By year three he won seven games. His overall record belies the fact that he has raised the quality and state of the program more than nearly any head coach in the FBS. They were a college football backwater and now they are a respectable and competitive team. He has taken the Eagles to six bowl games. Prior to Creighton the Eagles had only qualified for one DI bowl game ever. They will miss his presence when he’s gone.

3. Pete Lembo, Buffalo

Record: 121-69 (9-4 at UB), 2nd season

One of the best special teams coaches in the game is also a pretty good head coach and great guy. Lembo had success early in the MAC at Ball State then decided to go back and be an assistant. After stops at Maryland, Memphis, Rice and South Carolina he decided he wanted to be the boss again and what a decision that was for the Bulls. In his first year they went 9-4 and won the Bahamas Bowl. Hopefully, for UB’s sake, they can keep him around for a long time.

2. Chuck Martin, Miami (Ohio)

Record: 65-67, 12th season

This record neglects to mention that Martin was an elite Division II coach at Grand Valley State. In six seasons he won two national titles, reached the national quarterfinals every year and had a mouth watering 74-7 record. At Miami he has been very effective as well. He has won two MAC titles, most recently in 2023. He is a guy I have praised for stability and fundamentals a ton. His teams run the ball and are tough on both sides of the line. The situation he took over here was poor and he’s gotten them to consistently be division contenders.

1. Jason Candle, Toledo

Record: 73-40, 11th season

I tried to make the case for a few guys over Candle and couldn’t, that tells me he’s rightfully in the top spot. Few G5 programs and coaches have had the continued success that he has. He took over a solid situation from Matt Campbell and has rarely set a foot wrong. In 10 seasons he does not have a season with a losing record, remarkable at this level, he has made eight bowl games, and won the conference twice. For a few years we thought he could be a P4 candidate, I wonder now if he loves his situation and wants to stay? 

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