By: Mike Huesmann
Midway through the 2024 season, we have the hot seat taking shape, teams surprising, and players lighting it up. This also means assistant coaches are now being scouted by other, usually less successful, schools to make the jump from assistant to head coach. Whether it is at the P4 or G5 level, there will be coaches who become first-time bosses this winter. Here are five guys who could make the jump from assistant to head coach in the FBS in a few months. Note: this list is exclusive to coaches who would be first-time FBS head coaches.
Glenn Schumann
Defensive Coordinator, Georgia
Another coach from the Saban/Smart tree, Schumann started as a student assistant and graduate assistant for the Tide before joining Kirby Smart at UGA. He has won six national titles as an assistant—four with Alabama and the last two with Georgia. Schumann has continued to climb the ladder and seems poised for a head coaching opportunity soon. He’s been mentioned as a candidate for Florida. While I’m not sure if he’ll land that job, he should attract plenty of interest. He’s in a great position now and can afford to be selective about his next move.
https://twitter.com/FSFRecruits/status/1828797537954013667
Andy Kotelnicki
Offensive Coordinator, Penn State
Kansas was among the worst P5 teams in the country before Lance Leipold showed up and made Andy Kotelnicki his OC. Their resurgence has been remarkable, and it’s expected that a blue blood program would swoop in for the coordinators in these cases. Kotelnicki received a substantial raise to join Penn State, and the Jayhawk offense hasn’t been the same since his departure. James Franklin, who has a history of struggling with OCs, may have struck gold with this hire. He finally has Drew Allar looking like the recruit we all heard he was.
https://twitter.com/CoachDanCasey/status/1830051682765463570
Will Stein
Offensive Coordinator, Oregon
In his second season with the Ducks, Will Stein has already made his mark—last year with Bo Nix and this year with Dillon Gabriel. While the Ducks haven’t overperformed this season, Stein’s reputation as a rising star remains intact, and he’s seen as a soon-to-be head coach. Before joining Oregon, he was the OC at UTSA, where Jeff Traylor enjoyed his best seasons. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the 35-year-old Stein land a head coaching job this offseason, especially if Oregon makes the playoffs.
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https://twitter.com/PaoloUggetti/status/1844786443366891690
Elijah Robinson
Defensive Coordinator, Syracuse
Robinson was the DL coach and later the interim head coach for Texas A&M last year, and Mike Elko wanted to keep him on staff. However, he chose to leave for a coordinator role with his longtime friend Fran Brown—a massive hire for the Orange. Before his stint with the Aggies, Robinson served as the DL coach at Baylor. This familiarity could give him a leg up for that job if Dave Aranda is fired, which I expect to happen. He’s a guy destined to be a FBS head coach before too long and whose praises I have sung for some time. While Temple would be lucky to have him if that job opens, I’d advise him to steer clear.
https://twitter.com/JUCOFFrenzy/status/1731444721317183553
Bryant Haines
Defensive Coordinator, Indiana
Haines followed Cignetti from James Madison, and they haven’t put a foot wrong in a long time. He coached elite defenses at JMU and was a Broyles Award semifinalist in 2023 for the nation’s top assistant coach. The Hoosiers have already surpassed their preseason win total of 5.5, now sitting at 6-0. As a Ball State alumnus, Haines will be a top contender for that job if/when Mike Neu gets fired, which I recently wrote about.
https://twitter.com/Coach_BHaines/status/1840209776136863885
