2019-2020 NCAA FBS Head Coaching Changes: Moving On UP
We finally got a piece of the pie
Looking at this year’s list of NCAA FBS head coaching changes, I couldn’t help but shake my head when I saw Willie Taggart had landed another FBS head coaching gig at Florida Atlantic. Wasn’t Taggart just at Oregon … I mean Florida State? It all gets so jumbled up for me after a while. However, I do know that Willie has posted a combined record of 52 wins and 62 losses as an FBS head coach for four different teams (Western Kentucky, South Florida, Oregon, and Florida State).
The good news in all of Taggart’s moves is that it shows the NCAA is making a little progress towards racial diversity within its system. I mean for goodness sake, man — Willie Taggart has become one of the good ol’ boys! Taggart is now a card-carrying-member of the fraternal order of mediocre white coaches who have hopped from team to team ever since the invention of the game.
So, it’s nice to see Black folks making a little progress in the NCAA FBS head coaching ranks, especially considering that 54% of the scholarship student-athletes at FBS programs are African American. Yet still, only 10% of the FBS schools have Black head coaches, according to the latest figures from The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports (TIDES).
You can delve a little deeper into this topic and TIDES by checking out our running list of active NCAA FBS Black Head Coaches. Also, see our article NCAA FBS Head Coaching Changes 2016-2017: Where are the Black Head Coaches? (also featuring Willie Taggart).
2019-2020 NCAA FBS Head Coaching Changes Last updated on February 22, 2020:
2019-2020 NCAA FBS Head Coach Changes
| # | School | Conference | Old Coach | Reason for Leaving | New Coach (Former Position) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Appalachian State | Sun Belt | Eliah Drinkwitz | Moved on to Missouri | Shawn Clark (Appalachian State Assistant HC and OL) |
| 2. | Arkansas | SEC | Chad Morris | Fired | Sam Pittman (Georgia (Assistant HC /OL) |
| 3. | Baylor | Big 12 | Matt Rhule | Moved on to the pros as Carolina Panther HC | Dave Aranda (LSU DC) |
| 4. | Boston College | ACC | Rich Gunnell interim replaced fired HC Steve Addazio mid season. | Rich Gunnell was an interim HC, replacing Steve Addazio, who Colorado State hired as their new HC. | Jeff Hafley (Ohio State Co-DC) |
| 5. | Colorado | Pac 12 | Mel Tucker | Left for Michigan State | Karl Dorrell (Miami Dolphins WR Coach) |
| 6. | Colorado State | Mountain West | Mike Bobo | Fired | Steve Addazio (Boston College HC) |
| 7. | Florida Atlantic | USA | Lane Kiffin | Moved on to Mississippi | Willie Taggart (Florida State HC) |
| 8. | Florida State | ACC | Willie Taggart | Fired then hired at Florida Atlantic | Mike Norvell (Memphis HC) |
| 9. | Fresno State | Mountain West | Jeff Tedford | Fired | Kalen DeBoer (Indiana OC) |
| 10. | Hawaii | Mountain West | Nick Rolovich | Moved on to Washington State | Todd Graham (Arizona State HC) |
| 11. | Memphis | American | Mike Norvell | Moved on to Florida State | Ryan Silverfield (Memphis Assistant HC OL) |
| 12. | Michigan State | Big Ten | Mark Dantonio | Resigned February 4, 2020, amidst recruiting violation allegations law suit. | Mel Tucker |
| 13. | Mississippi | SEC | Matt Luke | Fired | Lane Kiffin (Florida Atlantic HC) |
| 14. | Mississippi State | SEC | Joe Morehead | Fired | Mike Leach (Washington State HC) |
| 15. | Missouri | SEC | Bary Odom | Fired | Eliah Drinkwitz (Appalachian State HC) |
| 16. | Nevada-Las Vegas | Mountain West | Tony Sanchez | Fired | Marcus Arroyo (Oregon Assistan HC OC) |
| 17. | New Mexico | Mountain West | Bob Davie | Fired | Danny Gonzales (Arizona State Assistant HC DC) |
| 18. | Old Dominion | USA | Bobby Wilder | Resigned | Ricky Rahne (Penn State OC) |
| 19. | Rutgers | Big Ten | Chris Ash fired replced by Nunzio Campanile | Fired | Greg Schiano (Ohio State Associate HC and DC) |
| 20. | San Diego State | Mountain West | Rocky Long | Retired | Brady Hoke (San Diego State DL) |
| 21. | USF | American | Charlie Strong | Fired | Jeff Scott (Clemson Co-OC) |
| 22. | UTSA | USA | Frank Wilson | Fired | Jeff Traylor (Arkansas Assistant HC) |
| 23. | Washington | Pac 12 | Chris Petersen | Resigned | Jimmy Lake (Washington Assistant HC DC) |
| 24. | Washington State | Pac 12 | Mike Leach | Moved on to Mississippi State | Nick Rolovich (Hawaii HC) |
