2025-26 Coaching Change Thread

[Mvemjsunpx]

Kevin Callahan's head-coaching stint at Monmouth is over after 33 years, as he will move into an athletic-department "Special Advisor" role. Callahan went 197-151 during his long tenure with the Hawks which included 4 NEC titles, 2 Big South titles, and a playoff win in 2019. He was the only head coach the Hawk program had ever had until now. Monmouth OC Jeff Gallo was elevated to head coach to replace Callahan.

https://monmouthhawks.com/news/2025/12/ ... -role.aspx

[bonarae]

Joel Taylor was poached by Mercer from UWG.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Joel Taylor was poached by Mercer from UWG.

Thanks!

[JALMOND]

Portland State hires Central Washington's HC Chris Fisk as new head coach.

https://www.essentiallysports.com/ncaa- ... ashington/

[kalm]

Portland State hires Central Washington's HC Chris Fisk as new head coach.

https://www.essentiallysports.com/ncaa- ... ashington/

Seems like a good hire.

[Mvemjsunpx]

The Pirates went with Van Malone, who was the Assistant Head Coach at K-State the last 6 years. Malone coached under former NDSU head man Chris Klieman, who retired last week, in Manhattan. He's never been a head coach.

https://hamptonpirates.com/news/2025/12 ... coach.aspx

[Mvemjsunpx]

Ricky Santos is leaving New Hampshire to become the head coach at Penn. An odd move, IMO, since UNH is Santos's alma mater. Anyway… Santos went 37-24 in 5 seasons as the Wildcat head coach including a 6-5 mark in 2019 when he was the acting head coach for an absent Sean McDonnell. Santos went 1-3 in the FCS playoffs with blowout first-round losses the last 2 years.

https://pennathletics.com/news/2025/12/ ... -penn.aspx

[SuperHornet]

Sac State just hired a former Rev. Hammer backup dancer as HC....

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/arizo ... p_catchall

[Mvemjsunpx]

Sac State just hired a former Rev. Hammer backup dancer as HC....

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/arizo ... p_catchall

Thanks!

OMG, he actually was an MC Hammer backup dancer!

[Caribbean Hen]

Ricky Santos is leaving New Hampshire to become the head coach at Penn. An odd move, IMO, since UNH is Santos's alma mater. Anyway… Santos went 37-24 in 5 seasons as the Wildcat head coach including a 6-5 mark in 2019 when he was the acting head coach for an absent Sean McDonnell. Santos went 1-3 in the FCS playoffs with blowout first-round losses the last 2 years.

https://pennathletics.com/news/2025/12/ ... -penn.aspx

Really?

[Mvemjsunpx]

Ricky Santos is leaving New Hampshire to become the head coach at Penn. An odd move, IMO, since UNH is Santos's alma mater. Anyway… Santos went 37-24 in 5 seasons as the Wildcat head coach including a 6-5 mark in 2019 when he was the acting head coach for an absent Sean McDonnell. Santos went 1-3 in the FCS playoffs with blowout first-round losses the last 2 years.

https://pennathletics.com/news/2025/12/ ... -penn.aspx

Really?

I guess Penn can pay somewhat more, but it's still jumping ship to a roughly equivalent conference and to a program with a less consistent record of recent success.

[Caribbean Hen]

Really?

I guess Penn can pay somewhat more, but it's still jumping ship to a roughly equivalent conference and to a program with a less consistent record of recent success.

Not only will he double his salary, but let’s face it, the portal is decimating CAA teams best players and the CAAs best teams have all bolted for the Patriot league. Ricky Santos already coached in the Ivy League at Columbia.

The Ivy league teams already have a much better chance at retaining good players because of that Ivy League degree. Penn has had some pretty good talent in recent years, but they have not been able to win close games, they want to change that now

Not only that, the Ivy League has decided to finally participate in the playoffs. Yale beat Youngstown State in a first round playoff game this year in a comeback win not seen since 1979 when Delaware did it…. Midwestern were shocked both times.

The Ivy League is now on the upswing and the CAA is a disaster area … Coastal flooding

[Mvemjsunpx]

I guess Penn can pay somewhat more, but it's still jumping ship to a roughly equivalent conference and to a program with a less consistent record of recent success.

Not only will he double his salary, but let’s face it, the portal is decimating CAA teams best players and the CAAs best teams have all bolted for the Patriot league. Ricky Santos already coached in the Ivy League at Columbia.

The Ivy league teams already have a much better chance at retaining good players because of that Ivy League degree. Penn has had some pretty good talent in recent years, but they have not been able to win close games, they want to change that now

Not only that, the Ivy League has decided to finally participate in the playoffs. Yale beat Youngstown State in a first round playoff game this year in a comeback win not seen since 1979 when Delaware did it…. Midwestern were shocked both times.

The Ivy League is now on the upswing and the CAA is a disaster area … Coastal flooding

I agree the CAA is declining. Will he make double, though? Priore wasn't making anywhere near double Santos's UNH salary. A potential G5 school would presumably pay more than Penn, too, if Santos could've held out for one.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Weber State went with Corner Canyon High School coach & teacher Eric Kjar. Kjar has a 112-10 record at Corner Canyon with 6 state titles. He also won a title with Jordan HS in 2012.

https://weberstatesports.com/news/2025/ ... e-football

[dal4018]

Changes

Bucknell - Dave Cecchini -------->
Cal Poly - Paul Wulff --------> Tim Skipper
Florida A&M - James Colzie III -------->
Hampton - Trent Boykin --------> Van Malone
Mercer - Mike Jacobs --------> Joel Taylor
Monmouth - Kevin Callahan --------> Jeff Gallo
New Hampshire - Ricky Santos -------->
Penn - Ray Priore --------> Ricky Santos
Portland St. - Bruce Barnum --------> Chris Fisk
Sacramento St. - Brennan Marion --------> Alonzo Carter
Samford - Chris Hatcher --------> Scot Sloan --------> John Grass
Southern - Terrence Graves --------> Fred McNair --------> Marshall Faulk
Weber St. - Mickey Mental --------> Brent Myers --------> Eric Kjar
West Georgia - Joel Taylor -------->






Italic - denotes interim coach (offseason-only interims won't be included)

Quinn Gray is the NEW HC for Florida A&M
The former HC at Howard has officially left for the RB coaching job at Auburn.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Quinn Gray is the NEW HC for Florida A&M
The former HC at Howard has officially left for the RB coaching job at Auburn.

Thanks!

[dal4018]

Quinn Gray is the NEW HC for Florida A&M
The former HC at Howard has officially left for the RB coaching job at Auburn.

Thanks!

I have connections with a friend who follow this school and he keeps me abreast of what they do.Gray was a alum of this school and a product of their football program so get ready for a return to their pass happy ways from the '90s-'00s.Florida A&M used a pass happy scheme called THE GULF COAST OFFENSE.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Cris Reisert resigned from Gardner-Webb to supposedly take the OC job at Toledo (under now former Mercer HC Mike Jacobs). Reisert went 11-13 in 2 seasons in Boiling Springs.

Danny Rocco left VMI to take an analyst role at Virginia Tech under James Franklin. He also served in a similar role under Franklin in 2022. Rocco went 7-28 at VMI (1-11 each of the last two years) after going 121-65 at 3 other FCS schools.

West Georgia poached Steve Englehart from Presbyterian. Englehart only went 21-25 with the Blue Hose, but his team went 10-2 this past season where a puzzling loss to awful Davidson stood between them and a postseason bid.


https://fearthefcs.com/2025/12/15/cris- ... -position/
https://www.footballscoop.com/2025/12/1 ... tech-staff
https://uwgathletics.com/news/2025/12/1 ... t-uwg.aspx

[bonarae]

UAlbany snatches a D-III playoff coach as its next HC, Tom Perkovich.

https://ualbanysports.com/news/2025/12/ ... coach.aspx

[Mvemjsunpx]

UAlbany snatches a D-III playoff coach as its next HC, Tom Perkovich.

https://ualbanysports.com/news/2025/12/ ... coach.aspx

Thanks!

I had forgotten Albany had an interim coach this year.

[dal4018]

Changes

Albany - Jared Ambrose --------> Tom Perkovich
Bucknell - Dave Cecchini -------->
Cal Poly - Paul Wulff --------> Tim Skipper
Florida A&M - James Colzie III --------> Quinn Gray
Gardner-Webb - Cris Reisert -------->
Hampton - Trent Boykin --------> Van Malone
Howard - Larry Scott -------->
Mercer - Mike Jacobs --------> Joel Taylor
Monmouth - Kevin Callahan --------> Jeff Gallo
New Hampshire - Ricky Santos -------->
Penn - Ray Priore --------> Ricky Santos
Portland St. - Bruce Barnum --------> Chris Fisk
Presbyterian - Steve Englehart -------->
Sacramento St. - Brennan Marion --------> Alonzo Carter
Samford - Chris Hatcher --------> Scot Sloan --------> John Grass
Southern - Terrence Graves --------> Fred McNair --------> Marshall Faulk
VMI - Danny Rocco -------->
Weber St. - Mickey Mental --------> Brent Myers --------> Eric Kjar
West Georgia - Joel Taylor --------> Steve Englehart






Italic - denotes interim coach (offseason-only interims won't be included)

Gray played in the NFL with Jacksonville as a QB

[bonarae]

Gardner-Webb gets UT Permian Basin's Kris McCullough.

[dal4018]

Southern U trying to become the fourth HBCU ever (and third in a year) for an ex-NFL star's HC gig.

https://www.wafb.com/2025/11/26/souther ... ead-coach/

Faulk hit the road full blast going after some top talent in Louisiana signed a 3*** star QB but this guy needs to hit the weights and gain some size right now he's 5-11 180.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Gardner-Webb gets UT Permian Basin's Kris McCullough.

Thanks!

[SuperHornet]

I would not be surprised if Faulk turns Southern around rather quickly, only to lose him to San Diego State....

I still can't stand the dude after what he did to my UOP Tigers just after I got home from deployment...with me in the stands....