As the college football regular season concludes, here’s the latest update on the coaching carousel as of Saturday morning.
Texas A&M
With Texas A&M having the biggest coaching vacancy, sources with direct knowledge of the coaching search tell The Athletic that the Aggies are considering several candidates but are expected to pursue other top coaches after Saturday’s games.
The Aggies have shown interest in Kansas coach Lance Leipold, Duke coach Mike Elko (former A&M defensive coordinator), Kansas State coach Chris Klieman, and Kentucky’s Mark Stoops. Additionally, there are rumblings about Texas A&M potentially pursuing Ohio State’s Ryan Day.
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Michigan State
Michigan State has hired Jonathan Smith from Oregon State as its next head coach, following a lengthy coaching search. Smith, a former star QB for the Beavers, was the primary focus for the Spartans and brings experience building a program in a similar situation compared to Michigan State’s position.
Other candidates believed to be in the mix included NC State’s Dave Doeren, Kansas’ Leipold, and Toledo’s Jason Candle.
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Baylor
Baylor is facing a hot seat situation as the pressure mounts on coach Dave Aranda. Despite leading the team to a No. 5 ranking and a 12-2 record in 2021, the Bears have struggled, going 9-15 since then. The Baylor administration is open to retaining Aranda if he presents a plan for key changes they like.
