Coaching extensions and commitments are thinning the coaching search poo

The biggest stories in college football currently seem to revolve around coaching searches. 2025 is shaping up to have more attractive head coaching destinations than would otherwise be typical. LSU, Penn State, Florida, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Oregon State, Alabama Birmingham, and Kent State all currently have job openings. Programs that have coaches they are pleased with have been making moves to insure they don’t lose those coaches.

The first three jobs on that list are significant. LSU, Penn State and Florida represent some of the biggest job openings in recent memory. All three of those carry enough weight and gravitas to believe those programs would make big, noteworthy hires involving coaches with significant resumes. The only issue with that is programs with those coaches understand that too. The result of which, is arguably four of the biggest names (as well as a coaching icon) and likely biggest candidates have seemingly been taken out of consideration.

Matt Rhule

Coach Rhule was immediately identified as a possible candidate for the open Penn State job. Rhule was a walk-on at Penn State under Joe Paterno. Program ties is a concept that fanbases and media tend to gravitate towards. In a recent Pat McAfee episode, Nick Saban downplayed that concept. “Just because you’re from some place, doesn’t mean you’re going to win.” Nebraska currently has a 6-2 record, but outside the AP top 25. Under Rhule, the Cornhuskers are 18-15 and seem to be trending in the right direction, albeit not as quickly as some might have expected. With the two-year contract extension Rhule signed on Thursday morning, it now seems unlikely Rhule is a realistic candidate for the Penn State job.

Curt Cignetti

No coach in the Power 4 college football landscape has had the rise that Curt Cignetti has. The coach that famously said last year, “I win, google me” has been as advertised. The Indiana Hoosiers are undefeated, an almost lock to make the college football playoff and one of only three teams to receive top 25 first place votes. Cignetti’s name would have inevitably been tied to some if not all of the top three coaching vacancies. He has a 38-6 record over the last four years (including Indiana and JMU) but only became a household name with Indiana. While Cignetti’s name was being floated for a number of jobs, Indiana wasted no time shutting down outside interest by extending Cignetti. Earlier this month, Cignetti signed an eight-year extension worth over $93 million. With an interesting contract clause that guarantees he will be a top paid coach nationally, it's highly unlikely Cignetti is a serious candidate for any open job.

Lane Kiffin

Coach Kiffin was almost immediately put on LSU, Penn State, and Florida’s short lists. The logic makes sense. Kiffin is from a football family, has significant college experience with noteworthy programs, had a stint in the NFL, and has built the latest version of Ole Miss into a legitimate top tier program within the stacked SEC. However, Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter has made it clear that they will do what it takes financially to keep Kiffin in Oxford Mississippi. While Kiffin has not been signed to a contract extension, his original 2020 contract has already been extended twice, and local media anticipate another extension sometime after December. Effectively removing Kiffin from consideration.

Marcus Freeman

Coach Freeman would be a hot candidate this year or in years to come. He’s young, seems to be revered by his players, has been successful in returning Notre Dame to the national conversation and was a defensive coordinator under Brian Kelly. As coaching candidates go, Freeman would be a heavy hitter for almost any coaching job. However, he coaches at Notre Dame when Notre Dame is good. Take records and current playoff projections out of the equation and Notre Dame has historically been a top 3-5 job in the country. The Irish aren’t the draw they were in the 1920s-1980s, but it would take a remarkable opportunity to pull Freeman away from South Bend. It was recently reported that Freeman has already turned down interview requests from Penn State and Florida.

Nick Saban

The greatest college football coach of all time was destined to come up, even if it's only being said by fans and media. The former Alabama, LSU and Michigan State head coach retired from coaching a shade under two years ago. The seven-time national champion is not a realistic candidate for a number of reasons. Some of the more prominent reasons Saban gave have not only not changed, but they have also likely gotten worse. Saban claimed the changing landscape of the sport including the transfer portal and NIL were major contributors to his decision. On ESPN College Gameday two weeks ago, Saban was asked about the Penn State job. Saban was polite by all but shut the door on jumping back into coaching. In a light moment, Miss Terry (Saban’s wife) was asked about it. She had more fun with it claiming she hasn’t heard a number yet, but still closed the door on a return to coaching.

The landscape today does not look all that promising even compared to just two weeks ago. Eight job openings and a handful of other coaches currently on the hot seat does not bode well for all these programs with open jobs pulling in big name coaching hires. As these coaching searches continue, more names will likely surface. With an increasing chance that at least one of these big-time programs are going to end up hiring a quality coach who just might not be the result of poaching another program’s current successful coach.

More college football news: 

• Deion Sanders buyout, contract details as Colorado Buffaloes coach
• Was Adidas behind James Franklin's firing? Penn State breaks silence on rumor
• Brian Kelly buyout, contract details as LSU Tigers coach
• Indiana coach Curt Cignetti's salary bump of 2,729% in four years is insane
• Paul Finebaum tells Dabo Swinney 'Time is up' at Clemson