2025-2026 FCS Head Coaching Changes

Here is a list of FCS head coaching changes heading into the 2026 season. This list will be updated periodically with updates as they are announced

If you do not see a head coaching change that has been announced, please DM Redshirt Sports.

Bucknell

• Previous: Dave Cecchini
• New: Jeff Behrman, was previously the head coach at Division III John Carroll University where he led them to a 29-7 record in his three seasons.

Cal Poly

• Previous: Paul Wulff
• New: Tim Skipper, served as UCLA's interim head coach during the 2025 season.

Drake

• Previous: Joe Woodley, resigns after one year as head coach to join the staff at Rutgers.
• New: Matt Walker, spent 15 years as head coach at Division III University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Since 2021, UW-River Falls had a 44-13 record.

Florida A&M

• Previous: James Colzie III
• New: Quinn Fordham Gray, Sr., was previously the head coach at DII Albany State University

Gardner-Webb

• Previous: Cris Resiert, stepping down to join former Mercer HC Mike Jacobs at Toledo as offensive coordinator.
• New: Kris McCullough, served as the head coach at DII University of Texas-Permian Basin.

Hampton University

• Previous: Trent Boykin
• New: Van Malone, previously the assistant HC at Kansas State

Howard

• Previous: Larry Scott, accepted an opportunity at Auburn University
• New: Tedd White, previously an offensive assistant at Maryland and quarterbacks coach at UCLA.

Lehigh

• Previous: Kevin Cahill, accepted the HC position at Yale following a 12-1 season. Over his three years at Lehigh he compiled a 23-14 record.
• New: Rich Nagy, served as Lehigh’s defensive coordinator for the last three seasons.

Mercer

• Previous: Mike Jacobs, hired by Toledo to be their next head coach
• New: Joel Taylor, went 12-10 in his two seasons as head coach at West Georgia. Prior to West Georgia he was Mercer's defensive coordinator.

Mercyhurst

• Previous: Ryan Riemedio, hired by Youngstown State as their new DC
• New: Thomas Sydeski, served as Mercyhurt’s OC and QB coach the last two seasons. Prior to Mercyhurst he has stints at West Georgia (2023), Bryant University (2019-2022).

Monmouth

• Previous: Kevin Callahan, has been the HC at Monmouth since 1992 with a 197-151 record. Callahan will transition into a special advisor role within the athletic department.
• New: Jeff Gallo, promoted to HC from offensive coordinator

Montana

• Previous: Bobby Hauck, announced his retirement effective immediately on 2/4/2026 after 14 seasons at Montana. Hauck ended up becoming Illinois’ defensive coordinator.
• New: Bobby Kennedy, served at Montana’s WR Coach in 2024.

New Hampshire

• Previous: Rick Santos, hired by UPenn
• New: Sean Goldrich, former New Hampshire QB, most recently the QB coach at Delaware. Prior to Delaware he was at Yale as their WR and assistant special teams coach.

Portland State

• Previous: Bruce Barnum
• New: Chris Fisk, previous HC at DII Central Washington

Presbyterian College

• Previous: Steve Englehart, hired by West Georgia to be their next head coach
• New: Matt Rahl, served as Presbyterian's OL coach and run game coordinator the past two seasons.

Sacramento State

• Previous: Brennan Marion, went 7-5 in one season as HC, hired as the OC at Colorado
• New: Alonzo Carter, previously Arizona assistant HC

Samford

• Previous: Chris Hatcher
• New: John Grass, spent the last four seasons on Clemson's staff as Senior Offensive Assistant/Assistant Quarterbacks Coach

South Dakota

• Previous: Travis Johansen, left after one season has head coach and seven on staff to become Rutger’s defensive coordinator.
• New: Matt Vitzthum, previously co-offensive coordinator and QB coach for South Dakota

Southern

• Previous: Terrence Graves
• New: Marshall Faulk, was previously the RB Coach at Colorado

UAlbany

• Previous: Jared Ambrose served as the interim HC for the 2025 season
• New: Tom Perkovich, was the previous HC at DIII Susquehanna University

UPenn

• Previous: Ray Priore
• New: Rick Santos, was the previous head coach at New Hampshire

Virginia Military Institute

• Previous: Danny Rocco, 7-28 (5-19 SoCon) in 3 seasons, stepped down to take a position at Virginia Tech. Rocco will reunite with James Franklin at Virginia Tech.
• New: Ashley Ingram, the head coach at DII Carson-Newman that past two season leading them to an overall record of 16-6 including a 7-3 record in 2025. Prior to Carson-Newman, Ingram coached at the Naval Academy for 16 years in various roles.

Weber State

• Previous: Mickey Mental
• New: Eric Kjar, went 112-10 record with six state championships over nine seasons as the head coach at Corner Canyon High School in Draper, Utah.

West Georgia

• Previous: Joel Taylor, went 12-10 in two seasons, stepped down to take the same position at Mercer.
• New: Steve Englehart, led Presbyterian College to a 10-2 record in 2025

Yale

• Previous: Tony Reno, stepped down for health reasons
• New: Kevin Cahill, the reigning National FCS Coach of the Year, was the previous head coach at Lehigh