A year ago, college basketball had its busiest cycle of coaching turnover ever. There were 68 job changes, a record high over the sport’s 100-plus year history.
Inevitably, there were going to be some big hits and big misses right off the bat. The ones that hit really did make a mark, in effect defining a lot of the good aspects of the 2024-25 spell.
So today, I’m taking one more look back at the season and handing out some quick dap for the coaches who were able to take a new job and earn some instant credibility. Which schools made a coaching switch and found success without having to wait until Year 2 or Year 3? I’ve got an even dozen detailed below.
At the high-major level, the bar to clear is obvious and non-negotiable: Did you make the NCAA Tournament? If the answer is yes, you are listed here today. Mid-major hirings are judged a bit differently, but we also had a few of those who qualified for March Madness right away with a new coach as well.
None of these coaches are guaranteed to be as good next year as they were last season, but it sure does help in this hyper-transfer era. A number of the coaches/schools listed below have done quite well for themselves in the portal over the past month.
2024-25’s most immediately successful high-major hires
Kentucky: Mark Pope
Pope brought in an eclectic group of transfers and freshmen and produced something historic in Lexington. The Wildcats beat eight top-15 teams last season, the most in program history and one of the most ever in a season by any team. UK wound up involved in some of the most entertaining games of the season, most notably its 106-100 win on Jan. 4 over eventual national champ Florida. Kentucky finished 24-12, earned a No. 3 seed and lost in the Sweet 16 to intra-conference rival Tennessee, but within those 24 wins, conquests over the likes of Duke, Gonzaga, Louisville, Florida, Tennessee (twice) and Illinois were all included.
The Wildcats are immediately losing Andrew Carr, Lamont Butler, Amari Williams, Koby Brea and Jaxson Robinson, but the foundation they built will be looked back on fondly. Kentucky finished sixth in the deepest conference in college basketball history, doing so amid a brand overhaul in the post-John Calipari era. It could’ve been better, but not by much. Pope did a really good job in Year 1 and he’s got a team that could be preseason top 10 heading into Year 2.
Michigan: Dusty May
May didn’t need much time to regain Michigan’s prestige in college hoops. The Wolverines went from eight wins under Juwan Howard to 27 in May’s first season, which included a Sweet 16 run as an under-seeded No. 5 in the South Region, ultimately falling to No. 1 overall seed Auburn. Michigan’s 19-win turnaround ranks among the five largest in power-conference history.
May worked it well in the portal in 2024, most notably making a twin-tower starting duo of 7-footers play well off each other in a way no other team was doing. Vlad Goldin followed May from FAU, while Danny Wolf made the Ivy League jump from Yale and turned himself into a probable top-20 pick. Wolf was also one of the five best transfers last season. The Wolverines finished second in the Big Ten and have taken that momentum and built up arguably the best 2025 portal class to this point, led by UAB transfer Yaxel Lendeborg.
BYU: Kevin Young
Like Pope and May, Young got his team to a quality NCAA seed and a Sweet 16 showing right away. A big win for a program that last made it to the second weekend of March Madness back during the days of Jimmer. (Who just retired!) BYU got ahead of the pace this past season after going 26-10, ranking top-10 in offensive efficiency and earning a No. 6 seed.
Young’s Cougars finished fourth in the Big 12, going 15-7 against league foes and hitting a hot streak in the final six weeks of the season that put them among the sport’s best by mid-March. BYU ultimately bowed out of the tournament against Alabama, which needed a tournament-record 25 triples to kill off the Cougars. Young’s team next season should be even better. The Cougars are poised to be one of the “It” programs of 2025-26 due to AJ Dybantsa: He’s the potential No. 1 overall NBA pick come 2026.
Pat Kelsey inherited a broken program and immediately restored Louisville to respectability.
Imagn
Louisville: Pat Kelsey
Most of it was good until the very end, when Kelsey’s team got a gift. Despite being oddly under-seeded (as a No. 8) in the NCAAs, they were afforded a travel break by only having to drive Lexington for the first round. There, Creighton brought the wood and quickly ended U of L’s season with an 89-75 outcome in the first game of the first round. Other than that? Kelsey did a really good job in a mediocre ACC. But the conference’s quality is not on Louisville. Like Michigan, Louisville had a 19-game swing, one of the biggest ever by a high-major. The Cards went 27-8, including a 20-3 record vs. ACC opponents and tying Clemson for second in the league. Louisville matters again. A very good thing for college basketball.
Kelsey wasn’t Louisville’s first, second, third or fourth choice, but that didn’t stop him from making the most of a terrible situation he was inheriting. The program sunk to unthinkable depths under Kenny Payne, winning just 12 games the past two seasons. Kelsey matched that by Jan. 11 — doing so despite losing multiple players to injury. Now he’s brought back some good pieces and had a huge NIL budget to work with again, putting the Cards in position to be a top-10 roster heading into the fall.
Arkansas: John Calipari
As I wrote in March, it was a turbulent season for the Razorbacks under their new leader. But any season that ends with a Sweet 16 appearance for the Hogs has to be assessed a success. This is a program, after all, that had a Sweet 16 drought from 1997-2021. Calipari finished with a 22-14 mark, including a win at Kentucky on Feb. 1 (when few gave a lagging Arkansas team any shot) and an ugly-but-we’ll-take-it upset win over No. 2 St. John’s i in the second round of the NCAAs (with Arkansas as a 10).
The Hogs did it in spite of injury issues for much of the season. They did it in spite of an offense that resembled some of Calipari’s most frustrating schemes in the back half of his Kentucky era. Winning in March cures many ills, and so it was the case for Arkansas. Year 1 in Fayetteville was tumultuous for many weeks, but by the end (even with that cringey loss to Texas Tech in the Sweet 16), it’s fair to call it a success.
Vanderbilt: Mark Byington
The Commodores brought on Byington, who oversaw a mid-major powerhouse James Madison team go 32-4 after beating Wisconsin and making the second round of the NCAAs in 2024. He arrived in Nashville, underwent a grueling roster flip, and managed to more than merely tread water in the treacherous SEC. The league was historically elite thanks to teams like Vandy just as much as the Floridas, Auburns, Alabamas and Tennessees.
Under Byington, the ‘Dores broke on through with a 15-3 start, ultimately finishing 20-13 and with a 59-56 loss to Saint Mary’s in a 7/10 first round matchup. Sustaining relevance at Vanderbilt is historically one of the most challenging asks of any program at the power-conference level. But if he keeps it up, Byington will be a hot name on the coaching carousel once again.
Mark Byington had the Commodores enjoying their best season since 2016-17.
Getty Images
Mid-major noisemakers in Year 1
When it comes to mid-majors, I don’t require an NCAA Tournament trip in order to receive some recognition. That said, making it to the Dance is reason for automatic inclusion. There were three places with first-year coaches that broke through on Selection Sunday. I’ve also included three more mid-major coaches who hit the 20-win threshold in their first tours at their new digs.
Drake: Ben McCollum
Quite clearly the biggest mid-major winner of last season. Only three teams finished the season with as few as four losses: national champion Florida, Duke (finished No. 1 at KenPom) and McCollum’s team. The Bulldogs went 31-4, won an NCAA Tournament game and earned a too-low 11-seed after owning the Missouri Valley. McCollum took the Iowa job in short order after obliterating the bar for success at that level. In winning nearly 89% of his games, McCollum is off to one of the best starts by a D-I coach ever. That’s why Drake’s the only school listed in this story to lose its coach less than 12 months after hiring him.
Utah State: Jerrod Calhoun
Something about this program enables almost anyone to come in and produce good results. Calhoun got his chance and posted an impressive 26-8 record, which included a No. 10 seed in the Big Dance. Utah State was summarily bounced by UCLA in the first round, but still: 26 wins and a 16-6 record against Mountain West teams is a sweet follow-up to Danny Sprinkle going 28-7 and making the second round of the NCAAs the year before.
Mount St. Mary’s:Donny Lind
Imagine getting your first chance at being a head coach and taking a mid-major to the NCAAs right away. Not easy. But it’s what Lind did in the MAAC. The Mountaineers went 23-13 and even earned some NCAA Tournament cash by beating American in the First Four, earning the right to get walloped by Duke two days later. That’s good living!
Charleston: Chris Mack
To the surprise of nobody, Mack was as good as advertised: a 24-9 debut season in the CAA, including a one-point semifinal loss in the league tournament. No NCAA Tournament, but a quality first year. The 55-year-old has an envious NIL budget at that level and figures to have a squad that ranks among the 10-15 best mid-majors in the sport next season. Standard is high here and it’s unlikely to drop with Mack around.
James Madison: Preston Spradlin
Spradlin arrived here after taking Morehead State to a pair of NCAA Tournaments. The Dukes were part of a four-way tie atop the Sun Belt (13-5) and ultimately finished 20-12. A good foundation — after having to do some major roster reworking. It would be no surprise if Spradlin had the Dukes back in the Big Dance in 2026 or 2027.
Marshall: Cornelius Jackson
I can’t list JMU and not include Marshall. Under Jackson, the Thundering Herd — in the same conference as JMU — finished just one game behind the Dukes (12-6) and ultimately matched with 20 wins in the Sun Belt. A nice introduction at a program with just one NCAA Tournament this century.
ESPN predicted the outcomes of both College Football Playoff semifinal games coming Thursday and Friday. Now down to the final four teams, we are that much closer to crowning this year’s national champion.
Miami, Ole Miss,Indiana and Oregon are the last teams standing following two rounds of competitive and dominant football. But what do ESPN’s metrics say, specifically their SP+ projections?
Putting player rankings, strength of schedule, game projection and everything else under the sun together, ESPN put out its College Football Playoff predictions for the semifinals. Let’s start at the Fiesta Bowl.
No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 10 Miami (Fiesta Bowl)
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images/Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
SP+ Projection: Ole Miss 28.1, Miami 25.2
Ole Miss seemingly has the quarterback advantage with Trinidad Chambliss over Carson Beck in this one. He’s played at a different level over the last two weeks and found a new gear in the upset over Georgia. With Kewan Lacy helping the cause at running back, Ole Miss has a dynamic offense to deal with.
But defense wins championships, right? At least that is what Miami hopes for in this College Football Playoff. They stifled explosive offenses in Texas A&M and Ohio State to get to this point. Mario Cristobal will look for his team to grind it out. But ESPN projects Pete Golding and crew to get to the national title game.
No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 5 Oregon (Peach Bowl)
Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
SP+ Projection: Indiana 26.7, Oregon 23.7
Indiana keeps winning, make sure you Google it. Curt Cignetti and crew learned from last year’s College Football Playoff mistakes and dominated Alabama in the Rose Bowl, 38-3. The Hoosiers are two wins away from the program’s first national title and have a Heisman QB in Fernando Mendoza to boot. On paper, especially with a win over the Ducks already, Indiana is rightly favored.
But Oregon is coming in guns blazing. Dan Lanning, like Cignetti, preaches toughness and grittiness. That’s exactly what Oregon is going to do and it has a pretty darn good quarterback, too, in Dante Moore. Which Nick Saban disciple is going to end up on top? The metrics say Indiana, again, by a hair.
Based on ESPN’s SP+ projections, No. 1 Indiana and No. 6 Ole Miss will square off for the College Football Playoff national championship. The game is scheduled for January 19th in Miami.
The annual NHL Winter Classic game is a favorite of hockey fans.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) From left, reporter Jackie Redmond, Gary Bettman, the NHL Commissioner, and Ashley and Ryan Smith, both co-founders of Smith Entertainment Group and owners of Utah Mammoth, hold a news conference to announce the location of the 2027 NHL Winter Classic as Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, seen here on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026.
The marquee game of the NHL’s regular season is coming to Salt Lake City next year.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman joined Utah Mammoth owners Ryan and Ashley Smith on Wednesday in announcing that the 2027 Winter Classic will be held outdoors at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The Mammoth will play the current NHL leaders, the Colorado Avalanche. The game will take place at the beginning of next January.
“I think this venue is going to be incredible,” Ryan Smith said. “This is a dream.”
The NHL selected Rice-Eccles Stadium as the venue over competition from BYU’s Lavell Edwards Stadium in Provo and several other markets around the NHL that wanted to host the event.
“I wanted it here in Salt Lake. This is right,” Smith, a BYU alum, said. “I mean, I do enough down there. This is my NIL donation here. It’s a good one.”
And unlike at University of Utah football games, the stadium will sell alcohol for the event, university director of auxiliary services Collin Simmons told reporters. “We’re able to sell beer and seltzer for all private events,” he explained. “This is a private event.”
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Ryan Smith, right, and Ashley Smith, both co-founders of Smith Entertainment Group and owners of Utah Mammoth, answer questions during a news conference to announce the location of the 2027 NHL Winter Classic as Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, seen here on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026.
The exact date for the event has yet to be selected, as the NHL experiments with different dates at the beginning of January that conflict least with the NFL and college football. The game has traditionally taken place on either Jan. 1 or Jan 2.
The Winter Classic began in 2008, as the NHL sought to bring new fans to its games by returning to its roots in outdoor pond hockey. Since then, Winter Classic games have occurred annually with limited exceptions and have proven to be extremely popular with fans and players alike. Fans also enjoy that teams typically wear special-edition uniforms for the event, which Bettman said have not yet been designed.
The 2025 edition of the game took place at Wrigley Field between the Chicago Blackhawks and the St. Louis Blues. This year, the game moved to sunny Miami, Florida, as the Panthers played the Rangers in a matchup that drew significant criticism from hockey fans. Choosing Salt Lake City as the 2027 hosts reflects a league return to a cold-weather site.
League officials toured Rice-Eccles Stadium in recent months to determine its suitability for the game. It will be the fourth time the Winter Classic has been held at a college football stadium, with Michigan Stadium (2014), Notre Dame Stadium (2019), and the Cotton Bowl (2020) the previous three hosts.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Ryan Smith, right, and Ashley Smith, both co-founders of Smith Entertainment Group and owners of Utah Mammoth, sit on stage during a news conference to announce the location of the 2027 NHL Winter Classic as Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, seen here on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026.
“This stadium sets up very well. From a sightline perspective, there’s an intimacy here. We expect to have 50,000 plus here. We’re not anticipating any problems,” NHL commissioner Bettman said. “And the Governor” — Spencer Cox, who attended Wednesday’s announcement — “has promised me that the weather will be perfect.”
The Avalanche should prove formidable opposition to the Mammoth; through 42 games this season, they have suffered just four regulation losses against 31 wins. Team stars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar have pushed the Avs to one of the greatest starts to a regular season in NHL history this season, and should provide additional juice to the matchup.
The Mammoth, meanwhile, are led by team captain Clayton Keller and newly-extended Logan Cooley, who provided a player’s perspective at the announcement.
“Being outside, it’s a whole different experience,” Cooley said, while noting the last time he played outdoors was when he was 4 or 5 years old. “That whole experience will be a challenge. And as players, as competitors, we like those.”
“Just being outside, you see the mountains in the background. As a player, I hope it’s pretty cold and there’s a lot of snow,” he said.
Alabama finished the 2025 season 11–4 (7–1 SEC) under head coach Kalen DeBoer, winning the SEC West, falling to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, and qualifying for the College Football Playoff.
Despite optimism that the Tide could make a postseason run, Alabama was routed 38–3 by No. 1 Indiana in the CFP quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl, a loss that ended the season and marked the program’s worst-ever playoff defeat.
The lopsided loss triggered immediate offseason fallout, including significant roster turnover and early transfer portal activity.
On Monday, reports emerged that Alabama outside/edge linebacker Qua Russaw had entered the NCAA transfer portal after three seasons with the Crimson Tide, adding an experienced SEC defender to an already active transfer market.
By Wednesday, On3’s Pete Nakos reported that Russaw had scheduled transfer visits, with three programs quickly emerging as leading contenders: Ohio State, LSU, and Tennessee.
Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Qua Russaw (4) tries to bring down South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Robby Ashford (1) | Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images
Russaw was a five-star high school recruit in the 2023 cycle, ranked as the No. 3 linebacker prospect and No. 27 overall player nationally by On3, committing to Alabama over more than 20 offers, including Auburn, Georgia, Florida, and Clemson.
He spent three seasons with the Crimson Tide (2023–2025) after redshirting his first year, appearing in 22 career games and totaling 50 combined tackles (21 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, and one forced fumble.
Russaw played in 13 games in 2024, posting 36 tackles, 2.5 TFL, one sack, two interceptions, and a forced fumble, before injuries limited him to nine games and 14 tackles in 2025.
Still, at 6’2″, 243 pounds, the former five-star remains a high-upside, power-athletic edge defender with clear projection in a new system.
All three programs linked to Russaw align with his profile as an experienced SEC defender with pass-rush ability and immediate rotational or starting potential.
LSU is actively retooling its roster under new head coach Lane Kiffin and is seeking defensive reinforcements through the transfer portal after more than two dozen offseason departures.
Tennessee has also experienced roster turnover following the 2025 season, targeting portal additions to bolster linebacker depth and add physical playmakers as part of its defensive reset.
Ohio State’s linebacker room, meanwhile, lacks established FBS starters for 2026, prompting the Buckeyes to prioritize veteran transfers to add proven experience.
Media reports indicate visits are being scheduled immediately, and with the January transfer window underway, a commitment could come within days or a few weeks.
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Indiana defeated Alabama 38–3 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl, delivering a dominant performance on both sides of the ball.
Indiana’s offense, led by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza and an explosive rushing attack headlined by senior running backs Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby, controlled the game throughout, while Alabama managed just a lone field goal.
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson started and played into the second quarter, completing 12-of-16 passes for 67 yards before sustaining a cracked rib on a hit late in the half.
Simpson attempted to return after halftime but ultimately gave way to backup Austin Mack, who finished 11-of-16 for 103 yards.
Making matters worse for the Tide at quarterback, multiple outlets reported Wednesday that Simpson informed Alabama of his intention to enter the 2026 NFL Draft, opting to turn pro rather than return to Tuscaloosa or explore the transfer portal.
On3’s Pete Nakos also reported that Simpson, along with his family and representatives, evaluated potential NIL opportunities before ultimately deciding to declare.
Across the 2025 season, Simpson totaled 3,567 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and five interceptions, while adding 92 rushing yards, two rushing scores, and a 145.2 passer rating.
Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) runs against Indiana Hoosiers defensive lineman Mikail Kamara (6) | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
In his first year as Alabama’s full-time starting quarterback, Simpson guided the Crimson Tide to an 11–4 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff.
He earned second-team All-SEC honors and capped an Alabama tenure in which Simpson developed from a highly touted five-star recruit with limited early starting experience into a pro-level prospect, pairing mobility with improved pocket play that attracted NFL interest.
Many NFL draft analysts now project Simpson as a top-20 pick and likely first-round selection, generally seen as the No. 3 quarterback in this class behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore.
On3’s NIL valuations placed Simpson at around $2.1 million, ranking him among the higher-valued college players in 2025.
Media reporting also linked Simpson to significant transfer-market interest, with sources naming Miami, Oregon, and Tennessee as potential suitors had he entered the portal.
That interest fueled speculation that Simpson faced a choice between entering the NFL Draft or transferring to pursue a lucrative NIL package.
By contrast, transfer portal quarterback Brendan Sorsby landed a reported NIL package worth roughly $5 million after transferring to Texas Tech.
With Simpson already ranking among the highest-paid college athletes and projected to command even larger offers, alongside Sorsby’s massive NIL deal, this moment underscores the new, multi-path economics of college quarterback careers in the post-NIL era.
Still, while premium portal NIL packages can significantly influence recruitment and roster construction, Simpson’s decision highlights that top quarterbacks continue to prioritize the NFL when their draft stock is strong.
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Thriving in the NIL era, Ole Miss turns into an unlikely college football powerhouse
Well, big games are usually built on two things decision making and nerve. In the Sugar Bowl, the Ole Miss Rebels proved stronger in both. The Rebels didn’t need perfection. They needed poise. And in *** game defined by moments, the Rebels making more of the right ones by taking down *** Georgia team built on pressure and precision. Kind of challenged them at halftime and said, you know, look, we, we were up 9 on these guys going in the 4th quarter last time. I said, let’s play 30 minutes of football and I’ll physical them and execute, and, and they responded like they have all year. Uh, it’s *** super tough group. They got *** lot of grit, and they love playing football, and, and then, you know, they’re not tired of it. So just really, really proud of the group and the effort that took place tonight. Well, with Georgia behind them, the Ole Miss Rebels will now move on to face Miami in the Fiesta Bowl up in Arizona, and the Rebels aren’t just advancing, they’re officially announcing themselves as true, legitimate national contenders. Reporting in the Caesars Superdome, Marissa Stubbs, 16, WAPT News.
Thriving in the NIL era, Ole Miss turns into an unlikely college football powerhouse
Updated: 3:32 PM CST Jan 7, 2026
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Mississippi’s football program is thriving in the NCAA’s pay-for-play era. The sixth-seeded Rebels will face No. 10 Miami in the Fiesta Bowl for a spot in the national championship game. It’s the biggest game for Ole Miss in at least 50 years. It’s also the culmination of a massive fundraising effort athletics director Keith Carter and other behind-the-scenes people that’s helped the Rebels gain an upper hand in the NIL era. Carter said he’s confident Ole Miss can maintain its status in the game’s elite, even as bigger schools start to organize their fundraising efforts to match the Rebels.
OXFORD, Miss. —
Mississippi’s football program is thriving in the NCAA’s pay-for-play era.
The sixth-seeded Rebels will face No. 10 Miami in the Fiesta Bowl for a spot in the national championship game.
It’s the biggest game for Ole Miss in at least 50 years. It’s also the culmination of a massive fundraising effort athletics director Keith Carter and other behind-the-scenes people that’s helped the Rebels gain an upper hand in the NIL era.
Carter said he’s confident Ole Miss can maintain its status in the game’s elite, even as bigger schools start to organize their fundraising efforts to match the Rebels.
