2013-14 college football coaching changes

Sports

2013-14 college football coaching changes

There have been plenty of college football coaching changes in the 2013-14 season.

Former North Carolina offensive coordinator Blake Anderson was named head football coach at Arkansas State, replacing Bryan Harsin after his departure for Boise State. Anderson will be the fifth head coach in five years for the Red Wolves, who have still managed nine wins a year over the last three seasons. Anderson follows Steve Roberts, Hugh Freeze, Gus Malzahn and Harsin.

Jeff Monken became the 37th coach of the Black Knights. Monken replaces Rich Ellerson, who went 3-9 this season and was fired after a fifth straight loss to Navy. Monken arrives at West Point from Georgia Southern, an FCS program where he went 38-16 in four seasons.

Chris Petersen's departure to coach Washington opened a vacancy at Boise State. Petersen was replaced by Bryan Harsin, who had previously worked at Boise State from 2001-10, and was offensive coordinator for the Broncos from 2006-10. Harsin, who signed to a five-year, $6.5 million deal, was the head coach at Arkansas State before agreeing to become Boise State's 11th head coach since 1968.

Bowling Green hired Eastern Illinois coach Dino Babers to replace Dave Clawson, following his departure to Wake Forest. Babers spent four seasons under Art Briles at Baylor before coaching Eastern Illinois the past two seasons. He led his Panthers to a 12-1 record in 2013 before losing to Towson in the FCS quarterfinals.

UConn's Paul Pasqualoni was one of the first to be dismissed this season after the Huskies got off to a 0-4 start in 2013. Pasqualoni, who had coached UConn for three seasons, was replaced by Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco. Diaco agreed to a five-year deal to coach the Huskies in December.

Ron English (above) was fired after five seasons at Eastern Michigan. The Eagles hired Chris Creighton, who coached Drake University of the FCS for six seasons. Creighton will have his work cut out for him, the Eagles haven't had a winning season since 1990.

Charlie Partridge, who served as assistant head coach and defensive line coach at Arkansas last season was named football coach at Florida Atlantic University. Partridge replaces Carl Pelini, who resigned Oct. 30.

Charlie Strong's departure for Texas opened the door for Louisville to rehire Western Kentucky's Bobby Petrino, 52, as head coach. Petrino returns to the school he led to a 41-9 record from 2003-06 as a first-time head coach. He has an 83-30 career record as a college head coach, including an 8-4 mark last season with the Hilltoppers, his first position since his April 2012 firing by Arkansas amid scandal.

Miami (Ohio) fired Don Treadwell after an 0-5 start to the 2013 season and replaced him with Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chuck Martin (above). Martin was previously the head coach at Grand Valley State before joining Brian Kelly, his predecessor at Grand Valley State, on the staff at Notre Dame. Martin led the Lakers to two Division II national championships and a 74-7 record from 2004-09.

Two months after firing Lane Kiffin following a 3–2 start to the 2013 season, Southern California hired former Trojans offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian. Sarkisian had helped groom two Heisman Trophy winning QBs, Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart while at USC. He spent five seasons at Washington and led the Huskies to a 34-29 record after taking over a program that went 0-12 in 2008.

After 16 seasons as the Longhorns' head coach, Mack Brown resigned in mid-December. During his tenure, Brown's Texas teams went 158-48 and won a national title in 2005. But since playing for the 2010 BCS championship, the Longhorns haven't won more than nine or lost fewer than four in a season. Texas hired Charlie Strong, who won big at Louisville, going 23-3 the past two seasons. He succeeded as a defensive coordinator at South Carolina and Florida.

The University of Massachusetts fired head coach Charley Molnar after two disappointing seasons, leading the Minutemen to a 2-22 mark. Molnar had previously served as Notre Dame's offensive coordinator.

Less than two years after replacing Joe Paterno during a tumultuous time at Penn State, Bill O'Brien left for the NFL. O'Brien, a former offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, will coach the Houston Texans. Despite a lack of scholarships, a bowl ban, an overall sense of doom and player defections from the late Paterno's roster, O'Brien led the Nittany Lions to two winning seasons while restoring some tempered enthusiasm in Happy Valley.

Jim Grobe resigned as Wake Forest coach in December, ending his 13-year tenure as the Demon Deacons' head football coach. Grobe's record at Wake Forest was 77-82, and is tied with Peahead Walker atop the school's win list. Grobe was replaced by Bowling Green's Dave Clawson.

Following Steve Sarkisian's departure to USC, Washington lured Chris Petersen away from Boise State. Petersen leaves the Broncos after eight successful seasons. He was 92-12 with two undefeated seasons and two BCS bowl victories. His .885 winning percentage is the best of any coach at a Football Bowl Subdivision school with eight years of experience.

Craig Bohl coached North Dakota State for 11 years. Bohl is moving up a level in the college football divisions to coach Wyoming. Bohl has a 102-32 coaching record at North Dakota State, leading the Bison to the last three Football Championship Subdivision titles. Bohl had previously been a defensive coordinator at Nebraska. He replaces Dave Christensen, who was fired Dec. 1 after five seasons.

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Former North Carolina offensive coordinator Blake Anderson was named head football coach at Arkansas State, replacing Bryan Harsin after his departure for Boise State. Anderson will be the fifth head coach in five years for the Red Wolves, who have still managed nine wins a year over the last three seasons. Anderson follows Steve Roberts, Hugh Freeze, Gus Malzahn and Harsin.

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