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5 college football coaching carousel winners

By Nathaniel Reeves

Oct 22, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman during warm ups prior to a game against the SMU Mustangs at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman during warm ups prior to a game against the SMU Mustangs at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 13, 2016; Boca Raton, FL, USA; Florida Atlantic Owls head coach Lane Kiffin speaks to the media at FAU Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 13, 2016; Boca Raton, FL, USA; Florida Atlantic Owls head coach Lane Kiffin speaks to the media at FAU Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Florida Atlantic Owls

There are plenty of fair questions about Kiffin’s ability as a head coach, and Florida Atlantic’s decision to bring him in could easily backfire. Still, the Owls made the highest upside hire possible, and Kiffin will at least generate plenty of excitement for a relatively unknown program.

Kiffin’s coaching trajectory almost makes more sense in reverse chronological order at this point. The 41-year-old got his first head coaching gig in a tumultuous 20-game stint with the Oakland Raiders in 2007, spent one year at Tennessee before leaving on ugly terms, went 28-15 as head coach of USC before being infamously fired at LAX, and returned to the coordinator ranks with Alabama in 2014.

There are plenty of red flags with Kiffin, from the manner in which he left the Volunteers to his disappointing 7-6 record as head coach of a loaded Trojans squad in 2012. Still, there’s no denying that Kiffin has one of the best football minds in the nation, and he has earned another shot at being a head coach after spending three seasons alongside Nick Saban.

Kiffin has transformed the Alabama offense over the past three years from good to great, helping to lead the Crimson Tide to three straight playoff appearances and the 2015 national championship. In particular, Kiffin has done a great job developing quarterbacks, including standout freshman Jalen Hurts this season.

Florida Atlantic should expect to get a quick influx of talent, as Kiffin has proven to be an outstanding recruiter at every stop. The Owls don’t have much to lose by hiring Kiffin, and a coordinator of his caliber was about the best the program could have hoped for.

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