College football coaching carousel grades 2023: Auburn, Colorado ace tests

Good job by Texas State to hire G.J. Kinne in same cycle his alma mater opened up

After not getting much out of Jake Spavital the previous four years, Texas State was able to pry up-and-comer G.J. Kinne away from Incarnate Word in the same hiring cycle that his alma mater of Tulsa opened up. You have to give Texas State major credit for playing hardball to do such a thing. If Kinne wins early at Texas State, he could be on the fast track to getting a Power Five gig.

Grade: B

Kevin Wilson brings a world of Big Ten experience over with him to Tulsa now

Even if G.J. Kinne was available, Tulsa made a smart hire by getting Kevin Wilson to leave Ryan Day’s Ohio State staff. The former Indiana head coach brings with him a world of major college football experience to an underrated AAC program. Moving off Philip Montgomery was certainly controversial, but Wilson may have been the right choice for this total Golden Hurricane reboot.

Grade: B

Lance Taylor may help Western Michigan Broncos return to their P.J. Fleck glory

Lance Taylor may be a relative unknown in the coaching department, but he’s been everywhere, man. The former Louisville offensive coordinator had worked previously for Brian Kelly at Notre Dame, David Shaw at Stanford and Nick Saban as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in Alabama. Western Michigan is one of the better jobs in the MAC, so he could be the next P.J. Fleck.

Grade: B+

Barry Odom may have what it takes to awaken the sleeping giant that is UNLV

Barry Odom did struggle at times taking over for Gary Pinkel at his alma mater of Missouri, but he totally reinvented himself as Sam Pittman’s trusted defensive coordinator at Arkansas. He was in the running for the Tulsa gig, but saw the diamond in the rough that is UNLV. With the right mix, this can be a sleeping giant in the Mountain West. The growth potential for the Rebels is massive.

Grade: A-

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