The NCAA transfer portal and the advent of NIL have introduced a level of parity in college football that was once believed to be an occasional treat (see the 2007 season). But with the success of underdog programs like Indiana, that parity looks like it's here to stay.
That also means every offseason becomes a time for coaching staffs to completely reevaluate rosters after the free agent-like transfer portal period. For some, that constant turnover can be chaotic and prevent their respective teams from getting into a developmental rhythm. However, great coaches manage to generate success from the new faces if they scouted correctly.
Not every sideline boss gets the credit they deserve, especially if the definition of success greatly exceeds the capability of the program. Let's take a look at each conference and give some coaches their flowers.
American Athletic: Brian Newberry, Navy
Newberry was defensive coordinator for the Midshipmen from 2019-22 and took over for longtime head coach Ken Tuimoloau in 2023. After a rough first year at the helm, he rattled off two consecutive 10+ win seasons and had Navy in the College Football Playoff conversation on both occasions. Those two campaigns were also capped off with big victories over rival Army. The American Athletic typically reserves space for contenders like South Florida, Tulane and Memphis but Navy can't be written off with Newberry leading the way.
ACC: Tony Elliott, Virginia
Despite coming up painfully short in the ACC championship this season, Virginia (11-3) still exceeded expectations and shocked folks just being there. Elliott, who took over for Bronco Mendenhall in 2022, failed to put together a season over .500 until 2025 but in those campaigns most of those losses were competitive. The Cavaliers have announced themselves and Elliott - who came from the Dabo Swinney coaching tree - shouldn't be overlooked in 2026.
Big 12: Willie Fritz, Houston
The Cougars, like Virginia, defied expectations in a stacked Big 12 last season thanks to Fritz's leadership. He's won a conference title with every team he's coached, appearing in the AAC championship three times with Tulane before arriving in Houston. The Big 12 seems to be entering an era of unusual champions with Arizona State and Texas Tech leading the way. Who says year three won't be Fritz's opportunity to take Houston to Dallas in December?
Big Ten: P.J. Fleck, Minnesota
Fleck and the Golden Gophers have basically been the face of consistency in the Big Ten. Only three of his nine seasons in Minneapolis have been under .500, and he's won every bowl game he's led Minnesota to (including five straight dating back to 2021). If Fleck could land a true star quarterback and maybe a wide receiver in the portal, he and the Gophers could be positioned to make a real run.
C-USA: Jamey Chadwell, Liberty
Bear with me here. Yes, Liberty had its worst season under Chadwell in 2025 but that shouldn't discount his body of work with the Flames. He led them to a C-USA championship in year one and still managed to win eight games the following season. Chadwell has only had four losing seasons in his Division I career and should have Liberty back in contention in 2026.
MAC: John Hauser, Ohio
Hauser is undefeated with the Bobcats so far. Well, that's because he's only coached a single game so far. The 45-year-old took over head coaching duties after Brian Smith departed following an 8-4 2025 season. Ohio needs stability on its sideline and Hauser offers that having helmed the defense the last two seasons. He also falls under the Chuck Martin coaching tree who has led Miami (OH) to five conference championship games since 2014. Don't be shocked if the Bobcats are leading the MACtion in 2026.
Mountain West: Timmy Chang, Hawaii
If you haven't stayed up late for at least one Hawaii football game in your life, then you aren't really a college football fan. Chang has had the Rainbow Warriors fun to watch since he took over in 2022 despite starting off with three straight sub-.500 seasons. In 2025, he finally hit his stride and led the team to its first nine-win campaign since 2019. He'll be looking to build off that momentum in 2026 and with half of the old Mountain West departing for the Pac-12, there may be an opening for a title run.
Pac-12: G.J. Kinne, Texas State
Speaking of the reborn Pac-12, the team to watch actually comes from south-central Texas. Kinne is 23-16 leading the Bobcats and has won three consecutive bowl games. Texas State was considered a dark horse CFP contender in 2024 and 2025 as members of the Sun Belt, but an elevation to a former power conference stage could be precisely what Kinne needs to boost the team's resume for an at-large bid.
SEC: Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
Well, Vanderbilt emerging as an actual threat in the SEC was not on my CFB bingo card entering the season. Lea facilitated the legend of QB Diego Pavia in 2024 and that continued in 2025, earning the latter a Heisman Trophy finalist nod. He won't have Pavia in 2026 so there could be some regression but never say never in any game the Commodores will be playing in. They did beat four ranked teams last season.
Sun Belt: Clay Helton, Georgia Southern
Some USC fans are still wishing the program hadn't moved on from Helton for Lincoln Riley, and that's for good reason. Helton is not a bad coach. In four seasons at Georgia Southern, he's above .500 and has appeared in four consecutive bowl games. The Sun Belt has generated surprising dark horses like Texas State in the past, so who's to say Helton doesn't have the Eagles on a path to similar success?