The college football offseason hasn’t even started, but this might be the most ludicrous coaching carousel yet.
The evidence to describe that craziness can be found in the total buyouts for the 15 coaches who have been fired, which has reportedly set a record by nearly $100 million. A total of $228 million has been paid in buyouts, according to Yahoo! Sports.
Here’s a breakdown of how we arrived at that $228 million number, from the smallest buyouts to the most expensive.
15. Jay Norvell, Colorado State, $1.5 million
Colorado State announced it was firing Norvell seven games into the 2025 season after a 2-5 start. It was his third losing season in four tries since taking over the Rams program in 2022, and he finished with an 18-26 record. Tyson Summers took over as the interim head coach, but last week, Colorado State hired UConn coach Jim Mora to be the program’s next head man.
Beck lasted three seasons at Coastal Carolina. He led the Chanticleers to a Bowl Game in each of his first two seasons, and while they’re in line for another appearance, a second consecutive six-win year was enough for the program to move on. The Chanticleers have yet to announce their new head coach.
13. Trent Dilfer, UAB, $2.4 million
Dilfer was fired six games into the season when UAB sat at 2-4. He went just 9-21 with the Blazers before Alex Mortensen replaced him as the interim head coach. UAB has yet to hire its next head coach.
12. Trent Bray, Oregon State, $4 million
Bray was fired after the Beavers started 0-7. He went 5-7 in his first year (2024), but was unable to win a game in his second campaign. Oregon State hired JaMarcus Shephard, Alabama’s co-offensive coordinator, to be its next head coach.
11. DeShaun Foster, UCLA, $5 million
Foster lasted just 15 games as the Bruins’ head coach, including an 0-3 start to the 2025 season. He drummed up excitement, winning four of his last six games in 2024, but couldn’t bring that momentum into 2025. Tim Skipper took over as the interim head coach and led UCLA to a stunning win over Penn State. The Bruins hired James Madison’s Bob Chesney to be their next head coach.
10. Brent Pry, Virginia Tech, $6 million
The Hokies got rid of Pry three games into the season after an 0-3 start. He had one winning season at Virginia Tech in 2023, but had a losing season in his three other years. Virginia Tech was able to land James Franklin as its next head coach.
9. James Franklin, Penn State, $9 million
If you told a college football fan that James Franklin would be fired six games into Penn State’s season, they would have been shocked. But it happened after crushing losses to No. 6 Oregon and lowly UCLA. Franklin spent 12 years in Happy Valley, finishing with an overall record of 104-45, including an appearance in the College Football Playoff semifinals last season.
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8. Sam Pittman, Arkansas, $9.8 million
Pittman was fired six games into the season after the Razorbacks started 2-4. He went 32-34 over six seasons at Arkansas. The Razorbacks hired former Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield as their next head coach.
7. Justin Wilcox, Cal, $10.9 million
Wilcox spent nine seasons in Berkeley, leading the Golden Bears to Bowl appearances in each of the last two seasons. He was fired before their final regular-season game and finished his tenure with a 48-55 record. Nick Rolovich took over as interim head coach and led Cal to an upset victory over No. 21 SMU last week.
Gundy was fired three games into the season after the Cowboys started 1-2. He went 3-9 last year, and the slow start was enough to see him lose his position. Gundy spent 21 seasons at Oklahoma State and led the Cowboys to 18 straight Bowl Game appearances. His best season came in 2021 when the Cowboys finished 12-2 and won the Fiesta Bowl. Former North Texas coach Eric Morris was named the next head coach in November.
5. Hugh Freeze, Auburn, $15.8 million
Freeze was fired nine games into the season after Auburn started out 4-5. In three years with the Tigers, he never led them to a winning season. Auburn announced former USF’s Alex Golesh as its next head coach.
4. Billy Napier, Florida, $21 million
Napier was fired seven games into the Gators’ season. He experienced his first winning season at Florida in 2024, but after starting this season 3-4, the Gators moved on. Former Tulane coach Jon Sumrall was announced as the program’s next head coach.
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3. Jonathan Smith, Michigan State, $33.5 million
Smith was fired after his second season with the Spartans. He went two years without earning a winning record. Michigan State hired former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald as its next head coach.
2. Mark Stoops, Kentucky, $38 million
Kentucky moved on from Stoops after his 13th season in Lexington. He didn’t achieve a winning season either of the last two years. The Wildcats peaked in 2021 when they finished 10-3 and won the Citrus Bowl. Kentucky hired former offensive coordinator Will Stein as its next head coach.
1. Brian Kelly, LSU, $54 million
Kelly was fired eight games into his fourth season in Baton Rouge. He won a bowl game in each of his first three seasons at LSU, but the standard is much higher there, and Kelly wasn’t meeting it. The Tigers landed former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin as their next head coach.
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