Four Big Ten schools fired their head football coaches during, or shortly after, the 2025 season. Penn State and UCLA both made their moves midway through the season while Michigan State and Michigan did
so immediately or shortly after the season’s conclusion. PSU, UCLA, and MSU have since filled their vacancies while UM is currently in the hiring process.
Let’s look at what we know, or can reasonably conclude, about how each school went about their hiring process or, in Michigan’s case, their ongoing process.
UCLA
UCLA parted ways with DeShaun Foster on September 14 following an 0-3 start to the Bruins’ season. Tim Skipper was appointed interim coach and had been on Foster’s staff as a Special Assistant to the Head Coach. After dropping his first game to Northwestern, Skipper led UCLA to wins against Penn State, Michigan State, and Maryland. Unfortunately for the Bruins, those would be their only wins of the year as UCLA ended the season on a five game skid to finish 3-9.
UCLA chose against advancing Skipper from the interim position and instead hired Bob Chesney from James Madison on December 6. This was one day after Chesney led the Dukes to a Sun Belt Conference championship. He was officially introduced at a press conference on December 9.
Rather than an external search firm, UCLA Athletic Director Martin Jarmond was assisted in Chesney’s hire by an internal search committee composed of prominent figures with ties to the university and professional sports including:
- Casey Wasserman, President of the LA 2028 Olympic Committee
- Bob Myers, former Golden State Warriors GM
- Adam Peters, Washington Commander GM
- Eric Kendricks, former UCLA and NFL linebacker
- Erin Adkins, UCLA Deputy AD
LA Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and media personality Bill Simmons also reportedly provided input.
Chesney’s hire is generally perceived as a bold move with high upside as he has won quickly at previous stops and is viewed as a “program builder”. Chesney has drawn parallels to Curt Cignetti, who moved from JMU to Indiana and has led the Hoosiers to consecutive college football playoff appearances and a number one seed in the 2025 tournament. Chesney is coming off a 12-1 season at JMU and has a 132-51 career record.
Concerns regarding Chesney include his lack of ties to the West Coast and his decision to move on from popular UCLA staff members like offensive coordinator Jerry Neuheisel. Additional institutional concerns revolve around UCLA’s ability to provide the necessary NIL resources to compete in the Big Ten.
Penn State
James Franklin was fired less than 24 hours after an October home loss to Northwestern. This was after Penn State came into the season ranked number 2 but stumbled to a 3-3 start, which included going 0-3 in the Big Ten. Cornerbacks coach and Associate Head Coach Terry Smith was given the interim tag and led the team to a 6-6 finish and bowl eligibility.
Reports started to break on December 5 that Penn State was finalizing a deal with Iowa State’s Matt Campbell. The PSU Board of Trustees officially approved a contract for Campbell, and he was introduced at a press conference on December 8. Interestingly, this was well after Franklin landed on his feet at Virginia Tech on November 18.
Campbell’s hire comes after Penn State reportedly (or were rumored to) have shown interest in Kalani Sitake (BYU), Matt Rhule (Nebraska), Kalen DeBoer (Alabama), Curt Cignetti (Indiana), and Mike Elko (Texas A&M).
Meanwhile, several Nittany Lions players publicly campaigned for Smith to get the job and some even held up signs saying “HIRE TERRY SMITH” during PSU’s final home game.
Penn State AD Pat Kraft conducted the search himself, without the aid of an external search firm or search committee.
While Kraft’s search was initially described as a disaster, Campbell’s hire is widely seen as a home run that salvaged the process. Campbell is viewed as a coach who has done more with less who can score more top 10 wins than Franklin was able to produce at Penn State.
Campbell himself started to win over the Penn State community when he described the job as a “full circle moment” and with his decision to retain Smith on his staff.
Michigan State
Compared to Penn State’s 54-day marathon, Michigan State’s hiring process of Pat Fitzgerald was remarkably fast and discrete, with the story unfolding in just a 24-hour timeline:
- Sunday, November 30: MSU officially fired Jonathan Smith the morning after a season-ending win against Maryland. The win however, came following an eight game losing streak for MSU.
- Sunday Evening, November 30: National reports started to break that MSU was already planning to hire Fitzgerald.
- Monday, December 1: MSU announced the hire and Fitzgerald was introduced at a press conference the following day.
MSU Athletic Director J Batt stated at Fitzgerald’s intro presser that he would not publicly comment on the search process out of respect to those involved. However, it seems reasonable to conclude that, due to the speed of the transition, Batt had MSU donors and the Board of Trustees aligned in the process.
Firing Smith two years into a seven year contract would cost MSU roughly a $30 million buyout. Moving that quickly to hire Fitzgerald must have required approval from the Board and major donors.
Unlike the 2023 search that led to Smith’s hire, where former MSU AD Alan Haller used the search firm TurnkeyZRG, there doesn’t appear to be any evidence that Batt employed such a firm in the process that led to Fitzgerald. Instead, the speed of the process seems to suggest that Batt conducted a “shadow search” or had Fitzgerald in mind as MSU’s season progressed.
Batt also mentioned that Fitzgerald was fully vetted by MSU prior to the hire. This was important as Fitzgerald was fired from Northwestern on July 10, 2023 following a July 8, 2023 Daily Northwestern report detailing hazing allegations from a former NU player.
Following his firing, Fitzgerald filed a $130 million wrongful termination lawsuit against Northwestern. A settlement was reached on August 21, 2025 where Northwestern acknowledged that it was not established that Fitzgerald condoned or directed the hazing, or that any player had specifically reported it to him prior to the beginning of the investigation.
Once this was resolved in August, with NU noting no evidence of Fitzgerald condoning or directing the hazing, it provided time for MSU to vet him as their unsuccessful season wore on.
Batt’s ability to keep the entire process in house and move so quickly after Smith was fired put MSU in a position to salvage much of their 2026 recruiting class and hit the transfer portal with certainty of leadership.
It’s probably fair to say that Fitzgerald’s hire has drawn mixed reviews. Supporters point to Fitzgerald winning 110 games at Northwestern – a Big Ten school that is a more difficult place to win than MSU. They believe he will restore the culture and toughness that led MSU to success in the mid-2010’s under former coach Mark Dantonio.
Others, however, have criticized the hire and have pointed to MSU’s own involvement in scandals with former football coach Mel Tucker and Larry Nassar. Critics make the argument that hiring a coach who was fired for a hazing scandal – even with a settlement – represents a tone-deaf move for the university.
Michigan
While UCLA, Penn State, and MSU have gone through, and completed, various versions of a hiring process, the situation in Ann Arbor, MI remains remarkably fluid.
Sherrone Moore was fired for cause on December 10 with the university citing an inappropriate relationship with a staff member as a violation of university policy.
The leadership structure at Michigan is also under scrutiny while the Wolverines try to conduct a search for Moore’s replacement. Athletic Director Warde Manuel remains in his position but the UM Board of Regents and interim President Domenico Grasso have commissioned the law firm Jenner & Block to conduct an independent evaluation of the culture within the athletic department.
As a possible result of this investigation, UM is believed to have retained a search firm that could provide a layer of distance given the ongoing investigation. While Manuel may still be involved, it’s also possible that President Grasso and the Board of Regents are providing more control over this particular search.
Top names mentioned as targets of Michigan’s search include:
- Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
- Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State
- Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
- Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri
- Jedd Fisch, Washington
DeBoer and Dillingham appear to have the most traction recently, at least among the national media. DeBoer issued a statement on December 14 saying he has no interest in talking about other jobs and wants to stay at Alabama while Dillingham, perhaps, has been a little less committed about remaining at ASU.
DeBoer’s Crimson Tide are also set to face Oklahoma in the opening round of the College Football Playoff on Friday, December 19. If the Tide lose to the Sooners, thus ending their season, it does not seem like it would be a surprise for Michigan to put the full court press on DeBoer, despite his previous statement.
An early exit from the CFP, and consecutive four-loss seasons, are probably not up to Alabama standards. DeBoer, a Midwest native with no previous experience in the South, could be feeling the heat from the fanbase where “it just means more”. Perhaps he would reconsider if Michigan came calling with a massive offer.
From Michigan’s perspective, poaching a coach from SEC royalty would certainly provide a shot in the arm for a program in the midst of a lot of turmoil and probably be viewed as a massive institutional victory for UM.
However, if DeBoer stays true to his word and remains in Tuscaloosa, is Dillingham at ASU option 1B for the Wolverines? Another West Coast (OK, desert) guy with no Midwest ties in the State of Michigan? Ask MSU how that worked out.
Sources
- UCLA fires football coach DeShaun Foster just 3 games into the season. Austin Turner, CBS Sports, September 14, 2025.
- DeShaun Foster Out as UCLA Coach After Horrid 0-3 Start. Fox Sports, September 14, 2025.
- Who is Tim Skipper? UCLA’s interim head coach in the shadow of Jerry Neuheisel. Frank Sciarroni, Saturday Blitz, October 13, 2025.
- UCLA announces Bob Chesney as new head football coach. Austin Turner, CBS Sports, December 6, 2025.
- Bob Chesney Named Head Coach of UCLA Football. UCLA Athletics, December 6, 2025.
- UCLA Unlocked: The backstory on the search that made Bob Chesney a Bruin. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, December 8, 2025.
- UCLA hires Bob Chesney: James Madison coach tapped to lead Bruins after 21-5 run over two seasons with Dukes. Carter Bahns, Chris Hummer, & John Talty, CBS Sports, December 6, 2025.
- Assorted Thoughts Following UCLA’s Hiring of Bob Chesney. Dimitri Dorlis, The Mighty Bruin, December 15, 2025.
- UCLA Football 2025 Coaching Hot Board 3.0. Dimitri Dorlis, The Mighty Bruin, November 17, 2025.
- Bob Chesney is a great coach. UCLA’s leadership might destroy him anyway. Mark Haines, Coaches Hot Seat, December 13, 2025.
- UCLA introduces Bob Chesney as head football coach, instills hope in Bruin community. Connor Dullinger, Daily Bruin, December 9, 2025.
- Bob Chesney Details His UCLA Recruiting Strategy. Max Dorsey, UCLA Bruins on SI, December 10, 2025.
- Michigan is about to learn what Penn State already did about coaching searches in 2025. Nick Wright, A to Z Sports, December 12, 2025.
- Penn State fire James Franklin after disastrous collapse – and with coach owed nearly $50m. Associated Press, October 12, 2025.
- Unexpected College Football Coach Floated as Possible Candidate at Penn State. Jaron Spor, Athlon Sports, November 24, 2025.
- James Franklin Fired as Penn State Football Head Coach. CJ Gill, Onward State, October 12, 2025.
- Matt Campbell hired as Penn State’s coach, ending search for James Franklin’s successor. Travis Johnson, WKYC, December 5, 2025.
- Virginia Tech hires James Franklin as new coach weeks after Penn State firing. Global Sports Desk, Times of India, November 18, 2025.
- Source: Penn State to Hire Iowa State’s Matt Campbell As Next Head Coach. Ryan Phillips, Sports Illustrated, December 5, 2025.
- Matt Campbell could cripple a Big Ten rival with first big move at Penn State. Nicholas Rome, Saturday Blitz, December 18, 2025.
- Even if it was too late for signing day, Penn State hired Matt Campbell in the nick of time. Josh Yourish, Victory Bell Rings, December 12, 2025.
- Penn State reaches agreement to hire Iowa State’s Matt Campbell as next head football coach. Nate Soisson, Fox43, December 6, 2025.
- Matt Campbell hired as Penn State’s coach, ending search for James Franklin’s successor. Associated Press, December 5, 2025.
- How Penn State’s coaching search took twists and turns before landing on Matt Campbell. Jon Sauber, Centre Daily Times, December 8, 2025.
- What They’re Saying About Penn State’s Hiring of Matt Campbell. Mark Wogenrich, Penn State on SI, December 6, 2025.
- Thoughts and observations from Matt Campbell’s first week on the job. Audry Snyder, Inside the Lions, December 14, 2025.
- College world reacts to hiring of Matt Campbell. Andy Stine, Altoona Mirror, December 6, 2025.
- One critical detail of Matt Campbell’s deal make James Franklin firing all worth while. Sydney Ciano, Victory Bell Rings, December 8, 2025.
- ‘Boy did he bail out Penn State’: Social media reacts to Matt Campbell hire. Joe Smeltzer, Nittany Sports Now, December 5, 2025.
- What New Penn State Football Coach Matt Campbell Said During His Introductory Press Conference. Joel Haas, StateCollege.com, December 8, 2025.
- Penn State players are encouraged by their first impressions of new coach Matt Campbell. Travis Johnson, Associated Press, December 17, 2025.
- Social media reactions to Michigan State reportedly hiring Pat Fitzgerald. Connor Muldowney, Spartan Avenue, November 30, 2025.
- Jonathan Smith fired after two seasons at MSU. Tyler Gaylord, The State News, November 30, 2025.
- Michigan State is planning to hire Pat Fitzgerald, AP source says, after Jonathan Smith is fired. CBS News, November 30, 2025.
- Fans react as MSU announces hiring of Pat Fitzgerald. WILX News 10, December 1, 2025.
- Scandal-Plagued Michigan State Hires Scandal-Plagued Pat Fitzgerald. Dave McKenna, Defector, December 2, 2025.
- Northwestern fires coach Pat Fitzgerald after hazing allegations surface with football team. Associated Press, July 10, 2023.
- Northwestern fires football coach Pat Fitzgerald amid hazing allegations. Fox Sports, July 10, 2023.
- Decision to Relieve Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald of His Duties. Michael Schill, Northwestern University, July 10, 2023.
- Ex-Northwestern Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald Files Wrongful Termination Suit Against University. Matt Masterson, WTTW PBS News, October 5, 2023.
- Northwestern and former football coach Pat Fitzgerald reach settlement over firing for hazing scandal. Todd Feurer, CBS News, August 21, 2025.
- Coaching carousel: Tracking the hirings and firings in the Power Four. The Associated Press. December 10, 2025.
- Fired for cause: What that means after Michigan terminates Sherrone Moore. James Park, College Football HQ on SI, December 10, 2025.
- Why Michigan didn’t fire staffer in Sherrone Moore affair case, and why the coach the fall instead. Amisha Pandey, The Times of India, December 17, 2025.
- Report: Michigan AD Manuel to remain in position despite rumors. Sports Business Journal, December 12, 2025
- Michigan president provides update on Sherrone Moore, athletics department investigations. Nick Shultz, On3, December 18, 2025.
- What Kalen DeBoer, Kenny Dillingham and Jedd Fisch have said about the Michigan job. Alejandro Zuniga, The Michigan Insider, December 14, 2025.
- Michigan Head Coach Search Rumors: 3 Coaches Joel Klatt Has His Eyes On. Fox Sports, December 17, 2025.
- $64.5 million coach named ‘dark horse’ to replace Michigan football’s Sherrone Moore. Mat De Lima, College Football HQ on SI, December 15, 2025.
- Biff Poggi tells signees and parents Michigan hopes to hire a coach by end of month. The Intelligencer, December 18, 2025.
- Kenny Dillingham Talks ASU Resources Amid Michigan Rumors. PHNX Sports, December 16, 2025.
- Kalen DeBoer Makes Statement Regarding Open Coaching Jobs. Hunter De Siver, Alabama Crimson Tide on SI, December 14, 2025.
