As the season gets rolling, the coaching carousel is ready to start spinning. A few Week 1 surprises could send some major programs into a search, and the names waiting in the wings may already be taking shape. Three coaches stand out as possible answers when the next big job opens up.
Jedd Fisch has already surfaced in multiple major searches, including Michigan and Florida, and his stock looks plenty healthy after the quick turnaround he delivered at Arizona and a solid season at Washington. In a sport where offense sells, that kind of profile tends to travel well. Coaches with that kind of flash are going to stay in demand in a financial era where points help sell tickets and drive attention.
Florida State could be one job to watch for Fisch. He graduated from Florida and coached at Miami, which makes that opening an especially interesting fit.
But he would not be limited to the state of Florida. A west coast vacancy could also put him in the mix.
Mario Cristobal’s arrival at Miami may have changed the outlook there, but Mike Elko’s rise at Duke has made Manny Diaz look like a coach whose path is trending upward again. Diaz went from losing the Miami job after three seasons to helping get Duke moving in the right direction, and his 18-8 record in Durham sends a clear message about what he can do.
He has also built a résumé as an assistant in the SEC, Big Ten, and ACC, which only strengthens the sense that athletic directors know exactly what kind of coach they’d be getting. That kind of track record tends to keep a name in circulation when bigger jobs open.
Kalani Sitake belongs in the conversation for a different reason, but the result is the same: athletic directors know him. He has been an excellent match at BYU, where he is both an alum and a Mormon. Even so, a job at a school without the same character requirements the Cougars face could make him an even more attractive hire.
Sitake is 84-45 at BYU and has posted four double-digit win seasons in the last six years. Because most of his coaching career has been on the west coast, he could be a natural fit if Lincoln Riley leaves USC or if Washington needs to replace Fisch.
In Other News...
Former BYU Transfers Are Popping Up In Some Uncomfortable Places
BYUs transfer list for the 2026 season has already started to leave a few familiar names scattered around the college football map, and not all of those destinations will feel neutral to Cougar fans. McCae Hillstead, once part of BYUs quarterback room, has landed at Utah State and has already won the starting job there, while Jake Griffin is set to suit up for Arizona. Around them, other former Cougars have spread out to UCLA, Iowa State, UAB and Duke, giving BYU followers plenty of chances to run into old personnel in new colors.
The broader picture is even more interesting because the ex-Cougars are not just moving to random outposts. Some have shown up at places like Utah, Michigan, Arizona State and Oklahoma State, which adds an extra layer of familiarity and, in a few cases, a little edge to future matchups and scouting chatter. For a program that is always balancing roster turnover with recruiting momentum, seeing former players pop up in so many corners of the sport is a reminder that the transfer era keeps turning every exit into a potential subplot. [Read more 🡒]
BYU May Have Found A Bigger Role For Tausili Akana
Tausili Akana arrived at BYU with the kind of pedigree that makes people wonder when the production will finally catch up. A former Texas edge prospect and consensus four-star recruit, he came to Provo after two seasons to chase the ceiling that made him such a coveted player in the first place, and the early signs of fall have been encouraging. Akana has added weight, looked better against the run and emerged as the top option at field backer on the initial depth chart, which suggests the Cougars may have found a much larger role for him than the one he carried coming in.
Akana has also sounded comfortable with where he is off the field, pointing to BYU's culture and the development he has gotten from the coaching staff. For a player whose upside has long been part of the conversation, that combination matters, because it often takes both physical growth and the right environment before a gifted transfer turns into a real defensive factor. BYU is hoping this latest version of Akana is closer to the one it envisioned when he first made his way to campus. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Will Learn A Lot About Faletau Satuala Right Away
The first weekend of the 2026 college football season is going to tell Big 12 coaches a lot in a hurry, and BYUs chance to get an early read on Faletau Satuala stands out among the leagues opening tests. The freshman defender arrives with plenty of buzz, and in a slate built around key players in marquee matchups, he is one of the names worth tracking because his first real snaps could say a lot about how quickly he fits into the Cougars plans.
BYU is not alone in that spotlight, with Baylors DJ Lagway, Houstons Makhi Hughes, Arizona States Omarion Miller and Texas Techs Adam Trick also carrying their own early expectations, but Satualas situation has a different kind of intrigue because the opener can expose both talent and readiness right away. For a program that wants to hit the ground running, getting a clear answer on what Satuala can handle in a live game setting may end up mattering as much as any other development from the weekend. [Read more 🡒]