In today’s college football landscape, patience is in short supply. The pressure to win - and win now - is relentless, especially with the transfer portal accelerating rebuilds and reshaping rosters overnight. When a coach like Curt Cignetti can hoist a national title by Year 2, athletic directors and fan bases alike start expecting quick turnarounds as the new norm.
That’s why, three years into the job, a head coach’s trajectory is usually pretty clear. Of the 24 head coaches hired in the 2022-23 FBS cycle, a third didn’t even make it to Week 1 of Year 3.
Seven were let go after just two seasons - five due to performance, two for off-field issues. Meanwhile, Barry Odom turned heads at UNLV to the point that Purdue came calling, hiring him away to replace Ryan Walters, who himself was dismissed after two seasons.
That leaves 16 coaches from that cycle who actually made it to the 2025 season. Some are thriving, some are surviving, and a few are already gone despite crossing that Year 3 threshold. With three full seasons (or close to it) in the books, it’s time to take stock of how these coaches have fared - not just in terms of wins and losses, but in how well their programs have competed within their conferences and against expectations.
Let’s dive into the Group of Five portion of the list, where we’ve seen everything from dramatic turnarounds to quick exits.
Coastal Carolina - Tim Beck (Record: 20-18)
Beck’s run at Coastal Carolina was a rollercoaster.
On paper, three straight bowl-eligible seasons and a 13-11 mark in Sun Belt play doesn’t sound like a disaster. But the program’s decision to move on after the 2025 regular season tells the real story.
Coastal expected to be in the thick of the Sun Belt title race every year, and Beck’s teams just couldn’t deliver that level of consistency. The Chanticleers never quite found their rhythm under his leadership, and that ultimately cost him.
Grade: D
Liberty - Jamey Chadwell (Record: 25-13)
Chadwell came in with a ton of momentum and lived up to the hype - at first.
His debut season was a dream: a 13-1 record, a Conference USA title, and a team that looked like it could dominate the league for years. But the shine wore off quickly.
Liberty’s win total has dropped each year since, bottoming out at 4-8 in 2025. Chadwell’s offensive mind is still well-regarded, and he’s proven he can build a winner.
But after that strong start, the Flames need a hard reset heading into 2026.
Grade: B-
Navy - Brian Newberry (Record: 26-12)
Newberry took over under less-than-ideal circumstances, stepping in after the departure of longtime coach Ken Niumatalolo.
Year 1 was rough - no bowl, plenty of questions. But what followed has been nothing short of impressive.
Navy has rattled off 21 wins over the last two years, finished inside the top 25 in 2025, and - most importantly - claimed back-to-back Commander-in-Chief’s Trophies. That’s the gold standard in Annapolis.
Throw in a 17-7 conference record, and it’s clear Newberry has this ship sailing in the right direction.
Grade: A
North Texas - Eric Morris (Record: 22-16)
Morris won’t be around in 2026, but his impact at North Texas will be felt for a while.
The Mean Green were electric on offense under his watch, culminating in an 11-win season and a trip to the AAC title game in 2025. That kind of success doesn’t go unnoticed - Oklahoma State swooped in and hired him away.
North Texas fans are left wondering what could’ve been, but Morris leaves the program in a much better place than he found it.
Grade: B
Texas State - G.J. Kinne (Record: 23-16)
Before Kinne arrived, Texas State had never been to a bowl game. Now?
They’ve gone to three straight - and won all three. That alone makes his tenure a win.
A former Gus Malzahn assistant, Kinne brought an up-tempo, high-scoring offense that turned the Bobcats into one of the Sun Belt’s most exciting teams. That said, a 12-12 record in conference play shows there’s still room to grow.
But if you’re scoring points and winning postseason games, you’re doing something right.
Grade: B
UAB - Trent Dilfer (Record: 9-21)
Dilfer’s time at UAB was short and, frankly, forgettable.
He inherited a tough situation - following successful coaches in Bill Clark and Bryan Vincent, and navigating a politically charged environment around UAB football. But the results just weren’t there.
The Blazers struggled mightily in their transition to the AAC, going 5-14 in conference play before the plug was pulled midway through the 2025 season. It never clicked.
Grade: F
South Florida - Alex Golesh (Record: 23-15)
Golesh quietly put together a strong three-year run at USF before heading off to Auburn.
He never dipped below .500, either overall or in conference play, and capped his tenure with a nine-win season in 2025. The Bulls came close to playing for an AAC title, and an early-season win over Florida gave the program a signature moment.
USF fans might be left wondering what heights he could’ve reached with more time, but there’s no denying he left the program in far better shape than he found it.
Grade: B
Final Thoughts
Three years might not seem like much in the grand scheme of a college football rebuild, but in today’s game, it’s often enough to know whether a coach is the right fit.
For some of these programs, the answer was a clear yes. For others, the experiment ended early.
And for a few, the coach’s success was so evident that bigger programs came calling.
In the Group of Five, where resources are limited and expectations can be sky-high, navigating that balance is no easy task. But as these grades show, the right coach can still make a big impact in a short amount of time.