The 2026 college football coaching carousel has already started spinning, and three Power 4 openings have quickly drawn plenty of attention. NC State, Baylor, and Maryland are all searching for new head coaches after rough starts forced changes at the top, and Brian Kelly’s name has already been floated for each job.
Kelly, the former Notre Dame and LSU coach, was asked about all three openings Tuesday afternoon by Danny Kanell on the College Sports on SiriusXM broadcast, and he broke down what makes each one appealing.
“They’re all unique. We’re talking about ACC, Big 12, and the Big Ten,” Kelly said.
He pointed first to Maryland and the Big Ten angle, saying the conference carries obvious pull. Kelly also noted the recruiting upside in the area, adding, “From a conference standpoint, the Big Ten has obviously proved itself to have that kind of appeal, right, with Maryland.
It is a fertile recruiting area; there’s no doubt. That DMV area is a really good recruiting area.
I think that they’ve done great things in terms of upgrading facilities.”
NC State, in his view, offers a different kind of draw. Kelly emphasized the recruiting base there too, and said the right coach could win at that level in the ACC.
“NC State, another great recruiting area… I could win this thing at the ACC level, and I think that’s what makes it very attractive, as well as the geographical area.
“And then Baylor, it’s Texas. You’re going to have players at Baylor… They have the ability to be a part of the Playoff, and they have the ability to contend within their own leagues, and that’s what makes each and every one of these jobs attractive in my opinion.”
Kelly’s comments fit the new reality of college football, where NIL, the transfer portal, and the expanded playoff have changed the way coaching jobs are evaluated. With the right hire, each of these programs has a path to the College Football Playoff and a chance to make noise beyond that.
That’s part of why Kelly continues to surface in the conversation. Even after his unceremonious departure from LSU last season, analysts and insiders have still connected him to these openings.
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