The first wave of the 2026 coaching carousel has already put three Power 4 jobs on the board, and Brian Kelly isn’t pretending they’re all the same.
NC State, Baylor and Maryland are all looking for new head coaches after rough starts forced changes at the top. Kelly, the former Notre Dame and LSU coach, has already been mentioned as a possible fit for all three. On Tuesday afternoon, he was asked about the openings by Danny Kanell on College Sports on SiriusXM, and he laid out what stands out about each one.
“They’re all unique. We’re talking about ACC, Big 12, and the Big Ten,” Kelly said.
He pointed to Maryland first, calling the Big Ten an obvious draw and emphasizing the recruiting territory around the school. “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, 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 way these jobs are being viewed in the NIL and transfer portal era, with the expanded playoff giving more programs a real path into the College Football Playoff conversation. In his view, the right coach can turn any of the three into a team that can chase a CFP spot and make a run in the national title picture.
And Kelly’s name keeps coming up because he’s shown he can operate at that level, which is why analysts and insiders have already tied him to each opening even after his messy exit from LSU last season.
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West Virginias preseason exhibitions have given Ross Hodge a clearer look at how his first Mountaineers rotation might settle in, and the early signs suggest a compact core is already separating itself from the pack. Hodge has leaned on a group he trusts, using the exhibitions to sort through a roster that looks deeper and more versatile than the average preseason group, while also getting a better read on which players can help in meaningful minutes once the games start counting.
Still, the picture is not fully set, because there are players on the edge of the rotation who have at least made the decision more complicated. The Mountaineers have enough pieces to mix and match, and that kind of flexibility can be a strength, but it also means the final pecking order is still being fought over behind the scenes. For a team trying to build identity early, the most interesting question may be less about who starts and more about who earns a lasting role once the roster trims down to its true eight or nine. [Read more 🡒]
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The first real teaching moment of the Ross Hodge era arrived quickly for West Virginias young frontcourt. In an exhibition against Wheeling, freshman Aliou Dioum was whistled for a technical foul after hanging on the rim following a dunk, and Hodge made sure the message was delivered immediately on the floor. It was the kind of correction that can get lost in a preseason tuneup, but for a staff trying to establish standards early, it clearly mattered.
Dioum stayed in the game and still made his presence felt, finishing with seven points, two rebounds and two blocks in seven minutes. Even in a non-competitive setting, Hodge treated the sequence as a reminder that habits count, especially for a group of young bigs learning how to operate within the details. For West Virginia, it was a small moment with a larger purpose, the sort of baseline expectation that can define how the frontcourt develops from here. [Read more 🡒]
WVUs Defensive Ceiling Looks Shakier Than Fans Wanted To Admit
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Geimere Latimer has been one of the steadier pieces, piling up a heavy snap load and holding up well overall. But the broader picture still points to a defense that has had trouble finding enough reliable play at safety, and that has left the passing game vulnerable in ways West Virginia could not afford. The question now is not whether the Mountaineers have some individual pieces to build around, but whether the ceiling of the unit is lower than many hoped heading into the season. [Read more 🡒]