Robert Griffin III won Baylor’s only Heisman Trophy in 2011. On Monday, Oct. 26, he went on The Dan Patrick Show and said he is “100 percent” interested in coaching the Bears. He has never coached a game at any level. ESPN reported that the 36-year-old Fox Sports analyst has already spoken with athletic director Doug McNamee.
The job opened Sunday, Oct. 25, when Baylor fired Dave Aranda. It was the third FBS opening of the 2026 season in a five-day span, and Sam Houston made it four on Oct. 28. Here is every FBS head coaching change so far, plus who could be next and what a coaching change means for players.
Baylor: why the job opened
Aranda finished 40-40 across six and a half seasons in Waco. Baylor was 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the Big 12 when he was let go. The last straw was a 25-24 loss at Kansas on Oct. 24, decided by a blocked field goal in the final minute. It was Kansas’s first win over Baylor since 2007, per the Associated Press. A week earlier, TCU won 17-6 in Waco and ended a four-game Baylor winning streak.
Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman is the interim coach for the rest of the season. McNamee said the search is underway but a hire likely will not come until December. Aranda’s buyout is about $12 million, according to multiple reports cited by the AP. Baylor is private and does not have to release contract terms.
Every FBS opening of 2026 (as of Oct. 30)
| School | Coach | Date | 2026 record at exit | Tenure | Interim coach | Reported buyout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | Mike Locksley | Oct. 21 | 2-5 | 8th season; 39-54 (includes 2015 interim stint) | Aazaar Abdul-Rahim | Nearly $10 million |
| NC State | Dave Doeren | Oct. 24 | 3-4 (1-3 ACC) | 14th season; 98 wins, a program record | Todd Goebbel | $9.75 million in base salary |
| Baylor | Dave Aranda | Oct. 25 | 4-3 (2-2 Big 12) | 7th season; 40-40 | Joe Klanderman | About $12 million |
| Sam Houston | Phil Longo | Oct. 28 | 1-7 | 2nd season; 3-17 (1-11 C-USA) | Not yet announced | Not disclosed |
Sources: Front Office Sports firings tracker, Yahoo Sports carousel tracker, Rocky Top Insider and AP reports on each move. Maryland and Locksley described the split as a mutual decision. Sam Houston announced Longo’s firing on Oct. 28 after a 24-7 loss to Missouri State, per Saturday Down South.
A quiet September, then four in eight days
This carousel started late. Front Office Sports noted that 2026 is the first season since 2019, excluding 2020, with no FBS coach fired before Oct. 1. Last year, eight FBS coaches were gone by Oct. 21. The three disclosed 2026 buyouts add up to roughly $31.5 million.
Each move followed a bad week. Maryland had lost five straight, the last a 37-30 loss to Rutgers after leading by 10 at halftime. NC State fired Doeren less than a day after a 31-28 loss at Stanford, a team picked to finish last in the ACC.
Fair to the coaches
None of these men left as failures. Locksley led Maryland to three straight bowl wins from 2021 to 2023. Doeren won more games than any coach in NC State history and took the Wolfpack to 11 bowls. Aranda won the 2021 Big 12 title and the Sugar Bowl in his second season, a 12-win year that is still a school record. Longo inherited a program coming off K.C. Keeler’s successful run and never found traction in Conference USA. Firing a coach is a business call about the next five years, not a verdict on the last five.
Hot seats to watch
We only list names that reputable outlets have tied to the hot seat this month. Being on a list is not a firing.
- Mike Norvell, Florida State. Named by Front Office Sports (buyout about $47 million) and ranked No. 1 on USA Today’s Oct. 21 hot-seat list.
- Bill O’Brien, Boston College. On both lists. Front Office Sports put his buyout at about $3.8 million.
- Lincoln Riley, USC. On both lists, with a buyout near $70 million per Front Office Sports.
- Greg Schiano, Rutgers. Named by Front Office Sports, buyout about $18.5 million.
- Luke Fickell, Wisconsin. Ranked No. 2 by USA Today, as summarized by SportsGrid.
What a coaching change means for players
A firing does not open the transfer portal right away. Under rules the NCAA adopted in October 2025, football players at a school that changes head coaches get a 15-day window that begins five days after the new coach is hired or publicly announced, per Sports Illustrated. Everyone else uses the single January window. If Baylor hires in December as McNamee expects, Bears players’ window would open in late December or early January. The same clock applies at Maryland, NC State and Sam Houston.
Players with NIL agreements should also check them for clauses tied to roster status or a coaching change. Revenue-sharing agreements are with the school, not the coach.
Follow College Athletes on RallyFuel
Follow players on the Maryland, NC State, Baylor and Sam Houston football pages, and make free weekly picks on RallyFuel Predictions. Coaches come and go. The players are the ones who keep showing up on Saturday.
FAQ
Which FBS head coaching jobs have opened in 2026?
As of Oct. 30: Maryland’s Mike Locksley (Oct. 21, a mutual split), NC State’s Dave Doeren (Oct. 24), Baylor’s Dave Aranda (Oct. 25) and Sam Houston’s Phil Longo (Oct. 28).
Who is Baylor’s interim coach?
Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman. Baylor’s athletic director said a permanent hire likely won’t come until December.
Is Robert Griffin III a candidate for the Baylor job?
RG3 said on The Dan Patrick Show that he is “100 percent” interested and has spoken with athletic director Doug McNamee, per ESPN. He has never coached at any level.
When can players transfer after a coaching change?
Players get a 15-day transfer window that starts five days after the new head coach is hired or announced.
