5 FBS Head Coaches Who Should Have Never Left Their First Jobs

By Mike Gibson

5 FBS Head Coaches Who Should Have Never Left First Jobs

Al Golden, Miami Hurricanes — Maybe Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo has had it right all along. Every year at about this time, suitors from numerous P5 schools ask Niumatalolo’s agent for his interest in moving on up and he always says, “Thanks, but no thanks,” and realizes that while the money is greener on the P5 side of the college football fence, the grass certainly is not. Any current hot G5 coach would be wise to review these five examples of money not buying happiness.

5. Darrell Hazell, Kent State

Darrell Hazell, Kent State

5. Darrell Hazell, Kent State

Darrell Hazell, Kent State — The jury might be still out for Darrell Hazell, but it certainly is leaning toward a guilty verdict. Hazell went 11-1 at Kent State before moving onto Purdue. The Boilermakers were just cooked, 48-14, by an Illinois team coming off a 39-0 loss to Penn State. Boilermaker fans were full of hope for Hazell, who followed the 22-27 Danny Hope. Since Hazell is 6-27, any hope Purdue fans had is behind them now.

4. Randy Edsall, UConn

Randy Edsall, UConn

4. Randy Edsall, UConn

Randy Edsall, UConn — Randy Edsall had the Huskies in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl, and his success in Connecticut convinced the state to build a new 40,000-seat stadium in East Hartford, 30 miles from the school. Edsall had that stadium full and won two Big East championships, even beating Notre Dame once, before heading South to what he called his “dream job” in Maryland. That turned into a nightmare and he was fired this year.

3. Al Golden, Temple

Al Golden, Temple,

3. Al Golden, Temple

Al Golden, Temple, — Al Golden came to Temple with a binder on how to build a program from the ground up, applied those principles to the moribund Owls and, after an 1-11 first year, had the Owls in their first bowl game in 30 years. He finished his career 29-26 in his last 55 games. For that kind of success, he could have had a job for life at a grateful Temple. For going 32-25 at Miami, he now finds himself out on the street.

2. Turner Gill, Buffalo

Turner Gill, Buffalo,

2. Turner Gill, Buffalo

Turner Gill, Buffalo, — They would have built a statue for Turner Gill had he remained at Buffalo after the 2009 season because that was the season where Gill delivered the Bulls a long-sought-after MAC title. His 2008 season was also good, winning eight games and getting Buffalo to a bowl. Gill went off to Kansas, where he flopped, and now is trying to hit the reset button on his career at FCS Liberty.

1. Brady Hoke, Ball State

Brady Hoke, Ball State

1. Brady Hoke, Ball State

Brady Hoke, Ball State — Some guys leave perfect jobs once, but Hoke might be one of those rare examples of guys who left perfect jobs twice. Hoke was the right guy for alma mater Ball State, posting a 12-0 regular season in 2008. He made essentially a lateral move to San Diego State, where he posted a 9-4 record in 2010, getting him a Michigan job that proved to be over his head.

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