The Coaching Carousel and Transfer Portal Trapeze

Bowl season hasn’t even started, and the past two weeks have seen enough movement to out compete Hawaii’s travel schedule. Step right up folks, the college football postseason has merely just started, and there are still 41 games left until the season is over, and we still have National Signing Day. 

First off, one of the biggest drama stories this season continues to juicer: Lincoln Riley, Spencer Rattler, and the Oklahoma program. After being benched in the Red River Shootout, things in Norman seemed a little ~off~. In the past two weeks, one has seen the ripple effects of that relationship. With Lincoln Riley leaving for Southern California, majority of Oklahoma’s recruits switched as well, including five stars Malachi Nelson (Los Alamitos, QB, 2023) and Raleek Brown (Mater Dei, RB/WR, 2022). With Riley gone, Rattler also went on the move to South Carolina to follow former assistant Shane Beamer. To mitigate and replace, the Sooners hired Brent Venables, the former Clemson defensive coordinator, who coached for the Sooners back in the 2000s.  

Bryan Terry / The Oklahoman / USA Today Network

Another shocking move happened down in the Bayou with Brian Kelly replacing Ed Oregeron. A 10-year, $95M deal, many of the Fighting Irish were shocked to see Kelly leave after a 11-1 season, including new head coach Marcus Freeman. “I did not see it coming at all. My mind started racing,” explained Freeman on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd. However, LSU was eyeing Jimbo Fisher first, with a reported 8-year, $125M deal, according to Action Network’s Brett McMurphy. 

Head to South Beach, and Mario Cristobal returned home to the U. Another shocking move, Cristobal leaves Oregon after going 35-13. The move brings controversy, as many U Miami faculty and staff are upset with Cristobal’s new contract, 10-year for $80M along with buyouts, after numerous pay cuts, first reported by the Miami Herald and Sports Illustrated. Several of Cristobal’s staff have left too, including offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead to Akron. 

Cristobal answers question in his first press conference as head coach of Miami, Dec. 6, 2021. / Getty

Outside the coaching carousel, the transfer portal has also seen big names outside Rattler transfer, one being Quinn Ewers. Ewers, the #1 rated 2021 overall recruit, is heading back to Texas after being on the bench at Ohio State, and he comes home with $1.5M in NIL deals. Another big name quarterback on the move is Dillon Gabriel from UCF. The Hawaii product will be flipping coast, as he will be heading to UCLA with Chip Kelly, which could provide some tension between Gabriel and DTR. LSU has some of its key players transferring as well, including QBs Max Johnson and Myles Brennan and the #2 rated overall transfer prospect, cornerback Eli Ricks, the #14 overall 2020 recruit.  

More moves are expected, especially at the high school recruiting level. With National Signing Day coming in May, coaches are trying to keep recruits or bring them to their new team. Who knows what these next few months can tell, yet one can say that 2021 has been one of the most dynamic college football seasons in recent memory.