Top College Football Coordinator Hires Of 2023

The coaching carousel never really ends. Most vacancies are filled, but the NFL always poaches a coach or two before spring ball really kicks into gear. As of writing, just a small handful of coordinator positions are unfilled. There were 24 head coaching, 44 defensive coordinator, and 65 offensive coordinator changes this cycle.

Of the 109 coordinator changes, which few stood out the most?

Top Defensive Coordinator Hires

Pete Golding, Ole Miss

Previous: Alabama DC

Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss managed to hire away a Nick Saban assistant in-division. The move is truly unprecedented – so much so that Golding is the first Saban coordinator to leave and take another coordinator position in the SEC.

Ole Miss ranked 63rd in points allowed per game last season (27.4) while Alabama ranked 12th (19.7). Whether or not Golding finds the same success in Oxford as he did in Tuscaloosa remains to be seen, but if nothing else, this was a statement to the college football world by Kiffin.

Tony White, Nebraska

Previous: Syracuse DC

One of the earliest coordinator moves, new head coach Matt Rhule got his staff together quickly to get on the recruiting trail. A move that's gone mostly praised, Rhule started with bringing in White from Syracuse.

With limited talent in Syracuse, White used a clever spin on the 3-3-5 to vault the Orange into the top half in scoring defense over the past two seasons. Before coming in, Syracuse ranked 100th in scoring defense.

Lance Guidry, Miami

Previous: Marshall DC

Tulane originally made a terrific hire that turned plenty of heads when they lured Guidry away from Marshall. A handful of days later, Miami poached him from Tulane. This season, Lance Guidry will coach Miami's defense, final answer.

He led Marshall to top-10 marks nationally in points per drive, turnovers forced, and passer rating allowed, among many other stats. Guidry turned Marshall into a truly elite defensive unit despite ranking 106th in 247Sports' team talent metric last year (10th in their own conference).

Brian Ward, Arizona State

Previous: Washington State DC

Surprising to many – perhaps even Wazzu faithful – Brian Ward coached a strong defense in Pullman, Washington. His unit ranked 37th nationally in points per game despite facing the nation's top two most efficient offenses (USC, Washington) and another inside the top 10 (Oregon).

Succeeding at some places just garners more respect; after all, look at the job the late Mike Leach did at Texas Tech, Washington State, and Mississippi State. Ward did a lot with a little in a place very difficult to succeed defensively.

Jay Hill, BYU

Previous: Weber State (FCS) head coach

BYU went outside the box with their DC hire to usher them into a new era of Cougar football. Jay Hill led Weber State to 10 wins in 2022 and a scoring defense ranked 12th in the FCS. The hire was sorely needed, as BYU finished last year 116th in defensive efficiency and 100th against the rush.

The Cougars move to the Big 12 Conference this coming season, increasing their difficulty in schedule. Against lethal offenses like TCU, Oklahoma, and Texas, they're going to need a dramatic improvement defensively.

Top Offensive Coordinator Hires

Tommy Rees, Alabama

Previous: Notre Dame OC

While Rees may not be a home run hire in terms of overall production at Notre Dame, he's a splash hire in name recognition. Rees is well-respected in the coaching world despite being just 30 years old. Marcus Freeman kept him on the staff after Brian Kelly moved on, and now he's being sought out by Saban.

Throughout his time in South Bend, Rees never really had a prolific QB to operate with. At Alabama, he has endless talent to choose from and is likely on the fast track to a head coaching position sooner rather than later.

Garrett Riley, Clemson

Previous: TCU OC

Riley led TCU to their best offensive season offer and helped turn Max Duggan from a liability, borderline-starter into the Heisman runner-up. His accolades in Fort Worth are undeniable. What also seemed inevitable was a national power handing him a blank check to come to town.

Clemson turned in one of their worst offensive seasons under Dabo Swinney. The Tigers now turn the page with Riley and upcoming phenom Cade Klubnik. How much of the TCU system will Clemson adopt? If it's a lot, we'll see a very different look offensively for the Tigers.

Sean Lewis, Colorado

Previous: Kent State head coach

When Deion Sanders comes knocking, you answer. Lewis was the head coach for Kent State, but also called plays for the Golden Flashes. He pushed the envelope in terms of pace with Kent State, running the second-most plays per game in 2020, 13th-most in 2021, and 24th-most in 2022.

The system worked. Lewis not only gave the scoreboard a workout, but he led Kent State to two bowl games and secured the school's first-ever bowl victory. With an entirely-new cast of players headlined by Primetime's son Shadeur, the Buffs are going to have a fun offense to watch in 2023.

Liam Coen, Kentucky

Previous: Los Angeles Rams OC

Coen served just one season as the Rams OC after leaving Kentucky to take the job following the 2021 season. With the Wildcats in '21, Coen led UK to scoring not seen in 50 years in Lexington. He also helped develop first-round NFL QB Will Levis, a talented backup that was cast aside by Penn State.

Coen returns and adds NC State star QB Devin Leary via the transfer portal for this season. Leary was a darkhorse Heisman contender in 2022 before sustaining an injury and suffering from a mediocre offensive system in Raleigh. Coen has the opportunity to turn Leary into a real Heisman contender this season.

Phil Longo, Wisconsin

Previous: North Carolina OC

Welcome to 21st-century football, Wisconsin. While Luke Fickell is undoubtably the name being talked about this offseason in Madison, bringing in Longo from UNC might be as dramatic a hire. He led the TarHeels to top-20 marks in offensive efficiency and scoring thanks to an ultra-efficient passing game.

Longo's system is the antithesis of Wisconsin offensive football as we know it. Four-wide, air raid concept that relies on the QB to make plays – sound like Wisconsin football? Wisconsin brings in SMU veteran QB Tanner Mordecai to orchestrate Longo's offense. Get ready for a very different brand of football at Camp Randall Stadium this year.

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