FCS Head Coaching Changes

May 14, 2021 by Staff

Here's a list of FCS coaching changes that we are aware of for the upcoming 2021 football season.

Eastern Kentucky - Walt Wells - Was named head coach on December 9, 2019, but the school opted out of the 2020 season. He replaces Mark Elder who had just completed back-to-back 7-win seasons. Wells was Elder's assistant HC for one season at EKU in 2015.

Norfolk State - Dawson Odums - Replaces Latrell Scott who left to become the passing game coordinator and tight ends coach. Scott was 21-35 in 5 seasons with the Spartans. Norfolk State opted-out of the 2020 season.

Northern Colorado - Ed McCaffrey - Was hired December 12, 2019 after Earnest Collins, Jr. was fired. UNC didn't play a single down in the 2020 season. The former Stanford player spent 13 seasons in the NFL, 9 of which were spent with the Denver Broncos. His only previous coaching experience was with Valor Christian High School as the head coach in 2018 and 2019 where his teams went 24-2.

Presbyterian - Kevin Kelley - Hired by Presbyterian to replace the popular Tommy Spangler who was fired after a 4-3 season. Kelley comes from Pulaski Academy High School in Little Rock where he was known mostly for never punting and winning a bunch of state 5A titles. Spangler had 2 stints as head coach of the Blue Hose, compiling a 52-54 record from 2001-2006, and  2017-2020 at the non-scholarship school.

Southern - Jason Rollins - The former Tulane assistant spent last season as safeties coach and was named interim head coach when Dawson Odums resigned after 9 years to fill the open position at Norfolk State. The interim tag was removed on April 29. Speculation was this job would go to Marshall Faulk with widespread reporting on April 28th that a deal was in the works. Odums was 63-32 in 9 seasons with the Jaguars.

Stetson - Vacant - Roger Hughes resigned May 7 to become president of his alma mater, Doane University, Hughes spent 18 season patrolling the Hatters' sideline, accumulating a record of 78-100 at the non-scholarship school.

Tennessee State - Eddie George - There's a name practically everyone knows. He was named head coach of the Tigers on April 13  George ran for 3,7768 yards and 44 TD's at Ohio State from 1992-1995 with 1,927 yards and 24 TD's in his final season when he won the Heisman Trophy. He then spent 8 seasons with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans organization, and 1 final NFL season with Dallas. He made 130 consecutive starts as he began his career with 5 straight 1,000-yard seasons and topped that mark in 7 of his 8 campaigns with the Oilers/Titans. At TSU, he replaces Rod Reed who was unceremoniously canned after 11 seasons as the head coach, and 7 prior years as a DC/LB coach. Reed was 57-60 at the school.

Wagner - Tom Masella - Jason Houghtailing was fired on December 6, 2019 after going 16-40 at Wagner. He had no previous head coaching experience. Houghtailing moved on to Colgate as the OL coach last season and was hired this past February to that same position with the NFL's Tennessee Titans. opted-out of the 2020 season. Masella, a Wagner alum and school Hall-of-fame member, was named the new head coach almost immediately. He has a career HC record of 44-66 with Boston University (dropped football), Central Connecticut, and most recently Fordham from 2006-2011.

Western Carolina - Kerwin Bell - The former Florida Gator QB was introduced as the head coach of the Catamounts on April 27. His son, Kade, will serve as offensive coordinator. Kerwin replaces Mark Speier who was fired going 33-68 in 9 seasons. Speir had success from 2014-2017 with a trio of 7-win seasons in that 4-year span, but won 7 games total over the last 3 seasons. Speir was an assistant at WCU from 1991-1996. Bell, 55, was a journeyman pro quarterback who has coaching consistently since 2000. He had a 9-year stint as head coach of the Jacksonville Dolphins from 2007-2015, a program that dropped football after the 2019 season. He was 66-35 with Jacksonville, but was fired anyway. Bell immediately took over the Valdosta State D2 program and went 27-7 in 3 seasons, including 14-0 and a D2 national championship in 2018. He heads to Cullowhee, North Carolina after spending the 2020 season as an offense analyst at his alma mater, and the 2019 campaign as OC at USF.