Coaching Carousel 2026

[CappyNU]

A few more moves over the weekend - Ben Jacobson leaves Northern Iowa after 20 seasons to go to Utah State as it enters the new Pac 12. Utah State has had four different head coaches in the last eight years, and all have taken them to the tourney in their first or second season before being hired away for P5 jobs.

The other notable move was John Groce taking the Charleston job, which seems at best a lateral move? Maybe after nine seasons he feels like he's done all he can do at Akron and wants out of the state of Ohio.

 

[NJCat]

The other notable move was John Groce taking the Charleston job, which seems at best a lateral move? Maybe after nine seasons he feels like he's done all he can do at Akron and wants out of the state of Ohio.

I was born and raised in Akron. If the choice is between living in the greater Akron area and Charleston SC, there is no question Groce made the right move. He did an amazing job with the Zips.

 

[CappyNU]

Updated today, with Bill Self's announcement that he's not retiring. UNC job remains the biggest open. A few in-house promotions at Akron and Northern Iowa, along with more P5 assistants taking the reigns at Dartmouth and Siena. The SWAC's Jackson State loses their coach to be an assistant at Kentucky, which is what Cal Baptist's and Campbell's HCs did as well, going to Arizona State and Louisville as assistants respectively.

 

[CappyNU]

With UNC hiring former Nuggets HC Michael Malone, the carousel seems to be winding down already. Assuming this is a consequence of the portal and the need to have a new staff in place ASAP at the end of a season. A number of P5 assistant coaches have taken mid- and low-major jobs, so the highest profile job that remains open is the Campbell Fightin' Camels, Kenpom's #296 ranked program, where the coach left after one season because he realized the university wasn't going to prioritize spending on players.

Edit: Campbell has been filled, so that makes the highest profile open job, uh...Wagner College in Staten Island. Fun fact, Dan Hurley's coaching career started here! I think my high school gym held more people.