Has anyone been able to get a head coaching job at any substantial school?

[nonnel]

All I read on here is how the coach progression bug makes it impossible to advance your coaching career, so I'm just asking if it's literally even possible and if anyone's has success starting at a small school as a coordinator, and eventually being hired to be a head coach at a major school?

I've had three different dynasties as an offensive coordinator. In each one I met (and crushed) all my goals and had winning records. First dynasty lasted 3 seasons... I quit after no head coaching offers from anywhere. Second dynasty lasted 2 seasons, quit after my own team fired me despite my record and goals. And I started a new dynasty post patch, have gone 5 seasons of leading Eastern Michigan to 9+ wins in each year, crushing all my goals... no head coaching jobs.

So I ask again, is it even possible, or am I just spinning my wheels here? Any success story would be great.

[Kriech23]

Re: Has anyone been able to get a head coaching job at any substantial school?

Penn State in 2016, after 4 successful seasons at San Jose State. Although Penn State was a 3-star school they were still like 94 OVR.

[miz468]

Re: Has anyone been able to get a head coaching job at any substantial school?

All I read on hear is how the coach progression bug makes it impossible to advance your coaching career, so I'm just asking if it's literally even possible and if anyone's has success starting at a small school as a coordinator, and eventually being hired to be a head coach at a major school?

I've had three different dynasties as an offensive coordinator. In each one I met (and crushed) all my goals and had winning records. First dynasty lasted 3 seasons... I quit after no head coaching offers from anywhere. Second dynasty lasted 2 seasons, quit after my own team fired me despite my record and goals. And I started a new dynasty post patch, have gone 5 seasons of leading Eastern Michigan to 9+ wins in each year, crushing all my goals... no head coaching jobs.

So I ask again, is it even possible, or am I just spinning my wheels here? Any success story would be great.

You probably have to take an OC job at a bigger school first. I have two success stories for you.

1. I started as OC at UAB. There for 3 years, then hired as OC at SDSU. There for one year, hired as OC at Mississippi State. There for two years, hired as HC at LSU. There for 3 years, hired as HC at Notre Dame.

2. Started as OC at Navy. There for three years. Hired as OC at South Carolina. After one year, Spurrier was fired and I got promoted to HC. After 5 years as HC at South Carolina (2 NCs), I was hired as HC at Auburn.

Just stick with it. If you want to become a HC within a few years, you probably have to start as an OC at a 3* or 4* school.

[zippy2212]

Re: Has anyone been able to get a head coaching job at any substantial school?

Pre-patch for me as I have yet to download the patch, I started as an OC at Duke. After my 1st year I was offered the UAB HC job and several lower schools OC positions. I stayed and then in year 3 I was offered the Wake and Washington State HC jobs as well as UAB again, Rice and a couple of OC positions. I don't know if Wake and WSU are substantial but they are BCS teams.

I think it is pretty random but personally I see know problems with the way my offline dynasty has progressed.

[HotFudgeDragon]

Re: Has anyone been able to get a head coaching job at any substantial school?

I guess you can't expect to jump to an HC job straight from an OC position at Eastern Michigan - gotta be patient and work your way up.

I went OC @ Kent State - OC @ Maryland - OC @ Nebraska before getting offered HC @ Clemson after my 7th year of the dynasty.

I'd say this is actually somewhat realistic as I bet there aren't many head coaches with only three years coaching under their belt (even Lane Kiffin paid more dues than that).

[nonnel]

Re: Has anyone been able to get a head coaching job at any substantial school?

Penn State in 2016, after 4 successful seasons at San Jose State. Although Penn State was a 3-star school they were still like 94 OVR.

Head coach at San Jose State or coordinator?

[nonnel]

Re: Has anyone been able to get a head coaching job at any substantial school?

Well, good to hear it's possible. Maybe I've just had some back luck. Also looks like maybe hopping to other jobs as a Coordinator before looking for the head coach job is key. I figured staying at Eastern Mich would be fine because I have them ranked each year with 9+ wins at this point, but perhaps not.

[jswaykos]

Re: Has anyone been able to get a head coaching job at any substantial school?

But has anyone seen success after starting dynasty as a head coach at a smaller school? Or is this mode truly intended to be played as a coordinator first?

[miz468]

Re: Has anyone been able to get a head coaching job at any substantial school?

But has anyone seen success after starting dynasty as a head coach at a smaller school? Or is this mode truly intended to be played as a coordinator first?

Good question. I've been wanting to make a 1* TeamBuilder team and start as the HC there.

[sniperscout75]

Re: Has anyone been able to get a head coaching job at any substantial school?

Through multiple dynasties to answer your question yes its possible. I routinely start with Akron (OC) and usually the very next year progress to a 2-3* OC and typically in my 3rd year is when I get the first HC job offers of teams that are decent. The earliest ive been offered a major job was in fact 3rd year and it was the HC of Oregon.

I have found that typically in year 4 is when a lot of the "good" jobs will open up as it seems a lot of the major BCS schools have 4 year contracts to start off with.

[Kriech23]

Re: Has anyone been able to get a head coaching job at any substantial school?

Head coach at San Jose State or coordinator?

Head Coach. I was an offensive coordinator at Oregon State the year before.

[imraged]

Re: Has anyone been able to get a head coaching job at any substantial school?

I started as the OC at Memphis for one season. From there I spent one year each as OC at Hawai'i and Mizzou easily surpassing all of my goals. I was hired as HC at Oregon, game froze, I re-did it and UO hired someone else so I took the OC job at Texas. Stayed there for two seasons, with a NC and a Heisman winner in the first season, before going back to Mizzou as the HC. In five seasons I won two conference championships (in the Big Ten) and a national title. Alabama (my alma mater) fired Saban after a 10-4 season (they had won the NC just a few years prior) and hired me.

So all together it took me ten seasons to get the job I wanted.

[JalenTigh]

Re: Has anyone been able to get a head coaching job at any substantial school?

After my 3rd season as OC at MTSU, I got head coach offers from Iowa, Northwestern, Syracuse, Virginia, Iowa State, Ole Miss, and half a dozen small schools. Took the Syracuse job because it seemed like the biggest rebuilding job of the bunch. Still there in yr 5.

[woody56]

Re: Has anyone been able to get a head coaching job at any substantial school?

After 3 years of SMU OC, took over as Ohio State HC.

[NothingTrivial]

Re: Has anyone been able to get a head coaching job at any substantial school?

OC at WKU for 5 years, finished top 5 each of the last 2 years. Took the head coaching job at Auburn.