![Former NFL Coache Jon Gruden have a laugh while attending an NFL training camp session ten at the Miller Electric Center, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_286,w_5844,h_3287/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/194/01ka0dkfc34s641th9pa.jpg "Former NFL Coache Jon Gruden have a laugh while attending an NFL training camp session ten at the Miller Electric Center, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]")
The 2025-26 college football coaching carousel is going to be one of the craziest we've seen in a long time, as there are already 12 open jobs with 8 positions open in the Power 4. As coaches start to move around for new jobs, it's only going to create a massive game of musical chairs with only so many big names to fill the roles.
While everyone hopes to land Lane Kiffin, in reality, there aren't that many big-name head coaches who will be on the move. As some of the smaller schools or even big-name schools miss out on their top candidates, we could see some outside-of-the-box hires.
These 3 wild card candidates could land jobs this offseason
Jon Gruden
Over the last year, Jon Gruden has become a popular name with his new social media presence, breaking down football to the point he's become a name thrown around in NFL and College searches. Gruden hasn't spent time at the college level since the early 1990s, but with how big a name he is, some team may hire him. A great fit could be USF, given the time Jon Gruden spent with the Buccaneers.
Brian Daboll
The New York Giants fired Brian Daboll, and while he struggled as an NFL head coach, many would make the case that he didn't have the best personnel. Daboll has experience at the college level after being the offensive coordinator at Alabama in 2017. If Brian Daboll doesn't get another NFL job or doesn't go back to being an offensive coordinator, he'd be an interesting candidate for several schools, including Penn State.
Jimbo Fisher
After being paid the biggest buyout in College Football history and enjoying not having to work, Jimbo Fisher is ready to get back in the game. Fisher is so ready for another job that he's already organizing a staff and watching film preparing to make a return to College Football. At Texas A&M, Jimbo Fisher was truly one of the first coaches to embrace NIL, and after learning from his mistakes, he'd be a great hire for a team looking for upside.