Coaching Carousel Speeds Up, but Buyout Costs Might Slow

While college football’s coaching carousel is spinning yet again—and likely to pick up pace after the regular season ends Saturday—it’s turning out to not be as expensive as once thought.

Cal’s Justin Wilcox became the 12th FBS head coach to be fired since the season started, after Golden Bears GM Ron Rivera announced the decision Sunday. Wilcox is owed a buyout of roughly $10.9 million.

That takes the amount of buyout money initially owed by schools to fired coaches at the time of the firings to nearly $196 million. But the actual amount schools will ultimately pay out is lower.

Penn State owed James Franklin more than $49 million when the school fired him on Oct. 12. But PSU and Franklin negotiated that down to a $9 million ahead of his swift return to the sidelines, signing a five-year, $41.75 million contract with Virginia Tech last week.

LSU’s firing of Brian Kelly puts the school on the hook for $53 million. But LSU has been trying to settle with Kelly for a lower amount, and Kelly has sued the school to try to recover the full amount. 

Offset language common in many college football contracts could mean other big-time buyouts, like Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy ($15 million) and Arkansas’s Sam Pittman ($8.7 million), ultimately cost less for their respective schools.

Meanwhile, several schools with coaches who have massive buyouts and are believed to have been on the hot seat have announced they won’t be making changes after the season.

On Sunday, Florida State announced Mike Norvell will return in 2026, meaning the Seminoles won’t be on the hook for a buyout of more than $50 million. Earlier this month, Wisconsin announced it would retain coach Luke Fickell ($25 million–plus buyout), and Maryland announced it would bring back Mike Locksley ($13 million–plus).