The most recent college coaching carousel will be rightfully remembered for the changes at the top.
Lincoln Riley and Brian Kelly moved jobs, Ed Orgeron and Dan Mullen lost jobs, and other notable head coaches found themselves in new places or looking for work. But the carousel didn't stop spinning in mid-December. The hiring of prominent coordinators and the formation of new staffs provided a few more spins to a carousel that won't be forgotten.
Gary Patterson, who dominated Texas while coaching TCU, is now wearing burnt orange as the special assistant to Texas coach Steve Sarkisian. Ole Miss offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, once suspended for scouting Oklahoma on the sideline while coaching for Baylor, has returned to OU, his alma mater, as the most important addition for new Sooners coach Brent Venables. Ohio State coach Ryan Day remade his defensive staff after a poor performance in 2021, and plucked a potential savior coordinator from Oklahoma State. Mike Gundy replaced the savior with a former SEC head coach. And after losing Mario Cristobal to Miami, Oregon is keeping the pedal down in recruiting with its new staff.
The coordinator/staffing carousel has delivered so far, and it's still not done spinning. Several key hires still must be made. Here's a look at the most significant staffing hires since the end of the season and how they will shape 2022 and likely beyond.
