Sports

Ranking Conference USA's College Football Coaches for 2026

By Steven Lassan Athlon Sports

Updated May 5, 2026 9:21 AM

Conference USA's coaching ranks have seen plenty of changes in recent years. Just one coach - Western Kentucky's Tyson Helton - has been on the job at his current program for more than five seasons. Entering ‘26, seven of CUSA's head coaches have under three years of experience at their current job, with Missouri State's Casey Woods the league's lone newcomer this fall.

Despite a disappointing ‘25 season that resulted in a 4-8 record, Liberty's Jamey Chadwell ranks No. 1 among CUSA coaches this fall. However, the gap to the next tier of names is small. Helton, Kennesaw State's Jerry Mack, FIU's Willie Simmons, and Delaware's Ryan Carty headline a strong next tier of coaches, with Jacksonville State's Charles Kelly up next.

Middle Tennessee's Derek Mason and New Mexico State's Tony Sanchez could jump up this list next offseason by turning around struggling programs with a bowl appearance in '26. Woods is a strong hire for Missouri State but will have his hands full with a rebuilt roster. Longo is regarded for his work as an offensive coordinator at a handful of stops. Although his debut resulted in a 2-10 record, Longo faced a significant roster overhaul and will get a chance to prove himself in ‘26.

How did we compile the rankings for coaches by conference? For starters, it's an impossible task. However, we tried to weigh every possible factor. This is not simply a list of coaches ranked by accomplishment or wins. Career biography/resume, success in developing talent and landing prospects on the recruiting trail factored into the ranking. Additionally, Athlon's annual coach rankings also take into account a blank slate and subjectivity. If you start a program from scratch, which coach would you hire knowing what they accomplished so far and their career trajectory? Remember, you don't get the assistants - only the head coach. And head-to-head wins do not matter for this ranking.

Here are the results for the Conference USA:

Longo - a long-time offensive assistant and coordinator - finally got his chance to run a FBS program in ‘25. With the Bearkats in rebuild mode, it was no surprise Longo's debut was a struggle. Sam Houston went 2-10 overall and won just one game in CUSA play. Can Longo guide this program to marked improvement in ‘26?

Woods is the lone newcomer among CUSA coaches in ‘26. The former Tennessee receiver replaces Ryan Beard, who departed to take the top spot at Coastal Carolina after ‘25. Woods worked as an assistant at Arkansas State, Missouri, and UAB before landing at SMU prior to the ‘22 campaign. Over the last four years, Woods helped coach Rhett Lashlee engineer some of the ACC's top offenses. This is Woods' first chance to be a FBS head coach.

New Mexico State is one of the toughest jobs in college football, so it's no surprise Sanchez has been unable to replicate the success Jerry Kill had in Las Cruces (17-11 from 2022-23). The Aggies are 7-17 overall and 4-12 in CUSA games under Sanchez. If Sanchez can find a way to generate offensive improvement this offseason, New Mexico State will have a chance to challenge for a bowl in a critical third year at the helm of his alma mater. He previously went 20-40 from 2015-19 as the head coach at UNLV.

The ‘26 season is a make-or-break campaign for Mason. Over the last two seasons, the Blue Raiders are 6-18 overall and have just won just four games in CUSA action. Also, Mason's side of the ball (defense) has ranked near the bottom of the conference. Prior to this stint at Middle Tennessee, Mason went 27-55 at Vanderbilt from 2014-20.

The transition from Rich Rodriguez to Kelly was a seamless one for Jacksonville State in ‘25. In his first year in charge, Kelly guided the Gamecocks to a 9-5 record with an appearance in Conference USA's Championship Game. After an extended career as a defensive assistant from stints at Georgia Tech, Florida State, Alabama, Tennessee, Colorado, and Auburn, Kelly's first chance to work as a head coach is off to a good start - and he seems poised to keep Jacksonville State atop CUSA in ‘26 and beyond.

Delaware made a fast and successful transition to the FBS level in ‘25. Under Carty's watch, the Blue Hens finished 7-6 and defeated Louisiana in the 68 Ventures Bowl to earn the program's first FBS postseason victory. Since taking over in ‘22, Carty is 33-17 at his alma mater and has yet to record a losing season.

FIU took a big-time step forward in Simmons' debut last season. The Panthers finished 7-6 and earned the program's first bowl appearance since ‘19. Counting previous stops at Prairie View A&M (2015-17) and Florida A&M (2018-23), Simmons is 73-30 overall as a head coach. FIU looks poised to become a consistent contender in CUSA under Simmons' direction.

Kennesaw State showed marked improvement in Mack's first season, which solidified his place as one of the top coaches in CUSA. The Owls finished 10-4, won the Conference USA Championship, and earned the program's first bowl appearance. Mack previously went 31-15 as the head coach at North Carolina Central (2014-17). He also has stints on his resume as an assistant from a stop in the NFL with the Jaguars and stints with Rice and Tennessee.

Despite significant roster turnover every offseason, Helton always finds a way to keep Western Kentucky in contention to win Conference USA. The Hilltoppers are 57-36 since Helton's arrival in ‘19 and have six winning records over the last seven years. WKU is also 40-15 in Conference USA action with five bowl victories. The only missing piece to Helton's resume? A CUSA title.

Despite a disappointing ‘25 season, Chadwell takes the No. 1 spot among CUSA coaches entering ‘26 and still ranks as one of the top Group of 6 coaches in the nation. After most preseason projections expected the Flames to win CUSA last year, the Flames regressed to 4-8 overall and 3-5 in conference games. Chadwell is 25-13 over the last three years at Liberty, which includes a 13-1 record in ‘23 with an appearance in a New Year's Six Bowl (Fiesta). In addition to other stints as a head coach at North Greenville, Delta State, Charleston Southern, and Coastal Carolina, Chadwell is 123-70 overall as a head coach.

This story was originally published May 5, 2026 at 9:05 AM.

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