Updated Tracker Shows 23-24 FCS Head-Coaching Changes Ahead of 2026 Season

An updated coaching tracker shows either 24 or 23 FCS head-coaching changes ahead of the 2026 season, depending on the cutoff used, the tracker records 24 moves while an Opta post counts 23. The ledger highlights Tom Perkovich, the 11-year Susquehanna coach who is second in that program’s history in career wins and is reported as taking a Division I FCS job at UAlbany, and Alonzo Carter, who was announced as Sacramento State’s new coach after Brennan Marion left following a 5-7 2025 season to accept Colorado’s offensive coordinator role.

High‑profile carousel shifts include Samford, where Chris Hatcher was relieved of his duties after a 1-9 2025 and an 11-season 62-59 run, and the Bulldogs promoted John Grass on Dec. 3; Grass went 72-26 at Jacksonville State from 2014-21, won six conference titles and guided JSU to the 2015 FCS runner-up finish before serving as a Clemson analyst in 2022-25. Portland State moved off Bruce Barnum after a 1-11 season (39-75 in 11 years) and tabbed Chris Fisk on Dec. 12; Fisk posted a 48-22 record at Central Washington from 2019-25 and claimed at least three conference crowns there.

A domino chain from Division III to FCS and within the FCS ranks is evident. UAlbany’s interim Jared Ambrose finished 2025 at 2-10 and is listed as a former interim coach; D3football’s Dec. 23 item ties Perkovich to Albany. The West Georgia-Mercer-Presbyterian triangle shows Joel Taylor leaving West Georgia after a 12-10 two-year run to accept the Mercer job on Dec. 11, Steve Englehart departing Presbyterian after a 10-2 2025 to take West Georgia on Dec. 17, and Presbyterian naming long-time assistant Matt Rahl on Dec. 29 after Rahl spent 2024-25 as the program’s offensive line coach.

Montana saw veteran Bobby Hauck announce retirement effective Feb. 4 after 14 seasons, with subsequent reporting tying him to an Illinois defensive coordinator role; Montana appointed Bobby Kennedy, who had served as the team’s wide receivers coach in 2024. At Penn there is a naming discrepancy in reports, one line cites “Ryan Priore” stepping down on Nov. 24 while another uses “Ray Priore”, and Rick Santos, the former New Hampshire head coach, is listed as the successor. Southern’s move to hire Marshall Faulk, identified in a report as Colorado’s running backs coach, stands out as a cultural and publicity win for the program.

The churn matters beyond wins and losses. Coaching turnover reshapes recruiting calendars, alters staff stability for spring practices, and feeds transfer‑portal momentum; with 96.2% of readers reportedly consuming without sharing, named hires like Marshall Faulk and Tom Perkovich create natural share hooks that quantify impact and spark conversation. The counts still need reconciliation against each school’s official release to confirm whether the offseason totals settle at 23 or 24, and schools with conflicting attributions, notably Sacramento State, UAlbany and Penn spelling, warrant a final check of athletic department announcements.