All articles tagged with #head coach
NC State is poised to hire former Wolfpack player Justin Gainey as its next men’s basketball coach, returning to his alma mater after three seasons as Tennessee’s associate head coach; the move follows Will Wade’s abrupt departure to LSU and has support from NC State legends and administrators.
Boston College announced Luke Murray as the school’s new Clement and Elizabeth Izzi Family Head Men’s Basketball Coach, highlighting his offensive acumen, recruiter reputation, and role in UConn’s national championships; Murray brings 10+ years of high-level coaching experience across programs such as Louisville, Xavier, Rhode Island, Towson and Wagner and is charged with restoring the Eagles to national prominence.
University of Minnesota named Brett Larson as the new head men's hockey coach on a five-year deal after eight seasons at St. Cloud State, where he guided the Huskies to four NCAA appearances and the program’s first national championship game in 2021; Larson brings extensive college coaching and USA Hockey experience to lead the Gophers.
Mickey McConnell, a longtime Saint Mary's associate head coach and former Gael star, has been named the program's head men's basketball coach, replacing Randy Bennett who left for Arizona State. Since returning to Saint Mary's in 2019, McConnell has helped the Gaels post a 175-54 record and secure five straight NCAA Tournament appearances as a single-digit seed, continuing the program's high level of success under Bennett's leadership.
Syracuse is reportedly targeting Gerry McNamara, a Syracuse alumnus and Siena’s head coach, to lead the Orange. McNamara, a key figure in Syracuse’s 2003 title run and a longtime assistant, drew NCAA Tournament notoriety after Siena nearly upset Duke, and would replace fired coach Autry if hired.
Providence College announced Bryan Hodgson as the 17th head coach of the Friars men's basketball program, arriving from USF where he led the Bulls to a 25-9 season, captured the American Conference regular-season and conference tournament titles, and earned Coach of the Year honors. Hodgson previously built Arkansas State into a competitive program and has prior success as an Alabama and Buffalo assistant, with a reputation for analytics-driven recruiting. He will be formally introduced at a March 24 press conference in Mullaney Gym as Providence aims to return to championships and NCAA Tournament contention.
After firing Adrian Autry, Syracuse is launching a national coaching search with a diverse mix of candidates from high-major and mid-major programs, rising assistants, and alum options. The list includes names like Josh Schertz, Bryan Hodgson, Kyle Smith, and Shaheen Holloway, along with assistants Luke Murray and Kimani Young, plus several mid-major targets such as Jerrod Calhoun and Eric Olen. The piece weighs fit, offensive philosophy, and recruiting ability, cautions against parachute hires or re-hires who failed at the high-major level, and notes updates on candidate statuses, ending with a prompt for readers to share their top three choices.
The Portland Thorns named Robert Vilahamn as head coach, pending his P1 visa, bringing experience from Tottenham Women and BK Häcken as they push for success in the 2026 NWSL season, which opens March 13 at Washington Spirit.
The Las Vegas Raiders hired Klint Kubiak as head coach on February 9, 2026, highlighting his extensive NFL coaching résumé across multiple teams—Texas A&M, Vikings, Broncos, 49ers, Saints, and Seahawks—culminating in Seattle’s 2025 Super Bowl-winning offense before taking the Raiders job.
New Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur acknowledges the job won’t be easy and emphasizes starting fresh, building the coaching staff and roster after a 3-14 season to try to move the franchise forward in the NFC West.
Sports Illustrated writer Conor Orr grades all 10 NFL head-coaching hires for 2026 amid a chaotic carousel, crowning Baltimore’s Jesse Minter as the top pick and giving high marks to Atlanta’s Stefanski and Tennessee’s Saleh, with mid-range assessments for the Raiders’ Klint Kubiak and Bills’ Joe Brady. He places Giants’ John Harbaugh, Steelers’ Mike McCarthy and Browns’ Todd Monken in the middle to lower tiers, and assigns middling to poor grades to Dolphins’ Jeff Hafley and Cardinals’ Mike LaFleur, underscoring how roster fit, front-office dynamics, and quarterback relationships shape each hire.
Las Vegas is reportedly narrowing its head-coach search to Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, with a formal hire not allowed until Feb. 9 after the Super Bowl. The 38-year-old has drawn interest from other teams (including the Cardinals) and has already met with Raiders owner Mark Davis. If hired, he would leave Seattle after guiding an offense that highlighted a high-scoring season. The Raiders enter the season with the league’s top overall pick and substantial cap space, while Seattle tries to balance continuity with potential staff moves.
The Arizona Cardinals have hired Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, 38, as their new head coach, replacing fired Jonathan Gannon. LaFleur helped the Rams post a high-powered offense in 2025 and is the younger brother of Matt LaFleur, with prior stops in San Francisco, New York, Atlanta and Cleveland. The move comes as Arizona contends with Kyler Murray’s uncertain future after an injury-plagued season and works to overhaul an injury-riddled roster and offensive line.
Buffalo Bills coach Joe Brady apologized for a remark on The Pat McAfee Show about celebrating Josh Allen’s interceptions, saying he regretted the comment and that, as a head coach, he’ll be more measured and aligned with both sides of the ball after signaling he’s still in it with the defense.
The Arizona Cardinals hired Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur to be their next head coach on a five-year contract, replacing Jonathan Gannon. LaFleur, the younger brother of Packers coach Matt LaFleur, has helped lead high-scoring offenses with the Rams and Jets and is praised for his sharp mind and teaching style as the franchise seeks a new era under his leadership.