List of college football head coaches with non-consecutive tenure


This is a list of college football head coaches with non-consecutive tenure, meaning that an individual was a head coach at a college or university for a period, departed, and then returned to the same college or university in the same capacity.
This list includes only head coaches. This list does not include the following:
Several College Football Hall of Fame coaches have made the list, accenting not only their return to the same program but the success their return brought to the program. Critics have pointed out that returning coaches appear to be less successful at producing winning teams and programs during their second tenure and make comparisons to previous records of coaches attempting to return to a prior coaching job.
Head coachTeamTenureNotes
Alabama1893–1895, 1902
Alcorn State1936, 1938, 1941–1942
Kansas State1940–1941, 1946
Maine1941, 1946–1948
Washington State1900, 1902
Wisconsin1990–2005, 2012, 2014Alvarez, who stepped down from coaching after the 2005 season to concentrate on his second role as athletic director and entered the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010, has been interim coach for two Wisconsin bowl games after the Badgers' head coach left for another school. He coached in the 2013 Rose Bowl after Bret Bielema left to take the head coaching vacancy at Arkansas, and the 2015 Outback Bowl following Gary Andersen's departure for the Oregon State vacancy.
Utah State2009–2012, 2019–present
Western Kentucky1929, 1934–1937
Holy Cross1933–1938, 1950–1964Member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Coached six years at Holy Cross in the 1930s, moved on to Iowa which he interrupted to serve in the U.S. Army. He then returned first to Iowa then to Holy Cross for 13 seasons.
Iowa1939–1942, 1946–1949Member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Coached six years at Holy Cross in the 1930s, moved on to Iowa which he interrupted to serve in the U.S. Army. He then returned first to Iowa then to Holy Cross for 13 seasons.
Rice1912–1917, 1919–1923
Nevada1976–1992, 1994–1995, 2004–2012Stepped down and returned twice during his tenure at Nevada, each time to focus on his second role as athletics director. Ault was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002, during his second break in tenure.
Assumption2004–2007, 2009–2012
Purdue1893–1895, 1901
Colgate1910, 1913–1916
Tulane1893, 1895
Washburn1918–1919, 1929–1935
SMU1935–1941, 1945–1949
Washington State1906–1907, 1912–1914
South Carolina1904–1905, 1908–1909
Sterling1966–1973, 1980, 1997–2000
Oregon1906, 1913–1917
Minnesota1932–1941, 1945–1950
Oregon State1893, 1897
Virginia Tech1909–1910, 1912–1915
William & Mary1928–1930, 1936–1938
North Dakota State1919–1921, 1923–1924, 1928Co-head coach with Casey Finnegan in 1928
Fresno State1936–1942, 1946Fresno State did not play in 1943, but resumed in 1944.
Michigan State1903–1910, 1917, 1919Michigan State played its 1918 season.
Missouri State1912, 1914–1917, 1919–1933Missouri State, then known as the Fourth District Normal School, played in 1918.
Idaho State1915–1916, 1919Idaho State played in 1917, but not in 1918.
Alabama State1943, 1945–1948Alabama State played in 1944.
North Carolina1988–1997, 2019–present
UMass1904, 1907–1908
American International1948, 1952–1955
North Carolina State1892, 1896–1897
Louisiana1937–1941, 1946
Stanford1892, 1894–1895
Memphis1917, 1919Memphis played in 1918.
North Texas2010, 2015Canales served as interim head coach of the Mean Green for their last 5 games in 2010, and again for their last 7 games in 2015.
Dartmouth1921–1922, 1929–1933
Eastern Illinois1936–1937, 1939–1941
Georgetown1899, 1901
Nebraska1945, 1948
Dayton1913, 1917–1918
Catholic1994–2000, 2004–2005
USC1909–1910, 1916–1918
Stanford1896, 1898
Army1913–1916, 1919–1922
Indiana State1951–1954, 1956
Washington & Lee1922–1925, 1931–1932
Notre Dame1945, 1963
Georgia1903, 1905
Samford1919, 1927–1928
Jacksonville State1938–1939, 1945
Auburn1904–1906, 1908–1922
Spring Hill1919, 1921–1922, 1933–1934
Appalachian State1947–1950, 1952–1955
Central Washington1983, 1987–1991-
Boston College1897–1899, 1901
Kansas Wesleyan1979–1980, 1996-
Montana State1928–1935, 1938–1941
Massachusetts1945, 1947–1951
UConn1999–2010, 2017–present
Kansas Wesleyan1914, 1917
Washburn1974–1978, 1984–1989
Fordham1892, 1903
South Carolina1938–1942, 1946–1955
Idaho1982–1985, 200621 years between coaching periods
Maryland1935, 1940–1941
Davidson1970–1973, 1990–1992
Kansas1971–1974, 1979–1982
Maine1901, 1903
Missouri1935–1942, 1946–1956
Montana1935–1941, 1946–1948
Colorado1895–1899, 1901–1902, 1908–1915
UC Davis1949–1953, 1955
South Carolina1917, 1919
Middle Tennessee1917, 1935–1938
Temple2016, 2018Foley was interim head coach for two Temple appearances in bowl games, the 2016 Military Bowl after Matt Rhule left for Baylor and the 2018 Independence Bowl after Geoff Collins left for Georgia Tech.
Texas State1990–91, 2011–201520 years between coaching periods
Tennessee1992, 1993–2008Fulmer was named interim head coach for the first three games of the 1992 season in Johnny Majors' absence. He returned to his position as offensive coordinator upon Majors' return. Following Majors' resignation after the season, Fulmer was promoted to head coach.
Brown1902, 1908–1909
Tabor2004–2005, 2010–present
Fordham1916, 1922–1926
Kalamazoo1905, 1907–1908
Coast Guard1959–1965, 1974–1975
Wichita State1942, 1946–1947
Army1906, 1912
Missouri Southern1997, 2003Green had no wins in nine games as head coach.
Hampton1941–1942, 1947–1948
Idaho1902–1906, 1910–1914
Florida State2017, 2019Haggins served as the Seminoles' interim head coach for the final 2 games of 2017 after Jimbo Fisher left for Texas A&M and for the final 4 games in 2019 after Willie Taggart was fired.
Central Oklahoma1941–1949, 1952–1957Program idle from 1943–1945; from 1950 to 1951, Hamilton served in the Korean War.
Navy1934–1936, 1946–1947
Pittsburgh1951, 1954
Montana State1901, 1905
Miami 1937–1942, 1945–1947
UMass1941–1942, 1946
Rutgers1938–1941, 1946–1955
Black Hills State1906, 1911–1919
Emporia State1914–1917, 1920–1927
Alcorn State1937, 1939–1940
Harvard1935–1942, 1945–1947
NC State1917, 1921–1923
Montana2003–2009, 2018–present
USC2013, 2015–presentHelton was interim coach for the 2013 Las Vegas Bowl and for seven games after Steve Sarkisian's firing in 2015. He was named permanent head coach after the 2015 UCLA game.
Wyoming1892, 1894, 1898Hess was co-head coach with Justus Soule in 1894.
Eastern Washington1908, 1912
Butler1926, 1935–1941, 1946–1969
San Diego State2009–2010, 2020–future
Penn State1909, 1911–1914
Bucknell1899–1906, 1909
Pittsburg State1929–1935, 1937
Virginia Union1919–1920, 1926–1942
Colorado State1911–1941, 1946
Washington1917, 1919Washington played in 1918.
Carroll 1957, 1959–1961
Oklahoma Baptist1923–1929, 1931–1934
Delaware State1933–1936, 1939, 1941–1942, 1945, 1953–1956
Langston1992–1996, 2004–2010
Washburn1903, 1916–1917
Maine1942, 1944–1945
West Virginia1940–1942, 1946–1947
BYU1937–1941, 1946–1948
Wisconsin1896–1902, 1905
Virginia Tech1941, 1946–1947
Colgate1952–1956, 1962–1967
Eastern Illinois1911–1934, 1944No season in 1918.
Notre Dame1941–1943, 1946–1953
Fordham1891, 1893
Miami 1916, 1919–1921
Maryland2015, 2019–presentWas interim head coach of the team for their final 5 games in 2015 after Randy Edsall's firing.
UC Davis1954, 1956–1957, 1959–1963
Pittsburgh1973–1976, 1993–1996Won a national title at Pittsburgh in his first tenure.
Rutgers1903, 1905
Indiana State1927–1930, 1933–1941, 1946–1948
Franklin & Marshall1919–1914
1924–1925
1944–1945
Delaware1908–1916, 1922–1924-
Tulsa1908, 1914–1916
Duquesne1970–1983, 1988–1992
East Central2004–2005, 2009–2017
Bethune–Cookman1961–1972, 1994–1997
West Alabama1985–1990, 2004–2005
Vanderbilt1904–1917, 1919–1934
Dartmouth1941–1942, 1945–1954
Westminster 1915–1916, 1918, 1921Co-head coach with Park in 1915
Butler1907–1908, 1910
Drexel1944–1945, 1948After coaching two full seasons at Drexel, McMains left the head coaching position after the 1945 season to become athletic director. During the 1948 football season, after an 0–5 start, McMains relieved head football coach Ralph Chase of his duties and became head coach for the last three games of the season.
Army1890, 1892
New Mexico State1899, 1901–1907
Middle Tennessee1913–1916, 1919–1923
Louisiana1916, 1919, 1921–1930
Murray State1941, 1946–1947
Howard1920–1924, 1928
SMU1915–1916, 1924–1934
Vanderbilt1918, 1935–1939
Washington & Jefferson1908–1911, 1919–1920, 1924–1925
Central Missouri1899, 1902
Saint Ambrose1940, 1947–1950
Marquette1922–1936, 1946–1949
Boston College1941–1942, 1946–1950
Johns Hopkins1946–1949, 1979Myers had a 30-year break in tenure at Johns Hopkins
Minnesota–Duluth1999–2003, 2008–2012Won two Division II national titles in his second tenure.
Tennessee1926–1934, 1936–1940, 1946–1952Interrupted his coaching twice to serve in the U.S. Army
Washington1895–1896, 1898
The Citadel1916–1918, 1920–1921
Eastern Illinois1946–1950, 1952–1955
Cal Poly1933–1941, 1946–1947
Colgate1902, 1904–1905
Syracuse1906–1907, 1913–1915, 1917–1919
Oregon1938–1941, 1945–1946
Central Michigan1921–1923, 1926–1928
Alabama State1973–1975, 1984, 1986
Northwestern Oklahoma State1956–1964, 1972–1973
Pennsylvania Military1916–1929, 1939–1946Now called Widener University
Loyola Marymount1928, 1939
Nebraska2003, 2008–2014Pelini coached the final game of the 2003 season after Frank Solich was fired.
Benedictine1937–1941, 1946–1947
Louisville2003–2006, 2014–2018
Fresno State1945, 1949
Auburn1923–1924, 1927
Colorado1940, 1944–1945
Louisiana State1916, 1919, 1922
UTEP2004–2012, 2017Price returned as interim head coach after the resignation of Sean Kugler during the 2017 season.
Louisiana Tech1909–1915, 1919
Loyola 1926, 1935–1936
Eastern Washington1930–1941, 1946
Harvard1901, 1905–1906
Wisconsin1911, 1917, 1919–1922
Clemson1896, 1899
Oregon State1997–1998, 2003–2014Returned to Oregon State after coaching in the NFL
Brown1898–1901, 1904–1907, 1910–1925
USC1976–1982, 1993–1997Won a national title in his first tenure
Howard1908, 1918–1919
Rutgers1927–1930, 1942–1945
West Virginia1925–1930, 1943–1945
The Citadel1913–1915, 1919
Princeton1906–1908, 1910–1911, 1919–1930Three undefeated seasons and four national championships at Princeton
Ohio State1892–1895, 1898
Eastern Michigan1917, 1919–1920, 1925–1948No season in 1944. Rynearson is considered the most successful coach in the program, leading the team to several undefeated seasons. Eastern Michigan's current stadium bears his name.
Henry Russell SandersVanderbilt1940–1942, 1946–1948
Don SallsJacksonville State1946–1952, 1954–1964
Emporia State1904–1906, 1908
Herb SchmalenbergerUC Davis1958, 1964–1969
Clark ShaughnessyMaryland1942, 1946
Clark ShaughnessyTulane1915–1920, 1922–1926
Greg SchianoRutgers2001–2011, 2020–future
Clarence A. ShortDelaware1902, 1906
Fred SmithFordham1901, 1904, 1906–1907Smith was co-head coach with Maurice McCarthy in 1901.
Sid SmithMcPherson1953–1966, 1971–1972
Warren W. SmithOregon1901, 1903
Carl SnavelyNorth Carolina1934–1935, 1945–1952
Norm SneadApprentice1977–1984, 1988–1989
Kansas State1989–2005, 2009–2018
Tommy SpanglerPresbyterian2001–2006, 2017–present
Frank SpazianiBoston College2006, 2009–2012Spaziani coached the final game of the 2006 season after Tom O'Brien left.
J. W. StephensonJacksonville State1920–1921, 1929–1930
Roy StewartMurray State1932–1940, 1942–1945No season in 1943. Murray State's current stadium bears his name.
Tony StortiMontana State1952–1953, 1956–1957
Arthur StrumIndiana State1923–1926, 1932, 1942
Fred SullivanOhio1899, 1903
Jim SweeneyFresno State1976–1977, 1980–1996
Charles TamblingCentral Michigan1902–1905, 1918
Jim TatumNorth Carolina1942, 1956–1958
Dartmouth1987–1991, 2005–present
Western Kentucky1933, 1946–1947
Arkansas State2012, 2013Thompson was an interim head coach for two Arkansas State appearances in the game now known as the LendingTree Bowl. He was first named interim coach after the 2012 regular season when Gus Malzahn left to take the head coaching vacancy at Auburn, and coached in the 2013 game. Thompson again became interim coach after the 2013 regular season when Bryan Harsin left for Boise State, and coached in the 2014 game.
Davidson2001–2004, 2008
Merchant Marine2005–2007, 2009–present
Thomas TrenchardNorth Carolina1895, 1913–1915
Thomas TrenchardWashington & Lee1899, 1902
Otto D. UnruhBethel Threshers1919–1942, 1967–196925 years and nine other head coaches held the post between times of service, including his son David Unruh
Johnny VaughtOle Miss1947–1970, 1973
Wallace WadeDuke1931–1941, 1946–1950
North Alabama1988–1997, 2012–2016
Bill WalshStanford1977–1978, 1992–1994
Charles W. WantlandCentral Oklahoma1912–1919, 1921–1930
W. Rice WarrenVirginia1913, 1920–1921
Cornell1897–1898, 1904–1906
Carlisle1899–1903, 1907–1914
UMass1998–2003, 2014–2018Whipple won a Division I-AA national title in the first year of his first tenure.
Todd WhittenTarleton State1996, 2000–2004, 2016–present
Bob WilliamsClemson1906, 1909, 1913–1915
C. H. WilliamsHampton1914–1917, 1919–1920
Jimmy WilsonBuffalo1932–1933, 1950–1951
Edgar WingardSusquehanna1916–1917, 1919, 1924–1925
Frank N. WolfWaynesburg1921–1922, 1928–1941
Northwestern Oklahoma State1906–1915, 1919–1923
James J. YeagerColorado1941–1943, 1946–1947
Louis YeagerWest Virginia1899, 1901–1902
Donzell YoungArkansas–Pine Bluff1973–1975, 1984–1986
Fielding H. YostMichigan1901–1923, 1925–1926
Don YoungBlack Hills State1948–1950, 1953–1958, 1967

Footnotes