Did Jimmy Rogers (2023) and Tim Polasek (2024) start a new trend after winning FCS titles in their first years as head coaches for their programs? If so, here are the top candidates to continue the trend of rookie title-winning head coaches.
Thomas Ford — Idaho
Idaho has advanced to the FCS quarterfinals in each of the last two seasons. Now with Thomas Ford taking over, the goal is to keep climbing upwards this fall. Ford leads the No. 12 preseason-ranked Vandals into a season where they look to prove to doubters that they still belong at the top of the Big Sky.
RANKINGS: AFCA Coaches Poll | STATS PERFORM | Preseason HBCU Power Rankings
Dan Jackson — South Dakota State
South Dakota State’s last head coach, Jimmy Rogers, won an FCS title in his first year as head coach in 2023. The standard in Brookings is now championship or bust, and Dan Jackson, a former Jackrabbit player, knows the expectations this fall. This is a team with championship talent and championship goals. We’ll soon find out if they have a championship coach.
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Travis Johansen — South Dakota
Travis Johansen helped South Dakota have the No. 2 total defense in the MVFC and No. 7 scoring defense in the FCS as the defensive coordinator last year. Now Johansen takes over as the head coach for a team that received the No. 4 seed in the FCS playoffs a season ago.
Expectations are high for South Dakota this fall as the Coyotes finally look to get over the hump. Johansen could be the head coach to lead them to the promised land.
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