Stock Watch for 2026 College Football Coaches Heading into Week 4

Although the 2026 college football season only started a few weeks ago, the campaign is also already approaching the one-third mark.

For coaches with tenuous job security, time is thinning.

Florida State's Mike Norvell and Rutgers' Greg Schiano, for example, are undoubtedly feeling an increase in pressure—and they were already on hot seats.

Simultaneously, there is a fascinating juxtaposition for coaches who are slowly trickling onto the national radar. Whether they can sustain early success will likely determine if a larger program comes calling in November.

These reactions are subjective, but consider a coach's recent history, his team's expectations for 2026 and this season's results so far.

Stock Up: Lance Taylor, Western Michigan

Were it not for a controversial replay decision in Week 1, Lance Taylor would've added a signature win at Michigan to his growing résumé.

He also doesn't need that victory to prove anything, either.

Taylor has methodically built Western Michigan back into a high-end MAC contender. After the Broncos finished 4-8 in his debut, they jumped to 6-7 in 2024 before climbing to 10-4 and winning a conference title last year.

Taylor is well-regarded in coaching circles for having other credentials as a former top Notre Dame assistant and Louisville offensive coordinator.

It seems more a matter of when—not if—Taylor gets a prominent offer.

Now in his 14th season at the helm, Dave Doeren has turned North Carolina State into a tremendously steady program. Over the last decade, the Wolfpack have produced seven seasons with eight-plus victories.

That's no small accomplishment. You could do a lot worse—even if the trade-off is that NC State has never been a national championship-caliber team.

But at what point does the school want more? Does it?

Right now, there are sour feelings. The way NC State lost to Vanderbilt—an absolutely shocking last-second fumble in the end zone—has cranked up the heat. The Pack already had a horrible 34-8 loss to Virginia in Week 0. An upcoming clash with Louisville may result in a third setback.

Soon enough, Doeren's proverbial stock could be awfully low. NC State's results in a favorable second half will likely determine if he's back for Year 15.

Tre Lamb spent 12 years in the FCS ranks, holding assistant roles at his alma mater Tennessee Tech (twice) and Mercer. He took Gardner-Webb to the FCS Playoffs in 2022 and 2023, then helped East Tennessee State improve from 3-8 to a 7-5 mark during his lone season there.

Tulsa scooped up Lamb in 2025. So far, pretty good.

While his 7-8 overall record isn't flashy, Lamb has led the Golden Hurricane to two victories over Big 12 foe Oklahoma State. They are 3-0 to begin 2026 and look capable of competing in the American.

Lamb is a prime example of the need to reinforce the developing hype. Interest will drop if Tulsa becomes a non-factor in conference play.

Between his winning history and some notable upsets, however, Lamb is squarely on the early promotion radar.

Ranking the Most NFL Pro-Ready College Football Athletes 🔢

Latest College Football Odds and Picks Factoring in New Weather Forecasts for Week 4 Schedule

In the school's desperation to make the football team competitive again, it was logical to take a retread risk on Greg Schiano.

After all, he previously spent 11 years as the head coach. Rutgers was a disaster when he first arrived in 2001, but the Scarlet Knights had a memorable 11-2 campaign in 2006 and finished 8-5 or 9-4 in four of the next five seasons.

Schiano departed for the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012, which led to a steady decline for Rutgers. He returned in 2020—once again to a nightmare situation—and brought the Scarlet Knights out of the Big Ten cellar. They registered seven-win seasons in both 2023 and 2024.

But the arrow is pointing in the wrong direction.

Last season, Rutgers dipped to 5-7 with a 2-7 mark in conference play. This year, nonconference losses to UMass—which hadn't defeated an FBS opponent since 2023—and Boston College have Schiano and the Scarlet Knights at risk of a dud that closes his second term in Piscataway.

The next solution for a power-conference school may be hiding in plain sight.

Look, no hire is a guaranteed winner. Manny Diaz flamed out at Miami, posting a disastrous 21-15 record that included some of the worst losses in program history—both in terms of opponents and aesthetics.

What he's accomplished at Duke, though, must be respected. Diaz has overseen a pair of nine-win seasons, including an ACC title in 2025. He is currently off to a 3-0 start.

Most impressively, the Blue Devils are succeeding despite a small pool of available money. According to The Athletic , Duke's NIL budget is in the second-lowest range for a power-conference school.

Yes, he inherited a program in good condition from Mike Elko. But in today's portal-driven era—look no further than losing quarterback Darian Mensah and top receiver Cooper Barkate to Miami at the buzzer this offseason—Diaz has managed to keep the Blue Devils as a threat in the ACC.

Diaz may again struggle in a place with higher expectations. Still, it's a gamble that a floundering spot might be willing to take.

Mike Norvell's tenure at Florida State can be split into two halves: before and after the Jordan Travis injury.

In November 2023, the Seminoles were unbeaten and surging toward an ACC title and a College Football Playoff appearance. Norvell had resurrected a program that stumbled to the conclusion of the Jimbo Fisher era and failed to improve in Willie Taggart's two seasons.

After an egregious—even if explainable—CFP snub following Travis' leg injury, the 'Noles imploded. They plummeted to 2-10 in 2024. They stunned Alabama to open 2025, then quickly collapsed and finished the season 5-7.

This season, FSU is 1-2. Prior to blowing a 15-point lead against Bama, the 'Noles lost to SMU—a game in which the Doak Campbell Stadium lights went out.

Sometimes, the metaphors write themselves.

Norvell's buyout, which is around $50 million depending on the exact timing of a dismissal, should be prohibitive. If FSU flops in a tough October run of Virginia, Louisville, rival Miami and Clemson, a change will be inevitable.