College football is off the rails this season, with head coaches making some wild, game-changing moves through just Week 5. We’re talking mid-game firings, quick benchings, and play-calling duties getting ripped away faster than you can say “touchdown.” It’s a trend unlike anything we’ve seen before, with coaches not giving coordinators time to develop players or even get into game shape. These teams are scrambling for answers, and they’re demanding them immediately.
No Time to Waste in Tempe and Berkeley
The Sun Devils just got absolutely clobbered, losing 55-19 to Baylor, and that was the final straw for Kenny Dillingham. He officially handed offensive play-calling duties back to offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo, a move he announced to reporters on Tuesday. Dillingham wants to refocus on his overall head-coaching duties at Arizona State. Get this, he originally took over play calling from Arroyo *before* December’s bowl game! Outside of a 70-point explosion in Week 1 against Morgan State, the Sun Devils have looked lost offensively against FBS competition. Their last three games? A measly 21 points per game on average, and that 19-point showing against the Bears was their lowest total since last year’s loss to Arizona. They scored less than that in three Big 12 games last season. Something had to give.
Down at Cal, the trend of head coaches pulling play-calling duties hit hard in Week 5. After a super sluggish start against UNLV, Golden Bears head coach Tosh Lupoi literally stripped first-year offensive coordinator Jordan Somerville of play-calling duties *at halftime*. Lupoi made the call to hand things over to pass-game coordinator Pat McCann, and what happened? The Golden Bears nearly mounted a second-half comeback against the Rebels! Led by backup quarterback Jackson Brousseau, the offense exploded for 24 second-half points. Lupoi confirmed during his Tuesday press conference that McCann will absolutely remain the play-caller when they face Virginia Tech. That’s a huge vote of confidence.
Cougars Seek Spark, Rams See Red
Over in Pullman, former Missouri offensive coordinator Kirby Moore took the head coaching job at Washington State. He hasn’t been calling plays through the early part of the season, but that’s changing NOW. Moore announced Tuesday that he’s taking over play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Matt Miller, looking for a spark for a struggling offense. Through the early stretch, the Cougars have been putting up just 287.4 yards, 140.2 passing yards, and 19 points per game. Moore was clear: Miller isn’t fired, he’s still with the team. But something needed to be done to ignite that offense, and Moore’s stepping in.
Then there’s the jaw-dropping situation at Colorado State. Not even halfway through the season, first-year head coach Jim Mora fired defensive coordinator Tyson Summers. The craziest part? He did it in the middle of the Rams’ Week 5 game! Summers didn’t just lose his play-calling duties mid-game, he actually walked off the field entirely. That decision permanently ended his time with the program. Talk about a brutal, immediate exit!
This college football season is proving that coaches are under intense pressure and they aren’t waiting around for answers. The moves are swift, brutal, and totally unprecedented. It makes you wonder which team is going to be next to pull the trigger.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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