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 head coaches whose break in tenure was due to a temporarily suspended football program for World War I (including the flu pandemic linked to that conflict) or World War II and with no other coach during the break in tenure. It also does not include coaches that left and returned into an administrative capacity in the title of "head coach" but did not coach any games, such as when Tom Osborne temporarily named himself head coach while athletic director for the Nebraska Cornhuskers until Bo Pelini was hired in 2007.

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 Coach School/Team Tenure Notes
Abbott, EliEli Abbott Alabama 1893–1895, 1902
Abraham, A. A.A. A. Abraham Alcorn State 1936, 1938, 1941–1942
Adams, HobbsHobbs Adams Kansas State 1940–1941, 1946
Allen, George E.George E. Allen Maine 1941, 1946–1948
Allen, WilliamWilliam Allen Washington State 1900, 1902
Alvarez, BarryBarry Alvarez Wisconsin 1990–2005, 2012 Alvarez, 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, was the interim coach for Wisconsin's final game of the 2012 season (the 2013 Rose Bowl) after Bret Bielema left to take the head coaching vacancy at Arkansas.
Anderson, Carl "Swede"Carl "Swede" Anderson Western Kentucky 1929, 1934–1937
Anderson, EddieEddie Anderson Holy Cross 1933–1938, 1950–1964 Member 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.
Iowa 1939–1942, 1946–1949
Arbuckle, PhillipPhillip Arbuckle Rice 1912–1917, 1919–1923
Ault, ChrisChris Ault Nevada 1976–1992, 1994–1995, 2004–2012 Stepped down and returned twice during his tenure at Nevada, each time to focus on his (now-relinquished) second role as athletics director. Ault was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002, during his second break in tenure.
D. M. Balliet Purdue 1893–1895, 1901
Laurence Bankart Colgate 1910, 1913–1916
T. L. Bayne Tulane 1893, 1895
Matty Bell Southern Methodist 1935–1941, 1945–1949
John R. Bender Washington State 1906–1907, 1912–1914
Christie Benet South Carolina 1904–1905, 1908–1909
Curt Bennett Sterling 1966–1973, 1980, 1997–2000
Hugo Bezdek Oregon 1906, 1913–1917
Bernie Bierman Minnesota 1932–1941, 1945–1950
Bill Bloss Oregon State 1893, 1897
Branch Bocock Virginia Tech 1909–1910, 1912–1915
William & Mary 1928–1930, 1936–1938
Stanley Borleske North Dakota State 1919–1921, 1923–1924, 1928 Co–head coach with Casey Finnegan in 1928
Jimmy Bradshaw Fresno State 1936–1942, 1946 Fresno State did not play in 1943, but resumed in 1944.
Chester Brewer Michigan State 1903–1910, 1917, 1919 Michigan State played its 1918 season.
Arthur Briggs Missouri State 1912, 1914–1917, 1919–1933 Missouri State, then known as the Fourth District Normal School, played its 1918 season.
Reuben Bronson Idaho State 1915–1916, 1919 Idaho State played in 1917, but not in 1918.
John Brown Alabama State 1943, 1945–1948 Alabama State played in 1944.
Matthew Bullock Massachusetts 1904, 1907–1908
Henry Butova American International 1948, 1952–1955
Perrin Busbee North Carolina State 1892, 1896–1897
Johnny Cain Louisiana-Lafayette 1937–1941, 1946
Walter Camp Stanford 1892, 1894–1895
V. M. Campbell Memphis 1917, 1919 Memphis, then the West Tennessee Normal School, played in 1918.
Jack Cannell Dartmouth 1921–1922, 1929–1933
Gilbert Carson Eastern Illinois 1936–1937, 1939–1941
Bill Church Georgetown 1899, 1901
George Clark Nebraska 1945, 1948
Louis Clark Dayton 1913, 1917–1918
Tom Clark Catholic 1994–2000, 2004–2005
Dean Cromwell Southern California 1909–1910, 1916–1918
H. P. Cross Stanford 1896, 1898
Mark Dean Indiana State 1951–1954, 1956
James DeHart Washington & Lee 1922–1925, 1931–1932
Hugh Devore Notre Dame 1945, 1963
Marvin D. Dickinson Georgia 1903, 1905
Chet Dillon Samford 1919, 1927–1928
Jacksonville State 1938–1939, 1945
Mike Donahue Auburn 1904–1906, 1908–1922
Charles Dudley Daly Army 1913–1916, 1919–1922
Moon Ducote Spring Hill 1919, 1921–1922, 1933–1934
E. C. Duggins Appalachian State 1947–1950, 1952–1955
John Dunlop Boston College 1897–1899, 1901
Ron Dupree Kansas Wesleyan 1979–1980, 1996
Schubert R. Dyche Montana State 1928–1935, 1938–1941
Thomas Eck Massachusetts 1945, 1947–1951
George R. Edwards Kansas Wesleyan 1914, 1917
Harry Ely Fordham 1892, 1903
Rex Enright South Carolina 1938–1942, 1946–1955
Dennis Erickson Idaho 1982–1985, 2006 21 years between coaching periods
Jack Faber Maryland 1935, 1940–1941
Dave Fagg Davidson 1970–1973, 1990–1992
Don Fambrough Kansas 1971–1974, 1979–1982
Wells Farley Maine 1901, 1903
Don Faurot Missouri 1935–1942, 1946–1956
Doug Fessenden Montana 1935–1941, 1946–1948
Fred Folsom Colorado 1895–1899, 1901–1902, 1908–1915
Ted Forbes UC Davis 1949–1953, 1955
Dixon Foster South Carolina 1917, 1919
Red Floyd Middle Tennessee 1917, 1935–1938
Dennis Franchione Texas State 1990–91, 2011–present 20 years between coaching periods
J. A. Gammons Brown 1902, 1908–1909
Mike Gardner Tabor 2004–2005, 2010–present
Frank Gargan Fordham 1916, 1922–1926
Rufus Gilbert Kalamazoo 1905, 1907–1908
Graham, OttoOtto Graham Coast Guard 1959–1965, 1974–1975
Ralph Graham Wichita State 1942, 1946–1947
Ernest Graves, Sr. Army 1906, 1912
James Griffin Sr. Hampton 1941–1942, 1947–1948
John G. Griffith Idaho 1902–1906, 1910–1914
Tom Hamilton Navy 1934–1936, 1946–1947
Pittsburgh 1951, 1954
A. G. Harbaugh Montana State 1901, 1905
Jack Harding Miami (Fla.) 1937–1942, 1945–1947
Walter Hargesheirner Massachusetts 1941–1942, 1946
Harvey Harman Rutgers 1938–1941, 1946–1955
Lyle W. Hare Black Hills State 1906, 1911–1919
L. Harris Alcorn State 1937, 1939–1940
Dick Harlow Harvard 1935–1942, 1945–1947
Harry Hartsell North Carolina State 1917, 1921–1923
Fred Hess Wyoming 1892, 1894, 1898 Hess was co–head coach with Justus Soule in 1894.
Nick E. Hinch Eastern Washington 1908, 1912
Tony Hinkle Butler 1926, 1935–1941, 1946–1969
Bill Hollenback Penn State 1909, 1911–1914
George Hoskins Bucknell 1899–1906, 1909
Henry B. Hucles Virginia Union 1919–1920, 1926–1942
Harry W. Hughes Colorado State 1911–1941, 1946
Claude J. Hunt Washington 1917, 1919 Washington played in 1918.
John Hunthausen Carroll College 1957, 1959–1961
Edward Jackson Delaware State 1933–1936, 1939, 1941–1942, 1945, 1953–1956
A. R. Kennedy Washburn 1903, 1916–1917
William C. Kenyon Maine 1942, 1944–1945
Bill Kern West Virginia 1940–1942, 1946–1947
Eddie Kimball Brigham Young 1937–1941, 1946–1948
Philip King Wisconsin 1896–1902, 1905
James Kitts Virginia Tech 1941, 1946–1947
Harl Lahar Colgate 1952–1956, 1962–1967
Charles Lantz Eastern Illinois 1911–1934, 1944 No season in 1918.
Frank Leahy Notre Dame 1941–1943, 1946–1953
John Lee Fordham 1891, 1893
George Little Miami (Ohio) 1916, 1919–1921
Will Lotter California-Davis 1954, 1956–1957, 1959–1963
Johnny Majors Pittsburgh 1973–1976, 1993–1996 Won a national title at Pittsburgh in his first tenure
Oliver Mann Rutgers 1903, 1905
Wally Marks Indiana State 1927–1930, 1933–1941, 1946–1948
Charles Mayser Franklin & Marshall 1919–1914
1924–1925
1944–1945
William McAvoy Delaware 1908–1916, 1922–1924
Sam P. McBirney Tulsa 1908, 1914–1916
Dan McCann Duquesne 1970–1983, 1988–1992
Jack McClairen Bethune-Cookman 1961–1972, 1994–1997
Sam McCorkle Livingston/West Alabama 1985–1990, 2004–2005
Dan McGugin Vanderbilt 1904–1917, 1919–1934
Tuss McLaughry Dartmouth 1941–1942, 1945–1954
Westminster College 1915–1916, 1918, 1921 Co–head coach with Park in 1915
Jack McKay Butler 1907–1908, 1910
Dennis Michie Army 1890, 1892
John O. Miller New Mexico State 1899, 1901–1907
Alfred Miles Middle Tennessee 1913–1916, 1919–1923
T. R. Mobley Louisiana-Lafayette 1916, 1919, 1921–1930
Jim Moore Murray State 1941, 1946–1947
Edward Morrison Howard 1920–1924, 1928
Ray Morrison Southern Methodist 1915–1916, 1924–1934
Vanderbilt 1918, 1935–1939
David C. Morrow Washington & Jefferson 1908–11, 1919–20, 1924–25
Moon Mullins Saint Ambrose 1940, 1947–1950
Frank Murray Marquette 1922–1936, 1946–1949
Denny Myers Boston College 1941–1942, 1946–1950
Howdy Myers Johns Hopkins 1946–1949, 1979 Myers had a 30–year break in tenure at Johns Hopkins
Nielson, BobBob Nielson Minnesota–Duluth 1999–2003, 2008–2012
Robert Neyland Tennessee 1926–1934, 1936–1940, 1946–1952 Interrupted his coaching twice to serve in the U.S. Army
Ralph Nichols Washington 1895–1896, 1898
Harvey O'Brien The Citadel 1916–1918, 1920–1921
Maynard O'Brien Eastern Illinois 1946–1950, 1952–1955
Howie O'Daniels Cal Poly 1933–1941, 1946–1947
Frank "Buck" O'Neill Colgate 1902, 1904–1905
Syracuse 1906–1907, 1913–1915, 1917–1919
Tex Oliver Oregon 1938–1941, 1945–1946
Wallace Parker Central Michigan 1921–1923, 1926–1928
Willie Parker Alabama State 1973–1975, 1984, 1986
Mike Pecarovich Loyola Marymount 1928, 1939
Bo Pelini Nebraska 2003, 2008–present Pelini coached the final game (the Alamo Bowl) of the 2003 season after Frank Solich was fired.
Marty Peters Benedictine 1937–1941, 1946–1947
Alvin Pierson Fresno State 1945, 1949
Boozer Pitts Auburn 1923–1924, 1927
Frank Potts Colorado 1940, 1944–1945
Irving Pray Louisiana State 1916, 1919, 1922
Percy S. Prince Louisiana Tech 1909–1915, 1919
Eddie Reed Loyola (LA) 1926, 1935–1936
Red Reese Eastern Washington 1930–1941, 1946
William Reid Harvard 1901, 1905–1906
John Richards Wisconsin 1911, 1917, 1919–1922
Walter Riggs Clemson 1896, 1899
Mike Riley Oregon State 1997–1998, 2003–present Returned to Oregon State after coaching in the NFL
Eddie "Robbie" Robinson Brown 1898–1901, 1904–1907, 1910–1925
John Robinson Southern California 1976–1982, 1993–1997 Won a national title in his first tenure
Merton Robinson Howard 1908, 1918–1919
Harry Rockafeller Rutgers 1927–1930, 1942–1945
Ira Rodgers West Virginia 1925–1930, 1943–1945
George Rogers The Citadel 1913–1915, 1919
Bill Roper Princeton 1906-1908, 1910-1911, 1919-1930 Three undefeated seasons and four national championships at Princeton
Frederick Bushnell "Jack" Ryder Ohio State 1892–1895, 1898
Elton Rynearson Eastern Michigan ("Michigan State Normal College" at the time) 1917, 1919–1920, 1925–1948 No season in 1944. He is considered the most successful coach in the program, leading the team to several undefeated seasons.


Henry Russell Sanders Vanderbilt 1940–1942, 1946–1948
Don Salls Jacksonville State 1946–1952, 1954–1964
Herb Schmalenberger California–Davis 1958, 1964–1969
Clark Shaughnessy Maryland 1942, 1946
Tulane 1915–1920, 1922–1926
Clarence A. Short Delaware 1902, 1906
Fred Smith Fordham 1901, 1904, 1906–1907 Smith was co–head coach with Maurice McCarthy in 1901.
Warren W. Smith Oregon 1901, 1903
Carl Snavely North Carolina 1934–1935, 1945–1952
Norm Snead Apprentice 1977–1984, 1988–1989
Bill Snyder Kansas State 1989–2005, 2009–present
Frank Spaziani Boston College 2006, 2009–2012 Spaziani coached the final game (the Meineke Car Care Bowl) of the 2006 season after Tom O'Brien left.
J. W. Stephenson Jacksonville State 1920–1921, 1929–1930
Roy Stewart Murray State 1932–1940, 1942–1945 No season in 1943.
Tony Storti Montana State 1952–1953, 1956–1957
Arthur Strum Indiana State 1923–1926, 1932, 1942
Fred Sullivan Ohio 1899, 1903
Jim Sweeney Fresno State 1976–1977, 1980–1996
Charles Tambling Central Michigan 1902–1905, 1918
Jim Tatum North Carolina 1942, 1956–1958
Buddy Teevens Dartmouth 1987–1991, 2005–present
Jesse Thomas Western Kentucky 1933, 1946–1947
Mike Toop Davidson 2001–2004, 2008
Merchant Marine 2005–2007, 2009–present
Thomas Trenchard North Carolina 1895, 1913–1915
Washington & Lee 1899, 1902
Otto D. Unruh Bethel Threshers 1919–1942, 1967–1969 25 years and nine other head coaches held the post between times of service, including his son David Unruh
Johnny Vaught Mississippi 1947–1970, 1973
Wallace Wade Duke 1931–1941, 1946–1950
Bill Walsh Stanford 1977–1978, 1992–1994
W. Rice Warren Virginia 1913, 1920–1921
Glenn Scobey "Pop" Warner Cornell 1897–1898, 1904–1906
Carlisle 1899–1903, 1907–1914
Bob Williams Clemson 1906, 1909, 1913–1915
C. H. Williams Hampton 1914–1917, 1919–1920
Jimmy Wilson Buffalo 1932–1933, 1950–1951
Edgar Wingard Susquehanna 1916–1917, 1919, 1924–1925
Frank N. Wolf Waynesburg 1921–1922, 1928–1941
James J. Yeager Colorado 1941–1943, 1946–1947
Louis Yeager West Virginia 1899, 1901–1902
Donzell Young Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1973–1975, 1984–1986
Fielding H. Yost Michigan 1901–1923, 1925–1926
Don Young Black Hills State 1948–1950, 1953–1958, 1967

Famous quotes containing the words list of, list, college, football, head, coaches and/or tenure:

    “Thirty—the promise of a decade of loneliness, a thinning list of single men to know, a thinning brief-case of enthusiasm, thinning hair.”
    —F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940)

    “Feminism is an entire world view or gestalt, not just a laundry list of women’s issues.”
    —Charlotte Bunch (b. 1944)

    “A college of wit-crackers cannot flout me out of my humor. Dost thou think I care for a satire or an epigram?”
    —William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

    “...I’m not money hungry.... People who are rich want to be richer, but what’s the difference? You can’t take it with you. The toys get different, that’s all. The rich guys buy a football team, the poor guys buy a football. It’s all relative.”
    —Martina Navratilova (b. 1956)

    “Your head so much concerned with outer,
    Mine with inner, weather.”
    —Robert Frost (1874–1963)

    “The real persuaders are our appetites, our fears and above all our vanity. The skillful propagandist stirs and coaches these internal persuaders.”
    —Eric Hoffer (1902–1983)

    “It might be seen by what tenure men held the earth. The smallest stream is mediterranean sea, a smaller ocean creek within the land, where men may steer by their farm bounds and cottage lights. For my own part, but for the geographers, I should hardly have known how large a portion of our globe is water, my life has chiefly passed within so deep a cove. Yet I have sometimes ventured as far as to the mouth of my Snug Harbor.”
    —Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)