Coaching carousel spits up loyalty oaths, Lincoln Riley to Jedd Fisch. Keep receipts

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Coaching carousel spits up loyalty oaths, Lincoln Riley to Jedd Fisch. Keep receipts

Blake Toppmeyer, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Thu, Nov 13, 2025 ·

4 min read

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We've reached the most sickening point of the coaching carousel . Here come the loyalty pledges.

From Seattle to Atlanta to Los Angeles and lands in between, coaches are pledging allegiance to their employer. I think I might yack.

Taking first prize is Washington 's Jedd Fisch. In an Oscar-worthy performance , he pretended to be outraged his name has been included on speculative lists of potential candidates for the Florida job.

Texas Tech fans await the start of ESPN's College GameDay pregame show, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium.
(Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal)

Fans cheer with signs at ESPN "College GameDay" in front of Ayres Hall on the University of Tennessee at Knoxville campus Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, before the No. 15 Tennessee Volunteers host the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs.
(Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel)

Lexi von der Lieth and Peyton Patel turned out for College Gameday at Vanderbilt's Wyatt Lawn in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025.
(Rachel Wegner / The Tennessean)

Derek Evetts is picking sides at College Gameday at Vanderbilt's Wyatt Lawn in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025.
(Rachel Wegner / The Tennessean)

Fans cheer with signs during ESPN "College GameDay" at Wyatt Lawn on the campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025 before Vanderbilt hosts Missouri.
(Camden Hall / For The Tennessean)

The Duck gets up to his antics during ESPN’s “College GameDay” on the campus of the University of Oregon on Oct. 11, 2025, in Eugene, Oregon.
(Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard)

Signs during ESPN’s “College GameDay” on the campus of the University of Oregon on Oct. 11, 2025, in Eugene, Oregon.
(Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard)

Fans wave signs during ESPN’s “College GameDay” on the campus of the University of Oregon on Oct. 11, 2025, in Eugene, Oregon.
(Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard)

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning sits for an interview during ESPN’s “College GameDay” on the campus of the University of Oregon on Oct. 11, 2025, in Eugene, Oregon.
(Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard)

Oct. 4, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; ESPN’s College GameDay on location on the Quad at the University of Alabama before the Alabama versus Vanderbilt game.
(Gary Cosby Jr., Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News)

Oct. 4, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama fans enjoy ESPN’s College GameDay on location on the Quad at the University of Alabama before the Alabama versus Vanderbilt game.
(Gary Cosby Jr., Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News)

Oct. 4, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama fans hold up signs during ESPN’s College GameDay on location on the Quad at the University of Alabama before the Alabama versus Vanderbilt game.
(Gary Cosby Jr., Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News)

Fans hold signs at ESPN’s “College GameDay” in front of Ayres Hall on University of Tennessee Knoxville’s campus, Saturday, September 13, 2025.
(Wynton Jackson/News Sentinel)

Fans cheer and hold signs at ESPN "College GameDay" in front of Ayres Hall on the University of Tennessee at Knoxville campus Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, before the No. 15 Tennessee Volunteers host the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs.
(Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel)

Former Sooner linebacker Curtis Lofton leaves the stage at ESPN's "College GameDay" ahead of the Oklahoma-Michigan game on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Norman, Oklahoma.
(Steve Sisney/The Oklahoman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Fans arrive early for ESPN's "College GameDay" ahead of the Oklahoma-Michigan game on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Norman, Oklahoma.
(Steve Sisney/The Oklahoman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Fans hold signs in support of Lee Corso on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Fans hold signs on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

"Those lists are made by people who have no idea what's going on, honestly. They don't know what's happening in our program," Fisch said, in a speech made for a politician's stump. "They have no idea how excited I am about the youth in our program. … We love coaching at the University of Washington."

My guy, you just lost 13-10 to woeful Wisconsin , and the Badgers ' leading passer was the punter. So, yeah, you don't need to convince us you're not going to be Florida 's next coach. Your team's last performance told me as much.

B1G greed: Big Ten is letting the wolf in the door and selling its soul. For what?

Buffoons on the bayou: Only a band of idiots could screw up LSU football. About that ...

Those with good memories recall Fisch's previous vows to stay at Arizona .

"I couldn't do that to my wife, Amber. She has made 12 moves with me," Fisch said back then on SiriusXM, when asked about whether he'd maybe leave Arizona.

"I am committed to the kids here," he added. "I want to see this come to fruition."

Fisch put it even more emphatically in 2024 during an appearance on "The Jim Rome Show" while at Arizona: "I have no interest in going anywhere," Fisch said then.

Fisch left Arizona for Washington, shortly after his loyalty pledges. His wife and kids stayed in Arizona , so his teenage daughter didn't have to change schools. Fisch brought along some Arizona players to Washington.

So, when Fisch pledges allegiance to Washington while Florida, his alma mater, is hiring, I say in the Ron Burgundy voice: " I don't believe you ."

I do believe Florida should show restraint from hiring a coach who couldn't beat an opponent that used a punter-led passing attack.

Shane Beamer channeled some Fisch energy earlier this season. Beamer called South Carolina his " dream job " and downplayed the idea of leaving for his alma mater, Virginia Tech , where his dad Frank became a legendary coach.

"I have conveyed publicly many times how much I want to be here," Beamer said.

Is that a promise, or a threat? Beamer's Gamecocks are 3-6, making them one of the season's biggest busts after a preseason No. 13 ranking.

7 years: Tyson Helton has been head coach at Western Kentucky since 2019 with a 55-34 record (.618) and six bowl appearances.
(Helen Comer/The Daily News Journal)

7 years: Chris Klieman has been head coach at Kansas State since 2019 with a 52-33 record (.612) and five bowl appearances.
(Patrick Mulligan, Getty Images)

7 years: Mike Locksley has been head coach at Maryland since 2019 with a 36-40 record (.474), not including his 1-5 stint as interim coach in 2015. He's lead the Terrapins to three bowl games.
(Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images)

8 years: Ryan Day has been head coach at Ohio State since 2018 with a 78-10 record (.886), six postseason berths, including the 2024 national championship.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

9 years: Justin Wilcox has been head coach at Cal since 2017 with a 47-54 record (.465) and four bowl appearances.
(D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images)

9 years: P.J. Fleck has been head coach at Minnesota since 2017 with a 64-42 record (.604) and a 6-0 record in bowl games with the Gophers.
(Matt Krohn-Imagn Images)

10 years: Kelani Sitake has been head coach at BYU since 2016 with an 80-43 record (.650) and seven bowl appearances.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)

10 years: Kirby Smart has been head coach at Georgia since 2016 with a 112-20 record (.848), 10 postseason appearances and back-to-back national championships (2021-22).
(Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union)

10 years: Matt Campbell has been head coach at Iowa State since 2016 with a 69-55 record (.556) and seven bowl appearances.
(David Purdy, Getty Images)

10 years: Jason Candle has been head coach at Toledo since 2016 (he coached the 2015 Boca Raton Bowl) with a 77-44 record (.636) and seven bowl appearances (excluding the 2015 game as interim).
(Jordan Prather, Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)

11 years: Pat Narduzzi has been head coach at Pitt since 2015 with a 79-58 record and seven bowl appearances.
(James Gilbert, Getty Images)

12 years: Jeff Monken has been head coach at Army since 2014 with an 86-61 record (.585) with six bowl appearances.
(Danny Wild-Imagn Images)

12 years: Chris Creighton has been head coach at Eastern Michigan since 2014 with a 59-82 record (.418) and six bowl appearances.
(Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)

12 years: Chuck Martin has been head coach at Miami (Ohio) since 2014 with a 70-71 record (.496) and six bowl appearances.
(Chris Coduto, Getty Images)

13 years: Dave Doeren has been NC State head coach since 2013 with a 115-73 record (.612) and nine bowl appearances.
(Michael Caterina-Imagn Images)

13 years: Mark Stoops has been head coach at Kentucky since 2013 with an 80-78 record (.506) and eight bowl appearances.
(Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)

18 years: Dabo Swinney has been Clemson head coach since 2008 with a 183-52 record (.779), 17 postseason appearances, including 2016 and 2018 national championships.
(Ken Ruinard / Greenville News)

19 years: Troy Calhoun has been Air Force head coach since 2007 with a 137-95 record (.591) with 13 bowl appearances.
(Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images)

22 years: Kyle Whittingham has been Utah's head coach since 2004 and has a 174-88 record (.664) with 17 bowl appearances.
(Ben Queen-Imagn Images)

27 years: Kirk Ferentz has been Iowa's head coach since 1999 with a 210-126 record (.625) and 22 bowl appearances.
(Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen)

While Fisch and Beamer want us to believe they're not feeling an itch to rescue their alma maters, Georgia Tech 's rising star Brent Key sounds ready to take a blood oath for his alma mater.

"Slice me open and see what colors I bleed," said Key, a former Yellow Jackets offensive lineman.

Georgia Tech fans will absolutely love that line. Put it on T-shirts and print them by the thousands.

Maybe, Key is one of the real ones. Hey, you never know. For fans wishing to hedge their bets, keep some lighter fluid on hand for the shirt-burning bonfire if Key breaks his word.

At Southern California, former runaway Lincoln Riley apparently found his resting place .

"You guys know what I sacrificed to be here," Riley said. "I'm where I need to be."

Points for cleverness here. Riley is using the fact he vamoosed from his last job — a really good one — as evidence he won't leave this job, another really good one.

Lane Kiffin , the hottest name in the coaching carousel, has abstained from the loyalty pledges.

His No. 7 Mississippi Rebels will host Florida this weekend in the Kiffin Bowl. Everyone from Steve Spurrier to Gators interim coach Billy Gonzales has endorsed Kiffin's acumen. He remains a top candidate for Florida.

At what point does Kiffin need to decide whether he's staying or leaving?

"I don't know," Kiffin said this week. "I'm not that far down the road."

I finally heard something I can believe.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football coaches make gross loyalty pledges except Lane Kiffin

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