The defining trait of this coaching cycle in college football isn't scope but speed.

Yes, the number of open jobs in the FBS seems to grow by the weekend, with LSU being the latest -- and biggest -- to drop. We've seen early-season and midseason firings before, most recently in 2021, when jobs including USC and LSU were already open at this point in the calendar. The number of power-conference vacancies before Nov. 1 this season, though, is notable.

More than anything, the pace at which the carousel is moving stands out. Consider the Penn State coaching search, only 17 days old. We barely had time to digest the magnitude of James Franklin's firing after 11-plus seasons at PSU -- and a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance in January -- before potential replacement Curt Ci

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