Brian Bohannon is out as head coach at Kennsaw State, sources tell CBS Sports. Bohannon was the first and only head coach in the program’s history and brought the program up from the FCS level. In its inaugural season in FBS, the Owls are 1-8. Bohannon’s final game was an overtime loss to UTEP on Nov. 9.
On3 was first to report Bohannon’s firing.
This move is not a surprise as Bohannon’s seat has been one of the hottest in college football despite the fact that the program got a massive win over Liberty just a few weeks ago.
A source told CBS Sports that Bohannon had been in the midst of ongoing contract negotiations to rework his deal with compensation befitting an FBS head coach. Bohannon’s salary was under $400,000 and is less than many position coaches make at Power Four schools. His most recent contract extension came in 2022 months before the transition to FBS was announced, and the deal ran through 2026.
Kennesaw State is the latest Group of Five opening in the 2024-25 coaching carousel. As of yet, there are no Power Four jobs open. Florida plans on retaining embattled coach Billy Napier, it announced.
Head coach vacancies, 2024-25
| School | Status | Conference | Expected Salary Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Carolina | Open (Fired Mike Houston) | American Athletic | $2-3 million |
| Fresno State | Interim Coach | Mountain West | $1-2 million |
| Kennesaw State | Open (Fired Brian Bohannon) | Conference USA | ~$500,000 |
| Rice | Open (Fired Mike Bloomgren) | American Athletic | $1 million |
| Southern Miss | Open (Fired Will Hall) | Sun Belt | <$1 million |
| Utah State | Interim Coach | Mountain West | $1-2 million |
Chandler Burks, Bohannon’s first signee at Kennesaw State and the most decorated player in school history as a multi-year starting quarterback, is expected to serve as interim, according to multiple sources.
Kennesaw State is located northwest of Atlanta. It is the newest member of the 134 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
