Ball State became the seventh FBS head coaching vacancy to come open during the 2024-25 carousel cycle after it fired longtime coach Mike Neu on Saturday morning. Neu was 40-63 during nine years in Muncie, which included a 2020 Mid-American Conference championship, No. 23 finish in the AP Top 25 and postseason win in the Arizona Bowl.
That 7-1 mark in 2020 was Ball State’s only winning season in Neu’s tenure. The Cardinals are 3-7 through 10 games in 2024. Neu was making in the $700,000 range.
All seven openings (as of Nov. 16) are Group of Five jobs.
Head coach vacancies, 2024-25
| School | Status | Conference | Expected Salary Range |
| Ball State | Open (Fired Mike Neu) | Mid-American Conference | ~$700,000 |
| 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 |
Like about every job in the MAC with the exception of Toledo, Ball State is going to be regarded as a difficult place to win in the fabric of the Group of Five and is not going to command high-level interest from prospective candidates. It has four seasons over .500 since the turn of the century. Brady Hoke went 12-2 with the Cardinals in 2008.
The Cardinals have had six players drafted since 2000.