2025 Week 6 Coaches Inc. Highlights

There was no bigger CFB story from the weekend than UCLA getting its first win of the season over #7 Penn State, and the Patriots win on the road at Buffalo was the talk of the NFL. Pitt got its first P4 win in almost a full calendar year and San Diego State looks like a contender for the Mountain West in Year Two of the Sean Lewis regime. Texas Tech and Justin Johnson (X, email) joined our guys at Oregon and Alabama in the Top 10 while Lehigh and Tennessee Tech each had convincing wins to remain undefeated - earing both a spot in the FCS Top 10 in both polls. Memphis assistants Lee Marks  and Larry Smith won again to get to 6-0 and became our first clients to get bowl-eligible this year.

New England hired a completely new coaching staff this offseason including Assistant OL Coach Jason Houghtaling “Hoss” and Offensive Assistant Chuckie Keeton. Hoss arrived from the Bears while Chuckie moved over from the Seahawks, and this team is starting to show signs of being special. No game this season has been more impressive than when the Pats took down the previously undefeated Buffalo Bills in primetime on Sunday night with a 52-yard game-winning FG. Second-year QB Drake Maye connected with former Bills WR Stefon Diggs 10 times for 146 yards and rookie LT Will Campbell dominated All-Pro Joey Bosa who had no sacks, QB hits, or pressures. Buffalo is considered a Super Bowl contender and, after Sunday night’s win, the Patriots now have people talking about their playoff chances.

Lindsay Lamar is in his second season coaching RBs at Pitt after spending four years in DC at Howard. Bison HC Larry Scott hired him as WRs Coach and then promoted Lindsay to Offensive Coordinator for the 2023 season - the year the Bison were crowned MEAC Champions for the first time in thirty years and appeared in the Celebration Bowl for the first time ever. His time at Pitt has been one of streaks and on Saturday he and the Panthers hopefully began a new one.

Last year, Lindsay coached FCS-transfer RB Desmond Reid to an All-American season as Pitt finished the year 7-6. However, Pitt started the year with seven wins and finished the year with six losses. Going into Saturday’s contest against Boston College, the Panthers sat at 2-2 but had not yet beaten a P4 opponent in 2025 - extending their P4 losing streak to seven games. Playing without Reid, who has not returned since a 1st quarter injury in the West Virginia game, and starting true freshman QB Mason Heintschel, the Panthers put up 503 yards of total offense and cruised to a 48-7 win over BC. Without Reid, Pitt played with redshirt freshman Juelz Goff and true freshman Ja’Kyrian Turner at RB and both reached paydirt, had two catches each, and combined for 126 yards on the ground. The youth movement was successful on Saturday and the Panthers will travel to Tallahassee this weekend to face Florida State in hopes of creating another winning streak.

UCLA’s coaching staff has had more than its share of changes over the past year. Safeties Coach Gabe Lynn arrived from Colorado and RBs Coach AJ Steward headed to LA from Kansas at the end of the 2024 season, joining multiple new assistants on a revamped 2025 staff. After an 0-4 start this year, UCLA parted ways with its Head Coach and both coordinators before hosting #7-ranked Penn State on Saturday. Somehow, someway the Bruins stayed focused throughout the turmoil off the field to pull off the biggest upset of the year with a 42-37 win in a game they never trailed.

Saturday marked the first time since 2010 that UCLA beat a Top 10 team and the Bruins joined just a handful of previously winless teams to knock off a Top 10 program in college football history. Transfer QB Nico Iamaleava starred for the Bruins as he accounted for all five TDs. UCLA totaled 269 rushing yards and it was DB Scooter Jackson who made the biggest play of the game with his TFL as Penn State was trying to take the lead in the final minutes. This year has been a whirlwind for Gabe, AJ and the UCLA program off the field making Saturday’s victory that much sweeter.

FAU’s Defensive Tackles Coach Devin Santana began his collegiate playing career at FAU and is in his debut season coaching for the Owls this year as part of a brand new staff in Boca Raton. He spent last year as the Assistant DL Coach for the Miami Hurricanes so he didn’t have to go far for his new coaching gig.

Rice also has a new staff this year and boasted a 3-2 record before Saturday behind a run-first option offense. The FAU defense showed up ready and recorded eight TFLs while the offense hit some explosive plays to lead to scores. They held the Rice Owls under their season average in rushing and gave up only 12 completions in the passing game. The win was the first conference win for the new staff and the FAU Owls will host UAB on Saturday looking for their second.  

Sand Diego State improved to 4-1 on the season after putting up 540 yards of total offense and scoring 45 points in the Aztecs’ Mountain West opener against Colorado State on Saturday. Passing Game Coordinator/WRs Coach Lanear Sampson oversaw an extremely efficient outing as QB Jayden Denegal completed 13 of his 16 attempts for 256 yards and two TDs. Sophomore WR Jordan Napier hauled in seven catches for 153 yards and a TD in his best collegiate performance and the Aztecs have now surpassed their win total from 2024, the first season this staff worked together.

East Texas A&M put together a complete performance for a lopsided 40-10 win over Northwestern State to move to 1-0 in Southland Conference play. Special Teams Coordinator/RBs Coach Tony McClain, WRs/Passing Game Coordinator Chase Paramore, and Defensive Coordinator/LBs Coach Jack Tyler all contributed to the win. Their balanced offense amassed 532 total yards with 271 through the air and 261 on the ground. The RBs had four TDs and K Ozlo Rigby converted two FGs, including a season long 47-yarder. QB Ron Peace was 14-19 with a TD and the defense held NSU to just 190 yards of total offense and recorded 10 TFLs.

Hampton Defensive Pass Game Coordinator/Safeties Coach Le’Marcus Gibson has had his work cutout for him this season. The Pirates lost their top seven defensive linemen after the 2024 season and have not yet been able to replicate their production up front from a year ago - when they boasted the top defense in the CAA. To add to the stress of a struggling defensive line, the Pirates hosted first-year Norfolk State HC Michael Vick, arguably the biggest football celebrity from the region, on Saturday in the Battle of the Bay rivalry game. Fortunately for the Pirates, the team played its best game of the season and erased a 21-10 deficit to hold on for a 41-34 win.