2026 Week 1 Coaches Inc. Highlights

Week 1 Highlights

Welcome back to football season! This year marks Coaches Inc.’s 20th football season and we thank you for letting us do what we love for so long. We’ve grown a lot since 2006, there are now seven of us on our Coaches Inc. team in addition to our partners at 3XL Sports. We have had the privilege of working with over 1,000 coaches in 17 different sports, and should eclipse $1 billion in contracts negotiated next year. Currently, Coaches Inc. represents 380 coaches and executives across 14 sports. 175 of those clients are head coaches/GMs and out of those 175, 144 are D1/pro with 45 at the P4/pro level. Thanks for the opportunity to work with you and helping us build something special together here at Coaches Inc.!

Now for the football part. Each week of the season we will update you on the latest happenings in the football world/job cycle and highlight some of the impressive on-field accomplishments of our football clients. It’s a way for you to keep up with the seasons of other members of our football family and also an opportunity for you to reach out directly to coaches in our group you may not have met yet. Each recap will feature links to our clients’ email and X accounts for a convenient way for you to connect. And remember, we do our best to make sure everyone is included at least once during the season so don’t be discouraged if you aren’t mentioned in a particular week – it’s just part of our process.

This week’s edition features a nail-biter victory for our guys on the new Auburn staff in the AFLAC Kickoff game, a triple-OT FCS-over-FBS win for our guys at The Citadel, the Week 0 heroes at William and Mary who kept it rolling in Week 1, and some other firsts, records set, and dominant performances.

On the coaching carousel front, we have our first FCS head coach opening as Gardner-Webb fired HC Kris McCullough after just one game. Also, NFL regular season action starts tomorrow night so good luck to our guys Jason Houghtaling and Chuckie Keeton of the Patriots in their Super Bowl rematch against the Seahawks in primetime.

Auburn edges Baylor in new staff’s debut

Auburn opened a new era with a dramatic 17-16 victory over Baylor in the Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon. Director of Advance Scouting Ephi Levy and DPP/Scouting Alex Fagan followed HC Alex Golesh to the Plains after a successful run at South Florida. TEs coach Larry Scott made the tough decision to leave Howard University, where he won two MEAC championships and led the Bison to their first Celebration Bowl appearance as Head Coach, to join this staff where he gets to work alongside his son. Larry helped the Tigers find just enough offense late in Saturday’s game, as QB Byrum Brown delivered the decisive 11-yard touchdown run in the final minutes. TE Jake Johnson chipped in with 2 catches for 10 yards to move the chains on the final touchdown drive, and the TE group had 4 catches overall. In dramatic fashion, Auburn’s defense closed it out with a game-saving goal-line stop on the last play of the game.

The Tigers built a 10-0 lead behind a physical offensive effort and a defense that forced two first-half turnovers. Auburn’s defense continued to make big plays late, and Eric Winters finished with 11 tackles, including two tackles for loss, plus the final stop at the goal line to preserve the one-point win. It marked Auburn’s first one-point victory since the 2010 Iron Bowl and was a memorable start to a new season in a new place for our guys on the Tigers staff.

UCLA runs past Cal in HC Bob Chesney’s debut

UCLA is another team with a new head coach and staff who led the Bruins to 45-24 road win over Cal in their season opener, finishing strong with a 21-point fourth quarter. RBs coach AJ Steward and Safeties coach Gabe Lynn arrived in Westwood last season and both coaches were retained by the new head man. On Saturday, AJ helped oversee a dominant ground effort that racked up 277 rushing yards and five TDs. Wayne Knight scored three TDs and Anthony Woods added two more on the ground. Knight finished with two of his scores in the final 15 minutes, while Woods racked up 118 yards on just eight carries.

UCLA’s defense, with Gabe’s unit making key plays, came up with two interceptions from Ta’Shawn James plus a sack from Derrick Barksdale. James’ back-to-back picks helped swing momentum late as UCLA pulled away for its first win under head coach Bob Chesney. It’s rare for an assistant to be retained by a new head coach, but AJ and Gabe proved Coach Chesney made a good decision to keep them in UCLA blue and gold.

MTSU scores most points of HC Derek Mason’s tenure in weather-shortened rout of Murray State

Middle Tennessee opened the 2026 season with a 38-14 win over Murray State, the highest point total of the Derek Mason era. OL coach Christopher Browne arrived in Murfreesboro after spending last season with Arkansas as Assistant OL coach. In his first game with MTSU, his group helped set the tone up front as the Blue Raiders controlled the game on the ground and in protection, with QB Roman Gagliano delivering a strong all-around performance. In his fourth career start, Gagliano threw two touchdown passes and added a rushing score while completing 76.9% of his passes.

Cam’ron Lacy turned in a career night with eight catches for 118 yards and a touchdown, while Neo Clifton scored his first collegiate touchdown in his debut. Antonio Martin Jr. added 103 rushing yards in his first start at running back, and Terrence Brown chipped in 66 yards and a score. What makes these offensive numbers even more impressive is that the game was called with 11:01 remaining in the fourth quarter after multiple severe weather delays.

Nevada stifles Western Kentucky’s offense in season opener

Nevada opened the season with a convincing 49-14 win over Western Kentucky, backed by a dominant ground game and a defense that forced two turnovers. PGC/Secondary coach Joey Thomas’s unit helped deliver the kind of disruptive effort that helped the Wolf Pack jump out to a 14-0 lead and never look back. For the game, Nevada’s defense limited WKU QB Rodney Tisdale Jr. to 203 passing yards, a QBR of just 53, and fewer than six yards per completion. Nevada DBs Zion Jones and Tajean Stallworth each forced and recovered a fumble in the win.

Joey’s group has consistently performed at a high level since his arrival in Reno in 2024, but the Wolf Pack’s explosive offensive performance Saturday night was a welcome sight and could mean big things are in store for this year’s squad.

Sacramento State gets first W as FBS team

Sacramento State delivered a statement win in its first FBS-era victory, and first win for the new staff, shutting out Mississippi Valley State 52-0 in front of a record home-opening crowd. Special Teams Coordinator Milo Austin’s unit made an immediate impact with a blocked punt, its second of the year, that set up the Hornets’ first TD and later recovered an onside kick, while PGC/Safeties coach Brandon Blackmon’s group helped anchor a defense that limited MVSU to 147 total yards and just 43 passing yards. Milo spent the last few seasons at Elon and Brandon was the Defensive Coordinator at Delaware State last year, helping the DSU Hornets increase their win total by seven games from the previous season in his only year there. Sacramento State scored in all four quarters and turned in a dominant all-around performance to improve to 1-1.

The Citadel stuns Charlotte in triple-overtime thriller

The Citadel pulled off a rare FCS over FBS upset win at Charlotte on Saturday night, prevailing 43-41 in a triple-overtime instant classic. Offensive Coordinator Lamar Owens helped guide an offense that leaned on a physical ground attack, while Special Teams Coordinator Tony Coaxum’s unit delivered key hidden-yardage moments in a game that came down to the wire. RB Gavin Garcia was the standout, rushing for 137 yards and three touchdowns, while backup QB Nick Billoups gave the Bulldogs a second-half spark and finished with 38 rushing yards and two scores. The Citadel ran for 268 yards and six total touchdowns, and Billoups and starter Quentin Hayes combined to go 9-for-13 through the air for 132 yards. On special teams, Braylon Knauth’s 49-yard punt return late in the third quarter nearly went for a touchdown and set up a critical scoring opportunity. The win marked The Citadel’s first FBS victory since 2019 and moved the Bulldogs to 2-0 all-time against Charlotte.

No. 15 Mercer steamrolls Presbyterian

No. 15 Mercer improved to 2-0 with a 62-3 rout of Presbyterian, piling up 600 yards of total offense while Mercer’s defense held Presbyterian to just 3 points and 321 total yards. Mercer is yet another team with a new staff this year, including Safeties coach Cal King who made the move after one year at Samford preceded by five years at Georgia Southern. The Bears’ offense was explosive from the start, and Cal’s defensive backs kept the Blue Hose in check - limiting them to their fewest points in nearly four years. This new Mercer staff is picking up where the old one left off, and currently sit at 2-0 and ranked in the FCS Top 20.

Prairie View A&M cruises past rival Texas Southern in Labor Day Classic

Prairie View A&M rolled to a 52-14 win over Texas Southern in the 2026 Labor Day Classic, with Offensive Coordinator Chris Buckner’s attack producing five different TD scorers in an explosive day. QB Tevin Carter led the way, throwing for 217 yards and four TDs without an interception while also adding a rushing score. Chase Bingmon was a two-way weapon, scoring twice and totaling 119 all-purpose yards, while the Panthers piled up 398 yards of offense and never trailed after the opening quarter.

Prairie View A&M scored first and kept pouring it on, including a 28-point third quarter. Travon Jones also found the end zone twice, and Rodny Ojo contributed 68 receiving yards. Chris came to Prairie View A&M last season and helped them reach the Celebration Bowl. With this win and Week O’s hard-fought loss at Tarleton State, his 2026 group looks poised to compete for another SWAC championship and return to Atlanta.

William & Mary uses defense and special teams to hold off Delaware State

William & Mary opened its home slate with a 22-15 win over Delaware State, leaning on a dominant defensive effort and strong special teams play under Head Coach Mike London and Special Teams Coordinator/OLBs coach Darryl Blackstock. The Tribe forced six turnovers, blocked a punt, and got three field goals from Max Lipinski, including a career-long 51-yarder, to improve to 2-0 on the season.

Andrew King scored two first-quarter touchdowns and finished with a team-high 73 rushing yards, while Khylil Johnson led the receiving game with 83 yards. On defense, Trevon Cannon, Xavier Dillard and David Roulley each had interceptions, with Dillard returning his pick 67 yards. Nathaniel McDonald added two sacks and a forced fumble, and Harrison Johnson posted a game-high 11 tackles as W&M held off a late Delaware State rally.

However, Saturday’s game isn’t the only one this season in which the Tribe excelled. In Week 0, they pulled off an incredible comeback at #7 Villanova, erasing a 10-point deficit in the final 53 seconds. In that time, they made a 40-yard FG, recovered an onside kick, scored on a 37-yard TD pass, intercepted Villanova, and converted a game-winning 45-yard FG as time expired.

Both Darryl and Mike are in their eighth season in Williamsburg. Together, they have put together W&M’s best stretch of football seasons in 30 years and Darryl’s special teams units have excelled since his promotion in 2023.

AIC defense locks down Lock Haven for second straight win

American International College improved to 2-0 with a 21-14 win over Lock Haven, as Head Coach Dan Chipka’s team leaned on a relentless defense and timely special teams play. The Yellow Jackets forced four interceptions, including a 56-yard pick-six by Benjamin Antoine, and controlled the game with key stops throughout. Hardley Gilmore delivered the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter with a 72-yard catch, while Daron Bryden threw for 206 yards and Bo Catherwood led the ground game. AIC’s defense closed it out by forcing three more turnovers on downs and another interception, securing the program’s first 2-0 start since 2021.

Dan is in his third season as Head Coach at AIC after arriving as an assistant in 2022. Prior to AIC, he was a decorated high school Head Coach in Toledo, OH.

Quick Hits

Justin Ena, Special Teams Coordinator, BYU - Posted a 100-yard kickoff return TD and averaged over 36 yards per punt return in his debut as STC

Jimmy Beal, RBs, UCF – UCF RBs rushed for 351 yards and 6 TDs

Jason MacDonald, Asst OL/DPP, Navy – Navy offense had 506 rushing yards and 6 TDs

     
Jonathan Wilson, RBs, Rice – Rice RBs rushed for 333 yards and 3 TDs 

Rashard Alston, RGC/RBs, SC State – Bulldogs lead FCS in rushing yards 

Chavarr Warren, RBs, Lehigh – Mountain Hawks are 5th in FCS in rushing yards 

Kevin Magouirk, OC, Clarion – Scored 38 unanswered points in second and third quarters for 443 yards of offense

Bobby Turner, OL, Faulkner – Offense averaged of 5 yards per rush, had 2 rushing TDs, went 5-5 in red zone for 44-0 win