News/Commentary

New FCS Head Coaches In 2022, Part Three

July 23, 2022 by Staff

At last count, there will be 22 new head coaches patrolling the FCS sidelines in 2022. As we reveal them alphabetically by team, here are the last eight.

Team 2021 Coach
(Record)		 2022 Coach Notes
Morgan State
(MEAC)		 Tyrone Wheatley
(2-9)		 Damon Wilson Wheatley was interrupted by the canceled covid year and struggled to improve the program. His team was 2-9 last year after going 3-8 in 2019. Morgan State last won a conference co-championship in 2014 and only has two outright MEAC titles (1971, 1979). Wilson leaves D2 Bowie State where he was 89-45 in 13 seasons with three titles in the CIAA.
New Hampshire
(CAA)		 Sean McDonnell
(3-8)		 Rick Santos McDonnell had taken a 'leave' in 2019 for medical reasons, and returned for the 2020 covid year (0-1). He retired after last year's 3-8 finish. Santos, who served as interim head coach in 2019 and went 6-5, was named as his replacement. Both McDonnell (DB) and Santos (QB) are former UNH players. McDonnell was 157-104 with the Wildcats and made the FCS playoffs every year from 2004-2017 with semifinal round losses in 2013 and 2014.
Prairie View A&M
(SWAC)		 Eric Dooley
(7-5)

 "Bubba" McDowell Dooley resigned to become HC at Southern. The announcement came just two days after a loss to Jackson in the SWAC title game. McDowell was immediately named interim HC and then given the official title in early January. Dooley was a Southern assistant from 1997-2010. He leaves PVAM with a 20-17 career mark.
Presbyterian
(Pioneer)		 Kevin Kelley
(2-9)

 Steve Englehart Kelley, the coach who "never punts", resigned from the Blue Hose at the end of the season to "pursue other football interests". He was 2-9 in his only season at the school after spending 18 years at Pulaski Academy (high school) in Little Rock. Presbyterian won its first two games vs. lower level opponents, then lost 9 straight and his team wound up punting 13 times. Englehart is a former Indiana State QB who was HC at D2 Florida Tech in Melbourne for the duration of its short-lived program (2013-2019) where he was 44-35.
Southern
(SWAC)		 Jason Rollins
(Interim, 4-7)

 Eric Dooley Dooley left Prairie View for this job and becomes the permanent replacement for Dawson Odums who left to take the HC job at Norfolk State after the 2021 spring season. Rollins served as interim HC last season.
Southern Utah
(WAC)		 Demario Warren
(1-10)		 DeLane Fitzgerald Warren and the school mutually agreed to part ways after the 2021 season. His teams were 6-34 in the last 4 seasons after going 15-8 in his first two and advancing to the FCS playoffs in year two. Fitzgerald was 62-19 as HC at D3 Frostburg State from 2014-2021, and was 24-30 at NAIA Southern Virginia before that.
UIW
(WAC)		 Eric Morris
(10-3)		 G.J. Kinne Under Morris, Incarnate Word advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs last year. His teams were 24-18 over 4 seasons. He resigned to take the OC role at Washington State under Jake Dickert who was 3-3 as an interim HC last season before being named official head coach on November 27. Kinne is with his 6th different program in 6 seasons, leaving UCF after one year as OC. He was a star QB at Tulsa from 2009-2011.
Western Illinois
(MVFC)		 Jared Elliott
(2-9)		 Myers Hendrickson Elliot is now the passing game coordinator at Ball State after going 9-31 in 4 seasons as the HC of the Leathernecks. Hendrickson was 31-4 during his 3 seasons as HC at NAIA Kansas Wesleyan with losses in the quarterfinals of the playoffs in 2019 and 2021. He was a special teams player with WIU from 2008-2010.

While most sportsbooks haven't traditionally had college football betting lines for FCS, you may be able to find some at select CFB betting sites. You can use the information above to find which teams have the best chance at winning their conferences.

Also see Part One and Part Two of FCS new Head Coaches in 2022.