2023 Season-Opening Games for New FCS Coaches | The Analyst
Who New FCS Head Coaches Will Debut Against in 2023 Season Openers
FCS

Who New FCS Head Coaches Will Debut Against in 2023 Season Openers

Craig Haley / Author

The start of a new season always brings anticipation, but it probably feels even bigger at the FCS college football teams that will kick off the 2023 campaign with a new head coach and staff.

A whopping 27 programs, or more than 20 percent across the FCS, have undergone a change at the top of their program.

Here’s who each first-year FCS head coach will debut against in his respective team’s 2023 season opener:

Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC) – Alonzo Hampton (Sept. 2 at Tulsa)

Bethune-Cookman (SWAC) – Raymond Woodie Jr. (Sept. 2 at Memphis)

Cal Poly (Big Sky) – Paul Wulff (Sept. 2 vs. San Diego)

Central Connecticut State (Northeast) – Adam Lechtenberg (Sept. 2 vs. American International)

Charleston Southern (Big South) – Gabe Giardina (Aug. 31 vs. North Greenville)

Dayton (Pioneer) – Trevor Andrews (Sept. 2 at Illinois State)

Delaware State (MEAC) – Lee Hull (Sept. 2 vs. Bowie State)

Houston Christian (Southland) – Braxton Harris (Sept. 2 vs. Trinity)

Idaho State (Big Sky) – Cody Hawkins (Sept. 2 at San Diego State)

Jackson State (SWAC) – T.C. Taylor (Aug. 26 vs. South Carolina State in Atlanta)

Lamar (Southland) – Pete Rossomando (Aug. 31 vs. Idaho)

Lehigh (Patriot) – Kevin Cahill (Sept. 2 vs. Villanova)

Mississippi Valley State (SWAC) – Kendrick Wade (Sept. 2 vs. Central State in Chicago)

Missouri State (MVFC) – Ryan Beard (Aug. 31 at Kansas)

North Alabama (ASUN) – Brent Dearmon (Aug. 26 vs. Mercer in Montgomery, Alabama)

North Carolina A&T (CAA in 2023) – Vincent Brown (Aug. 31 at UAB)

Northern Colorado (Big Sky) – Ed Lamb (Sept. 2 at Abilene Christian)

Sacramento State (Big Sky) – Andy Thompson (Sept. 2 at Nicholls)

San Diego (Pioneer) – New coach TBA (Sept. 2 at Cal Poly)

South Dakota State (MVFC) – Jimmy Rogers (Sept. 2 vs. Western Oregon)

Texas A&M-Commerce (Southland) – Clint Dolezel (Aug. 31 vs. UC Davis)

The Citadel (Southern) – Maurice Drayton (Sept. 2 at Georgia Southern)

Towson (CAA) – Pete Shinnick (Sept. 2 at Maryland)

UIW (Southland) – Clint Killough (Sept. 2 at UTEP)

VMI (Southern) – Danny Rocco (Sept. 2 vs. Davidson)

Weber State (Big Sky) – Mickey Mental (TBA)

Wofford (Southern) – Shawn Watson (Sept. 2 at Pittsburgh – was interim coach for six games in 2022)