Brian Bohannon is out as head coach at Kennsaw State, the school announced Sunday. Bohannon was the first and only head coach in the program's history and brought the program up from the FCS level. In its inaugural season in FBS, the Owls are 1-8. Bohannon's final game was an overtime loss to UTEP on Nov. 9.
"Coach Brian Bohannon informed me this morning that he has decided to step down as our head football coach," said KSU athletic director Milton Overton said in a statement released by the shool. . "I want to express my sincere appreciation to Coach Bohannon and his family for their dedication to Kennesaw State University and our football program over the past 11 years. Coach Bohannon led Kennesaw State into the football era, poured his heart and soul into this program, and represented our university with the highest standards of professionalism and character."
This move is not a surprise as Bohannon's seat has been one of the hottest in college football despite the fact that the program got a massive win over Liberty just a few weeks ago.
A source told CBS Sports that Bohannon had been in the midst of ongoing contract negotiations to rework his deal with compensation befitting an FBS head coach. Bohannon's salary was under $400,000 and is less than many position coaches make at Power Four schools. His most recent contract extension came in 2022 months before the transition to FBS was announced, and the deal ran through 2026.
Kennesaw State is the latest Group of Five opening in the 2024-25 coaching carousel. As of yet, there are no Power Four jobs open. Florida plans on retaining embattled coach Billy Napier, it announced.
Head coach vacancies, 2024-25
| School | Status | Conference | Expected Salary Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Chandler Burks, Bohannon's first signee at Kennesaw State and the most decorated player in school history as a multi-year starting quarterback, is expected to serve as interim, according to multiple sources.
Kennesaw State is located northwest of Atlanta. It is the newest member of the 134 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).