Current FBS coaches have been in their jobs for an average of just 4.9 years

On3’s Matt Zenitz has spent the week spotlighting coaches at all levels who seem likely to be in line for better jobs when the coaching carousel starts spinning this fall. (It’s going to spin; the question is when it starts.)

The coaching lists:

9 non-Power 5 coordinators you need to know

12 non-Power 5 head coaches worth having on your radar

A dozen coordinators who could become head coaches soon

Well, this list is going to point out that their tenure at their potential new place of employment may not be all that long. There are 130 FBS coaches and those men have been at their current jobs for an average of 4.9 years. If you take out the four longest-tenured coaches (Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, TCU’s Gary Patterson, Utah’s Kyle Whittingham and Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy — a total of 78 years), the average drops a full half-year, to 4.3.

There are 18 new FBS coaches this season; how many will make it to that five-year mark? Consider that in 2015, there were 15 new coaches — and 11 are gone. And 17 of the 28 new coaches in 2016, 10 of the 23 new guys for ’17 and seven of the 20 new coaches in 2018 already have departed for various reasons.

Here are some more numbers for this season’s coaches.

Average tenure by league

AAC: 4.5 years

The buzz: Six of the 11 coaches have been in their current job three or fewer seasons. One is in double digits and two others have been at their jobs longer than five years. Note: Take out Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo (14 years) and the average tenure drops to 3.6 years.

ACC: 6.1 years

The buzz: Five of the 14 coaches have been in their current job three or fewer seasons. Two are in double digits and six others have been at their jobs longer than five years.

Big 12 years: 6.2

The buzz: Six of the 10 coaches have been in their current job three or fewer seasons. Two are in double digits and one other has been at his job longer than five years. Note: Take out TCU’s Gary Patterson (21 years) and the average tenure drops to 4.6 years.

Big Ten: 6.6 years

The buzz: Five of the 14 coaches have been in their current job three or fewer seasons. Two are in double digits and three others have been at their job longer than five years. Note: Take out Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz (23 years) and the average tenure drops to 5.3 years.

Conference USA: 5.3 years

The buzz: Seven of the 14 coaches have been in their current job three or fewer seasons. One is in double digits and two others have been at their job longer than five years. Note: Take out Middle Tennessee’s Rick Stockstill (16 years) and the average tenure drops to 3.6 years.

Mid-American: 5.1 years

The buzz: Six of the 12 coaches have been in their current job three or fewer seasons. None is in double digits and four have been at their job longer than five years.

Mountain West: 4.1 years

The buzz: Seven of the 12 coaches have been in their current job three or fewer seasons. One is in double digits and one other has been at his job longer than five years. Note: Take out Air Force’s Troy Calhoun (15 years) and the average tenure drops to 3.1 years.

Pac-12: 5.2 years

The buzz: Four of the 12 coaches have been in their current job three or fewer seasons. Two are in double digits and one other has been at his job longer than five years. Note: Take out Utah’s Kyle Whittingham (17 years) and the average tenure drops to 4.1 years.

SEC: 3.9 years

The buzz: Eight of the 14 coaches have been in their current job three or fewer seasons. One is in double digits and two others have been at their job longer than five years. Note: Take out Nick Saban (15 years) and the average tenure drops to 3.1 years.

Sun Belt: 2.8 years

The buzz: Six of the 10 coaches have been in their current job three or fewer seasons. None is in double digits and just one has been at his job longer than five years.

Independents: 6.4 years

The buzz: Two of the seven coaches have been in their current job three or fewer seasons. One is in double digits and three others have been at their job longer than five years.

Longest-tenured coaches by league

AAC

Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo—14^th season

ACC

Duke’s David Cutcliffe—14^th season

BIG TEN

Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz—23^rd season

BIG 12

TCU’s Gary Patterson—21^st season

CONFERENCE USA

Middle Tennessee State’s Rick Stockstill—16^th season

MID-AMERICAN

Miami’s Chuck Martin—8^th season

Eastern Michigan’s Chris Creighton—8^th season

MOUNTAIN WEST

Air Force’s Troy Calhoun—15^th season

PAC-12

Utah’s Kyle Whittingham—17^th season

SEC

Alabama’s Nick Saban—15^th season

SUN BELT

Georgia State’s Shawn Elliott—5^th season

INDEPENDENTS

Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly—12^th season

Longest-tenured coaches nationally

1. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa—23rd season

2. Gary Patterson, TCU—21st season

T-3. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State—17^th season

T-3. Kyle Whittingham, Utah—17^th season

T-5. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern—16^th season

T-5. Rick Stockstill, Middle Tennessee—16^th season

T-7. Troy Calhoun, Air Force—15^th season

T-7. Nick Saban, Alabama—15^th season

T-9. David Cutcliffe, Duke—14^th season

T-9. Ken Niumatalolo, Navy—14^th season

11. Dabo Swinney, Clemson—13^th season

12. Brian Kelly, Notre Dame—12^th season

13. David Shaw, Stanford—11^th season

T-14. Dave Doeren, NC State—9^th season

T-14. Skip Holtz, Louisiana Tech—9^th season

T-14. Doug Martin, New Mexico State—9^th season

T-14. Mark Stoops, Kentucky—9^th season