Ranking NHL Stadium Series games based on venue, hype, style, competitiveness
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Greg Wyshynski, ESPN
What’s the difference between the NHL Stadium Series and the Winter Classic, besides their spots on the calendar?
Steve Mayer, the NHL’s chief content officer, has said there’s an aesthetic difference between the two.
“The Winter Classic is more traditional, historic. It’s got that touch of snow — whether it’s real or fake,” he said. “The Stadium Series is a little more modern. Colorful, graphic-oriented, interactive.”
But there’s also a spiritual difference. The Winter Classic is usually marinated in nostalgia. Mayer said the Stadium Series — in execution, venue and participants — can be a bit more “progressive” by comparison.
“It’s where we do a lot of future thinking,” he said.
That thinking has produced some of the most memorable outdoor games in NHL history during the Stadium Series, which began in 2014 and continues this weekend at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, as the New Jersey Devils face the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+) and the New York Rangers play the New York Islanders on Sunday afternoon (3 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+).
But not every Stadium Series game has hit the bullseye, usually for reasons outside of the NHL’s control.
Here’s a subjective ranking of the Stadium Series games and their relative greatness. We’ve assigned a score of 1 to 10 in four categories for each outdoor game. There’s environment, which covers the novelty of the venue and the elements that challenged teams during the game; there’s hype, which covers the buzz leading up to the Stadium Series, as well as the allure of the teams involved; there’s the game itself, and whether it was competitive, boring or rendered unwatchable by the conditions; and finally style, as we consider how good the teams looked in their Stadium Series gear.
We’re counting down from 13 to 1, beginning with a trip to the State of Hockey:
Environment: 5
Hype: 4
Game: 3
Style: 5
The Wild had lobbied the NHL for a Winter Classic for several seasons before getting a Stadium Series game at the home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers. It was a celebration of Minnesota hockey, including a North Stars alumni game held on the eve of the Stadium Series. Soul Asylum played! The fans spelled out “Let’s play hockey!” before the game in the upper and lower deck. It snowed!
The Wild were in an interesting place when this game was played. They fired head coach Mike Yeo eight days before the Stadium Series, turning the bench over to interim coach John Torchetti. After looking like a lost season, their win against the Blackhawks was their fourth in a row. Torchetti would go 15-11-1 and the Wild would lose in the first round, as is tradition.
This Stadium Series edition was one of those outdoor games that meant a lot more to the fans attending it and the home team playing in it than it did to NHL fandom writ large. The home of Golden Gophers football isn’t exactly iconic. Fans were getting a bit of Blackhawks fatigue, to the point where the 6-1 thumping the Wild put on them didn’t even offer that much catharsis. Or a reason to stay invested as it was 3-0 just 23 minutes into the game.
The Wild took a really pedestrian route with their sweaters for this one, a bit of a throwback to the old home jerseys the Wild wore until about 2007, except this time they had wide white shoulders breaking up the design. The Blackhawks’ sweaters were miles better, with interesting striping, a collar that shouted out the Chicago city flag and a black yoke around the top that the team said was “a visual representation of the city’s nickname, the ‘City of Big Shoulders.'” And there’s nothing we like more than designers justifying aesthetic choices with historic minutia.
Environment: 4
Hype: 3
Game: 3
Style: 8
To help create more buzz for the Stadium Series, the NHL began a partnership with the U.S. military to hold outdoor games at service academies. That immediately led to speculation that the New York Rangers’ long gestating game at West Point could come to fruition. Instead, it led to an odd matchup between the Capitals and Maple Leafs, whose “rivalry” consisted of one first-round playoff series in the previous season, albeit a tightly played one.
This game carried a lot of meaning locally for Washington fans and personally for Capitals owner Ted Leonsis, whose father served in the Navy. But the stadium’s capacity (34,000) was much smaller than other NHL outdoor venues, and it didn’t have much of their unique character, either.
The Capitals had a 3-1 lead after the first period and a 5-2 lead after two periods. The third period will be remembered for a power outage at the stadium with 10 minutes remaining that suspended play for nearly 20 minutes. Because of that delay, the conclusion of the game was moved from broadcast to cable television in the U.S.
One thing this game got right were the jerseys. The Capitals rocked dark blue sweaters that had “CAPS” in lowercase letters under the three stars of the D.C. flag. The Maple Leafs went full yeti, wearing white helmets, white gloves, white pants with a white logo on the front of a white jersey. The only things breaking up the snowdrift were blue letters and numbers, some outlining on the logo and two stripes across the chest. Easily one of the most memorable Stadium Series fits.
Environment: 7
Hype: 3
Game: 4
Style: 6
Tom Dundon had wanted an outdoor game for the Hurricanes since taking over as owner in 2018. He had to wait a little longer as the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the team’s game at N.C. State University, but the wait was over in 2023.
While not an iconic location, Carter-Finley Stadium did provide ample room for epic tailgating, which is the Hurricanes fans’ specialty. The Capitals were a good choice for an opponent, not only as a current division rival but throwing back to the days of the old Southeast Division. Unfortunately, the Capitals’ biggest star — Alex Ovechkin — missed the game. He took leave from the team to attend his father’s funeral in Moscow.
Shorthanded and spiraling down the standings, the Capitals were beaten convincingly by the Hurricanes to the delight of Carolina’s fans, which included a standing room only student section near the rink.
Stylewise, the Capitals went bold with their look, going with the “Weagle” alternate logo stretched from arm to arm. The Hurricanes went with a black jersey with a red and black logo that seemed more “regular-season third jersey” than bananas Stadium Series sweater.
Environment: 4
Hype: 4
Game: 6
Style: 6
This game was the back end of a “home and home” between the Penguins and Flyers that actually spanned three seasons. They met at Heinz Field in 2017 and then didn’t meet for the rematch until 2019 at the Linc, home of the Eagles.
It’s rare that the game is better than the environment at the Stadium Series, but that was the case here. The game was held in the rain — sometimes heavy rain — which led to frequent tending to the ice with squeegees. The aesthetics of the stadium weren’t the most memorable design: some kind of a large gold and orange keystone logo covering a sea of rubber mats.
But hey, it did have Gritty ziplining to the field in a glowing jersey, so not a total loss.
Speaking of losses, it looked like the Flyers were headed for one until 16:56 of the third period, when James van Riemsdyk scored a power-play goal to cut the Penguins’ lead to 3-2. Jakub Voracek tied the game with 20 seconds left. Claude Giroux won it in a rare overtime for outdoor games.
One saving grace for this game was the jerseys, which are straight fire. The Flyers’ orange sweater with a black logo might have served as the template for the Devils’ jerseys for the 2024 Stadium Series. The Penguins’ incredible “Pittsburgh Gold” logo on a black jersey is considered one of their best looks for an outdoor game.
Environment: 7
Hype: 7
Game: 3
Style: 4
How long did the NHL want to play a game at Yankee Stadium? That was actually the original plan for the Winter Classic before the first installment of that annual game was held at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo.
In 2014, the plan finally came together for the five-year-old “new” Yankee Stadium. The idea was to have all three local teams play at the Stadium, with the Rangers facing the Devils and then the Islanders. Notice we didn’t say “hosting,” as the Rangers had to be the designated road team as part of Madison Square Garden’s tax-exempt status agreement with New York City.
There was plenty of hype for the first outdoor game in New York City and the first NHL game at Yankee Stadium. But the event itself was defined by climate and chaos. The game’s start was delayed by an hour because of sun glare. It was also brutally cold with some snowfall during the second period.
The chaos part? The 10 total goals scored to set an NHL outdoor game record — since tied twice — including six straight Rangers tallies that chased Devils goalie Martin Brodeur. The Rangers overcame a 3-1 deficit before the rout was on. If you liked goals, it was a great day. If you liked the Devils, maybe not so much.
The Rangers’ jerseys, which they also wore for their game against the Islanders a week later at Yankee Stadium, had a diagonal metallic “New York” that reminded some fans of what their AHL affiliate the Hartford Wolf Pack used to wear. But it was a stark look and a good twist on their traditional jersey. Plus, Henrik Lundqvist gets bonus points for his pinstripe pads. The Devils, meanwhile, broke out their “Christmas tree” jerseys they used to wear back in the 1980s — and then played accordingly.
Environment: 5
Hype: 5
Game: 6
Style: 6
This game was one of the most thrilling outdoor games the NHL has ever put on, with Tyler Toffoli completing a hat trick in the last minute of play to give the Kings the lead and the win. His timing was appreciated by many fans who had just arrived to the game during the third period.
We can’t talk about the Air Force Academy game without talking about what was happening on the ground. Thousands of fans didn’t see large portions of the game, and many left before its conclusion, thanks to a horrific traffic mess that turned 45-minute journeys from Denver into four-plus-hour expeditions. Air Force officials would later blame the mess on “car accidents and ill-prepared drivers.” But scores of fans were investigating refund policies based on how long it took for them to get into the game.
This contest had a lot going for it. There was a flyover the likes of which you’d expect from the Air Force. There were cadets seated on the walkway to the rink, so players shared high-fives with them. It felt like 17 degrees with the wind chill. At 6,621 feet above sea level, it was the highest altitude the NHL had ever played a game — and the players felt that struggle for oxygen.
The uniforms … wow. The Kings managed to simultaneously have the worst Stadium Series sweaters — with a diagonal “LA” that evoked a roller hockey team — and the greatest Stadium Series accessory with their chrome helmets. The Avalanche meanwhile had a jersey with the largest crest ever created by Adidas for the NHL: a giant white “A” that had an outline of Burgundy-colored Colorado Rockies cut into it. It was as bold a design as one could imagine for an outdoor game, like Saul Bass was commissioned to create a hockey sweater.
Environment: 8
Hype: 6
Game: 7
Style: 2
It’s always interesting when these outdoor game spectacles have stakes. The Sharks and Kings weren’t just two teams meeting in an outdoor game. They were archrivals, battling for a playoff spot in the Western Conference after meeting in the playoffs in the previous postseason. There were 70,205 packing the home of the 49ers to witness a battle between NorCal and SoCal in 57-degree weather. At the time, it was the third largest crowd ever to watch an NHL game.
The game was even given its own reality show series: “Road To The NHL Stadium Series” on EPIX, now known as MGM+.
Once the puck dropped, the competition was intense. The Kings took the 2-1 victory on a third-period Marian Gaborik goal that goalie Jonathan Quick made stand up.
The Sharks and Kings both used a bold three-stripe motif for their jerseys. The Sharks jersey was moderately successful, going from teal to white to black. The Kings jersey went from gray to black to white … and then right into white pants, making it look like someone tried to erase half of their uniform.
Environment: 6
Hype: 6
Game: 6
Style: 6
Beaver Stadium at Penn State University remains the NHL’s white whale for a true Keystone State showdown between the Penguins and Flyers. It was touted as a possibility before the NHL opted to run it back at Heinz Field, which hosted the 2011 Winter Classic.
A bright yellow recreation of the Fort Pitt Bridge framed the rink on the field. The fans weren’t put off by the return visit, as this was one of the highest rated Stadium Series on television.
The game’s biggest narrative was Sidney Crosby‘s return to a stadium where one hit interrupted his career. In 2011, Washington’s Dave Steckel hit Crosby in the head, and it took the better part of two years for him to recover. Sid picked up a measure of redemption by scoring the game’s first goal.
Overall, it was a close affair between two bitter rivals that had a one-goal margin in the third period. But anything the Flyers did was undermined by some shaky goaltending by Michal Neuvirth, who gave up four goals on 29 shots.
Stylistically, this was a solid contrast: The Penguins rocking gold jerseys with “city of champions” patches on the shoulders and innovative numbering and lettering vs. the Flyers comfortably playing the heels’ role with a black jersey augmented by wide orange bands around the arms.
Environment: 8
Hype: 5
Game: 6
Style: 6
After the scorefest against the Devils, the Rangers ran it back a week later against the Islanders at Yankee Stadium in a game that couldn’t have been further removed from their blowout over New Jersey. This 2-1 grind, which was won on Daniel Carcillo’s goal 4:36 into the third period, was played at night with temperatures dropping into the single digits due to the wind chill. The puck bounced like a racquet ball. If you wanted a battle against the elements in an outdoor game, this was your jam.
It was a boisterous crowd despite the temperatures and lack of scoring fireworks. While Rangers fans had the numbers, it felt like a more even split between the sides than at the Rangers vs. Devils game.
We touched on the Rangers’ jerseys earlier. The Islanders Stadium Series look was actually one of their best — comparatively speaking — essentially taking the “NY” stick logo from their crest and making it the primary logo. The colors and striping were great, too. It’s a look one yearns for when seeing the 2024 Islanders wearing Edmonton cosplay to their Stadium Series game.
Environment: 7
Hype: 3
Game: 8
Style: 8
The outdoor party finally came to Nashville as the Predators hosted their first outdoor game, and the Lightning played in their first one ever. As iconic venues go, Nissan Stadium isn’t exactly one of them. But the city’s imprint on the game was unmistakable, including on the pregame attire for the teams: The Lightning showed up in cowboy denim while the Predators wore outlaw biker gear.
The game was a feisty affair that featured two fights, one that got interesting when Filip Forsberg cut the Lightning lead to 3-2 late in the third. But Tampa Bay hung on.
Now, the score for the jerseys is probably going to be a contentious one. The Lightning’s jerseys with “BOLTS” diagonally over a blue lightning bolt are striking. But it’s the Predators’ “SMASHVILLE” jerseys — that word, broken up on two lines with a guitar pick in the middle — that caused the biggest stir. What can we say: We dig them.
Environment: 10
Hype: 8
Game: 3
Style: 7
We struggled with the environment score here. That’s not knock on Soldier Field, which is as worth a Stadium Series venue as you’ll find in a hockey-obsessed city. But the 2014 battle between the Blackhawks and the Penguins was played in unplayable conditions.
There was a heavy, driving snowstorm throughout the game, causing snow to pile up on the ice. No matter how many layers of clothing fans applied to their bodies, the chill still crept in. Battling the elements should be part of the story and the heart of the challenge of outdoor games. To that end, the Soldier Field Stadium Series game was ideal, but this was a game where completing fundamental hockey plays was a trial instead of fans witnessing an assemblage of stars whipping the puck around in pristine conditions.
So, we’ll give the environment a perfect score and the game itself a less than perfect score. The hype score is reflected by the fact that this was only the second outdoor game for Chicago. They would appear in four more over the next five seasons.
From a jersey perspective, the Blackhawks went back to black with a look that resembled the jerseys they wore from 1996-2007 (a.k.a. the Eric Daze era). But the chrome-upscaling of their traditional logo really made the colors pop. The Penguins’ sweaters weren’t anywhere on the level of their Winter Classic looks: They were essentially just their normal jersey with a chrome finish on the logo and black shoulders. That said, the style rating gets a significant bump from Marc-Andre Fleury‘s Pittsburgh Steelers-inspired goalie mask.
Environment: 8
Hype: 6
Game: 8
Style: 7
Coors Field? Gorgeous. One of the most aesthetically pleasing baseball stadiums in America. What wasn’t expected for this showdown between the Avs and Wings was the temperature: a balmy 65 degrees at gametime, defying expectations for the venue. The players wore the customary toques during warmups, as unnecessary as they were.
The game was one of the better Stadium Series, a back-and-forth affair that saw three lead changes. The final one came with one minute left in regulation, as Brad Richards scored to put the Wings up 4-3.
The musical acts were The Fray and Andy Grammer, just to put a timestamp on this.
The jerseys featured the Avalanche suiting up in a white sweater with a logo reminiscent of the Colorado Rockies; and the Red Wings looked sharp in a red jersey with a bold white swatch “under a redesigned ‘D’ logo, updated in its design to connect more directly with the iconic modern day Winged Wheel logo,” as the team put it. Detroit has had a lot of good outdoor looks, and this is no exception, especially with their white gloves.
Environment: 10
Hype: 10
Game: 4
Style: 7
We cannot stress enough, the importance of the 2014 Stadium Series game at Dodger Stadium to what these outdoor spectacles have become for the NHL. And not just because the event gave us this iconic photo of Gary Bettman meeting KISS.
This was really the first time the NHL let its freak flag fly for one of these games. There were volleyball players and deck hockey games on the field. Embracing all manner of California kitsch iconography, there were even palm trees near the rink. And of course four guys in face paint bellowing “I want to rock ‘n roll all night” while pyro fired off into the Los Angeles sky.
That all of this was happening inside a hallowed baseball stadium was even more jarring. Sure, the NHL had been to Fenway and Wrigley, but one expects to see ice there. Not so much in Chavez Ravine.
Alas, the game couldn’t live up to the hype. A spirited first period saw the Kings post 20 shots, but the Ducks scored twice, eventually winning behind a Jonas Hiller shutout. The jerseys were almost there, with their “chrome” logo gimmicks. The Ducks’ burnt orange base was outstanding but they opted for the “Webbed D” logo instead of the Mighty Ducks one that would have made this an instant classic. The Kings brought back their big crown, which looked great, but slapped on a drab gray sweater that was maybe a little too reminiscent of L.A. smog.
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Dan Wetzel
Ryan Day is 81-10 as the head coach of Ohio State, including 11-0 this year as the Buckeyes try to repeat as national champions. It’s a breathtaking run of success.
Yet Day is famously 0-4 against Michigan over the past four years, including a shocking home defeat to a middling Wolverines team a year ago. Another loss Saturday in Ann Arbor, especially as an ESPN BET 11.5-point favorite, would invite continued scorn and frustration.
It is why you’d think Day is the coach under the most pressure to win a specific game this weekend.
Then along comes Lane Kiffin saying, hold my Hotty Toddy.
Kiffin has yet to publicly declare where he will work next season — let alone the rest of this season. It might be LSU. It might be Florida. Or it might be Ole Miss, where he has the 10-1 Rebels ranked sixth heading into Friday’s Egg Bowl at Mississippi State.
“An announcement on Coach Kiffin’s future is expected the Saturday following the game,” Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter wrote in a statement.
It’s a game Kiffin had better win.
Forget the rest of this chaotic story. The long, slow drag-out of an announcement. The fact that Kiffin had family members reportedly tour other schools and towns … while still working in Oxford. The daily cryptic book excerpts Kiffin sends out on social media, leaving fans to try to decipher their meanings.
Or even the fact the decision is merely “expected” on Saturday.
Maybe. Or maybe not. Who really knows? It’s Lane. Maybe he’ll pick a hat, like recruits do, or have Jesse Palmer come to town for a “Bachelor”-style rose ceremony.
If nothing else, Kiffin, a personality like no other, has set up Friday’s game in Starkville, Mississippi, as a game like no other — one of the most “must-win” contests a coach has ever faced.
Ole Miss is having its greatest season in more than 60 years. The College Football Playoff is waiting. A home playoff game, which might be the biggest sporting event in state history, is at hand. The Rebels are absolute national semifinal contenders, if not capable of winning the whole thing. Kiffin himself has never had a season this successful.
Yet if Ole Miss gets upset Friday by its archrival, it could all collapse. If so, the blame will be singular.
Day can lose and, despite the embarrassment, move on to bigger challenges.
Kiffin might never live down creating a circus of speculation and distraction as he considers quitting on a playoff team.
His defenders can blame the clunky calendar, but life is about timing. Sometimes it doesn’t work in your favor. Leaving a team with big possibilities (it is extremely unlikely Ole Miss would allow him to coach in the playoff) for the perceived greener grass of another program would be an extraordinary decision. Is he a coach or a job hunter?
Emotions will be bitter enough if Kiffin leaves after securing a victory that puts Ole Miss in the playoff. If the Rebels lose, though? They aren’t assured anything, falling into a crowded group of 10-2 contenders seeking an at-large bid. They could get left out.
Making matters worse, it’s quite possible Kiffin bails the next day. That would give the College Football Playoff committee the option of downgrading the Rebels because they lost their head coach the way it downgraded Florida State two years ago because it lost its starting quarterback to injury.
Just like that, the dream season would have a nightmare conclusion … just as the perpetrator skips town. How will that go over?
Ole Miss is an 8.5-point favorite. It should defeat a Mississippi State team that has shown admirable growth this year but is still rebuilding. This is the Egg Bowl, though. Anything can — and has — happened. Upsets. Comebacks. A guy costing his team by mimicking a urinating dog during a touchdown celebration.
This thing is almost always wild.
“Coach Kiffin and I have had many pointed and positive conversations regarding his future at Ole Miss,” Carter wrote in his statement. “While we discuss next steps, we know we cannot lose sight of what is most important — our sixth-ranked team that is poised to finish the regular season in historic fashion.
“Despite outside noise,” Carter wrote, “Coach Kiffin is focused on preparing our team for the Egg Bowl.”
He better be. And then Ole Miss better win it.
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Dan Wetzel
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Dan Wetzel
ESPN
- Dan Wetzel is a senior writer focused on investigative reporting, news analysis and feature storytelling.
Attorneys for Brian Kelly have informed LSU in a letter that the school’s claim that it had not “formally terminated” Kelly as its football coach has “made it nearly impossible” for him to get another coaching job.
According to the letter, which was sent Nov. 18 to LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry and board of supervisors member John H. Carmouche, Kelly says he “reserves all rights to seek any and all damages to the fullest extent permitted by law” for the interference in any potential job candidacy.
“As you know, there is absolutely no basis to LSU’s contrived positions that Coach Kelly was not terminated or that cause existed for such termination,” the letter, which was obtained by ESPN, reads. “LSU’s conduct, including its failure to confirm that Coach Kelly was terminated without cause and its unsupported allegations of misconduct on the part of Coach Kelly, has made it nearly impossible for Coach Kelly to secure other football-related employment.
“LSU’s conduct continues to harm Coach Kelly, particularly during this critical hiring period.”
LSU declined comment because it is part of an ongoing legal matter.
The LSU board of supervisors voted Friday to allow new president Wade Rousse to formally terminate Kelly. The board did not indicate whether the firing would be for cause or without cause.
Kelly, 64, was initially relieved of his duties Oct. 26, one day after a 49-25 loss to Texas A&M dropped the Tigers to 5-3. At the time, the school made clear in public statements that the dismissal was performance-related.
In November, according to a legal filing by Kelly, the school informed Kelly’s representatives that then-athletic director Scott Woodward did not have the authority to dismiss Kelly. The school then stated it had reason to fire Kelly “for cause,” which would impact the payout of his contract, which is about $54 million.
In response, Kelly filed a petition of declaratory judgment in the 19th Judicial District for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (Louisiana), asking for a judge to assert that Kelly was fired Oct. 26 without cause.
In a separate letter, this one dated Nov. 19 and obtained by ESPN, Kelly’s attorneys say that Carmouche told them that Carmouche had “expressed his hope” they’d agree to send written confirmation of Kelly’s firing without cause, but only after meeting with a board member and Rousse.
The letter claims Carmouche asked that Kelly withdraw the petition for declaratory judgment.
The Nov. 19 letter also said Kelly will not withdraw the petition for declaratory judgment until he “receives written confirmation” signed by the board of supervisors chair Scott Ballard, Ausberry and Rousse “that his termination was without cause” and that LSU will “fulfill its contractual obligation to pay Coach Kelly the full liquidated damages.”
Kelly’s attorneys say that the legal wrangling and confusion have made it difficult for Kelly to pursue open head coaching jobs in college football. There are currently nine vacancies in the power conferences, with others expected to open as the coaching carousel begins after the regular season ends this weekend.
Kelly came to LSU from Notre Dame in 2022 and went 34-14 overall. He previously coached Cincinnati, Central Michigan and Grand Valley State (Michigan), where he won two Division II national titles.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach contributed to this report.
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Adam Rittenberg
Ed Orgeron needed a rope.
In late September 2013, Orgeron had been named interim coach at USC, following the school’s infamous middle-of-the-night firing of Lane Kiffin on the tarmac at LAX. Orgeron had been a head coach at Ole Miss, and now had another opportunity, at a program he loved. He wrote down several things he wanted to do in operating the USC program.
First, he borrowed an exercise from former Trojans coach Pete Carroll, and obtained a rope from the fire department. He assembled everyone involved in the program — players, coaches, support staff, even administrators — and paired up groups for tug-of-war: running backs against linebackers, offensive line against defensive line, and so on.
“I got the coaching staff to pull against the administration, and I let the damn administration win,” Orgeron told ESPN. “If I knew what [would happen] at USC, I would have pulled a little harder.”
His main point was that neither side really gained an edge when pulling in opposite directions.
“I said, ‘I want everybody in this room — and there’s a lot of people — get on the same side of the rope, and let’s pull,'” Orgeron said. “That sent a message: One team, one heartbeat. When a firing happens, something is segmented, and you’ve got to try to piece it together as much as you can.”
Orgeron led USC to a 6-2 finish that fall but wasn’t retained. When he was named LSU‘s interim coach in early 2016, he once again did the tug-of-war exercise. After going 5-2 that fall, Orgeron had the interim tag removed. Three years later, his LSU squad won the national championship.
Interim coaches inherit vastly different situations at different points in the calendar, but they share a mission: to guide a ship jostled by change through choppy waters.
“When you become the interim head coach, it’s never a good thing,” said Tim Skipper, appointed UCLA‘s interim coach in September after spending the entire 2024 season as Fresno State‘s interim. “It’s never a good time.”
Interims must guide teams through a range of games, while dealing with a range of emotions. Amid uncertain futures for both players and coaches, interims make decisions for the moment. Some have major success, like Orgeron, and end up getting the tag removed. Others fully know they’re just placeholders and try to keep things from falling apart until resolutions are reached.
The 2025 season has placed a spotlight on interim coaches, as jobs have opened in every major conference ahead of a wild coaching cycle. We’ve already seen one game featuring opposing interim coaches. As most seasons wrap up this week, ESPN spoke with current and former interim coaches and identified some of the key things to do, and avoid, as they navigate a bumpy landscape.
The initial transition
Some coach firings are anticipated for weeks or months, while others, like Penn State‘s ouster of James Franklin after a three-game losing streak this fall, are jarring. But whatever circumstances surround the coaching change, interims are thrust in front of teams filled with emotion.
“When that happened on Sunday, it was like a funeral,” said Oregon State interim coach Robb Akey, named to his role after the school fired Trent Bray on Oct. 12. “We had to be able to pull the guys up and get them moving on.”
The timing of the changes also factors in for interims. Both Virginia Tech and UCLA fired their coaches only three games into this season.
“That’s a long time to try to hold a team together,” said Philip Montgomery, appointed to be Virginia Tech‘s interim coach from his offensive coordinator role Sept. 14. “Most of these guys were recruited by Brent and signed on for that part of it. When you rip that away from them, then all of a sudden, there’s a lot of emotions, and you’re trying to handle all of that and trying to somehow keep them focused, keep them jelled together, and for us, find a way to go win games and have a productive season.”
After Pry’s firing, Montgomery relied on his eight-year tenure as Tulsa’s head coach. He addressed the team, went over general guidelines and gave players the platform to vent.
“Once you laid [those guidelines] down, you can’t go back and forth with it,” he said. “It’s got to be steadfast.”
Skipper didn’t have the same experience to lean on, but he had been an interim the year before at Fresno State, taking over in July when Jeff Tedford stepped down and guiding the team to a 6-7 record. Skipper had played at Fresno State and was in his second stint as a Bulldogs assistant.
He arrived at UCLA this summer as special assistant to coach DeShaun Foster. Upon being named interim coach after Foster’s firing, Skipper had a plan from what he had done at Fresno State, but he barely knew the UCLA team. Since UCLA had an open week, Skipper held a mini training camp. He met individually with players and had them clean and organize the locker room.
“We were oh-fer,” Skipper said, referring to the team’s 0-3 record. “We just needed a win.”
He then took the whole team bowling, an activity usually reserved for the preseason or bowl game prep, and ensured every lane had a mix of players from different position groups.
“They just bowled their ass off and talked s— and had a good time,” Skipper said. “It was another opportunity to get them smiling.”
Managing the coaching staff
When schools fire head coaches, they usually retain the rest of the staff to finish out the season. The remaining coaches face uncertain futures. Unless the next permanent coach keeps them on, they’ll be looking for fresh starts.
“We all go home and you’ve got wives that want to know where we’re going to live and where we’re going to eat and how the bills are going to get paid,” Akey said. “We’re all in the coaches’ portal, too. It’s a unique situation that you wouldn’t wish on anybody. You wouldn’t wish it on an enemy.”
Interim coaches say the key is not letting the anxiety seep into the program’s daily operation.
“What to avoid is … to become these independent contractors that do our own thing, our own way,” LSU interim coach Frank Wilson said. “It’s not having letdowns and having self-pity.”
Interim coaches almost always come from within the existing staff. One day, they’re sitting among their assistant peers; the next, they’re at the head of the table.
“You need to take charge of the staff and make them accountable and be the head coach, but don’t be a butthole,” Orgeron said. “Don’t come across too hard because the day before, you were an assistant with those guys.”
After firing Troy Taylor in late March, Stanford general manager Andrew Luck brought in Frank Reich, who coached Luck in the NFL, to lead the program. Reich had more time to prepare for an interim season — he said he never would have taken the job any other way — but also didn’t know the players or assistant coaches when he arrived.
“I lean on them a lot,” Reich said of the assistants he inherited at Stanford. “I ask them what they think. Give me your perspective. Give me the context and history of this player, this citation. That’s a big part of it.”
Interim coaches often have to shuffle staff responsibilities, including playcalling. Montgomery kept offensive playcalling duties at Virginia Tech while also serving as head coach, just as he had done at Tulsa. Arkansas did the same thing when offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino was elevated to interim coach. Montgomery saw value in keeping Pry’s staff together, noting the stability would help the players.
Oregon State fired its special teams coordinator shortly before it did Bray, who also served as the team’s defensive playcaller. When Akey became the Beavers’ interim coach, he had to sort out responsibilities.
Skipper had an even more chaotic situation at UCLA, where defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe parted ways with the school after Foster’s firing. Then, after Skipper’s first game as interim, offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri also parted ways with UCLA. Skipper had defensive coordinator experience but wanted no part of the role, given everything on his plate.
He asked Kevin Coyle, who had been Skipper’s defensive coordinator when he played, to make a midseason move from Syracuse and lead the defense. Skipper then looked internally and had Jerry Neuheisel, the 33-year-old tight ends coach who played quarterback at UCLA and had spent almost his entire career there, to become offensive coordinator. They were both coach’s kids — Neuheisel’s father, Rick, coached UCLA from 2008 to 2011 — and Jerry was among the first staff members Skipper got to know after he arrived.
“I was always like, ‘This is a smart dude, he knows ball, he’s going to be a coordinator one day,’ just me saying that to myself,” Skipper said. “And it just worked out that I had the opportunity to hire him and we made it happen.”
Recruiting and the future roster
As a longtime assistant and then Ole Miss’ head coach, Orgeron built a reputation as a ravenous recruiter. So what did he do when he became interim coach at USC and then LSU?
“I recruited even harder,” he said.
He held recruiting “power hours” every Monday with calls to prospects and recruiting meetings on Friday mornings and evenings. On Saturdays before games, Orgeron and the staff would gather, put on “College GameDay,” eat breakfast and FaceTime recruits, asking about their high school games the night before.
Orgeron’s pitch?
“This is USC, this is LSU,” he told the players. “Most of the things that you are committed to or the things that you loved about it are always going to be here. They’re going to make the right choice, and they’re going to get a coach that helps us win a championship. Stay with us, stay to the end, don’t change now, let’s see what happens.”
Orgeron made sure never to lie to recruits. He didn’t tell them he would be the next coach, even though he wanted to be.
The difference now from Orgeron’s two interim stints is that coaches also must monitor their own roster. Until a recent rule change, players were able to enter the transfer portal in the first 30 days after a head coaching change. Skipper’s main goal when named interim at Fresno State and UCLA was to have no players enter the portal. He also didn’t let up in contacting UCLA’s committed recruits and those considering the program.
“We’re trying to still spread the good word about UCLA football, UCLA as a university, as an academic institution, all of that,” Skipper said. “So we’re working to the end, ’til they tell us to leave.”
Interim coaches have limits in recruiting, though. They typically aren’t offering scholarships, as those decisions ultimately fall on the permanent head coaches. Reich, who knows he’s done at Stanford following the season, has deferred most questions about the team’s future to Luck.
Montgomery has spent most of his recruiting energy on the prospects who initially committed to Virginia Tech.
“Most of those guys are saying, ‘Hey, I’m committed but I’m open. I want to see what happens and who they hire and what they’re going to do, what’s the next move going to be before I fully say, hey, I’m back in 100 percent again,'” Montgomery said.
Managing the end of seasons
There’s nothing tidy about the end of the college football regular season. Even when there hasn’t been a coaching change, teams are scrambling to finish recruiting. Assistant coaches are often moving jobs. Players are thinking about what’s next.
Finishing the season with an interim coach only adds to the chaos.
This week, Montgomery will lead Virginia Tech into its rivalry game at No. 19 Virginia, but the Hokies last week hired their new coach in Franklin, who was out of work for barely a month. Franklin is contacting recruits and putting together his staff, while letting the current team finish out 2025.
John Thompson twice was named Arkansas State‘s interim coach for bowl games, as the school went through three consecutive one-year coaches (Hugh Freeze, Gus Malzahn and Bryan Harsin). When Malzahn left for Auburn in early December 2012, he took several staff members. Eight days later, Arkansas State hired Harsin. Thompson, meanwhile, was unsure of his future and charged with guiding the team through the GoDaddy.com Bowl.
“You’ve got coaches going everywhere, who’s going with this group, who’s going with that group?” Thompson said. “That was the most difficult thing. You’ve got guys that are trying to get a job, some that already have taken another job, but they’re still there with you.”
After his hiring, Harsin began sitting in Thompson’s meetings.
“Never said a word,” Thompson said. “I conducted the staff meetings, conducted practice, did everything, and he just sat there, you know? And he ended up hiring me [as an assistant], but that was kind of a strange deal. I said, ‘I’m not going to pay him any attention,’ but it was uncomfortable.”
The turbulent few weeks made wins in both bowl games Thompson coached that much sweeter. He “absolutely loved” coaching both Arkansas State teams, which featured players who had been through five coaches in five years, but never let the constant flux overwhelm their goals.
Some interim coach stories have happy endings, like Orgeron getting the LSU job two days after leading the team to a win against Texas A&M, or Kent State last month removing the interim tag from Mark Carney. More often than not, though, interims are not promoted nor retained, as programs reboot with new leaders.
They’re temporary stewards, coaching very much for the moment, and trying to maximize the experience for players.
“The name ‘Coach,’ the label ‘Coach’ means something, right?” Akey said. “We’re supposed to be growing young guys up. We’re supposed to be helping them develop. And, well, here’s the opportunity to do it, because you got hit with a bunch of adversity, and it’s going to happen to you in life.”
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