The Solid Verbal: How coaches are actually hired

Each December and January, the time honored college football tradition of the coaching carousel does its thing, spinning and churning as coaches and their assistants are let go, searches begin and end for their replacements, and everyone rushes to judgement.

But how does everything actually ... happen? What are the mechanics of the process and who’s really at the table or in the conversation?

We spoke with Fox Sports’ Bruce Feldman, Sports Illustrated’s Andy Staples, and SB Nation’s own Steven Godfrey to figure out how schools turn vacancies into hope and excitement about the future. Topics included:

• How do coaches even break into high level work?

• Where do head coaches discover up-and-coming talent and deem to be a possible fit?

• When do athletic directors start scanning the market?

• What do search firms do?

• How do agents get involved?

• Who are the most influential people in big decisions on both sides of the coin?

• What are the biggest factors for a school in reviewing a candidate?

• To what degree do prospective candidates get face time with interviewers?

... and much more!