One of the quieter coaching cycles in recent years has started to stir. Texas A&M's firing of Jimbo Fisher on Sunday marked the first performance-related dismissal this season.
On Monday, Mississippi State fired Zach Arnett, whom Fisher and the Aggies had defeated just two days earlier. The move doubled the power conference vacancies in a 24-hour span, as A&M and Mississippi State joined Northwestern and Michigan State.
On Wednesday, Northwestern became the first program to fill its vacancy, promoting interim coach/defensive coordinator David Braun into the permanent role.
More openings likely are on the horizon, perhaps as early as this weekend. But this is a good time to take stock of the four power conference jobs that have opened since the summer and break down the pros and cons of each job as well as the top candidates.