The Florida Atlantic Owls parted ways with head coach Tom Herman on Monday, ending his tenure after just 22 games. In just under two seasons, FAU went 6-16 with Herman at the helm.
The interim tag has been handed to Chad Lundsford, who will lead the Owls throughout the remainder of the 2024 campaign. He's already made his first order of business!
Lundsford will bring back previously fired defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni, who Herman fired just a week prior. With his former coach being shown the door, the Owls plan to welcome Bellantoni back with open arms.
FAU's defense has been up and down this year. The Owls rank 104th in the nation in points allowed at just under 31 points per contest. With that being said, they did hold teams like Michigan State and Army in check early in the year. Injuries have stunted that production as the season's progressed.
Bellantoni was fired after a 49-14 loss to East Carolina. It represented the fourth straight game in which Florida Atlantic allowed at least 38 points.
"Walked out of the building with my head held high!" he wrote after being let go. "Gave every ounce of my being to FAU... I'm proud of the defense we put on the field the last two years. Lost some key guys the past month and couldn't overcome that. Didn't stop us from fighting and clawing at every step, regardless of the challenges we faced.
"I'm thankful for every second I got to spend at the place I love. THE BEST IS YET TO COME! On to better things."
Apparently, his new leadership doesn't believe the blame should've all been laid at his feet. News of the re-hire quickly went viral on social media. It didn't take long for Roc Bellantoni to emphatically announce his return to Boca Raton. He immediately posted a photo to his X feed with the tune "Many Men" by 50 Cent playing in the background.
What a roller coaster of a week it's been for the defensive coordinator. He'll no longer be Tom Herman's scapegoat! As for his old head coach, it was rumored that he'd already been looking for open play calling jobs at the Power 4 level, potentially adding fuel to Florida Atlantic's decision to part ways.
Tom Herman has been working to find a Power 4 offensive coordinator job in recent weeks. With a buyout of $4.1 million, FAU pulls the plug.
-Pete Nakos / On3 Sports
He's now gone 60-38 as a D1 coach with stops at Houston, Texas, and FAU. After being fired from his last two head coaching gigs, it will be interesting to see where the 49-year-old lands.