Big changes could be coming to the way college coaches are hired and fired, and it's a move that fans—and players—have been waiting for. The SCORE Act, making its third attempt to pass through Congress, is back on the U.S. House of Representatives agenda, and this latest version takes direct aim at one of the most chaotic aspects of college sports: the mid-season coaching carousel.

At its core, the new language would prohibit schools from publicly or privately contacting, recruiting, or signing a coach from another institution while that coach's team is still in season. That means no more behind-the-scenes negotiations, no more secret meetings, and no more distractions that can derail a team's championship run. The bill also seeks to regulate how schools use funds to pay buyouts for fired coaches—a move that could bring much-needed transparency to a system often criticized for its lack of accountability.

If this sounds familiar, it's because the issue has been simmering for years. The debate over timing in coaching hires exploded during the 2021 cycle, when Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma for USC just hours after losing to rival Oklahoma State, effectively ending the Sooners' College Football Playoff hopes. That same year, Brian Kelly departed Notre Dame for LSU just two days after the Irish's regular season finale. The pattern repeated in 2025, when Lane Kiffin's prolonged flirtation with LSU while still coaching Ole Miss made headlines and reignited calls for reform.

Speaking on a recent podcast, Kelly—who was replaced by Kiffin at LSU—openly advocated for changing the hiring cycle. "The timing has to be addressed," he said, echoing a sentiment shared by many coaches, players, and fans who have watched seasons unravel due to off-field distractions.

For now, the SCORE Act represents the most serious attempt yet to bring order to the chaos. Whether it finally clears Congress remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the days of the mid-season coaching shuffle may finally be numbered.