If you need to describe the college football offseason as succinctly as possible, a single word will suffice: hectic.
Several teams have to reshape a roster, but others are welcoming back a bunch of key players. Some programs need to replace a head coach or top assistants. Problematic trends must be corrected, and breakout seasons need to be sustained.
And that's merely the beginning.
Over the next seven-plus months, all 131 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision will tackle any number of tasks. We're focusing on 25 of the best programs from the 2022 season.
25-21. NC State, Mississippi State, Troy, UTSA, Texas
25. North Carolina State Wolfpack: Familiar
The context is always slightly different, and NC State has a quarterback conundrum heading into 2023. For the fifth time in six years, though, the Wolfpack are hoping to build on an eight- or nine-win season. What specifically has to improve for NC State to finally reach the ACC Championship Game? That's the defining question for Dave Doeren and his staff.
24. Mississippi State Bulldogs: Change
After the sudden death of head coach Mike Leach, Mississippi State promoted defensive coordinator Zach Arnett. That alone is a gargantuan change. But the defense also had 15 seniors—some return-eligible, many others not—in 2022, and most of them aren't returning.
23. Troy Trojans: Pleasant
Considering what Neal Brown accomplished before accepting the West Virginia job, Troy had Sun Belt title dreams each season. However, a run of three straight five-win years led to Chip Lindsey's dismissal and lowered expectations. Jon Sumrall stepped in and oversaw a 12-win campaign, putting Troy right back in the conversation as a potential top Sun Belt team annually.
22. UTSA Roadrunners: Exciting
Not only is UTSA heading from Conference USA to the AAC, the Roadrunners received a string of great personnel news. Though offensive coordinator Will Stein left for Oregon, quarterback Frank Harris and key receivers Joshua Cephus and De'Corian Clark all decided to use their extra year of eligibility to return.
21. Texas Longhorns: Typical
Talent! Optimism! Texas! This broken record keeps on spinning. Will the Longhorns finally break through? Since losing in the 2009 season's national title, Texas has managed double-digit wins in a single year. Texas improved from a disastrous 5-7 in Steve Sarkisian's debut to a more-respectable-but-still-disappointing 8-5 mark in 2022.