Roster continuity and coaching stability drive snap retention metrics across FBS for 2026 season

CBS Sports has released a comprehensive analysis of returning snap percentages for all 138 FBS teams entering the 2026 college football season. The data, sourced from TruMedia, measures the percentage of on-field usage retained from the 2025 season across offensive and defensive position groups. This metric provides a straightforward look at how much of last season's workload returns from each team's roster, capturing both starters and rotational players while excluding incoming transfers.

Notre Dame tops the national rankings with 66% of total snaps returning, establishing itself as the most stable program in the country. The report highlights a significant correlation between coaching stability and roster continuity, noting that 11 of the 14 teams with the lowest returning snap percentages also made a change at head coach. This pattern suggests that leadership transitions often precipitate a rapid overhaul of on-field personnel.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, UConn, North Texas, and Southern Miss rank among the lowest nationally, all returning under 10% of total snaps. These programs sit at the very bottom of the overall list, reflecting the stark impact of roster churn. The data indicates that while returning snaps are not a perfect predictor of success, they serve as a baseline to explain why some teams might start faster than others due to familiarity and execution stability.

Virginia Tech stands out as the only team to rank inside the top 10 nationally in both offensive and defensive returning snaps, with 62% overall. This continuity is somewhat surprising given the Hokies welcomed James Franklin as their new head coach. However, the retention of defensive coordinator Brent Pry likely helped preserve stability on that side of the ball, allowing the program to maintain a high level of production back from the previous season.

Several teams show sharp imbalances between the two sides of the ball, with Army leading the FBS in returning offensive snaps at 72% while returning just 34% on defense. Conversely, Georgia Southern returns only 17% of its offensive snaps but brings back a far more stable defensive unit at 54%. These splits illustrate how specific coaching decisions or roster moves can affect continuity differently across the field of play.

The analysis also breaks down continuity by position group, revealing extremes at the quarterback level where 47 programs return at least 70% of snaps while 57 return 10% or fewer. Only seven teams return at least 70% of their snaps at both quarterback and offensive line, including Army, Liberty, New Mexico, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, and USC. Meanwhile, the reigning national champion Indiana ranks 63rd overall after replacing a significant portion of its roster, returning just 34% of offensive snaps and 48% of defensive snaps.