COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEW HEAD COACH HIRES GOES FROM 18 IN 2021 TO 30 THIS SEASON!
Well when you have 130 CFB programs and in this new age where you must win yesterday you are always going to have teams firing Head Coaches looking for someone else to lead them to the Promised land. It’s a bit scary though when 25% of teams are bringing in a new Head Coach.
Let’s start with the Big names who weren’t fired but left for what they must feel is greener pastures.
1). OREGON MARIO CRISTOBAL – Heads to his alma mater Univ. of Miami.
2). NOTRE DAME BRIAN KELLY – Heads to LSU.
3). OKLAHOMA LINCOLN RILEY – Heads to USC.
4). SMU SONNY DYKES – Heads across town to TCU.
5). FORMER UCLA AND NFL HEAD COACH JIM MORA – Takes over one of the bottom feeder programs UConn.
Note: Out of these 5 it’s clear Mora will struggle to build a winner…..but of the other four I feel the best hire is Cristobal as it’s his alma mater and he has a really solid QB right from get go. USC Riley also does but he has a ton of work to do rebuilding that brutal bad Defense. I think Kelly is in for a tough season in Year 1. Dykes is the WILD CARD as he can put together an Offense that can give us teams fits on Defense.
Dykes: Is just (71-63) in his career and just (25-25) in his last 50 games overall. Plus he is taking over for a national Legend, J. Patterson.
Riley: He had a loaded team every year at Oklahoma yet he lost 2 games EVERY single season and went (1-3) in Bowls.
Kelly: Was only (5-5) in Bowl games and (0-2) in CFB Playoff. This is the strangest fit to me of any hire.
SOME HIRES I REALLY LOVED:
1). SMU RHETT LASHLEE – He did nice job as O.C. with Miami Hurricanes past 2 years and he was with Dykes at SMU for prior 2 years so he knows the landscape and his transition should be much smoother than many other new hires.
2). TEMPLE STAN DRAYTON – Yes he has his work cut out for him this year but this guy has spend 29 years as an Asst. Coach and worked as a NFL Coach, Associate Head Coach at Texas, and under Luke Fikell and Urban Meyer at Ohio State. This was a Home Run hire long term.
3). AKRON JOE MOORHEAD – This guy is a brilliant Offensive mind and yes he struggled at Mississippi State but his Offensive style will get some solid QB’s and WR’s to make their way to Ohio and he will be under zero pressure. Home Run Hire for a lower tier College team.
4). LA. TECH SONNY CUMBIE – The kids at Texas Tech loved him and this is a fantastic spot for him. Cupboard a little bare to start but I feel very sure he will get this team winning soon.
5). F.I.U. MIKE MACINTYRE – He won at San Jose State where they have 50 fans and impossible job recruiting kids to play in front of no fans. He won at Colorado, another tough place to compete (in Pac-12).
6). WASHINGTON UNIV. KALEN DeBOER – I love, love, love this hire. He was (12-6) past 2 years at Fresno State but his overall CFB Head Coaching record is …. (79-9) overall….that is not a typo.
7). FLORIDA BILLY NAPIER – He is a Fla. native, Won National Coach of Year at La. Layfayette, going (12-1) last year and going (40-12) as a Head Coach. It’s not that hard to recruit at Florida and his Offense will have studs foaming at the mouth to come play in the Swamp.
FORMER LONG TIME OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR TO GET a 1st HEAD COACHING JOB THIS SEASON:
Note: now it’s no easy task to transition for being an expert on one side of the ball to become the Head Ball Coach. But these 4 I feel will all kick some ass and do very well….with one being my “Sleeper” team in CFB this year.
1). OKLAHOMA BRENT VENABLES – He has been either the best or Top 3 in CFB Defenses at Clemson the past decade or so. His energy is infectious and he in one of best “In Game” guys I’ve ever seen. He will immediately improve the Defense and the Offense is loaded with studs so he is my “Sleeper” (HC/Team) of all these hires. His cupboard is full. He will kick some ass and this program is in best hands of any new hire this season for years to come. Grand Slam hire.
2). OREGON DAN LANNING – This guy is another Defensive genius and will have no trouble recruiting blue chip kids as Oregon has the best facilities in the nation. It’s no shock Georgia finally won a National Title with him spearheading a Top 3 Defensive Unit. Home run hire.
3). NOTRE DAME MARCUS FREEMAN – Once again another Defensive guru who the kids will play super hard for. This gig though could well be the toughest place to have your first ever Head Coaching job. But it’s a place you can recruit blue chippers and I fully expect him to excel…he has a few tough ones this season but he will likely be here for long time to come. Great hire.
4). VIRGINIA TONY ELLIOTT – Just a brilliant Offensive mind as he did everything possible at Clemson the past 6 years winning two National Titles and coming very close a few other seasons. This is a under radar hire and the pressure won’t be anywhere near the top 3 guys I just mentioned. He should immediately have a Top 10-15 Offense if the Offensive Line (0 returning starters) can provide a Great QB and 3 dynamic receivers. I will likely be looking to bet “OVER” a lot on this Virginia team a lot this season.
LAST MY 3 FAVORITE SECOND YEAR HEAD COACHES I FULLY EXPECT TO HAVE SOLID SEASONS IN YEAR 2
1). TENNESSEE JOSH HEUPEL – There is no shock this guy is an Offensive Genius (former CFB QB) and his Central Florida teams and last years Vols team exploded for big points and this season should be once again an Offense that lights up the scoreboard as he has a QB who knows his system and has lots of weapons….remember back in day you used to hear phrase “SPEED KILLS” …well that is this Offense.
2). SOUTH CAROLINA SHANE BEAMER – Look folks this guy has the family pedigree to be a super Head Coach and the fact he bypassed Va Tech (His dad Frank’s longtime school) to take this job show’s he didn’t want to follow in his dads footsteps. He led a very average Gamecocks team last year to a fantastic (7-6) record and for a young Head Coach nothing fazed him. I fully expect year 2 to be even better.
3). VANDERBILT CLARK LEA – This was a very hard rebuild and although Vandy won just 2 games last year….you could see the confidence in Lea and I am calling this year’s team the 2021 Wake Forest “surprise” team in CFB. He may not have superior size…but like Heupel at Tennessee…he’s got tons of speed. His Offense will score points and when you have a QB with 4.3 type blinding speed….the ability to score on one play from anywhere on field is always there. Of these 3 though playing in a loaded SEC will likely keep him from becoming little more than a lower level Bowl caliber team. But this program has won before and give him a few more seasons and I think they will be one of those teams no other SEC wants to play. I predict one huge Upset this year by the Commodores. Lea was a fantastic hire.
FINAL NOTE BY GARY GREENE:
Well each new season breeds hope for all the teams across the country. For some it will last only a few weeks. But the greatest thing about College Football is the point spread does even the playing field and when you have 75 games being played some Saturday’s…finding a hidden gem (regardless of their actual record) is never that tough. Here is to wishing all your teams teams have a great season, unless you are a USC fan…then no…just NO! Go Bruins!
Have a winning season everybody.
Gary Greene