Coaching Carousel

Jimbo Fisher is, I think, going to fail miserably at Texas A&M.  At Florida State they were pretty much one of the few powers in a conference more known for basketball than football.  At Texas A&M, he's going to playing some very notable teams just in his division: Alabama, LSU, and Auburn.  Then, he'll have cross-over games with Florida, Tennessee, Georgia.

We'll see where Texas A&M is at in three years, but my thinking is they grossly over-paid for a coach who was trending down and will never replicate his FSU success.  

 
I'd say UCLA had an A+ hire as well but that is just nitpicking. Seriously though, UCLA hit a home run. FSU and Miss State got solid coaches and I think other schools did a pretty good job as well. Not everyone could win but everyone did well despite such a crazy carousel this year. Everyone besides Arizona State that is. I actually like Herm as an analyst, but trying to be an NFL factory isn't going to work with USC down the road

 
Nebraska A (a program with high expectations coupled with considerable recruiting challenges beat-out multiple powers for the hottest young coach since Urban was at Utah)

UCLA A (Kelly is a great fit that likely has the rest of the PAC sweating hard)

ATM B+ (Jerked FSU around and stuck with some crappy assistants but he's also won big)

FSU B+ (He's a great recruiter that has improved three different programs. He'll do well in Tallahassee) 

Florida B (Funny that Florida and us both had the same third option, Mullen. Gainesville is certainly easier to win at that Starksville, he should do solidly.)

Arkie B (SMU was awful when he took-over and he has great Texas recruiting connections. Norvell would have been better IMO)

MSU B  (Again, Starksville is not an easy place to win at. They managed to get a good up-and-comer in Moorhead).

UCF B (After a rough stint at OU Heupel did good work at Mizzou, should do a solid job)

Tenn C+ (After embarrassing themselves early they managed to make a decent hire in Pruitt)

Oregon State C+ (Working with G5 level money is tough. IMO they should have hired Craig Bohl but this was a decent hire)

Oregon C (Were in a tough spot as the last to go looking. Cristobal is a quality recruiter that didn't deserve to be canned at FIU but this still feels a bit like settling). 

Ole Miss D (Sanctions were coming, but hardly crippling ones, they could have still made a decent hire rather than settle on a place-holder. Look at PSU)

ASU D-(Rather than paying through the nose to replace Graham with a figurehead use that money to give Graham an absolutely killer staff and just get him to try backing-off into more of a CEO role)

 
BigRedN said:
Puzzled that Scott is rated an A+,   Ya know, he is an "enormous risk".  :-)

Still surprised about some of our fans who look at it that way.  This was referenced on the Scott Frost megathread, page 324.  

Just look at all these other coaches we could have had.   :sarcasm
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Just because he's a risk doesn't mean he's not a really good hire. The question isn't about risks, everyone is a risk, it's whether that risk has a chance to pay off. I didn't want Mike Riley for that reason, I do want Scott Frost for that reason. 

I'd also put some of these hires lot higher or lower for this same reason than the OP. Morris is a risky hire, too, but he's also a great coach who could pay off big. Herm, not so much. 

 
I agree wth them for the most part, although I'd rate MS State and FSU higher. I expect both of those coaches to do very well.

 
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brophog said:
Just because he's a risk doesn't mean he's not a really good hire. The question isn't about risks, everyone is a risk, it's whether that risk has a chance to pay off. I didn't want Mike Riley for that reason, I do want Scott Frost for that reason. 

I'd also put some of these hires lot higher or lower for this same reason than the OP. Morris is a risky hire, too, but he's also a great coach who could pay off big. Herm, not so much. 
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I found your response interesting @brophog.  After your post I went back and looked at who the person was that said Frost was an "enormous risk".  You might find it interesting to read the 2-3 posters that responded to my post, especially the person who said Frost was an "enormous risk".  Glad to see this person has changed his view.
 

 
Dan Mullen is a 'D' pick.  He went 69 - 46 with Mississippi St which is already meh, but 4 of those years were with Dak Prescot.  In conference without Dak he is 16-24.  .400 win percentage.  He will not be coach of Florida three years from today.

 
I don’t like the Fisher hire as much as most. I see him as a burned out, played out Mack Brown type...good recruiter, but mediocre coach. I’m not even sure he’s much of an upgrade over Sumlin, so giving him a $75 million contract is very questionable. Once the initial excitement wears off, the pressure will build, and I’m not sure how he’ll handle that.

Taggart will recruit the heck out of Florida and keep FSU relevant. Moorhead is an underrated young coach, who will make MSU good. 

 
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chamrocck said:
Here's my perspective and grades on a crazy season of college football's coaching carousel!  The A class are programs who hired with a focus on "We are here to play for championships!"  B class is "OK, I see you".  C class is "not sure, some mehs, but maybe one can be a program maker".  The D class is like "OK who's available next season?".  

Nebraska – Scott Frost – A+  We got our man.  Frost was the ONLY one for the job who fit all the criteria.  The Husker legend could become even more legendary and be the coach here for the next 20+ years.  Brings his entire coaching staff that just went undefeated.  Unites fanbase like no other hire could have.  Let’s get this party started!

UCLA – Chip Kelly – A  The Bruins for years have under-performed and been little brother to USC.  They make a splash hire which gives them instant credibility on the national scene and a bigger name coach than rival USC.  Kelly knows the Pac 12 and has a window right now to make UCLA relevant.

Texas A&M – Jimbo Fisher – A-  The Aggies showed some balls in parting ways with Sumlin which makes me believe they knew they could land Fisher.  Fisher is a big steal from FSU and gives Texas A&M the highest profile coach in the state (yes above Texas and the two NFL teams).  Aggies paid a lot so Fisher must have instant success or it could get ugly.

UCF – Josh Heupel – B  Solid hire to try to keep UCF rolling.  The fact that no other staff was retained because they followed Frost will be a challenge for the new coaching staff.  I thought UCF might go Sumlin but Heupel seems to me like the type of coach who followed after Chris Petersen left Boise State.  They will still have some success but not likely to replicate the success of the original program maker in Frost. 

Florida – Dan Mullen – B-  A safe hire when they struck out on their other choices.  Has much work to do putting a formidable offense back on the field at Florida.  If Gator fans are patient, Mullen could have long term success. 

Tennessee – Jeremy Pruitt – B-  It could have been a lot worse but I don’t see Tennessee winning the SEC anytime soon.  Pruitt knows his way around the SEC.  Will be interesting to see where their offense goes under a defensive minded coach. 

Mississipi St. – Joe Moorhead – C+  Unfamiliar with the SEC but probably the best they could hope for.  Could sneak up on some teams.    

FSU – Willie Taggart – C+  Recruiting ties in state seems to be his main positive attribute but Taggart has a losing record in his considerable time as a head coach.  Seems like FSU settled.  I expect Clemson to pummel them for the foreseeable future. 

Arkansas - Chad Morris – C  The hogs role the dice to see if Morris can energize their program.  Patience will be key to the success here. 

Arizona St. – Herm Edwards – C-  What do the Sun Devils know that the rest of us don’t?  Seems like a figure head hire and unlikely to get ASU to stable success in the Pac 12. 

Ole Miss – Matt Luke – D  This guy serves as the stop gap during sanctions at Ole Miss.  Realistically because of the sanctions no one was coming so Luke gets the chance to see what he can do.  My guess is not much.   

Oregon – Mario Cristobal – D  The Ducks have been fun to watch over the last years but lost out in the game of musical chairs with no one left to dance with.  At least their uniforms will keep them interesting but Frost and Kelly have taken the show to other programs.  Too many other good Pac 12 teams on the rise for Oregon to get where they once were. 

Oregon St. – Johnathan Smith – D-  Here’s one team Oregon will continue to pound.  The Beavers continue in irrelevancy.  They may as well have hired Mike! 
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I agree with a lot of what you did here.  This is all speculation so there is no right or wrong...yet.   It will take a few years to distinguish true grades.

I think some greatly underestimate Jimbo Fisher.  I think A&M is highly relevant in the SEC within two years. 

I think Chip Kelly has the potential to get a lot of So Cali talent and do some serious damage on the West Coast.  If I was USC I would be concerned.

Of course we all think we get an A+.  No bias here however.  We are all happy. 

I think Crisobal is better than a D at Oregon.  Again I see UCLA improving, but I do not think Oregon falls that much more from where they are now.  There is still Knight and some charisma to its program, but I do think they saw their pinnacle years ago.

Arizona St -  Seems confusing and most do not like the hire.  I like Herm Edwards and have zero idea how he will coach college.  But does Arizona State have an identity?  They do now. 

 
Dilly Dilly said:
Not one bit.  He's about as out of touch as they come. 
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Back in the 80's ND hired Gerry Faust, a high school coach, I'd say that's still the crowning achievement in WTH hires. I'd put Herman top10 though, especially when you look at how much they're now paying Graham not to coach.

 
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