just Its a little over a month to go before college football kicks off! I can't wait.
And you're going to need a little prep work before you start investing in college football - starting with the new head coaches. Make sure you mistakenly don't fade a team only to find out they fired the knucklehead from last year. Conversely, you might want to wait a little bit on strong teams that lost their head coach to a Power Five program.
The Coaching Carousel was slightly down this year, "only" eighteen new head coaches but it take a bit longer than usual. Two head coaches were hired well after National Signing Day. One the result of stepping down due to health reasons and the other, the head coach left because, as Strother Martin said in Hard Times "a small black cloud appeared on campus; I left under it." Ironically that campus was LSU.
And you're going to need a little prep work before you start investing in college football - starting with the new head coaches. Make sure you mistakenly don't fade a team only to find out they fired the knucklehead from last year. Conversely, you might want to wait a little bit on strong teams that lost their head coach to a Power Five program.
The Coaching Carousel was slightly down this year, "only" eighteen new head coaches but it take a bit longer than usual. Two head coaches were hired well after National Signing Day. One the result of stepping down due to health reasons and the other, the head coach left because, as Strother Martin said in Hard Times "a small black cloud appeared on campus; I left under it." Ironically that campus was LSU.
 | OUT: Kevin Sumlin IN: Jedd Fisch - New England QBs | Lets call this the Beach Boy hire. "Get around, get around, I get around". Name any college football program or even NFL team and it’s likely that Jedd Fisch has served as some type of assistant coach within the program. He's had stints at seven NFL teams and four college programs since 2001. And now he’s getting his first shot as a head coach. Fisch is only the second Arizona coach hired since 1977 not to have head coaching experience. It had to be intentional as they ignored interest for the second time from Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo. While Fisch is a highly regarded offensive coach, we’ve seen that before with the Wildcats program and it hasn’t exactly worked out for them (can you say DickRod?). Perhaps Fisch can be the difference-maker but his lack of experience and little in the way recruiting background is not comforting. Nor is his hiring acumen. He brought in Don Brown and his "vaunted Don Brown defense". The offense will have its work cut out for it in trying to keep pace. |
 | OUT: Blake Anderson IN: Butch Jones - Former Tennessee HC | Remember when Jones was the hot coaching candidate about a decade ago. He had great years at Central and Cincinnati. It looked like he was turning around Tennessee with back to back 9-4 seasons but in 2017, he started out 0-6 in the SEC and was shown the door. He then went to college football's version of the Betty Ford clinic, analyst on Saban's staff (see Lane Kiffin, Mario Cristobal, Mike Locksley and Steve Sarkisian, more on him later). Jones isn't an elite coach and probably doesn't deserve another big job right now, but he should be able to win at Arkansas State. ASU is a second tier Fun Belt team after UL Lafayette and App State (we will see if Coastal Carolina is a one hit wonder). To get another Power Five gig he will need to put the Red Wolves in that top tier consistently. It can be done, the school is used to being a springboard (See: Hugh Freeze, Gus Malzahn, Bryan Harsin). Its a solid hire by the Red Wolves |
 | OUT: Gus Malzahn IN: Bryan Harsin - Boise State HC | He wasn't their first choice. Auburn flirted with Liberty coach Hugh Freeze, UAB coach Bill Clark, La.-Lafayette coach Billy Napier, Oregon coach Mario Cristobal, Alabama OC Steve Sarkisian and Clemson DC Brent Venables, before settling on Harsin. Settle? Harsin, has been one of the most successful coaches in college football. He has gone 76-24 over eight seasons, with five 10-win seasons, a Sun Belt Championship at Arkansas State in 2013, three Mountain West Championships at Boise State and a Fiesta Bowl win in 2014 Harsin’s background on offense and track record of developing quarterbacks should help jumpstart a stagnant Auburn attack. He will also bring consistency to the offense which under Malzahn would be great one week and sputter the next. But it is his first Power 5 job and other than a one year stay at Arkansas State has no experience in the southeast. It's a risky hire and the fan base expects wins over Bama and playoff spots. Harsin is an upgrade and will do well but will struggle to meet those expectations. |
 | OUT: Bryan Harsin IN: Andy Avalos - Oregon DC | It's the most logical pick of the 2021 carousel season. Avalos is just the fifth head coach to roam the sidelines for Boise State since 1998 with each coach having strong ties to the Bronco program. Avalos is a former Broncos linebacker, later coaching with the program under Chris Petersen (2012-13) and Bryan Harsin (2014-18). After working as a defensive assistant from 2012-15, Avalos took over the play-calling duties in ’16 and remained in that role until he left for Oregon in ’19. In Eugene, Avalos helped lead Oregon to consecutive Pac-12 titles as defensive coordinator. The Ducks allowed only 19.5 points a game in Avalos’ first year, and despite some hefty personnel losses, the defense still tied for first in the Pac-12 in 2020. It's his first time as the head guy but the method works for Boise. Hire from within and keep on winning titles. |
 | OUT: Lance Leipold IN: Maurice Linquist - almost scUM co-DC | It was a desperation move. After HC Lance Liepold bolted to Kansas in May, Buffalo went with a name assistant coach with ties to the program. Linquist previously coached at Buffalo from 2012-13 as a DB coach and spent time as an assistant at Iowa State, Mississippi State, Minnesota, Texas A&M with the Dallas Cowboys. You have to question his career choices as he was going to leave Dallas after the ’20 season and become co-DC at scum this year. Perhaps it was divine inspiration, or maybe he had seen enough, but after spending spring practice with the Wolverines, Linguist bolted to Buffalo for his first opportunity to be a head coach. He inherits a roster capable of winning the MAC right away. Additionally, Linguist has a good reputation on the recruiting trail, which should ensure the Bulls have no trouble luring talent to keep this program near the top of the conference. |
 | OUT: Lovie Smith IN: Bret Bielema - NY Giants OLBs | And the award for the worst hire of the season goes to Illinois! The Illini faithful will tout his 68-24 record and three Big Ten titles at Wisconsin. But come on, how much was but him and how much was it Barry Alvarez. When he had a chance to escape Barry's shadow, he went 29-34 at Arkansas, 11-29 in the SEC. He's been bouncing around the NFL since then including a couple years at New England. You know how Patriot assistants work out, right Lions fans. The guy is a joke. I'll throw the faithful a bone and say he gets them back to within sniffing distance of mediocrity. |
 | OUT: Les Miles IN: Lance Liepold - Buffalo HC | It was a hire well outside the normal coaching carousel end date. Les Miles leaves under a cloud after a USA Today story about his role in rampant sexual harassment issues at LSU came out. Not that there are many tears. The Mad Hatter went 3-18 with the Jayhawks. For a program that's the Detroit Lions of Div 1A, a place where coaching careers go to die, I stunned that got such a good candidate. Yeah, I know, the last time Kansas went to Buffalo the ended up with the disaster known as Turner Gill. But this time it should work out - really! He turned around a sad Bull program. After a 13-23 mark in his first three years, the Bulls went 24-10 over the following three seasons claiming two out of the last three MAC East Division titles. Buffalo went to three bowl games under Leipold, finishing No. 25 in the final Associated Press poll in ’20. Prior to Buffalo, Leipold finished 109-6 and won six Division III national titles at Wisconsin-Whitewater from 2007-14. They guy knows how to win. |
 | OUT: Matt Viator IN: Terry Bowden - Former Akron HC | If Fisch is the Beach Boy hire of the season then Bowden is the Merle Haggard hire - "My favorite memory of all" There's never not a good time for Merle so here you go |
|  | OUT: Doc Holliday IN: Charles Huff - Bama RBs | RIP Merle. UL Monroe is going for memories of when Terry was a good head coach. Bowden went 47-17-1 at Auburn including 11-0 his first year there. After getting bounced in 1998, he spent several years in the broadcasting booth. In 2009, Daddy Bowden set him up at North Alabama to be a feeder program for FSU. WIth Seminole level talent parked there while getting their grades up, the Lions went 29-9 under Terry. He then went to Akron and took then from absolutely pathetic to somewhat decent. It's the same task he faces at UL Monroe - take a perennially pathetic program to within spitting distance of average. It's worth a shot. And if he does has some success, at 64, it's not like bigger programs are going to be knocking on his door. You could make the argument that Charles Huff has one of the toughest jobs of any of the new college football head coaches. Technically, Doc Holliday wasn't fired, his contract at Marshall was not renewed. Rumor has it the Governor was behind it all after trying the same tactic in 2017. Huff will certainly be expected to, at minimum, maintain that level, - not an easy task. Huff takes over a Marshall program that won Conference USA’s East Division and earned a bowl trip for the seventh time in eight years last season. His entire career is coaching RBs with no coordinator experience let alone head coaching experience. He's cosidered one of the top recruiters but how difficult is it to recruit at Bama. This one looks to be Mike Locksley redux. Hope the Governor is happy. |
 | OUT: Frank Solich IN: Tim Albin - Ohio OC | Frank Solich leaves as the winningest coach in MAC history and a constant reminder to Husker fans that the grass is rarely greener on the other side. Solich arrived at Ohio in 2005 and led the Bobcats to 11 bowl games and four MAC East Division titles over 16 seasons. He had six seasons with nine or more wins and finished 115-82. His sudden retirement just ten days ago meant the Bobcats had to go internal for his replacement. Albin was the logical replacement. He's been Solich's OC since he arrived in 2005. He has head coaching experience too. He was the HC at Northwestern Oklahoma State and won the NIAA title on 1999. He left to join Solich at Nebraska and followed him to Athens. It's tough to replace a legend but Albins will be given some time to see what he can do. |
 | OUT: Steve Campbell IN: Kane Wommack - Indiana DC | College football has its latest, youngest HC and it was a no brainer of a chaice. Wommack was South Alabama's DC from 2016-17. The Broyles Award finalist was a key part of an Indiana's turnaround the past two seasons. When he took over the Hoosier defense was giving up 29.9 points a game in 2018. In 2019 he reduced that to 24.4 PPG and then further reduced to 20.3 PPG in 2020. The 2020 defense led the Big Ten in interceptions (17), takeaways (20) and opponent red zone conversions (64%). Justin Fields still has nightmares after throwing a career-worst three picks against the Hoosiers on Nov. 21. South Alabama is a program with plenty of potential thanks to its fertile recruiting territory and a new stadium. Wommack is the right choice to reach that potential. |
 | OUT: Will Muschamp IN: Shane Beamer - Oklahoma TE and AHC | Did South Carolina hire the name or the qualifications? Shane is the son of legendary HC Frank Beamer but he is more than just a name. He's learned under some great coaches like Steve Spurrier, Kirby Smart, Lincoln Riley and George O'Leary. Beamer, has been an assistant coach at seven Div 1A schools, coaching in 17 bowl games, including a CFP National Championship Game, At Oklahoma. the Sooners led the nation in total offense, scoring offense and yards per play in 2018. He has experience in the SEC after coaching TEs at Georgia and returns to South Carolina after coaching the secondary and recruiting coordinator under Spurrier. If it weren't for the name no one would question the hire. And taking over an SEC job with no previous head-coaching experience is always a tough assignment, but Beamer will be up for the challenge. Expectations for the job aren't unreasonable, but it's a tough assignment for a rookie HC with Clemson sitting two hours west and Georgia just down the road. |
 | OUT: Jay Hopson IN: Will Hall - Tulane OC | The Golden Eagles have slipped badly from the ranks of CUSA powerhouse/ They liked what they saw happening a couple hours south at Tulane and grabbed the Waves OC. Under Hall, the Green Wave went from 26.8 PPG to 33.1 PPG in ’19 and 34.7 in ’20. Hall knows the territory. He is a Mississippi native and two-time JUCO All-American quarterback at North Alabama winning the Harlon Hill trophy as the best player in Division II. He was the head coach at Division II West Alabama and West Georgia. He compiled a 56-20 record over six seasons between both programs and made the Division II playoffs four times and the Division II semifinals at West Georgia in 2014 and 2015. It's a great fit. Southern Miss is on the way back. |
 | OUT: Jeremy Pruitt IN: Josh Heupel - UCF HC | You could see this one coming a mile away. Tennessee hired UCF athletic director Danny White on Jan. 21, and six days later he hired UCFHC Josh Heupel. Heupel's record at UCF declined each season. There were rumblings about how recruiting suffered too. Ask Nebraska fans how their hiring the perfect UCF HC is going. It's not entirely a whiff. Heupel has previous SEC experience from a stint as Missouri’s offensive coordinator from 2016-17 and UCF did go 28-8 under his watch with seven of the losses by one score. Tennessee has been a mess for years and now with recruiting "irregularities" hanging over the program, better candidates wouldn't even return the phone call. They are lucky White was able to get Heupel to come to Knoxville. |
 | OUT: Tom Herman IN: Steve Sarkisian - Bama OC | In one sense, Sark seems a lot like Tom Herman four years ago -- the hottest name left on the board, championship pedigree, offensive guy. Texas boosters long ago took their shot at Nick Saban (and missed). This year they took a run at Urban Meyer (and missed). So they went with what they hope is the next best thing, the OC from college football's reigning champs. It's quite a gamble. He drank his way out of USC and has yet to win 10 games in a season or conference title as a head coach. Will Saban's house of rehab work? I doubt it. The expectations in Austin are ridiculous. Sarkisian will keep Texas about where they are now. Contenders in the Big 12 (if they stay) but out of the playoffs. |
 | OUT: Josh Heupel IN: Gus Malzahn - Auburn HC | Tennessee left UCF in the lurch, taking their AD and a less than a week later, their HC. Rather than contemplate their navels and go whoa is me, they went for a splashy hire. UCF is likely the best Group of Five program and doesn't need to back down to anyone. Malzahn comes in three wins over Saban in the SEC and coming within 13 seconds of winning the 2013 national championship. AD Terry Mohajir knows Gus from the time they were together at Arkansas State back in 2012. At the time, Auburn parked Gus there while they figured out how to move on from Gene Chizik. Gus has the offensive background that defines Golden Knight football but he's been floundering for awhile. Auburn hasn't finish higher than sixth in the SEC in yards per play over his last six seasons. He was also on the opposing sideline when UCF went 12-0 and a Peach Bowl win over Auburm. Malzahn knows how to recruit Florida, so the talent will be there. But regaining that consistency on offense will determine how UCF goes. |
 | OUT: Gary Andersen IN: Blake Anderson - Arkansas State HC | Tragedy in his personal life hit Anderson hard the last two years. Anderson received national headlines as his wife, Wendy, was battling breast cancer. passing away on August 20, 2019. In one of the most uplifting moments of the 2019 college football season, Arkansas State traveled to Georgia and the Bulldogs fans shed their normal red-and-black garb for pink in support of Wendy and Blake. After going 4-7 last year, its first losing season under Anderson, he left for Utah State hoping a fresh start and a change of scenery will revitalize his career. From 2014-20 with the Red Wolves, Anderson went 51-37 overall, 38-18 in conference play, with six bowl trips and claimed at least a share of two Sun Belt titles. But he spent almost his entre career in the south with little experience out west. If he can get his act back together, this could turn out to be one of the better hires of the season. |
 | OUT: Derek Mason IN: Clark Lea - Notre Dame DC | It's arguably the toughest job in college football. Compete in the SEC without cheating and rigorous academic standards. Last time, they went with a DC from a private school in a Power Five conference, Stanford. It worked for awhile but ultimately Derek Mason sputtered out So this time they went with a DC from a private school playing in a Power Five conference, Notre Dame. The catch is that Lea also went to Vandy so he is very familiar with the challenges he is about to face. He did a pretty good job with the Domers. The Irish have ranked in the top 15 in scoring defense each of the last three seasons. Doing the same at Vandy would be just short of amazing. Vandy will be better but not challenge in the SEC. |
