Grading 2020-21 college football coaching hires
A mix of newcomers and veterans were hired to fill 14 college football coaching vacancies this offseason, with UCF the only vacant job left to be filled. Check out grades for the hires that have been made this year:
Andy Avalos, Boise State
The Buzz: Boise State stayed within the Broncos family, landing Avalos to replace Bryan Harsin as its next football coach. Avalos worked on Chris Petersen’s staff and then for Harsin on the defensive side of the football from 2012-2018 before spending two seasons as Oregon’s defensive coordinator. His connection to the school should help the program continue to thrive. Grade: A
Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
The Buzz: Lea returns to his alma mater looking to rejuvenate a Vanderbilt program mired in a seven-year losing streak. He was a linebackers coach at UCLA, Bowling Green, Syracuse, Wake Forest and Notre Dame. He took over as defensive coordinator in 2018, leading the Fighting Irish to top 30 finishes in total defense during each of the past three seasons. He understands the challenges of recruiting at a school where academics are a priority. Grade: A
Butch Jones, Arkansas State
The Buzz: After three seasons working with Nick Saban on the Alabama coaching staff, Jones secured his first head coaching job since his dismal from Tennessee in 2017. He brings a wealth of experience, including winning multiple conference championships in the MAC and Big East and inherits a program with more wins (79) in the past decade than Miami (76) and Texas (73). Grade: A-
Steve Sarkisian, Texas
The Buzz: Sarkisian revitalized his coaching career during a two-year stint as Alabama’s offensive coordinator, leading the Crimson Tide to record-setting heights this season including producing two Heisman Trophy finalists in quarterback Mac Jones and receiver DeVonta Smith, who won the award. His biggest challenge is keeping the fickle Texas boosters happy. Grade: A-
Blake Anderson, Utah State
The Buzz: Anderson is the fourth head coach at Utah State since 2018. He inherits a program two seasons removed from an 11-win campaign. Success has followed Anderson during stops at Southern Miss, North Carolina and Arkansas State, where the Red Wolves finished with one losing season in six years while claiming back-to-back Sun Belt titles in 2015-16. Grade: B+
Will Hall, Southern Miss
The Buzz: Hall, 40, may be one of the younger new coaches hired, but his experience at Division II and Football Bowl Subdivision level should benefit him at Southern Miss. He accumulated a 56-20 coaching record during his stops at West Alabama and West Georgia. He grew up in Mississippi, which should help with in-state recruiting. Grade: B+
Charles Huff, Marshall
The Buzz: Huff earns his first head coaching job after spending more than a decade grinding it out as an assistant coach during stops at Maryland, Penn State, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and Alabama. His passion and work ethic helped him become one of the best recruiters in the country and should provide a boost for the Thundering Herd. Grade: B+
Kane Wommack, South Alabama
The Buzz: At 33, Wommack is the youngest coach hired this offseason, returning to a South Alabama program where he was the defensive coordinator in 2016-17. His defensive prowess helped transform Indiana into a top 40 defensive team during each of the past two seasons. He inherits a Jaguars program that hasn’t had a winning season since its moving to the FBS level in 2012. Grade: B+
Shane Beamer, South Carolina
The Buzz: Beamer returns to his home state with the hopes of revitalizing a South Carolina program coming off its worst season since 1999. The 43-year-old Beamer spent three seasons on the Gamecocks coaching staff from 2007-2010. He’s part of several well-known coaching trees, including Phil Fulmer, Steve Spurrier, Kirby Smart, Lincoln Riley and his father, Frank Beamer. Grade: B
Bryan Harsin, Auburn
The Buzz: Auburn athletics director Allen Greene stepped outside the SEC footprint to land Harsin, who spent the past seven seasons guiding his alma mater Boise State to a 69-19 record, winning three Mountain West titles along the way. While he has no ties to the school, he’s long been considered a rising star. Grade: B
Brett Bielema, Illinois
The Buzz: Bielema returns to his Big Ten roots, taking over an Illinois program that hasn’t won more than seven games in a season since 2007. After struggling at Arkansas, Bielema spent the past three seasons in the NFL as an analyst and an assistant coach. He hopes to reclaim the magic that helped him win three Big Ten titles at Wisconsin from 2006-12. Grade: B-
Josh Heupel, Tennessee
The Buzz: Heupel parlayed a successful three-year stint at UCF into his first head coaching job at a Power 5 school. During his time in Orlando, the Knights were among the national leaders in offense scoring. His familiarity with former UCF athletics director Danny White, now the AD at Tennessee, will help as he works to guide the rebuilding Vols amid an NCAA investigation. Grade: B-
Jedd Fisch, Arizona
The Buzz: Fisch has a long history as an assistant coach at the NFL and college levels, working for Steve Spurrier (Florida), Jim Harbaugh (Michigan) and Sean McVay (L.A. Rams). While the 44-year-old has never been a head coach, his emphasis on the offensive side of the football was a draw for the Wildcats. Grade: C
Terry Bowden, Louisiana-Monroe
The Buzz: Bowden’s coaching career has spanned more than five decades. He’s amassed 175 wins during stops at Samford, Auburn, North Alabama and Akron. He continues a growing trend of coaches in their 60s returning to the sidelines including Mack Brown (North Carolina) and Herm Edwards (Arizona State) and looks to build on a program that has won eight games once since 1975. Grade: C-
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com.
