CSD Mag Feature: Grading Every Move on the 2017 Coaching Carousel

*Listed in alphabetical order*

Each coach’s “Previously” only includes jobs they held in the past five years (2012-16)

Minnesota

Out: Tracy Claeys
In: P.J. Fleck (Previously Receivers Coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012 and Head Coach at Western Michigan from 2013-16)

In P. J. Fleck’s first year at Western Michigan, they went 1-11. By Fleck’s last season with the Broncos, WMU finished the regular season 12-0, won the MAC Championship and made a New Year’s Six Bowl. The situation he takes over at Minnesota is not that dire, the Gophers did make a bowl last season, but the type of energy Fleck brought led Western Michigan to recruiting success, in a wide-open Big Ten West, it wouldn’t surprise me if Fleck can bring Minnesota to a Big Ten West Championship in the next few years.

Grade: A+

Nevada

Out: Brian Polian
In: Jay Norvell (Previously Co-Offensive Coordinator and Receivers Coach at Oklahoma from 2011-14, Receivers Coach at Texas in 2015, and Receivers Coach and Passing Game Coordinator at Arizona State in 2016)

I was surprised when I heard that Brian Polian was fired by Nevada, I was even more surprised when I heard who his replacement was. Norvell has been all around the country (including six years in the NFL). He hasn’t been the sole Offensive Coordinator for a school since 2007, where he was let go after one year. He has never been a head coach. Nevada missed the mark on this hire, and probably should’ve stuck with Polian.

Grade: C

Oklahoma

Out: Bob Stoops
In: Lincoln Riley (Previously Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach at East Carolina from 2010-13, Assistant Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator, and Quarterbacks Coach at East Carolina in 2014, and Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach at Oklahoma from 2015-16)

The timing is obviously not ideal, but at least Bob Stoops got the Sooners through spring training. Lincoln Riley was the perfect hire. For a late job opening, promoting from within, someone players already know is the right move. Riley was the #1 coach on the rise, and would’ve surely been scooped up for some head coaching job in the next couple years, Oklahoma’s offense improved under him, as did ECU’s when he coached there. He was always going to be the heir to Bob Stoops, it just came a little early.

Grade: A

Oregon

Out: Mark Helfrich
In: Willie Taggart (Previously Head Coach at Western Kentucky from 2010-12 and Head Coach at South Florida from 2013-16)

The year before Taggart took over at Western Kentucky, they didn’t win a game, now, you see the Hilltoppers at the top of any list of the best Group of Five schools. In his second year they finished 7-5. He left for South Florida, and he found a gem in Quinton Flowers, he turned USF around as well and led them to their first ten-win season ever. Taggart is a rebuilder, and that is what Oregon needs.

Grade: A-

Purdue

Out: Darrell Hazell
In: Jeff Brohm (Previously Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach at UAB in 2012, Assistant Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator, and Quarterbacks Coach at Western Kentucky in 2013, and Head Coach at Western Kentucky from 2014-16)

This may be the best hire of this cycle. I say that with a straight face. In three years at Western Kentucky, Brohm AVERAGED ten wins a season, with a 30-10 record all together. He won two conference championships, went 2-0 in bowl games, and under his watch, the Hilltoppers were one of the best offensive teams in the country, averaging over 40 points per game all three years. Purdue knocked this one out of the park.

Grade: A+

San Jose State

Out: Ron Caragher
In: Brent Brennan (Previously Wide Receivers Coach at Oregon State from 2011-15, and Outside Wide Receivers Coach at Oregon State in 2016)

Brennan previously spent six years at San Jose State, so this hire makes sense from that front, but Brennan has no head coaching experience, he hasn’t even been a play caller. Brennan is a good recruiter which should help in a crowded California recruiting market, but his inexperience means that this hire doesn’t live up to expectations.

Grade: C+

Temple

Out: Matt Rhule
In: Geoff Collins (Previously Co-Defensive Coordinator at Mississippi State from 2011-12, Defensive Coordinator at Mississippi State from 2013-14, and Defensive Coordinator at Florida from 2015-16)

Collins doesn’t have any head coaching experience, but he has spent the last six years as a defensive coordinator in the best conference in the country, including four years as a play caller. Temple’s last three coaches are now either head coaches in the Power Five or Assistant Coaches in the NFL, and while Collins was a good recruiting piece for Florida, it will be interesting to see if he can continue that now that he is in the Northeast.

Grade: B

Texas

Out: Charlie Strong
In: Tom Herman (Previously Offensive Coordinator and Quarterback Coach at Ohio State from 2012-14 and Head Coach at Houston from 2015-16)

In 2014, Tom Herman received the Broyles Award for the best assistant coach in college football, then he left for Houston, and in his first season, he became a household name. Houston went 11-1 in the regular season, then won the American Conference Championship, then went to the Peach Bowl and shocked the world by beating Florida State. In Herman’s second year, he led Houston to wins over Louisville and Big 12 Champion Oklahoma. This wasn’t just a home run hire, this was a grand slam.

Grade: A+

USF

Out: Willie Taggart
In: Charlie Strong

Charlie Strong and Texas just weren’t the right match, that’s okay. Don’t anyone forget, it was Charlie Strong who brought Louisville, a basketball school who struggled to make a bowl before him, to an 11-2 season. Strong has roots in Florida, and he will have some help in his first season back in the state. USF returns over 70% of their starters, including Quinton Flowers. If USF isn’t one of the best Group of Five teams in the country, it would be a surprise.

Grade: A-

Western Kentucky

Out: Jeff Brohm
In: Mike Sanford Jr. (Previously Recruiting Coordinator and Running Backs Coach at Stanford in 2012, Recruiting Coordinator, Wide Receivers Coach, and Quarterbacks Coach at Stanford in 2013, Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach at Boise State in 2014, and Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach at Notre Dame from 2015-16)

In 2010, Brohm spent a year at Western Kentucky as a Quarterbacks Coach, now he returns as the Head Coach. The last three Western Kentucky coaches (Bobby Petrino, Jeff Brohm, and Willie Taggert) all find themselves at power five jobs. Brohm should continue that streak. He is young, and has spent time at Boise, Stanford, and Notre Dame, he should keep Brohm’s tradition of high-powered offenses alive. Brohm has no head coaching experience, but he is an excellent recruiter, and spent the past three years as an Offensive Coordinator.

Grade: A-

Western Michigan

Out: P. J. Fleck
In: Tim Lester (Previously Head Coach at Elmhurst (D III) from 2008-12, Quarterbacks Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Syracuse from 2013-14, Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach at Syracuse from 2014-15, and Quarterbacks Coach at Purdue in 2016)

Lester has never been a head coach at the FBS level, but he went 33-19 in five years as the head coach of Division Three Elmhurst. He’s an alumni, and was the Bronco’s quarterbacks coach for a few years back in the mid 2000’s, but it’s hard to see Western Michigan not taking a sizable step back in 2017.

Grade: C+