Utah State Aggies: Blake Anderson
class: B +
CBS Sports: “Anderson needed a change of scenery. The state of Utah needed a reliable coach. Anderson left Arkansas after seven seasons as the school’s longest coach in eleven years.”
Take sport: Blake Anderson’s reputation as a practical head coach, respected by his peers, is high on the Utah wish list. In seven seasons as head coach, the 2020 season was his only defeat. He finds himself in a win-now situation in the state of Utah, part of the reason he took the job.
Boise State Broncos: Andy Avalos
class: B +
CBS Sports: “Boise has hired a former Broncos player or assistant coach as head coach that dates back to 1998. The only downside? Avalos has never been a head coach.”
Take sport: Unlike many Group 5 programs, Boise State already has what it takes for Avalos to step in and win when it comes to facilities and staff. This is a win-expecting program, and the setting is already established is a big piece of the puzzle for first year head coaches.
South Alabama Jaguars: Kane Wommack
class: B.
CBS Sports: “This was a no-brainer after the Jags decided to part ways with Steve Campbell. Wommack was the South Alabama Defensive Coordinator from 2016-17. The Broyles Award finalist (best assistant coach) was an important part of a turnaround in Indiana for the past two seasons. “
Take sport: South Alabama wants to win on defense and convinced one of its former associates to return to the program to lead. Kane Wommack is one of the better contributors to this cycle, especially in the G5 ranks.
Louisiana Monroe Warhawks: Terry Bowden
class: B.
CBS Sports: “At 64, Bowden wanted one last blow at the coach pinata. Bobby’s son knows turnarounds. Terry went undefeated in Auburn (including three seasons with nine wins). He was then charged with transfers in Division II North Alabama, to make three direct playoff appearances for the Lions. “
Take sport: Can Bowden bring ULM back to relevance in the group of 5 ranks? This is one of the most difficult tasks that started this coaching cycle.
Southern Miss Golden Eagle: Will Hall
class: B.
CBS Sports: “Southern Miss needed an offensive like Willie Fritz’s. It became the next best, Fritz ‘offensive coordinator. Under Hall, Tulane averaged over 34 points per game in 2020.”
Take sport: Southern Miss is trying to catch lightning in a bottle here, and as Dodd mentioned, they aggressively mimick Tulane’s rapid rise with the hiring of Will Hall.
Arizona Wildcats: Jedd Fish
class: C.
CBS Sports: “This is Fisch’s 12th stop in the NFL or college since 2002. He has to win over skeptics who want a coach with connections to the school.”
Take sport: Arizona needs stability after an almost instantly failed marriage to Kevin Sumlin, and hopes Fisch can change things quickly. He is only the second Head Coaching employee in Arizona in the past 40 years without any experience as Head Coaching. It’s a risk.
Arkansas State Red Wolves: Butch Jones
class: B.
CBS Sports: “The state of Arkansas doesn’t usually sniff at the hiring of head coaches. The last four coaches have won 65% of their games. The school is used to being a stepping stone (see: Hugh Freeze, Gus Malzahn, Bryan Harsin) A 52- year-old SEC veteran who’s spent the past three years as an Alabama analyst? Yes, you would. “
Take sport: Butch Jones needed the right fit after a failed tenure in Tennessee led to his place with Nick Saban’s staff as an analyst. That’s it.
Marshall Thundering stove: Charles Huff
class: B-
CBS Sports: “Huff is one of the best recruits in the country and a scholar with running backs. Ask Saquon Barkley and Najee Harris. Marshall wants championships. Coming off Saban’s coaching tree doesn’t hurt.”
Take sport: The Thundering Herd didn’t land their first or second option in Byron Leftwich or Chad Pennington, but they feel they are a good fit for Charles Huff. We will see.
Vanderbilt Commodores: Clark Lea
class: B.
CBS Sports: “Lea, Notre Dame’s former defensive coordinator, needs to hire an offensive coordinator who keeps up with the SEC superpowers. When you’ve spent time with him, you feel like he can.”
Take sport: Vanderbilt had to hire someone toughest of the challenge to win in the SEC and die-hard Lea is a perfect fit. Former Commodores defender uses the right parts to build a serious product and knows Rome won’t be built in a day.
Illinois Fighting Illinois: Bret Bielema
class: ON-
CBS Sports: “Illinois should never be this bad. Under Bielema, who got Wisconsin to three straight Rose Bowls, things get more physical right away.”
Take sport: This job, respected in Wisconsin before it’s somewhat forgotten in Arkansas, is Bret Bielema’s second chance to cook up part of his previous success in the Big Ten. Recruiting is key and landing players will be its top priority.
UCF Knights: Gus Malzahn
class: A +
CBS Sports: “It will be a relief to wake up every day without reading or hearing what Alabama just did, 24/7/365. That is now Harsin’s problem.”
Take sport: Rarely does a Group 5 program get updated after the Trainer was lost to a major program, but that’s exactly what the Knights did after Josh Heupel left for Tennessee. Gus Malzahn is a proven winner and should be able to improve UCF’s recruiting efforts immensely.
South Carolina Gamecocks: Shane Beamer
class: C-
CBS Sports: “Frank Beamer’s son is one of the most talented and personable guys on his way up the ladder. But Shane has never been a coordinator. There were plenty of defects in his hiring.”
Take sport: The first few months on the job were unkind for Shane Beamer, who was forced to replace several coaches and staff he had hired and saw a mass exodus of key personnel. It can get worse before it gets better in Colombia.
Auburn Tigers: Bryan Harsin
class: ON-
CBS Sports: “It’s okay to call Harsin Auburn’s fourth (or fifth) choice. If he had been the first choice, he would have been on the first flight out of Boise state when Malzahn was fired. Instead, the school went Auburn’s version.” from by um, “The Trial”. ”
Take sport: This may have looked like a head-scratching hire to some on the SEC, but Auburn hired his man, and sometimes the perfect closed-door fit might not match the national nickname. Harsin wins, runs a clean program, and has put together impressive employees and switched jobs in his first month.
Texas Longhorns: Steve Sarkisian
class: ON
CBS Sports: “Every resource imaginable is made available to him in Texas. If not, he will come full circle and become the next Tom Herman – in a different sense.”
Take sport: As one of the best employees of that cycle, Texas went out and brought in the nation’s best assistant to run one of the greatest jobs in college football. Steve Sarkisian seems ready for his long-awaited return as head coach and is already talented into a great situation in the Austin stable. Keep an eye on this.
Tennessee Vols: Josh Heupel
class: C.
CBS SportsWhen Heupel was announced it was mostly a shrug. Not terrible, not great. Other, more accomplished candidates were no doubt scared of the NCAA investigation. Sure, he’s the offensive-friendly guy AD Danny White wanted. But am In the end, this seemed like a relapse when people like Tony Elliott decided to stay here. “
Take sport: Tennessee went on UCF this off-season and ended up sporting director and chief football coach for the Knights. This is a multi-year plan for the Vols to pull themselves out of the depths of irrelevance. Can Heupel do that?
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