Up:
David Cutcliffe (Duke) - Might Duke be the best North Carolina - based football program in 2018? Too early to tell but I've been impressed by the Blue Devils' performance with a challenging out of conference schedule. This team can definitely make some moves in a less than stellar ACC this year.
Seth Littrell (North Texas) - The folks in Lubbock and at Southern Cal better be keeping tabs on Littrell. In a few years, he has completely transformed the culture in Denton, Texas; culminating in last weekend's romp on the road over Arkansas. At the same time, UNC, where Seth coached before, has taken a nosedive. Coincidence? I think not. He will get a bigger gig this offseason.
Steve Addazio (Boston College) - After seemingly perennially being on the hot seat, something special is brewing at BC. The roster is talented, led by elite RB AJ Dillon, and the ACC (apart from Clemson) is down, making BC a legit threat to put together a special season.
Neal Brown (Troy) - I am a big fan of what Brown has done at Troy and thought that Arizona dropped the ball by choosing Kevin Sumlin, a lazy hire, over him. I think this yearAdam Rittenberg sums it up perfectly: "Focus is on Nebraska's 0-2 start, but that's a big win for Troy's Neal Brown, who now has road victories over Nebraska and LSU the past two seasons. Brown entered the season as the only Group of 5 coach to win more than 80 percent of his games the past two seasons. Despite a tough opening loss to Boise State, Troy should once again factor in the Sun Belt race -- and Brown for possible Power 5 openings."
Mike MacIntyre (Colorado) - MacIntyre quietly is getting things done again this season for a program with recruiting disadvantages and a small budget. Last year, he took a hit with an assistant coaching exodus to Oregon, which clearly showed up on the football field. This year, Colorado has started strong and I've got a feeling they'll end the year well strong, too.
Others:
Joe Moorhead (Mississippi State) - I had Great Expectations for Joe when he got this job. So far; so good.
Jimbo (A&M) - Kellen Mond is much improved and the dividends on the football field & on the recruiting trail are already paying off. We'll learn more about this team on Saturday.
Mark Stoops (Kentucky)
Dino Babers (Syracuse)
Ed Orgeron (LSU) - I'm not a big believer in LSU and still think they lose 4 games but I cannot take away from the fact that Easy Ed has won the battle of the snakebit head coaches with Mark Richt and Gus. We'll see if they can keep proving me wrong.
Kendal Briles (offensive coordinator, Houston) - Houston's offense has been immeasurably better this year thanks to Art's son. Running up the score on Arizona and former head coach Sumlin had to feel good for those in the Houston administration. I think Applewhite is a mediocre head coach but if he can find a way to keep Briles, a rising star in the coaching ranks, in Houston past this season, it may save his job.
Kalani Sitake (BYU) - I was not impressed by the home loss to an average Cal team, but Sitake followed it up with a win over Wisconsin. As with Orgeron, I'm in wait and see mode.
Steady:
Bryan Harsin (Boise State)
Charlie Strong (South Florida)
Bronco Mendenhall (UVA)
Luke Fickell (Cincinnati)
Dana Holgersen (WVU)
David Beaty (Kansas) - Don't look now but Kansas has won two in a row
Lane Kiffin (FAU)
Derek Mason (Vandy)
Pat Narduzzi (Pitt)
Tom Allen (Indiana)
Tom Herman (Texas)
Brian Kelly (Notre Dame)
Herm Edwards (Arizona State)
Jim Harbaugh (Michigan) - Jim is recruiting exceptionally well relative to the state of the program
Down:
Paul Johnson (Georgia Tech) - The high school offense is boring and predictable; his recruiting sucks; the excuses are plentiful; the coaching staff looks like they came out of a nursing home; and this team looks destined for another disappointing season. I was really surprised PJs was given an extension this offseason but with that being said, his buyout is manageable at $4 million. The academic standards are difficult, but not prohibitive, so someone like Alabama offensive line coach and Tech alumni Brent Key would probably bring in better athletes.
Clay Helton (USC) - How Helton was named the head coach when there were many more qualified candidates out there by an athletic director on his way out is beyond me. USC is a true blue blood program that should expect better than to get run off the field by Texas and not be competitive against Alabama and Ohio State in recent seasons. The fact that players have come out in recent days and questioned the practicing regime and labeled the team as soft tells you all that you need to know. Lynn Swann will right the ship - and it'd be better if it's sooner rather than later.
Randy Edsall (UCONN) - No real need to expand on this one
Larry Fedora (UNC) - If there's one person in America who was glad to have a hurricane strike the Carolinas, it had to be Fedora as UCF would've mollywhopped North Carolina and had the Heels reeling at 0-3 entering ACC play. One of Carolina's losses was of a blowout variety to a very bad East Carolina team, who lost to North Carolina A&T this season. Things are VERY BAD in Chapel Hill and I don't see Fedora roaming the sidelines in 2019.
Chris Ash (Rutgers) - Kansas running up the score on anybody is bad. The fact that it took place in year three for Ash is ominous.
Bobby Petrino (Louisville) - Squeaking by against a BAD Western Kentucky team doesn't bode well for a man whose image has taken a massive hit (nepotism claims, assistant coaches getting in trouble, etc) over the past year. Another mediocre year in conference play likely spells the end of his regime.
Lovie Smith (Illinois) - Another week, another loss. Recruiting is better but the product on the field is not. Yikes!
Kliff Kingsbury (Texas Tech) - Saint Josephine's Girls School of the Blind could play better defense than the Red Raiders. Short of posting a winning conference record, Kingsbury walks the plank.
First Year Blues:
Chip Kelly (UCLA) - Could the Bruins finish winless this year? The father of a freshman QB criticizing Chip openly is not a good look.
Willie Taggart (FSU) - Willie usually turns things around in year two but it may take three years to fix that AWFUL offensive line.
Scott Frost (Nebraska) - What could have been if Adrian Martinez was able to stay healthy or Tristan Gebbia (his backup) was patient? Frost is a good hire who needs a few recruiting classes to build up talent and depth there.
Chad Morris (Arkansas) - A loss to a bad Colorado State team and a blowout loss at home to UNT was not what fans imagined to start Chad's tenure.
David Cutcliffe (Duke) - Might Duke be the best North Carolina - based football program in 2018? Too early to tell but I've been impressed by the Blue Devils' performance with a challenging out of conference schedule. This team can definitely make some moves in a less than stellar ACC this year.
Seth Littrell (North Texas) - The folks in Lubbock and at Southern Cal better be keeping tabs on Littrell. In a few years, he has completely transformed the culture in Denton, Texas; culminating in last weekend's romp on the road over Arkansas. At the same time, UNC, where Seth coached before, has taken a nosedive. Coincidence? I think not. He will get a bigger gig this offseason.
Steve Addazio (Boston College) - After seemingly perennially being on the hot seat, something special is brewing at BC. The roster is talented, led by elite RB AJ Dillon, and the ACC (apart from Clemson) is down, making BC a legit threat to put together a special season.
Neal Brown (Troy) - I am a big fan of what Brown has done at Troy and thought that Arizona dropped the ball by choosing Kevin Sumlin, a lazy hire, over him. I think this yearAdam Rittenberg sums it up perfectly: "Focus is on Nebraska's 0-2 start, but that's a big win for Troy's Neal Brown, who now has road victories over Nebraska and LSU the past two seasons. Brown entered the season as the only Group of 5 coach to win more than 80 percent of his games the past two seasons. Despite a tough opening loss to Boise State, Troy should once again factor in the Sun Belt race -- and Brown for possible Power 5 openings."
Mike MacIntyre (Colorado) - MacIntyre quietly is getting things done again this season for a program with recruiting disadvantages and a small budget. Last year, he took a hit with an assistant coaching exodus to Oregon, which clearly showed up on the football field. This year, Colorado has started strong and I've got a feeling they'll end the year well strong, too.
Others:
Joe Moorhead (Mississippi State) - I had Great Expectations for Joe when he got this job. So far; so good.
Jimbo (A&M) - Kellen Mond is much improved and the dividends on the football field & on the recruiting trail are already paying off. We'll learn more about this team on Saturday.
Mark Stoops (Kentucky)
Dino Babers (Syracuse)
Ed Orgeron (LSU) - I'm not a big believer in LSU and still think they lose 4 games but I cannot take away from the fact that Easy Ed has won the battle of the snakebit head coaches with Mark Richt and Gus. We'll see if they can keep proving me wrong.
Kendal Briles (offensive coordinator, Houston) - Houston's offense has been immeasurably better this year thanks to Art's son. Running up the score on Arizona and former head coach Sumlin had to feel good for those in the Houston administration. I think Applewhite is a mediocre head coach but if he can find a way to keep Briles, a rising star in the coaching ranks, in Houston past this season, it may save his job.
Kalani Sitake (BYU) - I was not impressed by the home loss to an average Cal team, but Sitake followed it up with a win over Wisconsin. As with Orgeron, I'm in wait and see mode.
Steady:
Bryan Harsin (Boise State)
Charlie Strong (South Florida)
Bronco Mendenhall (UVA)
Luke Fickell (Cincinnati)
Dana Holgersen (WVU)
David Beaty (Kansas) - Don't look now but Kansas has won two in a row
Lane Kiffin (FAU)
Derek Mason (Vandy)
Pat Narduzzi (Pitt)
Tom Allen (Indiana)
Tom Herman (Texas)
Brian Kelly (Notre Dame)
Herm Edwards (Arizona State)
Jim Harbaugh (Michigan) - Jim is recruiting exceptionally well relative to the state of the program
Down:
Paul Johnson (Georgia Tech) - The high school offense is boring and predictable; his recruiting sucks; the excuses are plentiful; the coaching staff looks like they came out of a nursing home; and this team looks destined for another disappointing season. I was really surprised PJs was given an extension this offseason but with that being said, his buyout is manageable at $4 million. The academic standards are difficult, but not prohibitive, so someone like Alabama offensive line coach and Tech alumni Brent Key would probably bring in better athletes.
Clay Helton (USC) - How Helton was named the head coach when there were many more qualified candidates out there by an athletic director on his way out is beyond me. USC is a true blue blood program that should expect better than to get run off the field by Texas and not be competitive against Alabama and Ohio State in recent seasons. The fact that players have come out in recent days and questioned the practicing regime and labeled the team as soft tells you all that you need to know. Lynn Swann will right the ship - and it'd be better if it's sooner rather than later.
Randy Edsall (UCONN) - No real need to expand on this one
Larry Fedora (UNC) - If there's one person in America who was glad to have a hurricane strike the Carolinas, it had to be Fedora as UCF would've mollywhopped North Carolina and had the Heels reeling at 0-3 entering ACC play. One of Carolina's losses was of a blowout variety to a very bad East Carolina team, who lost to North Carolina A&T this season. Things are VERY BAD in Chapel Hill and I don't see Fedora roaming the sidelines in 2019.
Chris Ash (Rutgers) - Kansas running up the score on anybody is bad. The fact that it took place in year three for Ash is ominous.
Bobby Petrino (Louisville) - Squeaking by against a BAD Western Kentucky team doesn't bode well for a man whose image has taken a massive hit (nepotism claims, assistant coaches getting in trouble, etc) over the past year. Another mediocre year in conference play likely spells the end of his regime.
Lovie Smith (Illinois) - Another week, another loss. Recruiting is better but the product on the field is not. Yikes!
Kliff Kingsbury (Texas Tech) - Saint Josephine's Girls School of the Blind could play better defense than the Red Raiders. Short of posting a winning conference record, Kingsbury walks the plank.
First Year Blues:
Chip Kelly (UCLA) - Could the Bruins finish winless this year? The father of a freshman QB criticizing Chip openly is not a good look.
Willie Taggart (FSU) - Willie usually turns things around in year two but it may take three years to fix that AWFUL offensive line.
Scott Frost (Nebraska) - What could have been if Adrian Martinez was able to stay healthy or Tristan Gebbia (his backup) was patient? Frost is a good hire who needs a few recruiting classes to build up talent and depth there.
Chad Morris (Arkansas) - A loss to a bad Colorado State team and a blowout loss at home to UNT was not what fans imagined to start Chad's tenure.