Grading the First-Year Coaches
The Gold Sheet
With the college football season heading into the far turn, we've had enough time to measure all of the first-year coaches to render an early verdict on their performance. So, following is a quick review and "letter grade" for the 21 coaches in their first year on the job. Straight-up and pointspread records are included thru October 31.
Rich Ellerson, Army (SUR 3-5; PSR 2-6)...No one was expecting too much at West Point, and with the bar set so low, Ellerson at least hasn't disappointed yet. His game-management skills have impressed onlookers, although he has had little success in jazzing up the Black Knight version of the option, which is even more one-dimensional than before and not resembling the more-creative option Ellerson most recently ran at Cal Poly. Grade: C+
Gene Chizik, Auburn (6-3, 5-4)...Although some of the early hoopla has died out on the Plains, Chizik still earns favorable marks for pumping some life into what had been a moribund Tiger offense, thanks largely to the shrewd hiring of o.c. Gus Malzahn, who recently coordinated some potent Tulsa attacks. Although Auburn's offense ran into a rough patch against some hungry SEC defenses in recent weeks, Saturday's bounce-back win over Ole Miss got the Tigers bowl eligible. Auburn backers who questioned this hiring are now mostly on board. Grade: B
Stan Parrish, Ball State (1-8, 4-4)... At least Parrish broke his own 35-game losing streak (which extended back to his days as Kansas State's HC in the late '80s). But after the departure of HC Brady Hoke and QB Nate Davis, the Cardinals have lost all of the momentum they had built up the last couple of years. Grade: D
Frank Spaziani, Boston College (6-3, 6-2)... This hire was not met with universal approval in the BC community but has turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Spaziani has kept the Eagles relevant in the ACC and uncovered an unlikely savior at QB in 25-year-old former minor league baseball player Dave Shinskie. Grade: A-
Dave Clawson, Bowling Green (3-5, 3-5)... After a rousing opening win over Troy and an impressive near-miss at Mizzou, Clawson, who failed as Tennessee's o.c. last season after a successful run as HC at Richmond, seemed to be on the right track. The Falcs, however, have floundered since. Grade: C-
Ron English, Eastern Michigan (0-8, 2-5-1)... This wasn't the sort of job English expected to get when riding high as Michigan's d.c. a few years ago. As of yet he has failed to provide a spark to the dormant Eagle program that is having trouble gaining any visibility in Ypsilanti. Injuries have not helped, although someone should have reminded English what a coaching graveyard the EMU job has been for decades. But does anyone notice? Grade: D
Paul Rhoads, Iowa State (5-4, 5-3)... Big XII sources suspected that Rhoads didn't inherit a bare cupboard in Ames, but even so the Cyclones have been a pleasant surprise. One more win will make them one of the most-unlikely bowl-eligible teams in the land. Grade: A-
Bill Snyder, Kansas State (5-4, 4-3)... Not sure we should include Snyder in this list, as he returns to the KSU job he held from 1989-2005. Already, however, he has pumped life into a program that had sagged under successor/predecessor Ron Prince, and is surprisingly in the hunt for the Big XII North title. Grade: B+
Mike Haywood, Miami-Ohio (1-8, 4-5)... MAC sources warned that Haywood inherited a bare cupboard from predecessor Shane Montgomery, but after eight losses the RedHawks are finally in the win column and might have discovered their QB of the future in RS frosh Zac Dysert. Miami-O could be on the upswing, if only slightly. Grade: C
Dan Mullen, Mississippi State (4-5, 5-3)... Making the most out of one of the SEC's most-thankless assignments, Mullen has immediately upgraded the Maroon, installing a more-modern spread offense similar in design to the one he used at Florida as Urban Meyer's o.c. Impressive debut. Grade: A
Mike Locksley, New Mexico (0-8, 2-6)... So far, the worst of the new hires, from the underhanded manner in which administrators forced out predecessor Rocky Long to the selection of Locksley, whose off-field entanglements have provided as much of an embarrassment to the school as the Lobos' 0-8 record. Grade: F
DeWayne Walker, New Mexico State (3-6, 2-5-1)...Squeezing three wins out of a team with no QB and an offense that appears to have been resurrected from the 1940s is an accomplishment that Vince Lombardi might have had trouble equaling. The question is if Walker can win enough in Las Cruces to escape before his career is irreparably damaged by this thankless assignment. Grade: B
Chip Kelly, Oregon (7-1, 6-2)...What a difference a month can make! After many wondered if Kelly was the right man for the job after the Ducks' slow start, he's being mentioned as a Coach of Year candidate after Oregon's 7-game win streak and 47-20 destruction of Southern Cal last weekend. Grade: A
Danny Hope, Purdue (3-6, 4-5)... Consensus around the Big Ten was that Hope inherited a Boilermaker program that had regressed in recent years under Joe Tiller. Purdue has played in some bad luck and could be above .500 with a few breaks, but has been maddeningly inconsistent along the way. Jury still out in West Lafayette. Grade: C
Brady Hoke, San Diego State (4-4, 3-2-2)... The upgrade over predecessor Chuck Long is unmistakable, as Hoke could get the Aztecs to a bowl for the first time in 11 years by splitting their last four games. So far, so good. Although no one seems to be noticing in San Diego. Grade: A-
Doug Marrone, Syracuse (3-5, 4-3)... Gets generally better marks than predecessor Greg Robinson for organization and game management, so Orange fans are encouraged. On-field product, however, remains average at best. Grade: C
Lane Kiffin, Tennessee (4-4, 5-3)... Kiffin has made no friends around the SEC but might have been just the medicine the doctor ordered for a Vol program that had gone a bit stale under predecessor Phil Fulmer. Kiffin's best move might have been convincing his dad Monte to join him in Knoxville as the defensive coordinator. UT seems to be on the upswing. Grade: B+
Tim Beckman, Toledo (4-5, 4-5)... MAC observers might have been expecting a bit more from Beckman, who inherited 18 starters, including productive QB Aaron Opelt, from predecessor Tom Amstutz. The Rockets, however, have exhibited bipolar tendencies with a series of inconsistent performances, and the defense (ranked 106th) has remained a disaster. Jury still out at Glass Bowl. Grade: C
Gary Andersen, Utah State (2-6, 6-1)... Andersen's impact has yet to be reflected in wins, although a series of competitive efforts have marked the Utags as one of the best pointspread values in the country. WAC observers are impressed with the organization and game-management skills exhibited by Andersen, whom many can envision escaping Logan to a higher-profile job in the near future with a few more wins. Grade: B+
Steve Sarkisian, Washington (3-5, 4-4)... While Pac-10 observers have given "Sark" good marks in his debut, many view the Huskies' improvement as a final indictment on predecessor Ty Willingham, who handed over an 0-12 team. Sark has really earned kudos from scouts who marvel at his work with QB Jake Locker, "coached up" to the point where he could be the top player picked if he comes out for next April's NFL Draft. Grade: A-
Dave Christensen, Wyoming (4-4, 6-1)... Mountain West onlookers continue to rave about the work Christensen (recently Missouri's o.c.) has done with a Wyo program that had jumped the rails for predecessor Joe Glenn. The Cowboys have only once allowed more than 28 points, staying competitive while Christensen's spread offense endures growing pains with a true frosh QB, Austyn Carta-Samuels. The only resemblance with prior Wyo teams is the uniform, and Christensen appears as if he could soon parlay success in Laramie to a juicier assignment. Grade: A