UF’s McElwain among top coaches to watch
The coaching carousel moved at a rapid speed during the offseason.
More than two dozen college football programs made coaching changes. Here is a look at some of the top new coaching hires to keep an eye on during the upcoming college football season:
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
The Buzz: Interim athletic director Jim Hackett hit this one out of the park with the hire of Harbaugh. A Michigan man, Harbaugh exudes energy and his presence on campus already has Wolverines fans excited for the future of the program. His pedigree helped him during college coaching stops at San Diego and Stanford. He also delivered a slew of victories while coaching the San Francisco 49ers. Harbaugh can build on the fan buzz by winning, especially against rivals Ohio State and Michigan State. Tom Herman, Houston The Buzz: Add Herman’s name to the growing list of coaches who have flourished in Urban Meyer’s coaching tree. The 40-year-old Herman played an integral part in developing Ohio State’s quarterbacks during the past few seasons and it’s easy to argue without him, the Buckeyes may not have won the national championship. He mentored three different starting quarterbacks thanks to injuries, helping the reserves keep the offense on track during a remarkable title run. While Herman has never been a head coach, he steps into a great situation at Houston. The Cougars have a new stadium and sit right in the hotbed of recruiting-rich Texas. If he can add some of that talent to the roster, the sky is the limit for the program. Jim McElwain, Florida The Buzz: In three sea- sons at Colorado State, McElwain led the Rams to 22 wins and back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time since 2002-03. The former Alabama offensive coordinator turned a program averaging 21 points per game the season before he got there to more than 33 points per game in 2014. It’s no wonder Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley spent $3 million toward McElwain’s buyout just to secure the right to hire McElwain away from the school. The Gators haven’t matched the rapid scoring rate McElwain notched at Colorado State since 2009. It won’t be easy for McElwain, who inherits a program adapting to its third head coach since 2010 and its fifth offensive coordinator during the same span. With just 11 returning starters, including just four on offense, the theme for this season has to be patience. Chad Morris, SMU The Buzz: After a dismal season in 2014 that saw SMU win just once, Mustangs athletic director Rick Hart needed to make a big hire. He set his sights on one of the most sought after assistant coaches in the country: Chad Morris. Morris turned Clemson into an offensive power, with the Tigers averaging more than 37 points per game since 2012. A Texan, Morris cut his coaching teeth at the high school level before moving into college. Those times will come in handy as Morris recruits in the Lone Star State. If he wins those recruiting battles, he can find success.
Pat Narduzzi, Pittsburgh
The Buzz: Pat Narduzzi was a strong defensive coordinator during stops in Miami (Ohio), Cincinnati and Michigan State. He turned the Spartans into one of the top defensive teams in the country during the past few seasons. He comes to Pittsburgh, a program dealing with its fifth new head coach since 2004. Even though this is his first head coaching job, Narduzzi has the luxury of15 returning starters in 2015, including the ACC’s top rusher in James Connor. Mike Riley, Nebraska The Buzz: Perhaps the biggest surprise this offseason was Nebraska’s hiring of Mike Riley. Well-respected in coaching circles, Riley spent the past 15 seasons at Oregon State, where he won 93 games while appearing in eight bowl games. More important, he’s the polar opposite of the Huskers’ last coach, Bo Pelini, who appeared to wear out his welcome despite winning at least nine games per season since 2008.