10 Under-the-Radar Coaching Moves That Will Make Huge Difference in 2015
Big-name coaching hires such as Jim Harbaugh (Michigan), Jim McElwain (Florida) and Will Muschamp (DC, Auburn) will make an impact at their new jobs next season. Obviously.
But what about new coaches with lower profiles?
Consider the impact of Sonny Cumbie and Doug Meacham in 2014—not just at TCU, where they served as co-offensive coordinators, but on the narrative of the entire college football season. They breathed life into a barren offense, and as a result the Horned Frogs shared a Big 12 title, beat Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl and nearly made the College Football Playoff.
Which under-the-radar hires might have a similar impact next season? Cumbie and Meacham set the bar insanely high, but based on these coaches' track records and the situations they enter, you'd be foolish to bet against them.
Sound off below and let us know whom we missed.
Tom Allen, South Florida
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Position: Defensive Coordinator
Tony Allen arrives at South Florida after three years coaching linebackers at Ole Miss, where he helped turn Serderius Bryant and Denzel Nkemdiche into All-SEC players and the Rebels into the No. 1 FBS scoring defense.
His arrival brings a much-needed dose of energy to a team that won four games and finished with the No. 113 defense in college football, according to the S&P+ ratings at Football Outsiders.
There's no excuse for a team located in Tampa, Florida, one of the ripest recruiting territories in the country, to sneak past 2-10 UConn and 1-11 SMU by four combined points. The only explanation—which is not an excuse—concerns the coaching staff. The culture.
Allen can fix those problems immediately.
Jim Chaney, Pittsburgh
2 of 10Position: Offensive Coordinator
Jim Chaney arrives at Pittsburgh after two years as the offensive coordinator at Arkansas. Before that, he spent four years as the offensive coordinator under Lane Kiffin (2009) and Derek Dooley (2010-12) at Tennessee.
He's not a sexy hire, but Chaney brings to Pittsburgh a safe, proven, competent offensive mind that pairs well with new head coach Pat Narduzzi. His play-calling sometimes turns spotty, but he learned under Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema and understands how to develop a physical, ball-control offense—the type Narduzzi enjoyed as the defensive coordinator at Michigan State.
Pittsburgh ran a similar scheme under former head coach Paul Chryst, Bielema's offensive coordinator at Wisconsin, and last year finished with the No. 10 offense in the country, according to the FEI ratings at Football Outsiders. Chaney will help his new team maintain continuity, which is rare after changing coaching staffs.
David Gibbs, Texas Tech
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Position: Defensive Coordinator
David Gibbs arrives at Texas Tech after two years as the defensive coordinator at Houston. During his tenure, the Cougars forced more turnovers (73) than any team in college football.
Over the same span, Texas Tech ranks outside the top 100 with 34 turnovers forced. It fired defensive coordinator Matt Wallerstedt in the middle of last season—inciting one of the ugliest back-and-forths in recent memory—and needs a shrewd defensive mind to pair with offense-first head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
"What they [Gibbs and new TTU defensive assistant Zac Spavital] were able to accomplish in their short time at the University of Houston is incredible," Kingsbury said in an official statement. "...Coach Gibbs will bring experience and ingenuity to our defensive unit."
If he does, this team is primed for a bounceback.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Lance Leipold, Buffalo
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Position: Head Coach
Lance Leipold arrives at Buffalo after eight years as the head coach at Wisconsin-Whitewater: the best team in Division III.
But frankly, the above sentence undersells it. UW-Whitewater wasn't just the best team in Division III; it was by far the best team in Division III. Leipold built a dynasty, leading the Warhawks to six national titles, five perfect seasons and a sum record of 109-6. For those keeping score at home: that's as many national titles as losses.
In 25 FBS seasons, Buffalo has won 98 games. Since returning to the FBS level in 1999, it has won 52 games. It's lost six or more games in 15 of the past 16 seasons.
Basically, you're taking a coach more accustomed than any of his peers to winning and sticking him at a program more accustomed than any of its peers to losing. Even if the Buffalo job is a slow build, Leipold will make things better—however slightly—by next season.
"I like the move," Peter Berkes of SB Nation wrote in November. "UB is a program where playing it safe will get you nowhere."
It doesn't get much less safe than Leipold.
It also doesn't get much more exciting.
Roy Manning, Washington State
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Position: Outside Linebackers Coach
Roy Manning arrives at Washington State after two years on the defensive staff at Michigan. He coached outside linebackers in 2013 before Brady Hoke moved him to cornerbacks last season.
A former NFL linebacker, Manning fits better coaching his new position than he did coaching defensive backs in 2014. When leading tackler Jake Ryan tore his ACL before the 2013 season, Manning developed the linebackers behind him and kept Michigan's defense running at a high level until Ryan returned in October.
Known mostly for his work on the recruiting trail, where his energy and youth serve him well, Manning will help the Cougars both on and off the field next season. No power-conference defense needs a spark more than Washington State's.
Manning brings a definite spark.
Todd Orlando, Houston
6 of 10Position: Defensive Coordinator
Todd Orlando arrives at Houston after two years as the defensive coordinator at Utah State.
According to the FEI ratings at Football Outsiders, the Aggies finished with the No. 8 defense in the country in 2013 and the No. 24 defense in 2014—this past year despite losing linebacker Kyler Fackrell, a first-round NFL draft prospect, to a torn ACL.
When Gibbs left for Texas Tech, it looked for a second like Houston would be the same old Houston: an offensive juggernaut with no semblance of a defense. There are worse fates than reverting to the Kevin Sumlin era, but pairing Orlando with new head coach Tom Herman, the former offensive coordinator at Ohio State, who in 2014 won the Broyles Award as the best assistant coach in America, gives Houston hope on both sides of the ball.
This feels like the beginning of a beautiful relationship.
Kenny Perry, Kansas
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Position: Cornerbacks Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator
Kenny Perry arrives at Kansas after two years at TCU. He served as the recruiting coordinator in 2013 and the cornerbacks coach last season. Before that, he served 13 years as a high school head coach in Texas.
Although he lacks an extended resume, Perry proved in 2014 that he can coach at the FBS level. The Horned Frogs lost cornerback Jason Verrett, a first-round NFL draft pick, but found success with senior Kevin White and redshirt freshman Ranthony Texada.
Perry brings great upside to a Kansas program that needs it. Former head coach Charlie Weis was the opposite: established, high-profile, jaded. Perry still has something to prove, which aligns him with new head coach David Beaty, the former wide receivers coach at Texas A&M. On paper, both are underqualified.
But together, they can grow into something great.
Kalani Sitake, Oregon State
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Position: Defensive Coordinator
Kalani Sitake arrives at Oregon State after 10 years on the defensive staff at Utah—the last six as defensive coordinator.
His transfer made smaller news than that of other defensive coordinators (Will Muschamp, John Chavis, et al.) but could wind up having just as big of an impact. Sitake was a constant under Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham, at one point helping the Utes win 42 of 49 games (2007-2011) and last year leading the defense to an FBS-best 55 sacks.
Former head coach Mike Riley pulled the rug out when he left Oregon State for Nebraska. However, with new head coach Gary Andersen (via Wisconsin), offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin (via Colorado State), quarterbacks coach Kevin McGiven (via Utah State) and Sitake, one could argue the new staff is better than the old one.
One could argue it's not even close.
Charlton Warren, North Carolina
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Position: Defensive Backs Coach
Charlton Warren arrives at North Carolina after one year coaching defensive backs—and coaching them well—at Nebraska. Before that, he spent nine years coaching defensive backs at Air Force, including six years as the team's defensive coordinator.
UNC hired former Auburn head coach Gene Chizik as its new defensive coordinator, which is all anybody seems to want to talk about, but Warren represents the key to unlocking this defense. He knows how to coach up a secondary and brings a proven mind to one of the leakiest defensive backfields in the country
There's talent on the roster to work with—keep an eye on cornerback Brian Walker—and Warren is a strong choice to groom it.
Frank Wintrich, BYU
10 of 10Position: Director of Football Performance
Frank Wintrich arrives at BYU after four years as the strength coach at North Texas. Before that, he held a similar role under Jim Leavitt at South Florida, coaching teams that rose as high as No. 2 in the Associated Press Poll in 2007 and No. 10 in 2008.
Wintrich is one of the most respected assistant coaches—and certainly one of the best strength gurus—in the country. BYU is the highest-profile program for which he's worked, but no matter the players or pedigree, his teams almost always overachieve.
"[He's] the type of guy you want to play for," senior wide receiver Nick Kurtz said of Wintrich. "He could almost be a coach, I think, because he's just—when we go out there, we want to lift for him, we want to get better, and he's incorporated a lot of different speed drills that we weren't really doing before."
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
