http://footballscoop.com/news/evaluating-third-year-fbs-head-coaches-2/
Lots of familiar names here, pretty interesting.
Some cautionary tales as well.
Barry Odom, Missouri: 14-17 (6-13 SEC) overall, 3-3 (0-3 SEC) this year
An 0-3 start in SEC play with a potential first-round quarterback is never a great start. Odom made Derek Dooley a first-time offensive coordinator after losing Josh Heupel to UCF, and Mizzou has dropped from sixth to 59th in yards per play. In the meantime, the defense — Odom’s specialty — has fallen from 83rd to 96th. The SEC East is good as it’s been in years, which is never a good thing when you’re the program in the division’s far western outpost.
Mike Norvell, Memphis: 22-11 (13-7 AAC) overall, 4-3 (1-3) this season
This season has shaped into a rebuilding year, but the Tigers were thisclose to taking the AAC title last season. Even still, Memphis finished at 10-3 and No. 25 in the AP poll, the second time the program has appeared in a year-end AP poll — ever. Still only 37, Norvell signed a 5-year, $13 million extension in December, but he’ll be a person of interest for Power 5 openings this winter or next.
Matt Campbell, Iowa State: 14-17 (9-13 Big 12) overall, 3-3 (2-2 Big 12) this year
Before last season, Iowa State was 1-65-2 all-time against teams ranked in the top 6 (AP poll). Since, Matt Campbell has notched wins over a No. 3 Oklahoma, a No. 4 TCU and a No. 6 West Virginia.
Campbell still hasn’t beaten Iowa, but he’s turned Jack Trice Stadium into a Bermuda Triangle for the Big 12 elite. Last year’s eight wins were the program’s most since 2002, and in Campbell agreed to a new 6-year contract that dropped his buyout from $9.4 million to $7 million.
Seth Littrell, North Texas: 20-14 (12-7 C-USA) overall, 6-1 (2-1 C-USA) this year
Simply put, this has been a transformative hire for North Texas football. Littrell has raised the bar so high and so quickly that anything short of a Conference USA title this year will be viewed as a disappointment — and this is after taking over a team that went 1-11 and lost to FCS Portland State 66-7 on homecoming in 2015. UNT has invested everything it can to keep him as long as possible; his salary has doubled to a C-USA best $1.425 million and the school recently broke ground on an indoor facility. Eventually, someone will approach the 40-year-old Oklahoman with an offer he can’t refuse, but the school hopes to wring as much as possible out of Littrell while it can.
Jason Candle, Toledo: 24-10 (14-4 MAC) overall, 3-3 (1-1 MAC) this year
Candle picked up exactly where Campbell left off. He signed a 6-year extension in December, but it raised his buyout to only $3.5 million. The 38-year-old Ohioan will have options as long as he keeps winning.
Lots of familiar names here, pretty interesting.
Some cautionary tales as well.
Barry Odom, Missouri: 14-17 (6-13 SEC) overall, 3-3 (0-3 SEC) this year
An 0-3 start in SEC play with a potential first-round quarterback is never a great start. Odom made Derek Dooley a first-time offensive coordinator after losing Josh Heupel to UCF, and Mizzou has dropped from sixth to 59th in yards per play. In the meantime, the defense — Odom’s specialty — has fallen from 83rd to 96th. The SEC East is good as it’s been in years, which is never a good thing when you’re the program in the division’s far western outpost.
Mike Norvell, Memphis: 22-11 (13-7 AAC) overall, 4-3 (1-3) this season
This season has shaped into a rebuilding year, but the Tigers were thisclose to taking the AAC title last season. Even still, Memphis finished at 10-3 and No. 25 in the AP poll, the second time the program has appeared in a year-end AP poll — ever. Still only 37, Norvell signed a 5-year, $13 million extension in December, but he’ll be a person of interest for Power 5 openings this winter or next.
Matt Campbell, Iowa State: 14-17 (9-13 Big 12) overall, 3-3 (2-2 Big 12) this year
Before last season, Iowa State was 1-65-2 all-time against teams ranked in the top 6 (AP poll). Since, Matt Campbell has notched wins over a No. 3 Oklahoma, a No. 4 TCU and a No. 6 West Virginia.
Campbell still hasn’t beaten Iowa, but he’s turned Jack Trice Stadium into a Bermuda Triangle for the Big 12 elite. Last year’s eight wins were the program’s most since 2002, and in Campbell agreed to a new 6-year contract that dropped his buyout from $9.4 million to $7 million.
Seth Littrell, North Texas: 20-14 (12-7 C-USA) overall, 6-1 (2-1 C-USA) this year
Simply put, this has been a transformative hire for North Texas football. Littrell has raised the bar so high and so quickly that anything short of a Conference USA title this year will be viewed as a disappointment — and this is after taking over a team that went 1-11 and lost to FCS Portland State 66-7 on homecoming in 2015. UNT has invested everything it can to keep him as long as possible; his salary has doubled to a C-USA best $1.425 million and the school recently broke ground on an indoor facility. Eventually, someone will approach the 40-year-old Oklahoman with an offer he can’t refuse, but the school hopes to wring as much as possible out of Littrell while it can.
Jason Candle, Toledo: 24-10 (14-4 MAC) overall, 3-3 (1-1 MAC) this year
Candle picked up exactly where Campbell left off. He signed a 6-year extension in December, but it raised his buyout to only $3.5 million. The 38-year-old Ohioan will have options as long as he keeps winning.
