If you have to boil a head football coach's duties down to two tasks, they might be: A) planning the program's next near- and long-term movements, and B) making decisions once those original plans inevitably go askew.
The FBS Hiring Class of 2020 learned that the hard way, when a global pandemic dropped in the first months of their respective tenures. After much consternation, the '20 class led their teams onto the field without the benefit of spring practices and a normal training camp, and they signed their first full recruiting classes without going on the road as normal.
Still, the show went on, and now the '20 class is near or beyond the 30-game mark, it's time to do the Internet thing and boil two-and-a-half seasons of work into a single sentence.
In this 19-man class I count two conference champions, three New Year's Six appearances, nine unqualified successes, one verdict already rendered, and more possibly on the way.
AMERICAN
Ryan Silverfield, Memphis | 18-11 (10-8 AAC)
Silverfield's career took him a lot of places by the time he became an FBS head coach at age 40. He began coaching immediately upon enrolling at Hampden-Sydney College, and after graduation he went from a high school head coach, to an FBS GA, to an NFL position coach within a 6-season span. He arrived at Memphis in 2016 and had no coordinator experience when Memphis elevated him to replace Mike Norvell, but the move has stuck. The Tigers were 8-3 in his first season, slunk back to a tie for seventh in the AAC last season, but are off to a 4-1 (2-0) start in 2022. With Cincinnati, Houston and UCF leaving after last season, Memphis can be the big cat in the jungle in the new-look AAC. And they might not even have to wait til next season.
Verdict: Doesn't have a 10-win season like Norvell did, but the program appears to be on solid footing with potential for significant success going forward.
Jeff Scott, South Florida | 4-22 (1-15 AAC)
We covered much of this ground this week. Jeff Scott is pleading for patience and continuity, citing a number of issues that, to be fair, are out of his control. But 4-22 is 4-22, and 1-15 is 1-15. The Bulls may not win another game the rest of the season, but they need to be competitive in all of them.
Verdict: If things don't improve, USF will have to ask itself if the problem is at the top of the program, or if another change will simply make things worse
ACC
Jeff Hafley, Boston College | 14-14 (8-13 ACC)
Steve Addazio left Chestnut Hill with a 44-44 (22-34 ACC) record, so if nothing else Hafley has picked up where his predecessor left off. Losing a 1-point game to Rutgers to open the season stung, but the Eagles got one back this past Saturday with a 1-point win over Louisville. Hafley is a 43-year-old first-time head coach that's highly thought of in the industry, and his recruiting classes have ranked in the high 30s after living in the 60s and 70s under Adazzio.
Verdict: Good start. This season has pulled things back from great, but there's no cause for alarm here.
Mike Norvell, Florida State | 12-14 (8-11 ACC)
From the outside looking in, it seemed as if Norvell was at risk of losing his locker room before his first game. And that was just the beginning. FSU lost by 42 to Miami in Norvell's second game, followed a respectable loss to No. 9 Notre Dame with a loss to Jacksonville State in 2021, and lost Travis Hunter to Deion Sanders. And yet. The boat may have taken on water, but it has not sunk. FSU improved from 3-6 to 5-7, and now sits at 4-1. Getting one of the next two (at NC State, vs. Clemson) would all but guarantee Norvell a fourth year, but even still the 'Noles have five straight winnable games afterward -- including Miami and Florida.
Verdict: Job's not done yet but, barring an all-out collapse, the program is making clear year-to-year progress.
BIG 12
Dave Aranda, Baylor | 17-11 (10-10 Big 12)
Aranda has worked his way onto the shortlist of our 10 best hires of the 2020s. Aranda rebounded from a 2-7 debut to a 12-2 mark, a Big 12 title, and a Sugar Bowl win. He also represents Baylor with class and is a first-off-the-bus type of ambassador for college football and the coaching profession.
Verdict: A+. Enough said.
BIG TEN
Greg Schiano, Rutgers | 11-16 (5-15 Big Ten)
You don't bring back Greg Schiano to get shook by a 5-15 start to conference play. You'd like to see the offense get out of the 100s in yards per play, but recruiting is better than its ever been, ranking in the 30s in each of the past two years.
Verdict: Schiano will get an extremely long leash, if there is one at all.
Mel Tucker, Michigan State | 15-10 (9-9 Big Ten)
Tucker started off the trend of 10-year, $90+ million deals when LSU dismissed Ed Orgeron twelve months ago. So that will color everything Tucker does for the next, oh, eight years. Last season was a smashing success (aside from a 56-7 loss to Ohio State), this season... not so much, as Sparty is looking at a 2-4 (0-3 Big Ten) start. Still, Tucker is recruiting (high school and transfers) aggressively, which should elevate the program more years than not.
Verdict: Even though it appears two of Tucker's three seasons will be losing ones, 2021 was such a success that Tucker and MSU are committed to each other for the foreseeable future.
CONFERENCE USA
Willie Taggart, Florida Atlantic | 12-15 (8-8 C-USA)
On the surface, you have a program that should run roughshod over Conference USA. FAU has maybe the best recruiting ground in the conference, and a staff that, on paper, is overqualified for the league. Taggart has led two Power 5 programs, he's got a staff with seven former Power 5 assistants, including some big names like Ed Warinner and Todd Orlando, plus former Georgia Southern head coach Chad Lunsford and a well-known SoFla commodity in former 'Cane Brandon Harris. The reason Taggart has the job is because the previous guy won two C-USA titles in three years, then took an SEC job. And yet FAU is 1-7 in its last eight against FBS teams, the one win coming against Charlotte.
Verdict: I'm not sure what's going on here but it isn't good.
Jeff Traylor, UTSA | 22-9 (13-3 C-USA)
Traylor inherited a 4-8 team, and has improved his win totals by three and then by five. The 2021 team went 12-2, won Conference USA, and netted Traylor a massive contract after Texas Tech and TCU opened. Having no college head coaching or coordinator experience when he got to San Antonio, Traylor quickly established himself as a bona fide FBS head coach and the best coach in UTSA's short history.
Verdict: A+
MOUNTAIN WEST
Marcus Arroyo, UNLV | 6-17 (4-12 MW)
A classic example of "you are what your record says you are" not always being true. Arroyo has added two wins in each of the past two years, with seven games still to play in 2022. Of course, he's done that because he started 0-6 and 2-10. UNLV is 4-1 this season, with just a 6-point loss to Cal as their only blemish. If the Rebels win at San Jose State on Friday night, they'll be the favorites to win (an admittedly down) MW West Division. All this at a program with one conference title and two bowl wins.
Verdict: Started slow, but the pace has picked up rapidly this season. On the cusp of being one of the best surprises of 2022.
Brady Hoke, San Diego State | 31-21 (18-13 MW)
This season has seen three blowout losses, a win over FCS Idaho State, and a 3-point win over Toledo... but last season saw a division championship and an AP Top 25 finish, one of three in school history. This bears watching, though.
Verdict: It would take a lot to get SDSU and Hoke to sever their relationship at this point.
Danny Gonzales, New Mexico | 7-17 (3-14 MW)
Gonzales is not only an Albuquerque native and a UNM grad, he's an Albuquerque native and a UNM grad that inherited a team that put up 1-7, 1-7 and 0-8 conference records with massive, massive off-field issues.
Verdict: Give it time.
PAC-12
Karl Dorrell, Colorado | 8-15 (6-9 Pac-12)
Verdict: Rendered.
SEC
Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri | 13-15 (8-12 SEC)
Let's start here, thus far, all eight of Drink's SEC wins have come against teams that finished .500 or below. My perception of Mizzou is a program that has settled into fifth or sixth in the SEC East, but in two complete seasons the Tigers have finished third and tied for fourth. They're 0-2 in conference play this season, but those losses came by three on the road in overtime, and by four to No. 1 Georgia. My point: these next seven games could go in seven different directions. I wouldn't rush to hand Drink a pink slip or an extension at this point, although he will only have three years left on his contract after this season.
Verdict: Still very much to be determined.
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss | 20-8 (11-7 SEC)
After a 1-4 start, Kiffin is 19-4 since. Kiffin was never going to out-recruit Saban or Jimbo, and so his scheme and his transfer recruiting figured to be the equalizer. So far, so good. His 2022 class ranked No. 27 in the country and No. 12 in the SEC, but the Rebels' 17-man transfer class checked in at No. 2 nationally.
Verdict: Points, wins and attention -- Ole Miss has gotten exactly what it wanted out of the Lane Train.
Mike Leach, Mississippi State | 15-14 (8-12 SEC)
Remember Leach's first game? The Bulldogs went to Baton Rouge and dropped 623 passing yards and 44 points on the defending national champs. Eight games later, State was 2-7. Since then, though, Leach is 13-7. It's apparent Leach hired well in defensive coordinator Zach Arnett (no relation), and so the big question will come when Arnett gets a bigger offer.
Verdict: Points, wins and viral quotes -- Mississippi State has gotten exactly what it wanted out of The Pirate.
Sam Pittman, Arkansas | 15-13 (8-13 SEC)
Arkansas was the Kansas of the SEC when Pittman got there, and so last year's 9-4 record was a greater accomplishment even than it appeared on the surface. Pittman has proven to be the stabilizing force Arkansas needed, though part of me wonders if the Hogs are going to be chasing that high of September 2021 for the entirety of Pittman's tenure.
Verdict: Hunter Yurachek took a risk in hiring the unproven Pittman. It was the right move.
SUN BELT
Shawn Clark, Appalachian State | 23-9 (14-4 Sun Belt)
A former Mountaineer, Clark was an established assistant that was expected to stabilize App's winning culture after losing Scott Satterfield and Eliah Drinkwitz in consecutive seasons. He's done exactly that.
Verdict: Just what the doctor ordered.
Ricky Rahne, Old Dominion | 8-10 (1-0 Sun Belt)
Old Dominion was the only FBS team not to play in 2020, tied for second in the Conference USA East in 2021, and is now playing its first season in the Sun Belt. After a 1-5 start a year ago, Rahne rallied to win five straight and reach the Myrtle Beach Bowl. So far this year, ODU is 2-3, but those two wins have come over Virginia Tech, and over Arkansas State in their Sun Belt debut.
Verdict: It's still early.