Fortuna Files: Ranking all 31 new head coaching hires
Who hit home runs? Who simply won the press conference? Let's take a crack at ranking these new hires instead of grading them, looking at a variety of factors.
We rank teams and coaches all the time.
New hires? We usually grade them.
Let’s switch things up a bit here, now that the head-coaching cycle is complete.
A few notes, before we begin:
These are, of course, mostly predictive. They are also relative. For example: If I rank a new coach at a Group of 5 school higher than a new coach at a Power 4 school, that doesn’t necessarily mean I think the Group of 5 school will ultimately perform better than the Power 4 school; it simply means that that school made a more impressive hire given the smaller candidate pool.
Now please forgive me if I come off as contradicting myself with my No. 1 hire.
1. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama. Look, DeBoer almost certainly is not going to win six titles here, the way Nick Saban did. And that’s going to make him a disappointment in the minds of some. But is there really anyone better the Tide could have hired, especially after the season? DeBoer took over a broken Washington program in 2021 and had it playing for the national title in 2023. He is 104-12 lifetime as a head coach. There are legitimate questions about staffing, portal departures and recruiting abilities within the region. But DeBoer also won virtually every national coach of the year award in 2023 for a reason. He’s damn good at what he does.
2. Mike Elko, Texas A&M. Call me crazy, but Elko might be just what the doctor ordered for the Aggies, who have never lacked for talent, hype or expectations. Elko is simply a really good football coach, and he proved as much by turning a 3-9 Duke program into a program that won eight or more games in both of his seasons there. In theory, Elko won’t have to worry about too many matters off-the-field — aside from who his new AD will be — and he can channel all of the energy around College Station toward the gridiron itself.
3. Willie Fritz, Houston. The Cougars have long been called a sleeping giant. In the new-look Big 12, they should be. If Fritz can win a Cotton Bowl at Tulane, he can reach great heights in Houston, especially with a track record of success everywhere he’s been. (Lifetime record: 208-116.)
4. Bill O’Brien, Boston College. This is where the “relative” part of this list is worth remembering. O’Brien saved Penn State, was a successful NFL coach with the Texans (we said coach, not GM) and has called offenses for both Bill Belichick and Nick Saban. Let’s be honest, was there a single realistic target out there who would have been better for BC than O’Brien? Nope.
5. Sherrone Moore, Michigan. Moore’s offensive lines have been the best in the country since he took over that position in 2021. He is easily the most qualified internal promotion there is, especially with the game he called against Ohio State. The only real question is if Michigan, the winningest program in the sport’s history, should have gone after a more proven commodity elsewhere. It’s a question that will get asked if the Wolverines struggle early on after having to replace so much championship talent on the field and on the sideline in 2024.