Obviously, no two situations are alike when coaching changes are made in college football. Some coaches inherit worst situations than others. David Beaty inherited a tough challenge in large part because predecessor Charlie Weis recruited too many transfers and left the cupboard bare, particularly at offensive line.
Still, I thought it would be interesting to see how other schools that made coaching changes after the 2014 season have fared.
All computer rankings have flaws, but I’ve always considered the Sagarin predictor to be the best in both college football and basketball.
| School | 2014 rec. Sagarin ranking |
2017 rec. Sagarin ranking |
Sagarin change |
Old coach | New Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMU | 2-10, 205 | 7-5, 75 | +130 | June Jones | Chad Morris |
| Troy | 2-10, 170 | 9-2, 76 | +94 | Larry Blakeney | Neal Brown |
| Tulsa | 2-10, 165 | 2-10, 102 | +63 | Bill Blakenship | Philip Montgoery |
| UNLV | 2-11, 173 | 5-7, 114 | +59 | Bobby Hauck | Tony Sanchez |
| Michigan | 5-7, 59 | 8-4, 20 | +39 | Brady Hoke | Jim Harbaugh |
| Buffalo | 5-6, 135 | 6-6, 97 | +38 | Jeff Quinn | Lance Leipold |
| Pittsburgh | 6-7, 60 | 6-7, 46 | +14 | Paul Chryst | Pat Narduzzi |
| Wisconsin | 11-3, 20 | 12-0, 7 | +13 | Gary Andersen | Paul Chryst |
| Houston | 8-5, 67 | 7-4, 55 | +12 | Tony Levine | Tom Herman* |
| Colorado State | 10-3, 69 | 7-5, 74 | -5 | Jim McElwain | Mike Bobo |
| Kansas | 3-9, 121 | 1-11, 157 | -36 | Charlie Weis | David Beaty |
| Florida | 7-5, 23 | 4-8, 39 | -39 | Will Muschamp | Jim McElwain* |
| Nebraska | 9-4, 27 | 4-8, 70 | -43 | Bo Pelini | Mike Riley* |
| Oregon State | 5-7, 81 | 1-11, 125 | -44 | Mike Riley | Gary Andersen* |
| *Coach no longer at that school. |
