Before Nick Saban retired as Alabama’s coach on January 10, many of the most intriguing coaching carousel movements occurred at the coordinator and assistant-coaching levels. That doesn’t mean there hasn’t been much progress since his announcement.
Arkansas’ new offensive coordinator is Bobby Petrino, who led the Razorbacks to a No. 5 finish in his final season as head coach in 2011 before being sacked for lying about an inappropriate connection with a staff member. Lincoln Riley, USC’s coach, addressed a sinking defence by revamping the staff with renowned names. After three consecutive losses to Michigan, Ohio State coach Ryan Day removed himself from the offence and hired UCLA head coach Chip Kelly as the key playcaller, after Bill O’Brien left for Boston College. Notable assistant changes have occurred at Notre Dame, Oklahoma, LSU, and other programs vying for a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff.
The aftermath of Saban’s resignation also restructured the staffs at Alabama, which hired two sitting FBS head coaches for its defensive staff, as well as at teams like Washington and Arizona, who will have new staffs as they transition to new conferences this fall.
Here’s a look back at the most notable coordinator/staffing moves from the last few months, as well as how they’ll affect the 2024 season.
USC’s star-studded staff starts to fix its underperforming defence.
Riley’s excellent work with offences, particularly quarterbacks — three Heisman Trophy winners, a Heisman runner-up, and perhaps three No. 1 overall picks in seven drafts — highlights what is preventing him from succeeding on college football’s greatest platforms. He needs to improve his defence, especially because USC has allowed 31.7 points per game over the last two years. Riley remained with coordinator Alex Grinch for the Oklahoma-to-USC transition and after a disappointing conclusion to the 2022 season before firing him in early November.
His revamping of the Trojans’ defensive staff indicates that he recognized the need to step outside of his comfort zone and hire a group of coaches with extensive leadership experience.
USC travelled across town and hired D’Anton Lynn from UCLA to oversee the defence. Lynn, the son of NFL assistant coach Anthony Lynn, helped the Bruins climb from 89th nationally in points allowed in 2022 to 14th this season (18.4 points per game), the first time they had allowed less than 20 since 2006. UCLA also led the country in rushing defence for a portion of the season before ending second to Penn State. Lynn will be joined by Eric Henderson, who will serve as co-coordinator and defensive line coach after formerly teaching Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive front.
After losing defensive backs coach Donte Williams to Georgia, USC hired Doug Belk, who had spent the previous five seasons as a coordinator for Houston and appeared to be on track for a head coaching position. Matt Entz, who left his position as head coach at North Dakota State to become linebackers coach and assistant head coach for defence, is arguably USC’s most intriguing addition. Entz led the Bison to two FCS national championships and an overall record of 60-11.
The ultimate consequence is a significantly altered staff, giving USC a chance.
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