We have all disagreed among ourselves as to the myriad of reasons (some valid, some conjecture) as to why the ACC gets treated as the weakest football conference - even when there is tangible evidence that it isn't always true. But we have all agreed that one thing that the Conference needs is attention to better head coaching hires.
Of the 22 new HC hires, ESPN puts three of the top five in the ACC (Fuentes at VT; Richt at Miami; Babers at SU) and adds Mendenhall at UVA in the top ten. Is this the first time that the ACC hired so many new coaches with HC experience? VT did the best not only because Fuentes is talented, but also because VT has a lot of returning players and having Foster back at DC is a big plus. Richt knows how to recruit and Miami will be strong at nearly every position other then D-Line, Babers has a lot to do, but he has been extremely successful beating other teams. And SU's new AD Coyle is deeply committed to football.
And oh by the way, Clemson and FSU will still be at the top next year. The ACC is now stacking the "next level" below the two top dogs with coaches that can challenge each other as well as push into the top. Dare I say that the Atlantic may be the strongest division next year and the Coastal will be the most interesting? (And this is coming from a guy that hates the current division structure).
What I have not been able to fully track is the movement of assistant coaches. I think UVA hired the former HC of ECU. Unfortunately, Pitt lost its OC to UGA.
Let the games begin.
Of the 22 new HC hires, ESPN puts three of the top five in the ACC (Fuentes at VT; Richt at Miami; Babers at SU) and adds Mendenhall at UVA in the top ten. Is this the first time that the ACC hired so many new coaches with HC experience? VT did the best not only because Fuentes is talented, but also because VT has a lot of returning players and having Foster back at DC is a big plus. Richt knows how to recruit and Miami will be strong at nearly every position other then D-Line, Babers has a lot to do, but he has been extremely successful beating other teams. And SU's new AD Coyle is deeply committed to football.
And oh by the way, Clemson and FSU will still be at the top next year. The ACC is now stacking the "next level" below the two top dogs with coaches that can challenge each other as well as push into the top. Dare I say that the Atlantic may be the strongest division next year and the Coastal will be the most interesting? (And this is coming from a guy that hates the current division structure).
What I have not been able to fully track is the movement of assistant coaches. I think UVA hired the former HC of ECU. Unfortunately, Pitt lost its OC to UGA.
Let the games begin.
