The college football season is right around the corner, meaning we’ll soon get our first glimpses at some prominent head coaches at new schools.
There are extremely high expectations for these coaches at some high-profile schools. Which of those coaches have the most to prove at their new jobs?
Let’s dive in.
1. Brian Kelly – LSU
At a time when Notre Dame still had a chance to reach the College Football Playoff, Brian Kelly shockingly departed South Bend for the lure of the SEC at LSU. Kelly, a Massachusetts native who spent the majority of his coaching career in the Midwest, was a peculiar cultural fit in Baton Rouge, and it’s certainly been a process to assimilate into the LSU family.
Kelly won at least 10 games in six of his last seven seasons at Notre Dame and now inherits an LSU program on the heels of back-to-back disappointing seasons following the magical run to the national championship in 2019. Kelly came close but never won a national title at Notre Dame, and expectations are always high when it comes to a program like LSU.
There is pressure to win immediately. But if there are early growing pains for Kelly in Baton Rouge, will the LSU community be patient? Or will skepticism about Kelly’s fit in the SEC quickly creep in? Kelly faced tough schedules as an independent at Notre Dame, but the juggernaut of the SEC West is a different kind of beast.
2. Lincoln Riley – USC
Lincoln Riley’s move from Oklahoma to USC was by far the most-hyped of the coaching carousel. USC has been starving for national relevance and Riley is certainly a coach who can elevate the Trojans — especially with a move to the Big Ten on the horizon.
Riley had a 55-10 record and won four Big 12 titles during his time at Oklahoma and he brought his star quarterback, Caleb Williams, with him to Los Angeles. With Williams and an array of other transfers in the fold, a quick turnaround is widely expected for the Trojans.
With this level of hype, though, it’s easy to forget that USC went 4-8 last fall. The talent on offense also makes it easy to look past the holes on defense. The transition from mediocrity to national contender may not come as quickly as USC fans expect.
3. Marcus Freeman – Notre Dame
Notre Dame is one of the most-coveted jobs in college…